The first day of the IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims 2025 is now complete, with two shifts held on 6th December. Thousands of candidates appeared for the Office Assistant (Clerk) prelims exam across the country. Based on live feedback from aspirants and expert faculty analysis, both shifts maintained an Easy to Moderate difficulty level, with a balanced mix of scoring and time-bound questions. This detailed review covers both shifts section-wise patterns, good attempts, and important topics to help candidates prepare for upcoming shifts on 7th, 13th, and 14th December 2025.
IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2025 – Overall Snapshot
Both shifts followed the standard pattern: 80 questions (40 from Reasoning, 40 from Quantitative Aptitude) to be completed in 45 minutes. The overall attempt range remained consistent, with candidates finding the paper manageable but requiring speed.
| Section | Shift 1 Difficulty | Shift 1 Good Attempts | Shift 2 Difficulty | Shift 2 Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 32–34 | Easy to Moderate | 31–33 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Easy to Moderate | 29–31 | Easy to Moderate | 28–30 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 61–65 | Easy to Moderate | 59–63 |
Shift 1 (9:00 AM – 9:45 AM) Analysis
Check Analysis Below:
Reasoning Ability (Easy to Moderate)
Puzzles & Seating Arrangements :
– Post-based puzzle
– Square-based arrangement
– Month + Date puzzle
– Comparison-based puzzle
Other Topics: Blood Relations, Syllogism, Inequality, Word Series, Chinese Coding, Pair Formation, Word-based, Odd One Out.
Quantitative Aptitude (Easy to Moderate)
- Simplification
- Wrong Number Series
- Data Interpretation: Table DI (Cars & Scooters) | Bar Graph DI (Number of Males)
- Arithmetic: questions from Percentage, Profit/Loss, Time & Work.
Shift 2 (11:15 AM – 12:00 PM) Analysis
Check Analysis Below:
Reasoning Ability (Easy to Moderate)
Puzzles & Seating Arrangements (17 Questions):
– Circular arrangement
– Floor-based puzzle
– Box-based puzzle
– Day-based scheduling puzzle
Other Topics: Direction Sense, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Inequality, Alpha-Numeric Series, Coding-Decoding (single-letter coding), Miscellaneous
Quantitative Aptitude (Easy to Moderate)
- Simplification
- Missing Number Series
- Data Interpretation: Line Graph (Revenue over months) | Caselet DI (Students & Subjects)
- Arithmetic: Ratio, Partnership, Simple Interest/Compound Interest, Mixture & Alligation.
IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Exam Comparison: Shift 1 vs Shift 2
| Aspect | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Highlights | More emphasis on month/date & post puzzles | More focus on circular/floor arrangements |
| Quant Highlights | Table & Bar Graph DI | Line Graph & Caselet DI |
| Time Management | Easier DI, more direct simplifications | Slightly calculation-heavy DI |
| Tricky Areas | Chinese coding, word series | Alpha-numeric series, coding-decoding |
What Should Candidates Expect in Upcoming Shifts?
- Pattern Consistency: The overall structure—40 questions per section, 45 minutes—will remain the same.
- Topic Variation: Puzzles (linear/circular/floor), DI (Table/Bar/Line/Caselet), and arithmetic topics may vary, but weightage will remain similar.
- Difficulty Level: Expected to stay in the Easy to Moderate range across shifts.
- Strategy: Focus on speed in Quant and accuracy in Puzzles. Attempt simplification and series early to save time for DI.
IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Exam Good Attempts & Expected Cut-off (Day 1 Trends)
Based on Day 1 performance, the overall good attempts are likely between 59–65 for general category candidates. Sectional attempts can be:
| Section | Safe Attempts | Good Accuracy Target |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 30–33 | 85%+ |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 28–31 | 80%+ |
FAQs
Q1. Is the difficulty level the same across all shifts?
Yes, IBPS maintains a similar difficulty level. However, topics and question types may vary slightly between shifts.
Q2. How many puzzles can I expect in Reasoning?
Expect 3–4 puzzle sets (around 15–18 questions). Practice linear, circular, floor, and scheduling puzzles.
Q3. Is Quantitative Aptitude calculation-heavy?
In Shift 2, DI required more calculations. Focus on approximation and short tricks to save time.
Q4. What are the most scoring topics?
Simplification, Wrong/Missing Series, Inequality, Syllogism, and Blood Relations are quick-scoring.
Q5. Are there any surprises in the paper?
No major surprises. The paper aligns with the expected IBPS pattern.
