Access the official SBI Clerk Exam Pattern 2026 for Prelims and Mains. Understand the section-wise distribution, marking scheme, negative marking, selection phases, Local Language Proficiency Test (LPT) requirements, and expert study strategies.
SBI Clerk Exam Pattern 2026
Understanding the SBI Clerk Exam Pattern 2026 is vital for a structured preparation strategy, helping candidates optimize time management and improve accuracy. The recruitment process is conducted in two primary stages: the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination.
Candidates must qualify for the Prelims to advance to the Mains. Final selection depends on the marks secured in the Mains exam, followed by a mandatory Local Language Proficiency Test (LPT). The comprehensive exam pattern for both stages is detailed below.
SBI Clerk Exam Pattern – Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name |
SBI Clerk (Junior Associate)
|
| Conducting Authority |
State Bank of India
|
| Selection Process |
Prelims, Mains, LLPT
|
| Mode of Examination | Online |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 Marks |
| Prelims Questions | 100 |
| Prelims Marks | 100 |
| Mains Questions | 190 |
| Mains Marks | 200 |
| Official Website | www.sbi.co.in |
SBI Clerk Selection Process 2026
The SBI Clerk recruitment process is designed to evaluate candidates across multiple benchmarks. These stages rigorously assess aptitude, reasoning, language proficiency, and overall readiness for the Junior Associate role. The process includes:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Local Language Proficiency Test (LPT), wherever applicable
- Document Verification
Prelims Exam Pattern
The SBI Clerk Prelims serve as the initial screening phase to shortlist candidates for the Mains. The paper comprises dedicated sections for English, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability, each governed by specific sectional time limits.
To progress, candidates must clear both sectional and aggregate cut-offs. Please refer to the detailed SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern table provided below.
| Name of Tests (Objective) | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Total Time |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Mains Exam Pattern
The SBI Clerk Mains is the decisive merit-based stage. It features fixed sectional timing across four areas: General/Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude. Final merit lists are generated strictly based on Mains performance; check the detailed pattern in the table below.
| Name of Test (Objective) | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| General/ Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 Minutes |
| Test of English Language | 40 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| Test of Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 Hrs 40 Mins |
Important Note:
- Penalty for Wrong Answers (Applicable to both – Online Preliminary and Online Main examinations). There will be a penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. For each wrong answer one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty to arrive at a corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e., no answer is marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.
- The questions in objective tests, except for the test of General English, will be bilingual i.e., English & Hindi.
| Particular | Details |
| Correct Answer | 1 Mark Awarded |
| Incorrect Answer | 0.25 Mark Deducted |
| Un-attempted Question | No Marks Awarded or Deducted |
SBI Clerk Language Proficiency
The SBI Clerk Local Language Test is a mandatory evaluation conducted after the Mains for candidates who lack proof of having studied their opted local language during their 10th or 12th-grade schooling.
Exemption is granted to candidates providing valid certificates verifying language proficiency. Failure to pass this test for those required to appear will result in the immediate cancellation of their candidature.
| Sl. | Test Pattern | Section | No. of Passages | No. of Questions | Max. Marks |
| 1 | Non-Verbal Test | Objective | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| Subjective | 3 | 15 | 15 | ||
| 2 | Verbal Test | 20 | |||
SBI Clerk Exam Medium
SBI Clerk exams are bilingual, provided in Hindi and English, with regional language options available. In states or UTs where the official language is not Hindi, candidates may select the relevant regional language for their exam medium.
| Sr. No. | State/UT |
Medium of Exam
|
| 1 | Andaman & Nicobar | English, Hindi |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh |
English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu
|
| 3 | Arunachal Pradesh | English, Hindi |
| 4 | Assam |
English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali
|
| 5 | Bihar |
English, Hindi, Urdu
|
| 6 | Chhattisgarh | English, Hindi |
| 7 | Chandigarh |
English, Hindi, Punjabi
|
| 8 | Delhi | English, Hindi |
| 9 | Goa |
English, Hindi, Konkani
|
| 10 | Gujarat |
English, Hindi, Gujarati
|
| 11 | Haryana |
English, Hindi, Punjabi
|
| 12 | Himachal Pradesh | English, Hindi |
| 13 | Jammu & Kashmir |
English, Hindi, Urdu
|
| 14 | Jharkhand | English, Hindi |
| 15 | Karnataka |
English, Hindi, Kannada
|
| 16 | Kerala |
English, Hindi, Malayalam
|
| 17 | Ladakh |
English, Hindi, Urdu
|
| 18 | Lakshadweep |
English, Hindi, Malayalam
|
| 19 | Madhya Pradesh | English, Hindi |
| 20 | Maharashtra |
English, Hindi, Marathi
|
| 21 | Manipur |
English, Hindi, Manipuri
|
| 22 | Meghalaya | English, Hindi |
| 23 | Mizoram | English, Hindi |
| 24 | Nagaland | English, Hindi |
| 25 | Odisha |
English, Hindi, Odia
|
| 26 | Puducherry |
English, Hindi, Tamil
|
| 27 | Punjab |
English, Hindi, Punjabi
|
| 28 | Rajasthan | English, Hindi |
| 29 | Sikkim | English, Hindi |
| 30 | Tamil Nadu |
English, Hindi, Tamil
|
| 31 | Telangana |
English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu
|
| 32 | Tripura |
English, Hindi, Bengali
|
| 33 | Uttar Pradesh |
English, Hindi, Urdu
|
| 34 | Uttarakhand | English, Hindi |
| 35 | West Bengal |
English, Hindi, Bengali
|
Important Points
Review the key highlights of the SBI Clerk Exam Pattern for both Prelims & Mains below.
- There will be no Interview.
- Candidates will have to pass each of the objective tests of the online examinations.
- Both the Prelims and Mains exams will be conducted online.
- A candidate has to qualify in the Preliminary Examination to appear in the Main Examination.
- The main exam will be conducted for the final selection.
- The question paper will be bilingual i.e. available in Hindi as well as English language.
- The Cutoff of the SBI Clerk of prelims and mains exam will be decided by SBI.
FAQs
Note: There is no sectional cut-off in either the SBI Clerk Prelims or the Mains examination.
The SBI Clerk exam structure consists of 100 questions for the Prelims and 190 questions for the Mains.
Ans. The difficulty level of the SBI Clerk Prelims is typically 'Easy to Moderate,' while the Mains level ranges from 'Moderate to Difficult.'
Ans. The SBI Clerk recruitment selection process comprises three core stages: Preliminary Exam, Mains Exam, and Local Language Proficiency Test.