SBI Clerk 2026 · Syllabus & exam pattern
SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern: Subject-wise Topics
SBI Clerk selection: Preliminary (1 hour); Main (2 hours 40 minutes), as per the official notice published 11 August 2026.
Subjects, number of questions, marks, duration and negative marking for every stage, as printed in the official notice.
SBI Clerk exam pattern 2026
Stages of selection
- 1Phase-I, Preliminary exam: online objective test of 100 marks (qualifying; about 10 times the vacancies shortlisted category-wise)
- 2Phase-II, Main exam: online objective test of 200 marks; only these marks decide the merit list
- 3Phase-III, Local Language Proficiency Test for provisionally selected candidates who did not study the language in Class 10 or 12
Preliminary
1 hour (20 minutes per section)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. No minimum qualifying marks for individual tests or the aggregate.
Main
2 hours 40 minutes (separately timed tests)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General / Financial Awareness (35 minutes) | 50 | 50 |
| General English (35 minutes) | 40 | 40 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (45 minutes) | 50 | 50 |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (45 minutes) | 50 | 60 |
Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. A minimum aggregate decided by the Bank applies (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS); there is no sectional minimum.
Source: Recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) in State Bank of India (Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17) (published 11 August 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
How the exams work: negative marking, qualifying marks and merit
Phase-I, the preliminary exam, is a one-hour online test of 100 questions and 100 marks: English Language (30), Numerical Ability (35) and Reasoning Ability (35), with 20 minutes for each section. There are no minimum qualifying marks for individual tests or the aggregate. About 10 times the number of vacancies in each category (subject to availability) are shortlisted for the main exam, in descending order of aggregate marks.
Phase-II, the main exam, runs 2 hours 40 minutes with 190 questions and 200 marks: General/Financial Awareness (50 questions, 50 marks, 35 minutes), General English (40 questions, 40 marks, 35 minutes), Quantitative Aptitude (50 questions, 50 marks, 45 minutes) and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (50 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes). You need a minimum percentage on aggregate, decided by the Bank, with 5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates; there is no minimum per subject.
In both exams one fourth of the marks of a question is deducted for each wrong answer.
Preliminary marks are not added for selection. The final merit list is drawn state-wise and category-wise on main exam aggregate marks only. Trained SBI apprentices who meet the conditions get 5 bonus marks (2.5% of 200) added to their main exam aggregate.
General English is tested in English. The other tests are offered in English and Hindi, and in the regional language for several states — for example Gujarati in Gujarat, Kannada in Karnataka, Odia in Odisha, Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Telugu and Urdu in Telangana, and Bengali in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam.
SBI Clerk syllabus: tests and sections as printed
The tests of each stage as printed in the official notice, with their questions and marks. Topic lists for each test are not reproduced here; always follow the latest notice.
- Preliminary (1 hour, 20 minutes per section): English Language (30 questions, 30 marks), Numerical Ability (35 questions, 35 marks), Reasoning Ability (35 questions, 35 marks).
- Main (2 hours 40 minutes, separately timed): General / Financial Awareness (50 questions, 50 marks, 35 minutes); General English (40 questions, 40 marks, 35 minutes); Quantitative Aptitude (50 questions, 50 marks, 45 minutes); Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (50 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes).
Local Language Proficiency Test (Phase-III)
You must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and understanding the specified local language of the state you apply for, and you choose one language in the online form.
If you produce a Class 10 or Class 12 marksheet or certificate showing you studied that language, you do not take any language test. Otherwise the test is held after provisional selection but before joining, at a centre in the state you applied for, at your own expense. It has a non-verbal and a verbal test with minimum qualifying marks decided by the Bank (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS). Candidates who fail it are not offered appointment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SBI Clerk exam pattern?
Preliminary: English Language, Numerical Ability, Reasoning Ability (1 hour (20 minutes per section)). Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. No minimum qualifying marks for individual tests or the aggregate. Main: General / Financial Awareness (35 minutes), General English (35 minutes), Quantitative Aptitude (45 minutes), Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (45 minutes) (2 hours 40 minutes (separately timed tests)). Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. A minimum aggregate decided by the Bank applies (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS); there is no sectional minimum.
Is there negative marking in SBI Clerk?
Yes. One fourth of the marks of a question is deducted for every wrong answer, in both the preliminary and the main exam.
Is there a sectional cut-off in SBI Clerk?
No. The preliminary exam has no minimum qualifying marks for individual tests or the aggregate, and the main exam has only a minimum aggregate decided by the Bank (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS).