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Detailed Syllabus for SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims

SBI Clerk 2016 exam is approaching. SBI announced an exam for recruitment into
the Clerical cadre for the first time in two years. With revamped post of Junior
Associate (Customer Support & Sales) and Junior Agricultural Associates, and a
changed pattern, SBI is set to recruit 17171 candidates into the Clerical Cadre. Begin
your preparation for SBI Clerk with this Detailed Syllabus for SBI Clerk 2016
Prelims.
This guide will help you understand the following:
1. Pattern of the SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims exam.
2. Specifics of the SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims with the marking scheme.
3. Syllabus of various sections in the SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims exam.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Difficulty and weightage of each topic and question types included in a topic.
Time you should devote to each section.
Approach to follow to ace the exam.
Links to tips, tricks and quizzes on chapters in this syllabus.

#1. Exam Pattern for SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims (Phase I)

Name of Section
English Language

No. of Qs.
30

Max. Marks
30

Numerical Ability

35

35

Reasoning Ability

35

35

TOTAL

100

100

Duration
Composite
Time of 1
hour.

#2. Exam Specifics of SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims

1. BILINGUAL TEST: Every section (except English Language) will be
available in English as well as Hindi. So if you are more comfortable with
Hindi, several types of questions might be easier to attempt in Hindi, than in

English.
2. NEGATIVE MARKING: Each wrong answer deducts 0.25 of the marks
assigned to that question from your total. Since each question carries 1 mark,
you lose marks per wrong answer. The negative marking is small enough
that if you are reasonably sure of an answer, you can take a chance and mark
it. But be careful not to overdo it with guesses. Your accuracy could be the
difference between selection and disqualification.
3. CUT-OFFS: Each section has an individual cut-off. Besides this, there is also
an overall cut off decided by the SBI that you need to cross to move to the next
round. It is important to clear each of these cut-offs. Performing exceptionally
well in one section doesnt matter quite as much as getting through each of the
sections. Qualifying the Preliminary Exam (Phase I) cut-off qualifies you for
the Main Exam (Phase II).

#3. Syllabus Overview

SBI has not officially thrown any light on the syllabus. However, by analysing
patterns seen in previous years, and recent trends of exams conducted by SBI and
IBPS, we know the likely chapters and topics that will make appearances in the
Prelims paper as well as their probable weightages. Considering all of this, we have
created a detailed syllabus of SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims along with mark distribution.

#4. Detailed Syllabus for SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims

with Mark Distribution
Here is the subject-wise syllabus with the mark distribution. The list is classified in
order of priority important chapters first. The Nature of Questions tells you
whether it is a scoring chapter or a tricky topic or a time consuming one.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Nature of
Questions

-Scoring
-Easy to
Solve
-High
Accuracy
Possible

Chapters

Weightage
(# of
Questions
)

Reading
Comprehensi
on

10-15 (likely
1 passage of
10
questions,
including 45 questions
on
vocabulary)

Use these tips:

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Practice with
some quizzes.

Comments

Topics to focus on:

Moral Stories in Indian
Context or otherwise,
Banking and Economy,
Business, Social Issues.
Vocabulary based
questions include
synonyms, antonyms and
Meanings of phrases.
Theme and main idea
based questions like tone/
style/ title/ theme of the
Passage.

Fill in the
Blanks
Practice with
some quizzes.
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

Double blanks (Two blanks

in one sentence).
Could be grammar based
or vocabulary based.
Vocab based tests
knowledge of words. Fairly
easy as they can be
understood from the
context of the sentence.
Grammar based tests
knowledge of tenses,
prepositions, conjunctions,
verbs to mention a few.

-Scoring

Para Jumbles

-High
Accuracy
Possible

Use these tips:

Link
Try these
quizzes:
Link 1
Link 2

-Moderately
Time
Consuming

Cloze Test
Use these tips:
Link
Test yourself:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

Usually 6 Sentences to be
rearranged.
Questions based on this
single set.
Options will tell you if
youre on the right track.
The passage is usually a
story in the Indian context.

5-10 ( 1
passage
with 5 or 10
blanks)

Passage could be on any

topic, but special emphasis
is given on stories.
Words are usually easy to
moderate but keep your
eyes open for that tough
word. Understanding of
the context will help you
score easily.
Sometimes the blank
might require a word that
will test the knowledge of
grammar.

-Moderately
Scoring

Error
Spotting

-Moderate
Accuracy
possible

Try these tips:

Link 1
Link 2
Try it Yourself:
Link 1
Link 2

-Moderately
Time
Consuming

Could be either grammar

or vocabulary based
Important Topics:
Tenses, Subject-Verb
Agreement, Article-Noun
Agreement, Correct Part of
Speech, Correct use of
Prepositions, Parallelism,
Phrasal Verbs, Easily
Confusable Words,
Contextual Usage,
Sentence Construction,
Degree of Comparison
Avoid guessing too much
in these questions.

Phrase
Replacement/
Sentence
Correction

Mostly grammar based.

Avoid guessing too much
in these questions.

Try these
quizzes:
Link 1
Link 2

NUMERICAL ABILITY

-Scoring

Weightage
(# of
Chapters
Questions
)
Simplification
5-10

-Easy to
Solve

Link

-Less Time
Consuming

Number
Series

-High
Accuracy
Possible

Try these
quizzes:
Link 1
Link 2

Nature of
Questions

Average

Use these
shortcuts:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

Questions on BODMAS
Rule, Approximate Rule,
Fractions, Decimals, Surds
& Indices, Percentages.

3-5

Problems on Completing
the Series, Finding the
Missing Term, Finding the
Wrong Term.

1-2

Problems on Average
Weight/Height/Age/Marks
etc.

1-2

Simple Interest,
Compound Interest and
Mixed problems of simple
and compound interest.

Try these
Quizzes: Link
Interest

Comments

Mensuration

1-2

Use this
shortcut: Link
Percentage

1-2

Ratio &
Proportion

1-2

-Scoring

Algebra

3-5

-Easy if
concepts
clear and
steps
followed

Try this quiz:

Link

-Could be
Tricky

Profit & Loss

-Time
Consuming

0-2

Try these
quizzes:
Link 1
Link 2
Time, Speed
& Distance

1-2

Problems on Relative
Speed, Average Speed and
Crossing Trains. Questions
can also be asked about
Boat and Stream.

0-5

Can include questions

involving Line Graphs, Bar
Graphs, Pie Charts, Tables
and other miscellaneous
info graphics.

1-2

Problems on Work
Efficiency, Pipe & Cistern,
Work and Wages.

Try this quiz:

Link
Data
Interpretatio
n
Use these
shortcuts:
Link 1
Link 2
-Tricky or
Tough

Time & Work

Shortcut
Method: Link

Questions on areas of
square, rectangle, circle,
semicircle and
parallelogram, Cone,
Cylinder asked in the past.
Calculation oriented basic
percentage problems.
Problems on Simple
Ratios,
Componendo and
Dividendo, Compound
Ratio etc.
Problems with 2-3
statements and 2-3
conclusions.
Questions could be asked
on whether the conclusions
follow or not. Or Linear
Equations questions based
on ages may be asked.
Questions on Successive
Selling, Partnerships,
Discount & MP. Problems
can also be asked on
Dishonest Dealings.

-More Time
Consuming
-Lesser
Chance of
Accurate
Solving
-Very
Tricky/Toug
h
-More Time
Consuming
-Less likely
to appear in
the paper

Try some
examples: Link
Permutation
&
Combination

1-2

Basic Selection and

Arrangement Problems.

Mixture
Problems

0-1

Problems on making a
mixture of two or more
entities/mixtures.

Probability

0-1

Number
System

0-1

Data
Sufficiency

0-5

Very basic problems on

probability.
Problems on Divisibility &
Remainder, Multiples &
Factors, Integers, LCM &
HCF.
Data sufficiency problems
on almost all the topics
mentioned above.

Try these: Link

REASONING ABILITY
Nature of
Questions

Chapters

-Scoring

Arrangement
& Pattern

-Easy to
Solve
-Less Time
Consuming
-High

Analogy

Weightage
(# of
Questions
)
2-6

0-2

Comments

Questions on Random
Sequence of Alphabets,
Number Arrangements,
Mixed Series Dictionary or
Alphabet based
Arrangements etc.
Includes Meaning based,
Letter based and Number
based questions.

Accuracy
Possible

Classification

0-3

Mathematical
Inequalities

0-5

Shortcut
Method: Link
Try a quiz: Link
Directions &
Distances

Includes Letter based and

Meaningful Words based
questions. Less frequently,
GK based and number
based questions can be
asked.
Non-coded problems on
solving inequalities. Either
this or coded inequalities
asked.

0-2

Simple problems that can

be solved by just drawing
all information on paper.

1-5

Mostly questions on
Coding-Decoding in
Fictitious Language and
Coding by Analogy.
Possible questions could
also include CodingDecoding by Letter
Shifting, and Coding
Letters of a Word.
Family Tree and General
Blood Relation Problems.
Questions on arranging by
age, floor, rank, order in
row etc.

Try this
method: Link
CodingDecoding
Try these
shortcuts:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
-Scoring
-Easy if
concepts
clear and
steps
followed

Blood
Relations
Ordering &
Ranking

1-3
2-3

Tips to
approach: Link

-Could be
Tricky

Coded
Inequalities

-Not very
Time
Consuming

Tips to Solve:
Link
Try a Quiz: Link

0-5

Can be asked instead of

mathematical inequalities

Syllogisms

3-5

Understand the
concepts: Link

Input-Output

0-5

Time saving
short trick: Link

-Tricky or
Tough
-More Time
Consuming
-Lesser
Chance of
Accurate
Solving

Data
Sufficiency

0-2

Series

0-2

Circular
Seating
Arrangement

How to solve:
Link
Linear
Seating
Arrangement

Try this quiz:

Link

Questions on various
topics including Ordering
& Ranking, Blood
Relations, Coding in
Fictitious Language,
Circular Arrangements,
Directions & Distances,
Ages & Birthdates).
Complete the Alphabet
Series problems asked in
the past. But Number
Series and Mixed Series
questions can also be
asked.
Includes Uni-Directional
and Bi-Directional
problems. Tough
Square/Rectangular/Trian
gular problems also
possible.

5-8

Problems involving 2-3

rows facing each other.
Can include Double Lineup type problems with
information sorting.

0-5

Requires clean charting,

proper technique and stepby-step solving.

Try a quiz: Link

Double LineUp

Problems with 2-3

statements and 2-3
conclusions. Questions
could be asked on whether
the conclusions follow or
not.
Possibility based questions
can also be asked.
Appears less frequently.
Use the method shown
here.

Scheduling

0-5

Less likely to appear. Very

similar to Double Line-up
problems.

0-5

Problems on teams and

committees asked.

0-2

Statement & Assumptions

problems asked in the past.
But questions on
Statement & Arguments,
Statement & Inferences,
Statement & Conclusions,
Critical Reasoning, Course
of Action and Cause &
Effect also possible.

See what it is:

Link
Grouping &
Selection
Try it out: Link
Verbal
Reasoning
Use these tips:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

#5. Order of Attempting Sections

S.
Order of Solving
No.

Type of question

1
2

Numerical Ability
English Language

3
4
5

Reasoning Ability
Numerical Ability
Buffer Time

Easy and Moderate

All you can solve
starting with Easy &
Moderate
Easy & Moderate
Moderate & Tough
Whichever subject is
easy and you can
maximize your score
in.

Time to
Allot (in
minutes)
15
15
15
10
5

#6. Things to Remember During Exam

Do not make too many guesses as there is negative marking.
Remember, each section has individual cut off so do not waste too much time
on any one section, as this might leave you with less time for other sections,
jeopardizing your chance of qualifying. Do not let your ego get in the way; just
because you are strong in one section doesnt mean you have to attempt all
questions in that section.
Sometimes it may happen that you are not able to solve a very easy question.
This is okay; it happens to everyone. Remember, no one is going to judge you
for not being able to solve an easy question.
Its always best to correctly solve a few questions right at the beginning to set
your temperament for the exam. This will give you a good head start for rest of
the paper.
Do not get stuck on any question, move to the next question if you are not able
to solve it.
Try to complete the paper so that you do not miss out on the easy questions
towards the end.
There is also an overall cut off, which will be higher than the sum of the
individual cut offs of the sections.
If you must guess an answer, make sure you guess it only for those questions
for which you can eliminate one or two options increasing the chances of
guessing it right.
Marks of the SBI Clerk Prelims paper is only of qualifying nature. But do not
get complacent. There is no absolute marks required to qualify. The cut offs
are dynamic and based on the scores of all students. So your aim should be to
score as high as possible, clearing every cut off.
We hope that this article will help you clear the SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims exam.
You can write your suggestions/questions in the comments section of this article.
Good luck