Which is easier to clear, SBI Clerk or IBPS Clerk?

There is no honest single answer. Paper difficulty varies by year and shift, and selection depends on the number of vacancies and applicants in your state and category. What you can compare is the structure, using the 2026 notifications.

Structural differences that affect difficulty

Who may find SBI easier

• Candidates with one weak section (often English or Quant), because SBI does not prescribe sectional minimums in Prelims or subject minimums in Mains.
• Candidates comfortable with computer basics, which are relatively quick marks.

Who may find IBPS easier

• Candidates who are balanced across sections and strong in GA.
• Candidates who struggle to stay focused for 160 minutes.

The real deciding factor

The number of seats in your state and category, and how many people apply for them, decide the cut-off. This changes each year for both exams.

Both have a language requirement

Both SBI and IBPS recruit state-wise and include a local language proficiency requirement, so the choice of state matters in both. Read each notification's language rule for your state before you apply.

Allotment vs a single employer

In IBPS, the final step is provisional allotment to one of the participating banks based on merit and preference, so you may not get your first-choice bank. In SBI, selection is for SBI itself, in the state you applied for.