Bank exams reward accuracy under time pressure more than depth, and prelims is often decided by a few marks in a twenty minute section. Questions here follow the IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO, SBI Clerk and RBI Grade B pattern across quantitative aptitude, reasoning ability, English language, general and banking awareness, and computer aptitude. Data interpretation sets are included in full rather than as single questions, since that is how they appear in the paper.
Study the table: Loan disbursements across 3 branches in lakhs: Branch A: ₹250, Branch B: ₹180, Branch C: ₹320. If total loan recovery was 85%, what was the total outstanding loan amount?
Answer: C
Total disbursed = 250 + 180 + 320 = 750 lakhs. If recovery is 85%, outstanding = 750 × (1-0.85) = 750 × 0.15 = 112.5 lakhs. If recovery was 85%, then 15% outstanding = 112.5 lakhs on 750 base.
Q.202Medium
What is the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) as per latest RBI guidelines 2024?
Answer: B
The CRR has been maintained at 4.0% as per RBI's latest monetary policy in 2024.
Q.203Medium
Which regulatory framework applies to payments and settlement systems in India?
Answer: B
The Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 specifically regulates payment systems including RTGS, NEFT, and other settlement mechanisms.
Q.204Medium
Analyze the data: Q1 loan disbursement: ₹800 crore, Q2: ₹960 crore, Q3: ₹1,152 crore. What is the sequential growth rate pattern?
Answer: B
Q1 to Q2: (960-800)/800 = 20%; Q2 to Q3: (1152-960)/960 = 20%. This shows 20% consistent quarter-on-quarter growth.
Q.205Medium
If a bank's Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) is 14.5%, and regulatory minimum is 11.5%, what is the capital buffer?
Answer: C
Capital buffer = Actual CRAR - Minimum regulatory CRAR = 14.5% - 11.5% = 3.0%
Q.206Medium
Study the performance data: NPAs in 2023: ₹8,000 crore, in 2024: ₹9,600 crore. If total advances are ₹500,000 crore in 2024, what is the NPA ratio for 2024?
A bank increased its retail lending from ₹50,000 crore to ₹65,000 crore while corporate lending decreased from ₹80,000 crore to ₹72,000 crore. What is the net change in total lending portfolio?
Answer: A
Retail increase: 65,000 - 50,000 = +15,000 crore. Corporate decrease: 72,000 - 80,000 = -8,000 crore. Net = 15,000 - 8,000 = +7,000 crore. Correction: This should be +7,000, but let's verify the options align.
Q.208Medium
Analyze the quarterly data: A bank's Net Interest Income (NII) was ₹12,000 crore (Q1), ₹13,200 crore (Q2), ₹14,520 crore (Q3), and ₹15,972 crore (Q4). What is the growth pattern?
A bank's Asset Quality Ratio improved from 94.2% in FY2023 to 96.8% in FY2024. If FY2023 advances were ₹4,50,000 crore, what was the approximate amount of standard assets?
Answer: A
Standard assets = Asset Quality Ratio × Total Advances = 94.2% × ₹4,50,000 crore = ₹4,23,900 crore
Q.210Medium
Examine the data: Bank X's Cost-to-Income Ratio decreased from 48% (FY2023) to 44% (FY2024). If operating expenses in FY2024 are ₹8,800 crore, what is the estimated operating income?
Answer: B
Cost-to-Income Ratio = Operating Expenses / Operating Income; 44% = 8,800 / OI; OI = 8,0800.44 = ₹20,000 crore
Q.211Medium
A bank's advances grew by 15% year-on-year while deposits grew by 12% in FY2024. If the Loan-to-Deposit (LTD) ratio was 78% in FY2023, what is the approximate LTD ratio in FY2024?
Study the quarterly performance: Q1 profit: ₹5,600 crore, Q2 profit: ₹6,160 crore, Q3 profit: ₹6,776 crore, Q4 profit: ₹7,454 crore. What is the total annual profit and approximate quarterly growth rate?
If the RBI reduces the Repo Rate by 50 basis points, what is the likely impact on a bank's Net Interest Margin (NIM) in the short term?
Answer: B
When repo rate decreases, banks cut lending rates faster than deposit rates, compressing NIM (interest spread)
Q.214Medium
A scheduled commercial bank reports: Tier-1 Capital: ₹50,000 crore, Tier-2 Capital: ₹20,000 crore, RWA: ₹500,000 crore. Calculate the Total Capital Ratio and determine compliance status.
Answer: B
Total Capital = ₹50,000 + ₹20,000 = ₹70,000 crore. CRAR = 70,500000,000 = 14%. Basel III minimum is 10.5%, so 14% is compliant
Q.215Medium
If a bank's Cost of Funds increased by 75 basis points while the Yield on Assets increased by 50 basis points, what is the likely impact on Net Interest Margin (NIM)?
Answer: B
NIM = Yield on Assets - Cost of Funds. If Cost of Funds increases by 75 bps and Yield increases by only 50 bps, NIM decreases by 25 bps (50 - 75 = -25).
Q.216Medium
A scheduled commercial bank's Priority Sector Lending (PSL) target for FY2024-25 is 40% of adjusted net bank credit. The bank achieved 38% in Q3. What is the regulatory implication?
Answer: C
PSL compliance is measured at the end of the financial year. Banks must maintain 40% PSL by March 31. Non-compliance attracts penalties equal to shortfall amount at repo rate + 50 bps.
Q.217Medium
Analyze the data: A bank's CASA ratio decreased from 42% in Q2 to 39% in Q3. What regulatory and operational concern does this raise?
Answer: B
CASA (Current Account & Saving Account) ratio declining means lower proportion of low-cost deposits. The bank must fund advances with more expensive term deposits, which increases Cost of Funds and compresses NIM.
Q.218Medium
A bank's Gross NPA increased from ₹18,500 crore in FY2023 to ₹22,300 crore in FY2024, while total advances grew from ₹2,10,000 crore to ₹2,35,000 crore. What is the change in Gross NPA ratio?
Answer: A
Gross NPA Ratio FY2023 = (18,2500,10,000) × 100 = 8.81%. FY2024 = (22,2300,35,000) × 100 = 9.49%. The ratio increased despite advances growth, indicating asset quality deterioration.
Q.219Medium
Under Basel III norms (as amended by RBI in 2024), what is the minimum Common Equity Tier-1 (CET1) capital requirement for Systemically Important Banks (SIBs)?
Answer: C
Basel III requires CET1 minimum of 4.5% plus Capital Conservation Buffer of 2.5%. For SIBs, an additional 0.5% surcharge applies, totaling 6.50% minimum CET1 requirement.
Q.220Medium
The RBI announced a reduction in the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate by 25 basis points to 6.50%. What is the immediate market implication?
Answer: B
SDF rate reduction makes RBI deposits less attractive, incentivizing banks to deploy liquidity in market lending rather than parking with RBI, potentially increasing money supply and lending.
