SBI Clerk 2026: what we know
The advertisement schedules the prelims tentatively in September 2026. Call letters are out, and each candidate’s exact date and shift are printed on their own call letter — SBI has not published a public date-wise schedule, so we don’t quote one. SBI does not publish difficulty ratings or good-attempt figures either, so we don’t offer a verdict on how the paper went. The Main exam is tentatively in November 2026; the prelims result date has not been announced.
What this page covers
Test-wise paper
Test names, questions, marks and timings are from the advertisement; each test is separately timed, and the prelims “Acquaint Yourself” booklet says every prelims question has five options. The English tests are in English only; the others are offered in English, Hindi and the language(s) listed for your state/UT. SBI publishes only test names (plus illustrative sample questions for the prelims), so the topic lists below are commonly tested areas, not an official syllabus.
Prelims · English Language
30 Q · 30 marks · 20 min · English only. The booklet’s sample questions cover grammar and error spotting, vocabulary, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms and passage comprehension.
Prelims · Numerical Ability
35 Q · 35 marks · 20 min. The booklet describes it as speed and accuracy with numbers — computation, quantitative reasoning and interpreting tables and graphs. Commonly tested: simplification, number series, data interpretation and arithmetic.
Prelims · Reasoning Ability
35 Q · 35 marks · 20 min. The booklet’s samples include odd-one-out, analogies, word formation and statement–conclusion questions. Commonly tested: puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, inequalities and coding-decoding.
Mains · General / Financial Awareness
50 Q · 50 marks · 35 min. Commonly tested: current affairs, banking and financial awareness, and static general knowledge.
Mains · General English
40 Q · 40 marks · 35 min · English only. Commonly tested: reading comprehension, vocabulary, error detection and sentence-level questions.
Mains · Quantitative Aptitude
50 Q · 50 marks · 45 min. Commonly tested: data interpretation, number series, quadratic equations and arithmetic word problems.
Mains · Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude
50 Q · 60 marks · 45 min. Commonly tested: puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, input-output, coding-decoding and computer fundamentals.
What a wrong answer costs
Every test deducts one-fourth of a question’s marks for each wrong answer, in both prelims and Mains; a question left blank costs nothing. Because marks per question are higher in the Mains Reasoning & Computer Aptitude test, so is the penalty there. Worked out from the official marks and question counts:
| Test | Marks per question | Penalty per wrong answer |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims · English Language | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Prelims · Numerical Ability | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Prelims · Reasoning Ability | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · General / Financial Awareness | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · General English | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · Quantitative Aptitude | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 1.20 | 0.30 |
The Mains figures assume marks are spread equally across a test’s questions (for Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, 60 marks over 50 questions) — SBI states only test totals. SBI does not publish good-attempt numbers, so we don’t show any.
Shortlisting & qualifying marks
In the prelims, no minimum qualifying marks are prescribed for the individual tests or the aggregate, and section-wise marks are not maintained: all candidates are arranged in descending order of aggregate marks, and about 10 times the vacancies in each category (subject to availability) are shortlisted for Mains. In the Mains you need a minimum percentage on the aggregate, decided by the bank, with 5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates; there is no minimum for individual tests. Qualified candidates are ranked on the Mains aggregate within their state and category. The advertisement doesn’t publish the cut-off marks themselves.
Crack SBI Clerk with your own daily plan
Daily targets, PYQ practice sets & timed mocks — to the SBI Clerk pattern.
Turn the paper structure into your next mock
Knowing where the marks and penalties sit only helps if you practise to it. JobSafal turns the SBI Clerk tests into daily targets and timed practice, so accuracy becomes a habit before the exam.
Test-wise plan
Daily targets across English, Numerical Ability/Quant, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude and Financial Awareness.
Full CBT mocks
Real-interface mocks with rank comparison.
Sectional drills
Work on the test your mocks flag as weak.
PYQ practice sets
Practice sets in the SBI Clerk pattern for each test.
