SBI Clerk Mains Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions - Summary
SBI Clerk Mains Previous Year Question Paper is one of the most effective self-assessment resources for aspirants preparing for the State Bank of India (SBI) Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) Phase-II examination. Practicing previous years’ question papers gives candidates a crystal-clear understanding of the exam format, section-wise question distribution, difficulty jump from Prelims to Mains, and critical time-management techniques required to crack one of India’s premier banking recruitment tests.
Since the State Bank of India conducts the examination in a computer-based online testing mode and does not release physical question papers, experts and top educators compile memory-based question papers based on real student feedback and exam shift analysis. Below, candidates can explore the comprehensive exam pattern, section-wise marks allocation, detailed year-wise previous year papers with solutions, and essential preparation strategies.
SBI Clerk Mains Exam Overview
| Exam Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Conducting Body | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) – Clerk |
| Selection Stage | Phase-II (Mains Examination) |
| Exam Mode | Computer Based Test (Online Objective) |
| Total Questions | 190 Questions |
| Total Marks | 200 Marks |
| Total Time Duration | 2 Hours 40 Minutes (160 Minutes) |
| Negative Marking | 1/4th (0.25 marks) deducted for each incorrect answer |
| Sectional Timing | Yes (Specified time allotted to each section) |
| Sectional Cutoff | No minimum qualifying marks for individual subjects (as per SBI guidelines) |
| Final Merit Basis | Aggregate marks scored in the Mains Examination (subject to qualifying LPT) |
| Official Careers Portal | sbi.co.in/careers |
SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern & Section-Wise Marks Distribution
The SBI Clerk Mains examination consists of four objective sections totaling 190 questions and 200 marks. Candidates must adhere strictly to the individual sectional timers, as auto-switching occurs once the timer for each section expires.
| Section / Test Name | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Allotted Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 Minutes |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 160 Minutes (2 hrs 40 mins) |
Key Highlights of the Mains Pattern:
- Bilingual Testing: The test is provided in English and Hindi (along with designated regional language mediums as per state vacancy), except for the General English section.
- Negative Marking: For each wrong answer, 0.25 (one-fourth) of the mark assigned to that question is deducted. Unattempted questions incur no penalty.
- No Sectional Cut-Off: Candidates only need to clear the aggregate category-wise cutoff score decided by the Bank for their respective state/UT.
SBI Clerk Mains Year-Wise Previous Year Question Papers (Memory Based)
Solving previous year memory-based papers allows aspirants to simulate actual exam pressure and benchmark their preparation against standard exam difficulty levels:
| Exam Date and Shift | Question Paper |
| 22nd Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 3 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 4 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 3 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 4 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 22nd Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 27th Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 27th Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 27th Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 27th Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 28th Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 28th Feb Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 28th Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 28th Feb Shift 2 | Download PDF |
| 1st March Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| 1st March Shift 1 | Download PDF |
| SBI Clerk Mains Previous Year Paper | |
| SBI Clerk Mains 2024 Memory Based Paper- 10.04.2025- 1st shift | Download PDF |
| SBI-Clerk-Mains-Memory-Based-2023 | Download PDF |
| SBI Clerk Mains 2022 Memory-Based Paper | Download PDF |
| SBI Clerk Mains 2021 Memory-Based Paper | Download PDF |
Section-Wise Syllabus & High-Weightage Topics
1. General / Financial Awareness (50 Questions | 50 Marks)
This is often the game-changing section in the SBI Clerk Mains exam, as questions can be answered quickly without extensive calculations:
- Banking & Financial Awareness: RBI monetary policy, repo/reverse repo rates, priority sector lending (PSL), Basel norms, NPCI payment systems (UPI, NEFT, RTGS, IMPS), and recent banking mergers/regulations.
- Current Affairs: National and international events from the last 5 to 6 months preceding the exam date, major summits, appointments, MoUs, and sports awards.
- Government Schemes & Union Budget: Key central welfare schemes (PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, PM SVANidhi), budget highlights, and economic survey data.
- Static General Knowledge: Headquarters of financial institutions, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, dams, thermal power plants, country capitals, and currencies.
2. Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (50 Questions | 50 Marks)
The Quantitative section in Mains transitions from simple arithmetic calculations to analytical and data-heavy problem sets:
- Data Interpretation (DI): Advanced Caselet DI, Tabular DI, Bar and Line graphs, Radar/Web DI, and Missing Data Interpretation.
- Arithmetic Word Problems: Profit, Loss and Discount, Simple & Compound Interest, Time, Speed & Distance, Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns, Mixtures & Allegations, Ratio & Proportion, and Mensuration.
- Data Sufficiency (DS): 2-statement and 3-statement data sufficiency questions based on arithmetic concepts.
- Quantity Comparison (Q1 & Q2): Determining mathematical relationships between two derived quantities.
- Number Series: Advanced pattern recognition and wrong number identification in complex series.
3. Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (50 Questions | 60 Marks)
Reasoning is allotted 60 marks for 50 questions, reflecting high question weightage (some puzzles carry 2 marks each):
- Complex Puzzles & Seating Arrangements: Floor-flat based puzzles, multi-variable parallel row arrangements, circular/square arrangements with blood relations, and box/stack puzzles.
- Logical & Critical Reasoning: Statements and Assumptions, Statement and Argument, Course of Action, Cause and Effect, and Inference-based questions.
- Input-Output: Machine step rearrangement problems (word-number shifting, mathematical logic).
- Coded Relations & Inequalities: Coded blood relations, coded direction sense, and coded inequality comparisons.
- Computer Aptitude: Binary conversion, flowchart-based logical instructions, and algorithmic problem-solving.
4. General English (40 Questions | 40 Marks)
This section measures comprehension capacity, contextual vocabulary, and grammatical accuracy:
- Reading Comprehension: Multiple passages based on banking, global economic trends, environmental challenges, and socio-economic essays with inference-based questions.
- Cloze Test & Fillers: Double and triple fillers testing contextual vocabulary and phrasing.
- Error Detection & Sentence Improvement: Phrase replacement, error spotting across sentence blocks, and misplaced modifier corrections.
- Para Jumbles & Sentence Rearrangement: Connecting coherent paragraphs from jumbled fragments.
- Column-Based Matching: Sentence connectives and dual-column matching exercises.
Proven Benefits of Solving SBI Clerk Mains Previous Year Papers
- Realistic Difficulty Assessment: Helps students realize the difference between speed-centric Prelims and depth-oriented Mains questions.
- Effective Sectional Time Management: Trains you to allocate your 35 to 45 minutes wisely by picking high-accuracy questions first.
- Accurate Self-Benchmarking: Identifies conceptual weaknesses in specific arithmetic or puzzle types so you can revise targeted chapters.
- Minimizing Negative Marking: Instills discipline against guess-work, protecting your aggregate score from costly 0.25 penalty deductions.
