Yes, three months is enough for many first-time candidates who study 5-6 hours a day, build Prelims speed in month one and take 25-30 full mocks before the exam. It is a realistic target, not a guarantee.
Short answer: yes, if the three months are used well. SBI Clerk Prelims is 100 questions in 60 minutes (English 30, Numerical Ability 35, Reasoning 35, each with its own 20-minute timer). Mains is 190 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours 40 minutes. Most of the Prelims syllabus is school-level maths, standard reasoning patterns and basic English, so the challenge is speed and accuracy, not new theory.
What three months will not do is make up for skipped practice. Candidates who clear in three months usually study every day, take mocks seriously from week 5 and keep a mistake book.
A 12-week plan
| Weeks | Focus | Daily target |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Tables, squares to 30, cubes to 20, percentage-fraction values. Simplification, approximation, inequality, syllogism, error detection. | 80-100 questions |
| 3-4 | Arithmetic (percentage, ratio, profit and loss, SI/CI, time and work, speed). Linear and circular seating. Fillers and RC. | 100 questions + 2 puzzle sets |
| 5-6 | DI (table, bar, line, pie), number series, floor and box puzzles, para jumbles, cloze. Start 2 Prelims mocks a week. | 100 questions + 1 hour GA |
| 7-9 | One Prelims mock every other day with full analysis. Mains topics: static banking, computer aptitude, current affairs. | Mock + 2 hours weak topics + 1 hour GA |
| 10-12 | Daily Prelims mock in your exam slot, weekly Mains mock, revision of mistake book and GA notes. | Mock + revision |
Why Mains has to start early
Prelims only shortlists candidates (about 10 times the vacancies, as per the notification). The final merit list uses only your Mains aggregate, and Mains adds General/Financial Awareness (50 questions) and Computer Aptitude. If you begin GA only after Prelims, you will have a few weeks for a section that carries a quarter of the Mains marks. One hour of GA a day from week 5 solves this.
- SBI: Recruitment of Junior Associates 2026, detailed advertisement (CRPD/CR/2026-27/17)
- SBI Careers: current openings
Rules can change with each notification. Confirm on sbi.bank.in/web/careers.
More preparation questions
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