Want to start your career in the banking industry, but are lagging due to confusion about where to start? Here is your way. A well-structured bank exam preparation strategy, strong conceptual understanding, and regular practice are essential for success. Bank exams are conducted by major banking organisations like IBPS, SBI, and RBI for those who are interested in working in the banking and financial sector. There are several opportunities for aspirants who want to join as Probationary Officers (PO), Clerks, Specialist Officers (SO), and other roles in public sector banks. To step into the banking industry, first learn the exam pattern & syllabus, then strengthen basics in Quant, Reasoning, and English with reliable study materials, create a study plan, focus on daily practice & mock tests, analyze weak areas, and stay updated on Current Affairs, using online resources like YouTube and newspapers. Staying updated with notifications and exam patterns is crucial. Check out the article to learn how to start banking preparation from zero level.

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Can a Beginner Crack Bank Exams?

Yes, a beginner can definitely crack bank exams—even on the first attempt. Your exam strategies, consistency, and smart practice are the most important matters. 

Why Beginners Can Crack Bank Exams?

• Bank Exams Test Aptitude, Not Degrees

• Syllabus Is Fixed & Predictable and well defined and also easy to plan.

• Many Toppers Were Beginners Once. Many aspirants had no math background; they may improve only through practice and mock analysis in the same way that beginners can also crack the bank exam with their consistent practice. 

What Are Bank Exams in India?

Clerk-Level Bank Exams

For candidates starting their banking career.

Popular Clerk Exams

• IBPS Clerk

• SBI Clerk

• RRB Clerk (Office Assistant)

Job Role

• Customer handling

• Cash transactions

• Account-related work

Officer-Level Bank Exams

For candidates aiming for leadership roles.

Popular PO Exams

• IBPS PO

• SBI PO

• RRB PO (Officer Scale-I)

Job Role

• Branch operations

• Loan processing

• Team supervision

Specialist Officer (SO) Exams

For candidates with professional qualifications.

Popular SO Exams

• IBPS SO (IT, HR, Law, Marketing, Agriculture)

• SBI SO

Who Conducts Bank Exams in India?

Major Exam Authorities

• IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection)

• SBI (State Bank of India)

• RRBs (Regional Rural Banks) – conducted through IBPS

Bank Exams Eligibility & Attempts

• To be eligible for most major bank examinations, including those by IBPS, SBI, and RBI, candidates must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India.

• Age limits and other requirements vary by position. Generally, for various bank PO exams, such as SBI PO and IBPS PO, the age limit is typically between 20 and 30 years. 

• For the different Bank Clerical Exams, such as SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk, the bank exam eligibility age limit must be 20 - 28 years.

• The IBPS RRB Clerk recruitment is open for 18 years.

• Before applying for the various bank exams in the year 2026, candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility age limit for 2026 and the educational qualifications for 2026. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Start Banking Preparation from Zero

Step 1: Understand What Banking Exams Are

Before starting the exam, the candidates must know what exam they are preparing for. 

Step 2: Know the Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The very important step is to know the exact syllabus and exam pattern. For each exam, there will be a separate pattern. Also, know all the syllabus topics and make a study plan for them. Also, follow the best study materials to cover each topic of the bank exam syllabus for prelims and main exams. 

Step 3: Start with Basic Concepts (Zero Level)

If you are a beginner dont enter the shortcut and mock test immediately. Start from the basic topics and gradually move to the difficult ones. Here we have provided a subject-wise topic to the beginners who are lagging to start the preparation for the bank exam.

Quantitative Aptitude

Start with:

• Number System

• Simplification

• Percentages

• Ratio & Proportion

• Averages

Focus on why formulas work, not memorization.

Reasoning Ability

Begin with:

• Inequality

• Syllogism

• Blood Relations

• Direction Sense

• Coding–Decoding

Build logic first, and speed comes later.

English Language

Start with:

• Reading Comprehension (basic level)

• Vocabulary (daily 5–10 words)

• Grammar basics (tenses, subject–verb agreement)

Read editorials or short articles daily.

Step 4: Make a Simple Daily Study Plan

As a beginner, the candidates are instructed to spend 6-7 hours per day. It is enough to start your banking preparation as a beginner. Follow the simple daily plan provided below to make your preparation more effective. Your consistency matters more than the time you spent. Follow the study plan daily to ace the exam.

• Quant – 2 hours

• Reasoning – 2 hours

• English – 1.5 hours

• Revision + Practice – 1.5 hours

Step 5: Start Practicing Topic-Wise Questions

After completely preparing each topic, solve 20–30 questions daily from each topic, analyse the mistakes, and work more on the weak areas. Accuracy is more important than speed at the beginning. 

Step 6: Introduce Mock Tests Gradually

Mock test plays a decisive role in the bank exam preparation. Once you complete the section-wise preparation, then gradually move to attempt the mock tests. Start with sectional mocks, move to full-length mocks later. As a beginner, attempt 1-2 mock tests weekly, analyse your results, and give more importance to the areas to be improved.

Step 7: Prepare General Awareness Side-by-Side

By focusing on the questions and reasoning, do not postpone the GA section. Focus on Banking & Financial Awareness, Current Affairs (last 4–6 months), Static GK related to banking.

Step 8: Revise Regularly 

However, you prepared with full efforts, revision without preparation leads the candidates to fail. Must revise consistently by revising the same-day topics daily, revising the weak areas at least once a week, and revising the whole syllabus twice a month.

Subject-Wise Basics for Beginners

A well-planned subject-wise preparation strategy is essential to crack bank exams as a beginner. Here we have provided some subject-wise topics and preparation tips for each topic. 

Quantitative Aptitude 

☑ Percentage
☑ Ratio & Proportion
☑ Simplification
☑ Average

Tips:

• Practice daily calculations to improve speed and accuracy.

• Solve previous year questions to understand the difficulty levels.

• Take sectional mock tests regularly.

Reasoning Ability 

☑ Blood Relations
☑ Direction Sense
☑ Inequality
☑ Coding-Decoding

Tips:

• Strengthen topics like puzzles, seating arrangements, syllogisms, and inequalities.

• Learn standard approaches for blood relations, direction sense, and coding-decoding.

• Focus on accuracy rather than attempting all questions.

• Analyse mock test mistakes to improve performance.

English Language (Basics)

☑ Reading habit
☑ Basic grammar
☑ Vocabulary building

Tips:

• Read newspapers daily, Practice reading comprehension and cloze tests regularly.

• Revise grammar rules for error detection and sentence correction.

• Build vocabulary by learning new words daily and using them in sentences.

What is GA (General Awareness)?

General Awareness (GA) is a section in banking exams that tests your knowledge of current events and static facts, especially related to the banking and financial sector.

How to Start Current Affairs 

If you are starting from zero, follow these steps: Focus only on exam-oriented current affairs, not everything in the news. 

Important Areas

• Banking & Economy

• RBI updates, monetary policy

• Government schemes

• Appointments & resignations

• National & international news

• Awards, sports, books & authors

• Summits & reports

Daily Study Routine for Zero-Level Aspirants

Here is a simple, realistic Daily Study Routine for Zero-Level Banking Aspirants, designed especially for beginners who are starting from scratch and preparing for SBI, IBPS & RRB exams.

Morning Session- 2.5 – 3 Hours

Quantitative Aptitude – 1.5 Hours

Focus on basic concepts only:

• Number System

• Simplification

• Percentage

• Ratio & Proportion

• Average

Learn formulas, solve easy examples. Avoid shortcuts initially.

Reasoning Ability – 1 – 1.5 Hours

start with:

• Inequality

• Syllogism

• Coding–Decoding

• Blood Relations

• Direction Sense

Initially Understand logic, solve slowly, then improve speed.

Afternoon Session – 1.5 – 2 Hours

English Language – 1 – 1.5 Hours

• Reading Comprehension (1 passage)

• Grammar basics (1 topic)

• Vocabulary (5–10 new words)

General Awareness – 30 Minutes

• Daily current affairs (10–15 questions/news)

• Banking awareness basics

• Revise yesterday’s GA

Evening/Night Session– 1.5 – 2 Hours

Practice Session – 1 Hour

• Topic-wise questions from Quant & Reasoning

• Focus on accuracy

• Note mistakes in a copy

Revision – 30–45 Minutes

• Revise:

• Formulas

• Reasoning concepts

• Vocabulary

• GA notes

Common Mistakes in Bank Mains Preparation

Identifying these errors at the right time and correcting them can significantly improve your Bank Mains performance and final selection chances.

• Ignoring the Bank Mains Syllabus and Exam Pattern.

• Over-Focusing on Prelims-Level Speed.

• Neglecting General Awareness and Descriptive Sections

• Attempting Too Many Questions

• Not Analyzing Mock Tests Properly

• Studying New Topics Till the Last Day

• Poor Time Management During the Exam

• Lack of Consistency and Revision.

FAQs

Q. Can a beginner crack bank exams starting from zero?

Yes, absolutely. Every year, thousands of candidates crack SBI, IBPS, and RRB exams without any prior background. With strong basics, regular practice, and proper revision, a zero-level aspirant can clear bank exams even on the first attempt.

Q.How many hours should a beginner study daily?

A beginner should study 6–7 hours daily.

• 2–3 hours for concepts

• 2 hours for practice

• 1 hour for revision & GA

Q. Which subject should I start with first as a beginner?

Start with: Quantitative Aptitude – basic calculations, Reasoning Ability – logical thinking, English Language – reading & grammar. Begin General Awareness side-by-side with 30 minutes daily.

Q. How many mock tests are enough for beginners?

• Prelims: 15–25 mocks

• Mains: 10–15 mocks

Q. How long does it take to complete the syllabus from zero?

• Prelims level: 3–4 months

• Mains level: 5–6 months