Safe Attempts for IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Exam

The IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Exam is one of the most competitive banking exams, where both speed and accuracy decide your chances of clearing the cut-off. While the overall difficulty level is usually easy to moderate, the real challenge lies in managing time and attempting enough questions with maximum accuracy. Understanding “safe attempts” helps you create a target during the exam so you don’t under-attempt or over-attempt and lose marks due to negative marking.

Safe Attempts for IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims 2025

Safe attempts if difficulty is:

• Easy: 35+
• Easy–Moderate: 30–33

Most scoring topics:

• Inequality
• Syllogism
• Alphabet/Number series
• Direction sense
• Blood relation
• Coding-decoding
• One simple puzzle (if easy)

Quantitative Aptitude: 28 – 33 Questions

Safe attempts if difficulty is:

• Easy: 33+
• Easy–Moderate: 28–30

Most scoring topics:

• Simplification/Approximation
• Number series
• Quadratic equations
• Easy arithmetic (Ratio, SI–CI, Profit–Loss)
• One easy DI set

Overall Safe Attempts: 60 – 68 Questions

Maintaining accuracy above 85%, managing time smartly, and selecting only doable questions can significantly improve the chances of clearing the cut-off. This range is ideal only if accuracy is 85–95%. Attempting too many questions with low accuracy will reduce your score due to negative marking.

Section-Wise Strategy to Achieve Safe Attempts

Safe attempts for IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims 2025 fall between 60–68 questions with 85%+ accuracy. Aim to score maximum through simplification, series, inequalities, and other easy topics. Avoid risky puzzles and DI sets to ensure a balanced, mistake-free attempt.

1. Start With High-Accuracy Topics

Your first 10 minutes in each section should focus on the fastest questions:

• Reasoning: Inequality, syllogism, blood relation
• Quant: Simplification, number series, quadratic equations

2. Attempt Only One Puzzle/DI (If Easy)

Avoid complex seating arrangements or tough bar graph DI. Choose only the easiest set; leave the rest.

3. Avoid Guesswork

Even a few wrong answers can drastically affect your score.
Do not attempt questions you are unsure about.

4. Maintain Speed Without Panic

RRB Clerk is a 45-minute exam with 80 questions—speed matters, but controlled speed:

• Don’t get stuck
• Skip tough questions instantly
• Keep moving forward

5. Stick to a Time Split

A practical approach:

• Reasoning – 22 minutes
• Quant – 23 minutes

Tips to Increase Attempt Count Safely

• Practice frequent sectional mocks
• Focus on shortcuts for arithmetic
• Avoid long puzzles and DI
• Keep accuracy as your top priority
• Stay mentally calm and confident