SBI Junior Associate Exam

The State Bank of India (SBI) recruits candidates for SBI Junior Associate Exam and Junior Agriculture Associates’ positions through the clerical selection process. The SBI clerk is held in 2 phases:

1. SBI Clerk Prelims
2. SBI Clerk Mains

The SBI Mains exam is used to compile the merit list. Candidates who pass the written test will be invited to take part in the interview process. In most cases, the written exam is conducted online. For the SBI Clerk (Junior Associates) exam, there are no descriptive-type questions.

The SBI Clerk Prelims exam is divided into 3 sections:

1. Reasoning Ability
2. Quantitative Aptitude
3. English Language

And, following are the sections included in SBI Clerk Mains:

1. General/ Financial Awareness
2. Quantitative Aptitude
3. Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude
4. General English

Read on to learn a few tips for preparing for the SBI Associate exam and the books referred for the exam preparation. 

SBI Clerk Section-wise Preparation

Reasoning Ability

1. The SBI Clerk Reasoning Ability section is a high-scoring section with many questions focused on logical reasoning such as syllogisms, blood relations, puzzles, and so on.
2. The puzzles can also be solved in less time with practice and focus.
3. Candidates can practice Coding-Decoding questions because they are simple to solve and score.
4. This section is paired with the Computer Aptitude section of the SBI Clerk Mains exam, so candidates must save adequate time to complete all the questions.
5. Input-Output, Coding-Decoding, Puzzles, Blood Relations, Venn Diagrams, Seating Arrangements, etc., are topics to focus on in the Reasoning section.

Quantitative Aptitude

1. The Quantitative Aptitude portion of the SBI Clerk exam is crucial because candidates can improve their scores in this section with practice.
2. This section assesses the numerical abilities and problem-solving skills of the candidates.
3. Data interpretation questions should be practised more often. Some calculations are difficult and time-consuming.
4. Percentages, Averages, Decimal and Fractions, Profit and Loss, Bar-Diagram, Number Series, Interest, and Pie-Chart are some of the main topics to focus on in the Quantitative section.

English Language

1. Candidates must manage their time properly for the English Language portion of the SBI Clerk exam. In this section, more attention must be put on topics like comprehension and cloze tests.
2. Candidates must pay close attention to score well in this section or potentially lose marks, as the sectional cut-off is critical for passing the SBI Clerk Exam.
3. Fill in the blanks, Cloze test, Comprehension, Spot the Error, etc., should be focussed on in this section.

Computer Knowledge

1. To perform well on the Computer Knowledge section of the SBI Clerk exam, candidates must learn computer fundamentals. Since the syllabus is not comprehensive, this is a scoring section.
2. The majority of the questions are implementation-based questions, where candidates generally work on computers.
3. Basic computer knowledge, MS Word and MS Excel shortcuts, LAN, Modem, etc. topics should be focussed on in this section.

General Awareness

1. The majority of the questions in SBI exams are from current affairs.
2. The candidates need to read about the recent happenings around the world.
3. There is a negative mark for every incorrect answer. So, candidates should avoid answering when they are not sure about the correct answer. 
4. Financial awareness is covered under the marketing and banking section. Candidates can get financial news from newspapers, magazines and social media. 

Interview Preparation

The SBI decides the interview marks.  Candidates must meet the cut-off marks to qualify.  SBI-related facts, finance and banking-related current events, RBI-related information, and other basic awareness are the main topics that the candidates should concentrate on.

Guidelines to prepare for SBI Junior Associate Exam

• Candidates should plan ahead of time in accordance with the SBI Clerk exam pattern.
• Candidates should follow the topic-wise approach to continue with the precise planning. 
• The secret to success is practice. Bank exams can be aced with only a bit more practice and dedication.
• Preparation should include mock tests and online resources.
• Negative marking should be considered before answering any question. 
• Solving SBI Clerk previous year’s question papers is one of the most important things that you should do. It will assist you with analyzing and comprehending your performance depending on the final score.

SBI Clerk Books List for Preparation

Here’s the list of books that candidates can refer to prepare for the SBI Clerk examination.