SBI Clerk

The SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026 for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) is divided into an online Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and a Local Language Proficiency Test for candidates who are not exempt from the language requirement.

SBI Clerk Prelims contains 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes. It tests English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability.

SBI Clerk Mains is substantially larger, containing 190 questions for 200 marks in 160 minutes, covering General/Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude. Each section of both Prelims and Mains has its own time limit.

SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026 Overview

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The SBI Clerk Preliminary Examination consists of three separately timed sections.

Does SBI Clerk Prelims Have a Sectional Cut-Off?

SBI also says section-wise marks will not be maintained. Candidates are instead ranked by aggregate Prelims marks for shortlisting to Mains.

Approximately 10 times the number of vacancies may be shortlisted, subject to availability.

This differs from some other banking examinations, so candidates should follow the SBI notification rather than applying IBPS rules automatically.

SBI Clerk Prelims Syllabus 2026

English Language Syllabus

The English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks.

Important preparation topics include:

• Reading Comprehension
• Cloze Test
• Fill in the Blanks
• Error Spotting
• Error Detection
• Sentence Improvement
• Phrase Replacement
• Sentence Correction
• Para Jumbles
• Sentence Rearrangement
• Word Swap
• Word Usage
• Vocabulary
• Synonyms and Antonyms
• Contextual Vocabulary
• Sentence Completion
• Connectors
• Match the Column
• Odd Sentence
• Grammar
• Spelling and Usage

Reading Comprehension should receive regular practice because it can test several abilities simultaneously: factual understanding, inference, vocabulary in context and the author's central argument.

Numerical Ability Syllabus

Numerical Ability contains 35 questions for 35 marks in Prelims.

Important topics include:

• Simplification
• Approximation
• Number Series
• Missing Number Series
• Wrong Number Series
• Quadratic Equations
• Data Interpretation
• Tabular DI
• Bar Graph DI
• Line Graph DI
• Pie Chart DI
• Caselet DI
• Percentage
• Ratio and Proportion
• Average
• Profit and Loss
• Discount
• Simple Interest
• Compound Interest
• Partnership
• Mixture and Alligation
• Time and Work
• Pipes and Cisterns
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Trains
• Boats and Streams
• Ages
• Mensuration
• Probability
• Quantity Comparison

For Prelims, calculation speed is especially important.

Reasoning Ability Syllabus

Reasoning Ability contains 35 questions for 35 marks in Prelims.

Important topics include:

• Seating Arrangement
• Linear Seating Arrangement
• Circular Seating Arrangement
• Floor-Based Puzzles
• Box-Based Puzzles
• Scheduling Puzzles
• Day/Month Puzzles
• Order and Ranking
• Inequality
• Syllogism
• Coding-Decoding
• Blood Relations
• Direction Sense
• Alphanumeric Series
• Pair Formation
• Word Formation
• Data Sufficiency
• Miscellaneous Reasoning

Puzzles and seating arrangements generally require more practice than short reasoning topics because one incorrect deduction can affect several questions within the same set.

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates who qualify Prelims move to the Main Examination. The official current pattern is:

The Main Examination therefore lasts 2 hours 40 minutes. Every section has a separate timer.

SBI Clerk Mains Syllabus 2026

General and Financial Awareness Syllabus

This section contains 50 questions for 50 marks.

Important preparation areas include:

• Current Affairs
• Banking Awareness
• Financial Awareness
• RBI Functions
• Monetary Policy
• Repo Rate
• Standing Deposit Facility
• CRR
• SLR
• Banking Terminology
• Public Sector Banks
• Private Banks
• Bank Headquarters
• Bank Mergers
• Types of Bank Accounts
• Deposits
• Loans and Advances
• Priority Sector Lending
• Non-Performing Assets
• Basel Norms
• Financial Inclusion
• Digital Banking
• UPI
• NPCI
• RuPay
• NEFT
• RTGS
• IMPS
• CBDC / Digital Rupee
• FinTech
• Government Financial Schemes
• Union Budget
• Economic Survey
• Inflation
• GDP
• Fiscal Policy
• Financial Institutions
• NABARD
• SIDBI
• SEBI
• IRDAI
• IMF
• World Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• Important Appointments
• Banking Awards
• Reports and Indices
• National and International Current Affairs

Candidates should not postpone this section until after clearing Prelims. Unlike Quant or Reasoning, current-affairs knowledge accumulates over time and benefits greatly from repeated revision.

SBI Clerk Mains General English Syllabus

The Mains English section contains 40 questions for 40 marks.

• Reading Comprehension
• Inference-Based RC
• Vocabulary in Context
• Cloze Test
• Error Detection
• Sentence Correction
• Phrase Replacement
• Fillers
• Para Jumbles
• Sentence Rearrangement
• Word Swap
• Connectors
• Column Matching
• Sentence Completion
• Grammar
• Contextual Word Usage

Mains questions can require more contextual interpretation than Prelims. Candidates should therefore gradually move from short grammar exercises to longer passages and mixed English sets.

SBI Clerk Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

Mains Quantitative Aptitude contains 50 questions for 50 marks.

• Data Interpretation
• Tabular DI
• Bar Graph DI
• Line Graph DI
• Pie Chart DI
• Mixed Graph DI
• Caselet DI
• Missing Data DI
• Arithmetic DI
• Quantity Comparison
• Data Sufficiency
• Number Series
• Quadratic Equations
• Approximation
• Percentage
• Ratio and Proportion
• Average
• Profit and Loss
• Simple Interest
• Compound Interest
• Partnership
• Mixture and Alligation
• Time and Work
• Pipes and Cisterns
• Time-Speed-Distance
• Trains
• Boats and Streams
• Ages
• Mensuration
• Probability
• Permutation and Combination

The transition from Prelims to Mains is not simply “more questions.” Mains Quant typically demands more multi-step calculation and Data Interpretation.

SBI Clerk Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude Syllabus

This is the highest-weighted Mains section: 50 questions carrying 60 marks.

Reasoning Topics

• High-Level Puzzles
• Linear Seating Arrangement
• Circular Seating Arrangement
• Floor and Flat Puzzles
• Scheduling
• Selection and Distribution
• Multi-Variable Puzzles
• Input-Output
• Coding-Decoding
• Coded Inequalities
• Syllogism
• Blood Relations
• Direction and Distance
• Order and Ranking
• Data Sufficiency
• Logical Reasoning
• Statement and Assumption
• Statement and Conclusion
• Cause and Effect
• Course of Action
• Inference
• Decision Making
• Critical Reasoning

Computer Aptitude Topics

• Computer Fundamentals
• Hardware
• Software
• Operating Systems
• Computer Memory
• Storage Devices
• Input and Output Devices
• Computer Networks
• Internet
• Web Technologies
• Cyber Security
• Malware and Viruses
• Database Basics
• Microsoft Office
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Computer Abbreviations
• Digital Banking Technology
• Networking Terminology

Computer-related concepts can also appear in combination with reasoning or contemporary digital-banking awareness rather than only as straightforward computer-definition questions.

SBI Clerk Prelims vs Mains Syllabus

Does SBI Clerk Mains Have a Sectional Cut-Off?

The current notification says candidates must secure a minimum percentage of marks on aggregate in Mains, as decided by SBI.

SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates receive a five-percentage-point relaxation in the prescribed aggregate qualifying requirement.

SBI Clerk Negative Marking 2026

Negative marking applies to objective questions in both Prelims and Mains.

There is no wrong-answer penalty when a question is left unanswered.

Candidates should therefore prioritise accurate attempts rather than chasing a predetermined attempt number through guesswork.

SBI Clerk Local Language Proficiency Test Pattern

SBI Clerk 2026 also includes Phase III: Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT) for provisionally selected candidates who cannot establish the required language through Class 10 or Class 12 educational proof.

The notification specifies a language assessment involving non-verbal/objective, subjective and verbal components.

Candidates who produce Class 10 or 12 evidence showing that they studied the specified opted local language do not need to take this test.

This makes local-language proficiency part of final eligibility rather than merely an additional examination topic.

What Are the Most Important SBI Clerk Prelims Topics?

Candidates in the final preparation phase should concentrate particularly on recurring, high-utility question types.

How to Use the SBI Clerk Syllabus for Preparation

A useful syllabus tracker should measure more than whether a chapter has simply been completed.

This is more useful than simply marking a topic “completed.” A banking examination tests whether you can solve a question correctly within the allotted time, not whether you once studied the chapter.

Current SBI Clerk Prelims Strategy

With Prelims scheduled for 26–27 September 2026, candidates preparing now should be in revision and examination-simulation mode rather than trying to learn a completely new syllabus.

Use the final days for:

• Full 60-minute mock tests
• 20-minute sectional tests
• Formula revision
• Familiar puzzle practice
• Arithmetic revision
• Grammar and error-log review
• Revision of previous mock mistakes

Since SBI shortlists using aggregate Prelims performance and the current notification does not prescribe sectional qualifying marks, candidates should focus on maximising the total score while respecting the fixed sectional timers.