Prelims is a 60-minute, 100-question screening test in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning. Mains is a 160-minute, 190-question exam that adds General/Financial Awareness and Computer Aptitude, and its aggregate alone decides the merit list.
Prelims gets you in the room; Mains decides selection. According to the 2026 notification, Prelims marks are not added for final selection. Only the Mains aggregate is used for the state-wise, category-wise merit list.
Side by side
| Prelims | Mains | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions / marks | 100 / 100 | 190 / 200 |
| Time | 60 minutes | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Sections | English 30, Numerical 35, Reasoning 35 (20 min each) | GA 50 (35 min), English 40 (35 min), Quant 50 (45 min), Reasoning and Computer 50 for 60 marks (45 min) |
| Negative marking | 1/4 of question's marks | 1/4 of question's marks |
| Qualifying rule | No minimum prescribed; about 10 times the vacancies shortlisted by merit | Minimum aggregate decided by the bank; no subject minimum |
| Purpose | Screening | Final merit |
How preparation changes
- Prelims: speed in a small set of high-weight topics. About 34-40 seconds a question.
- Mains: breadth and depth. Harder puzzles and DI, logical reasoning, more English question types, and two new subjects (GA and Computer).
- GA alone is 50 marks in Mains, so it can decide your rank.
After Mains
Candidates who did not study the opted local language in Class 10 or 12 take a Local Language Proficiency Test before joining. It is qualifying; you must pass it to be offered appointment. SBI also keeps a wait list of up to 50% of vacancies, valid for one year from the final result, as per the notification.
Time per question
| Section | Approx. seconds per question |
|---|---|
| Prelims English | 40 |
| Prelims Numerical / Reasoning | 34 |
| Mains GA | 42 |
| Mains English | 52 |
| Mains Quant / Reasoning and Computer | 54 |
Rules can change with each notification. Confirm on sbi.bank.in/web/careers.
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