Why Mains is the exam that matters
As per the 2026 notification, Prelims marks are not added to the final merit. Your Mains aggregate out of 200 (plus 5 bonus marks only for eligible SBI apprentices) decides your state-wise, category-wise rank. You must also cross a minimum aggregate percentage set by the bank, with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates. There is no sectional minimum.
That last point is important. A strong GA or English score can carry a weaker Quant score. You do not need to be good at everything; you need a high total.
Using the gap between Prelims and Mains
In the 2025 cycle Prelims was scheduled for September and Mains was held on 21 November 2025. The 2026 notification again gives September for Prelims and November for Mains, both tentative. That is roughly eight weeks. Do not wait for the Prelims result to start Mains preparation; results usually come only a few weeks before Mains.
| Weeks after Prelims | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | GA foundation (static banking, RBI tools), Computer basics, Mains-level puzzles and DI |
| 3 to 5 | Current affairs month by month for the last 6 months; Mains English types; logical reasoning; 2 Mains mocks a week |
| 6 to 8 | Daily Mains mock or sectional test, GA revision, error notebook |
Section-by-section plan
| Section | Qs / Marks / Time | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| General/Financial Awareness | 50 / 50 / 35 min | Answer what you know in the first 15 to 20 minutes. Spend the rest on questions where you can eliminate options. Do not dwell on a fact you simply do not know. |
| General English | 40 / 40 / 35 min | Start with the shortest question types, then RC. Expect longer passages and more inference-based questions than Prelims. |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 / 50 / 45 min | DI usually dominates. Pick sets with clean numbers first. Arithmetic word problems are often longer than in Prelims. |
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 50 / 60 / 45 min | Do computer questions first (fast and factual), then one-liners, then the easiest puzzles. |
General Awareness is your edge
GA is the one section where time is rarely the problem: you either know the answer or you do not. A well-prepared candidate can finish 50 GA questions in well under 35 minutes. That makes it the most predictable source of marks.
- Current affairs: the last 4 to 6 months before the exam carry the most weight. Revise month-wise.
- Banking and financial awareness: RBI policy tools, types of accounts, cheques and payment systems, financial inclusion schemes, regulators, recent RBI decisions.
- Static GK: limit yourself to standard lists, such as headquarters of banks and international organisations, national parks, and important days.
Our General and Financial Awareness guide has a full coverage plan.
Reasoning and Computer: the 60-mark section
This section has 50 questions for 60 marks in 45 minutes. Computer questions are short and factual. Answering them first, quickly and accurately, buys time for puzzles.
- Expect Mains puzzles to be longer, with more variables (for example, eight people, three attributes, two rows).
- Logical reasoning (assumptions, conclusions, inferences, courses of action) appears more in Mains than in Prelims.
- Remember the penalty: one-fourth of the question's marks. With higher marks per question, a wrong answer costs a little more here too.
Mains mocks and analysis
- Write every Mains mock in one sitting of 2 hours 40 minutes. Stamina is part of the test.
- After the mock, score each section separately and note where time ran out.
- For GA, add every unknown fact to your notes with its month. Repeat the fact in your weekly revision.
- For Quant and Reasoning, re-solve skipped sets the next morning with no timer. Then try a similar set with a timer.
After Mains
Results are declared state-wise and category-wise. In the 2025 cycle the final result was published on SBI's site in February 2026, about three months after the November Mains. Candidates whose 10th or 12th records do not show the local language take the LLPT. Prepare your documents as soon as Mains is over; see our joining guide.
A wait list of up to 50% of vacancies is kept state-category-wise for one year from the final result, released quarterly against non-joining and resignations from the current batch. If you just miss the final list, keep checking SBI's careers page.
Mains mistakes to avoid
- Treating Mains like a longer Prelims. The questions are longer and the level is higher. Practise with Mains-level sets, not only Prelims mocks.
- Running out of energy. 2 hours 40 minutes is a long sitting. Write at least five full-length Mains mocks before the exam.
- Guessing heavily in GA. With five options, a blind guess gains nothing on average. Guess only after ruling out options.
- Spending all 45 minutes of Reasoning on puzzles. Collect the computer questions and one-liners first.
- Reading old rates and facts. Use RBI's latest policy statement for rates, not an old book.
Questions about this
Is there a sectional cut-off in SBI Clerk Mains?
No minimum is prescribed for individual sections. Candidates must cross a minimum aggregate percentage set by the bank, with 5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS.
When should I start Mains preparation?
Right after Prelims, or earlier for General Awareness and Computer. Waiting for the Prelims result usually leaves only a few weeks before Mains.
Which Mains section is easiest to score in?
For most candidates, General/Financial Awareness and Computer Aptitude, because they are factual and fast. They need steady reading over weeks, not tricks.
What is the wait list in SBI Clerk?
As per the 2026 notification, a wait list of up to 50% of vacancies is kept state-category-wise, valid for one year from the final result, with candidates released quarterly against non-joining and resignations.