SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern, Syllabus and Books

The SBI Clerk Mains Exam is the second stage of the SBI Clerk Examinations. It takes place annually a month or two after the prelims exam. Only ¼ of the total candidates who appear for the prelims make it for the mains examination.

The prelims are only to qualify and reduce the competition. The mains examination decides the final rank and the score of the candidate. The mains has only one paper – objective type. The section-wise cut off in prelims is no longer a mandate for the candidates to appear for the mains exam.

The paper doesn’t have any laid down syllabus and solely depends on the exam analysis. It has different sections just like the prelims. The only addition is the general awareness section. The question can be either related to current affairs, banking, or Indian polity.

The syllabus also overlaps with the prelims due to common sections. This is a benefit that the candidates have in all SBI examinations. The level of difficulty increases in the SBI Clerk mains examination. Let us understand all the elements of the exam in detail now –

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern

• This exam is for a total of 200 marks.
• The total duration of the papers is 160 minutes.
• It is a single day exam.
• It has 190 objective-based questions in total.
• There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks in the objective paper.
• There is no deduction for a blank answer.

The exam pattern for the exam is –

SBI Clerk Mains Syllabus

The banks don’t lay down a proper syllabus for the exam. The exam analysis of every year’s paper concludes the syllabus as –

Quantitative Aptitude

• Data Interpretation
• Data Sufficiency
• Profit and Loss
• Mensuration
• Simple and Compound Interest
• Mixtures and Allegations
• Permutation and Combination
• Work, Time, and Distance
• Number series

Reasoning

• Puzzle
• Machine Input Output
• Syllogism
• Direction Test
• Blood Relation
• Coding and Decoding
• Statement and Assumptions
• Order and Ranking
• Linear Arrangement

Computer Aptitude

• Internet
• Memory
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Computer Abbreviation
• Microsoft Office
• Computer Hardware
• Computer Software
• Operating System
• Networking
• Computer Fundamentals
• Terminologies

English Language

• Reading Comprehension
• Synonyms and Antonyms
• Sentence Rearrangement
• Sentence Correction
• Fillers
• Cloze Test
• Idioms and Phrases
• Vocabulary
• Miscellaneous

General Awareness

• Current Affairs
• Static General Awareness
• Banking and Financial Terms
• Banking Abbreviations
• Banking Awareness
• Fiscal and Monetary Policy
• Important Government schemes
• Awards and Honours
• Indian Constitution

SBI Clerk Mains Admit Card

The candidates who qualify for the mains receive an admit card from the bank on their official website. They receive it online which they need to download. They need to carry the card for the mains examination at their center. They should also carry identity proof to enter the exam center as well.

SBI Clerk Mains Cut Off – 2020 cut off not yet released

The cutoff for the bank mains exam 2019 according to different states is given below. The cutoff is out of 200 marks.

• Punjab – 102.75
• Andhra Pradesh – 99.75
• Bihar – 98.00
• Karnataka – 85.75
• Jharkhand – 97.50Haryana – 103.25
• Uttar Pradesh – 97.50
• Delhi – 99.75
• Madhya Pradesh – 94.75
• Rajasthan – 97.00
• Uttarakhand – 96.50
• West Bengal – 97.25
• Himachal Pradesh – 101.25
• Odisha – 94.75
• Chattisgarh – 87.75
• Maharashtra – 89.75
• Gujarat – 91.25
• Kerala – 96.25
• Tamil Nadu – 98.00
• Assam – 85.00

The SBI Clerk Mains Exam Category wise Cut off 2019 was –

• SC – 69.5
• ST – 64.5
• OBC – 89.0
• GEN – 96.25
• LD (OH) – 70.5
• VI – 92.25
• HI – 61.25
• XS – 68.5
• DXS – No candidate Qualified
• EWS – 80.25

SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2020

English Language – Moderate

• Reading Comprehension – 12 questions
• Vocabulary Based – 5 questions
• Error Detection – 5 questions
• Sentence & Phrase Rearrangement – 5 questions
• Idioms – 2 questions
• Fillers – 5 questions
• Cloze Test – 6 questions
• Total – 40 questions

Data Analysis & Interpretation – Moderate

• Data Interpretation – 19 questions
• Data sufficiency – 6 questions
• Alphabetical series – 7 questions
• Miscellaneous (Arithmetic) – 18 questions
• Total – 50 questions

Reasoning Ability – Moderate to Difficult

• Sitting Arrangement and Puzzles – 25 questions
• Coded Inequality – 5 questions
• Direction sense – 5 questions
• Machine Input- Output – 5 questions
• Logical – 6 questions
• Alphabet based series – 1 question
• Miscellaneous – 3 questions
• Total – 50 questions

General Awareness

The questions in the 2020 paper were related to the topic given below –

• Shagun scheme
• JIO Payment Bank
• Chairman of TRAI
• Axis Bank
• Atal Pension Yojana
• Serum Institute of India
• Rajat Bhatia
• The currency of South Korea
• Karmayogi program
• Ruchir Sharma
• Economic Freedom Index
• Titan Pay
• PFRDA
• POS Device – Paytm
• Head of Tesla
• Home Utsav
• Chambal Project
• 2+2 Dialogue
• JSE Energy Plant Set-up
• CBSE Related
• Parliament Standing Committee
• Charity day
• RRB
• Instaclick Saving Account
• MUDRA
• NSDC agreement
• September Retain Inflation
• UNDP HQ
• Fortune 500
• Autism Awareness Day
• Fiscal Deficit
• Current PM of Japan
• Hardley Davidson
• Huren India Rich List
• Shaurya KGC Card
• Insta Flexi Account
• White Label ATM
• Governor, Deputy Gov of RBI
• Indian Air force Anniversary
• Paid-up capital for Umbrella entity
• 2nd April Importance

SBI Clerk Mains Books

Quantitative Aptitude Books

• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Agarwal
• Shortcuts in Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by Disha Experts
• Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Arihant Publications
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by Abhijit Guha

Reasoning Ability Books

• A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning – R.S Agarwal
• Analytical Reasoning – M.K. Pandey
• How To Prepare For Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning – Arun Sharma
• How to prepare for Logical Reasoning – Arun Sharma

English Langauge Books

• Objective General English – R.S. Agarwal
• English Grammar and Composition – Wren and Martin

General Awareness Books

• India Year Book – Publications Department
• Banking Awareness – B.K.Raut and S.R. Behera
• Daily Newspaper and Magazines

SBI Clerk Mains Result

The SBI Clerk Mains results get released on their official website. Only the eligible candidates who clear the mains cut off appear in the final merit list. The mains assesses all the sections of the paper and then releases a merit list.

The cut-off for different categories differs every year and thus the final results are always different. Even the state wise cut off is different every year. The result for the mains comes out 2-3 months after the examination.

Conclusion

The SBI clerk examination has two equally important papers. The prelims and the mains both have an active role in getting a candidate selected for the position.

The article you saw covered the exam pattern, syllabus, cut off, exam analysis, and the result. The exam has a lot more competition at this stage and thus aspirants must take it seriously. The number of candidates may decrease but so their caliber only increases.

This article will help you to formulate a preparation strategy The article is useful for future SBI junior officers or clerks as they begin with their exam preparation.