The SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on 26th and 27th September 2026. The exam will consist of Reasoning Ability, Numerical Ability, and English Language, with 100 questions to be attempted in 60 minutes. Candidates can refer to the SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis of the last five years to understand the overall difficulty level, good attempts, and frequently asked topics.
SBI Clerk Prelims Last Five Years Exam Analysis
The SBI Clerk Prelims exam pattern has remained largely consistent over the last five years, although the distribution of questions and difficulty level may vary across shifts. The consolidated analysis below covers the major trends observed in the 2020 to 2025 SBI Clerk Prelims exams, helping candidates identify the topics that have appeared most frequently and understand the overall nature of the paper.
SBI Clerk Prelims Difficulty Level: Last Five Years
The SBI Clerk Prelims has generally remained in the Easy to Moderate difficulty range over the last five years. Reasoning and English are often comparatively manageable, while Numerical Ability can become more time-consuming because of calculation-heavy Arithmetic and Data Interpretation questions. The exact difficulty, however, may vary from one shift to another.
| Section | Overall Difficulty Level |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate |
| Numerical Ability | Easy to Moderate |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate |
SBI Clerk Prelims Good Attempts: Last Five Years
Good attempts depend on the difficulty level of the paper, question distribution, and the candidate’s speed and accuracy. Based on the previous five years’ exam trends and shift-wise analyses, candidates have generally aimed for a high number of accurate attempts in the Prelims examination.
| Section | Good Attempts |
| English Language | 21-26 |
| Reasoning Ability | 25-30 |
| Numerical Ability | 21-27 |
| Overall | 72-84 |
SBI Clerk Prelims Reasoning Ability Analysis: Last Five Years
Puzzles and Seating Arrangement have consistently occupied a major portion of the Reasoning Ability section. Along with these, Syllogism, Inequality, Alphanumeric Series, Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding, Direction Sense, and word-based questions have appeared regularly. The exact number of questions from each topic may change across shifts.
| Topics | Trend in Last Five Years |
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangement | 15-20 |
| Alphanumeric/Word Series | 3-5 |
| Syllogism | 3-5 |
| Inequality | 3-4 |
| Blood Relation | 2-4 |
| Direction Sense | 1-5 |
| Coding-Decoding | 1-5 |
| Meaningful Word/Word Formation | 1-2 |
| Pair Formation | 1 |
| Other Miscellaneous Topics | 1-3 |
| Total | 35 |
SBI Clerk Prelims Numerical Ability Analysis: Last Five Years
Numerical Ability has consistently included questions from Simplification, Arithmetic, Data Interpretation, and Number Series. In recent papers, candidates have also encountered different types of DI, including Table, Bar Graph, Line Graph, and Caselet DI. Arithmetic generally covers topics such as Percentage, Profit and Loss, Average, Time and Work, Simple and Compound Interest, and other basic concepts.
| Topics | Trend in Last Five Years |
| Simplification | 7-15 |
| Arithmetic | 8-15 |
| Data Interpretation | 5-15 |
| Number Series | 0-5 |
| Caselet DI | 0-5 |
| Quadratic Equations | 0-5 |
| Total | 35 |
SBI Clerk Prelims English Language Analysis: Last Five Years
The English Language section has consistently featured Reading Comprehension along with grammar and vocabulary-based questions. Error Detection, Cloze Test, Sentence Rearrangement, Fillers, Word Swap, and Phrase Replacement have also appeared in different years and shifts. Reading Comprehension generally accounts for a significant share of the section.
| Topics | Trend in Last Five Years |
| Reading Comprehension | 7-10 |
| Cloze Test | 3-8 |
| Error Detection | 4-5 |
| Sentence Rearrangement/Para Jumble | 4-5 |
| Fillers | 2-6 |
| Word Swap/Word Rearrangement | 3-5 |
| Phrase Replacement | 0-5 |
| Mis-spelt/Word-based Questions | 0-5 |
| Word Usage/Vocabulary | 1-3 |
| Total | 30 |
SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis: Key Takeaways
The last five years of SBI Clerk Prelims papers show a consistent focus on a few major topics, although their exact weightage can change from shift to shift.
- Reasoning Ability: Give special attention to Puzzles and Seating Arrangement, followed by Syllogism, Inequality, Series, and other short reasoning topics.
- Numerical Ability: Practise Simplification, Arithmetic, Data Interpretation, and Number Series regularly to improve calculation speed.
- English Language: Focus on Reading Comprehension, Error Detection, Cloze Test, Fillers, and Sentence Rearrangement.
- Speed and Accuracy: Since candidates have only 20 minutes for each section, regular timed practice is important.
- Topic Distribution: The exact number of questions from individual topics can vary across shifts, so preparation should cover all major topics rather than relying only on previous-year weightage.
- Overall Trend: The SBI Clerk Prelims has generally remained Easy to Moderate, making speed, accuracy, and question selection important for a strong performance.
What should candidates appearing for SBI Clerk Prelims 2026 Focus On?
Candidates appearing for the SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026 on 26th and 27th September should focus on improving speed and accuracy while revising the topics that have appeared consistently in previous years. Puzzles and Seating Arrangement in Reasoning, Simplification and Arithmetic in Numerical Ability, and Reading Comprehension and grammar-based questions in English should receive focused revision.
- Reasoning Ability: Revise Puzzles and Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Inequality, Alphanumeric Series, Blood Relations, and Coding-Decoding.
- Numerical Ability: Focus on Simplification, Approximation, Arithmetic, Data Interpretation, and Number Series.
- English Language: Practise Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Fillers, and Sentence Rearrangement.
- Improve Calculation Speed: Practise short calculations, percentages, fractions, squares, and common arithmetic operations regularly.
- Take Timed Mock Tests: Attempt full-length Prelims mocks and sectional tests to improve time management.
- Avoid Unnecessary Guesswork: Since the exam has negative marking, candidates should prioritise accuracy while attempting questions.
- Revise Rather Than Start New Topics: With the exam approaching, candidates should focus on revision, practice, and analysing their mistakes.
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FAQs
Q1: What is the overall difficulty level of the SBI Clerk Prelims exam?
A1: The SBI Clerk Prelims exam has generally remained in the Easy to Moderate difficulty range, although the difficulty can vary across shifts.
Q2: Which section is considered important in SBI Clerk Prelims?
A2: All three sections—Reasoning Ability, Numerical Ability, and English Language—are important. Candidates should focus on the topics that have appeared consistently in previous years while maintaining speed and accuracy.
Q3: Which topics should candidates focus on for SBI Clerk Prelims 2026?
A3: Candidates should focus on Puzzles and Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, and Series in Reasoning; Simplification, Arithmetic, DI, and Number Series in Numerical Ability; and Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Fillers, and Sentence Rearrangement in English.
Q4: How many questions are there in the SBI Clerk Prelims exam?
A4: The SBI Clerk Prelims exam consists of 100 questions: 35 questions from Reasoning Ability, 35 from Numerical Ability, and 30 from English Language.
Q5: How can candidates improve their performance in SBI Clerk Prelims 2026?
A5: Candidates can improve their performance by practising previous-year questions, taking timed mock tests, revising important topics, analysing mistakes, and maintaining a balance between speed and accuracy.
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