SBI Clerk Previous Year Question Paper with Answers PDF: Quick Answer
The honest answer first: SBI does not publish official previous year question papers for the Clerk (Junior Associate) exam. What exists are memory-based papers, reconstructed from what candidates remember after the exam, and compilations of those papers as PDFs by preparation sites. On this site you can attempt two playable memory-based papers from the SBI Clerk 2025 Prelims, 20 and 21 September 2025, Shift 1, with 100 questions each and answers. There are no official SBI Clerk papers on this site, because SBI does not release them, and any page that calls a memory-based paper "official" is overstating what it is. As of 7 November 2026, no memory-based paper from the 2026 cycle has been added here yet: the 2026 Prelims were held in September 2026 and the regular-cycle result was still awaited.
If you want papers to practise on right now, start with the two 2025 memory-based Prelims papers below, then move to the full-length Prelims and Mains mock tests on this site, which follow the current pattern. Read the section on how to use memory-based papers before you compare your score with anyone else's, because SBI Clerk has no all-India cut-off: every figure is fixed state by state and category by category.
What SBI Releases and What It Does Not
SBI publishes the recruitment advertisement, the admit cards, the results, the scorecards and the cut-off marks for each stage, state by state and category by category. It does not publish the question papers or the answer keys. That is different from SSC, which does release question papers with answer keys, and it is the single biggest reason SBI Clerk preparation depends on memory-based papers.
A memory-based paper is put together after the exam from questions candidates recall. The strong parts are usually the reasoning puzzles, the data interpretation sets and the distinctive English questions, because candidates remember those. The weak parts are exact wording, the order of questions and sometimes one or two options. Treat a memory-based paper as a very good reconstruction, not as a photocopy of the paper. When two compilations of the same shift disagree on a question, neither is automatically right; check the explanation against the concept, not against the source's confidence.
The other thing to know is that SBI Clerk has no sectional cut-off in either Prelims or Mains, and Prelims marks do not count in the final merit: final selection rests on Mains marks out of 200, followed by the local language proficiency test where it applies, and there is no interview. That changes how you should read a previous year paper: a weak section does not fail you on its own, but the Mains total is everything, so Mains papers deserve more of your time than Prelims papers as the exam approaches.
SBI Clerk Previous Year Papers You Can Attempt on This Site
| Paper | Date and shift | Questions | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Clerk 2025 Prelims Memory-Based Paper, 20 September, Shift 1 | 20 September 2025, Shift 1 | 100 | Memory-based, with answers |
| SBI Clerk 2025 Prelims Memory-Based Paper, 21 September, Shift 1 | 21 September 2025, Shift 1 | 100 | Memory-based, with answers |
Both papers carry 100 questions in 60 minutes, matching the Prelims format: English Language 30, Numerical Ability 35 and Reasoning Ability 35. They are labelled memory-based in their own metadata, and this page labels them the same way. They are the only SBI Clerk previous-year papers on this site as of 7 November 2026. There are no Mains memory-based papers here yet, and no paper from any other shift. If you need Mains practice in the current pattern, use the SBI Clerk Mains full mock test 01; it is a practice paper built to the 2026 pattern, not a previous-year paper, and it is labelled as practice.
SBI Clerk Previous Year Papers Year by Year
| Exam held | Stage | What is available |
|---|---|---|
| February to March 2025 (2024 cycle) | Prelims, 22 and 27 February and 1 March 2025; Mains, April 2025 | No paper on this site. Memory-based compilations circulate as third-party PDFs. |
| September to November 2025 (2025 cycle) | Prelims, 20, 21 and 27 September 2025; Mains, November 2025 | Two memory-based Prelims papers on this site (above). Mains memory-based compilations exist only as third-party PDFs. |
| September to October 2026 (2026 cycle) | Backlog Prelims 16 September 2026, Mains 29 October 2026; regular Prelims 26 and 27 September 2026, result awaited as of 7 November 2026 | No paper on this site yet. Memory-based compilations exist on preparation sites as third-party PDFs; they were not opened or verified for this page. |
Two warnings about the year-wise picture. First, several preparation sites label their compilations with the year the recruitment was notified rather than the year the exam was held, so a paper marked "2024" can be the Prelims held in February 2025, and a paper marked "2025" can be either the February 2025 sittings or the September 2025 sittings. Check the exam date and shift on the paper itself, not just the headline. Second, do not trust vacancy totals quoted on previous-year-paper pages: this page publishes none, because the totals circulating for the 2026 regular drive disagree with each other and none has been verified against the SBI advertisement here. The SBI Clerk syllabus and exam pattern note carries the advertisement figures with their source.
The 2026 cycle needs one more clarification, because it is the easiest place to get confused. Two SBI Clerk drives ran in parallel in 2026: a special backlog drive for SC, ST and OBC candidates only (Prelims 16 September 2026, Mains 29 October 2026, Prelims cut-off released 17 October 2026) and the regular drive (Prelims 26 and 27 September 2026, result and cut-off still awaited as of 7 November 2026, expected in the first week of November 2026). The backlog table has no General or EWS rows, because the drive covers reserved categories only. Any "SBI Clerk Prelims cut off 2026 regular" table circulating before the regular result is either the backlog table mislabelled or an estimate presented as a result. The SBI Clerk cut off 2026 note keeps the two drives in separate tables.
SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains Pattern: What the Papers Test
Prelims pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Each question carries 1 mark and a wrong answer costs one-fourth of a mark. There is no sectional cut-off, but Prelims is qualifying only: clearing it gets you to Mains, and Prelims marks do not count in the final merit. The full pattern, with the topic list, is in the SBI Clerk syllabus and exam pattern note.
Mains pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 160 minutes |
The Mains total is 200 marks, and it is the only score that decides the final merit list, subject to the local language test and document verification. There is no sectional cut-off in Mains either, and no interview. The sectional times above are the timings used by the current-pattern mock tests on this site and match the section-wise split of the 2026 Mains; the advertisement fixes the total at 2 hours 40 minutes across four sectionally timed tests. General Awareness is the section where previous year papers teach the least, because its questions are tied to the exam period: a 2025 Mains GA section tests 2025 banking and current affairs, and it will not repeat. Use old Mains papers for the Quant, Reasoning and English sections, and cover GA from recent material.
How to Use Memory-Based Papers Without Fooling Yourself
Attempt them timed, in one sitting, with the sectional timers. A memory-based paper only teaches you exam temperament if you take it the way the real exam runs: 20 minutes per Prelims section, no pausing, no looking up a formula mid-section. If you take it untimed, the score tells you about your knowledge, not about your readiness.
Score sectional accuracy, not just the total. SBI Clerk has no sectional cut-off, so a weak section does not fail you, but the Mains total is everything, and a section that leaks marks in Mains costs rank directly. After each attempt, write down three numbers per section: attempted, right and wrong. The wrong count matters more than the right count in a one-fourth-negative-marking exam, and it is where most improvement comes from.
Review every wrong answer the same day, from the concept. Memory-based answers are sometimes wrong. If an explanation looks doubtful, work the question from first principles or check a standard source before accepting it. A wrong memorised answer is worse than no answer, because it survives into the real exam.
Do not rank yourself against other candidates' claimed scores. Memory-based papers circulate with claimed cut-offs, claimed "good attempts" and claimed scores from strangers. None of those is verified, and SBI Clerk cut-offs are state-wise and category-wise, so a score that clears one state fails another. The only verified benchmark is the official cut-off released with the scorecards, covered in the SBI Clerk cut off 2026 note.
Use old papers for question types, new mocks for the current pattern. The 2025 papers show you what SBI actually asked: the puzzle styles, the DI formats, the English question types. The current-pattern mock tests show you how the Mains sectional timings change your time allocation. You need both, and neither replaces the other.
Third-Party PDF Collections: What to Check Before You Trust One
Most SBI Clerk previous year papers on the internet are PDF compilations by preparation sites such as CareerPower, Testbook, Prepp and BankersAdda. They are third-party documents, not SBI publications. None of them was opened or verified for this page, so this page does not vouch for any particular PDF. Before you rely on one, check four things: the exam date and shift printed on the paper itself; whether it is labelled memory-based or presented as something it is not; whether the answers come with explanations or are bare keys; and whether the question counts match the pattern of that stage (100 for Prelims, 190 for Mains). A PDF that fails any of those checks is still usable for practice, but do not treat its keys as final.
- CareerPower: SBI Clerk previous year question papers PDF, memory-based papers (third-party collection)
- Prepp: SBI Clerk previous year question paper with solutions, download PDF (third-party collection)
- Testbook: SBI Clerk previous year question papers, download Prelims and Mains papers PDF (third-party collection)
- BankersAdda: SBI Clerk previous year question paper with solution, download PDF (third-party collection)
Be especially careful with PDFs that promise "all shifts" in one file. Shifts differ, and a compilation that merges shifts without labelling them will show you the same question twice with different numbers, or two different questions presented as one. Attempt one shift at a time, and keep a note of which shift each attempt was. Also be careful with pages that mix the backlog and regular 2026 drives: a paper labelled only "SBI Clerk 2026" with no date may be from the 16 September backlog Prelims, not the 26 and 27 September regular Prelims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SBI release official SBI Clerk previous year question papers?
No. SBI does not publish question papers or answer keys for the Clerk exam. The papers available anywhere are memory-based reconstructions or compilations of them. This site labels its two 2025 papers as memory-based, and you should distrust any source that calls an SBI Clerk paper "official" without showing an SBI publication.
Are memory-based papers reliable enough to practise on?
Yes, for question types, difficulty and timing. They are less reliable for exact wording and for one or two answers per paper. Use them timed, review wrong answers from the concept, and do not treat a memory-based key as final when it conflicts with a standard result.
Which year should I start with?
Start with the most recent paper you can attempt under timed conditions, which on this site is the September 2025 Prelims. Then work backwards one cycle at a time for question-type coverage, and finish with current-pattern mock tests so the Mains sectional timings are fresh.
Are there SBI Clerk Mains previous year papers on this site?
Not yet, as of 7 November 2026. The Mains practice available here is a full mock test built to the 2026 pattern, labelled as practice. Mains memory-based compilations exist as third-party PDFs, with the cautions given above.
How is the SBI Clerk exam scored?
Prelims: 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes, one-fourth negative marking, qualifying only. Mains: 190 questions, 200 marks, 160 minutes, one-fourth negative marking, and Mains marks alone decide the final merit, subject to the local language test. There is no sectional cut-off in either stage and no interview.
When will 2026 papers appear here?
Only when a memory-based paper for the 2026 cycle has been checked question by question and labelled honestly. No date is promised. The 2026 Prelims were held in September 2026 and the regular-cycle result was still awaited as of 7 November 2026.
Related Notes and Mock Tests
Related notes: SBI Clerk syllabus and exam pattern, SBI Clerk cut off 2026, SBI Clerk salary 2026, SBI Clerk eligibility and age limit 2026.
Related mock tests: SBI Clerk Prelims Full Mock Test 01, SBI Clerk Mains Full Mock Test 01, SBI Clerk hub.
Sources: SBI Clerk syllabus and exam pattern note on this site, citing advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 dated 11 August 2026; SBI Clerk cut off 2026 note on this site (backlog Prelims 16 September 2026, regular Prelims 26 and 27 September 2026, backlog cut-off released 17 October 2026, regular result awaited as of 7 November 2026); the two memory-based test files' own metadata (paperType memory-based, isPYP true, exam dates 20 and 21 September 2025); CareerPower, Prepp, Testbook and BankersAdda SBI Clerk previous year paper collections for third-party PDF availability, as listed in search results (not opened or verified). No SBI question paper or answer key was read directly, because SBI does not publish them. Last checked 7 November 2026.