SBI Apprentice Exam Pattern 2026: Sections, Marking and Selection Stages

The SBI Apprentice exam pattern has one scoring stage: an online written test of 100 objective questions for 100 marks, to be finished in 60 minutes across four separately timed sections. State Bank of India uses it to engage graduates as apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The latest advertisement, CRPD/APPR/2026-27/07, applied this pattern to 7,150 seats spread across 34 states and union territories.

After the written test come two qualifying steps: a test of the local language of your chosen state and a medical examination. This page explains each stage, the negative marking, how the state-wise merit list works and how to use your 15 minutes in each section, so your practice matches the real paper.

Table of Contents

SBI Apprentice Exam Pattern at a Glance

There is no mains exam, descriptive paper or interview. Your online test score alone decides your position in the state-wise merit list.

Online Written Test Pattern

Qualifying rules

• Aggregate minimum only: SBI does not fix a minimum score for each section. It fixes a minimum aggregate percentage that candidates must reach.

• Relaxation for reserved categories: The minimum aggregate is relaxed by 5% for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates.

• Qualifying is not selection: Reaching the minimum aggregate only makes you eligible for the merit list. Selection depends on where your score falls among candidates of your state and category.

The absence of sectional cut-offs is helpful. A weak section will not disqualify you by itself, as long as your total is strong enough. It also means every mark counts equally, whichever section it comes from.

Sectional Timing and Language of the Paper

Each of the four tests has its own separate timing of 15 minutes. Spare minutes in one section cannot be carried over to another, so treat each section as a short exam of its own.

Except for General English, the advertisement says questions are set in 13 regional languages. The languages offered to you depend on the state you apply for, and the advertisement lists them state-wise. The General English test is in English only. If you plan to take the paper in a regional language, practise in that language too, because reading speed changes with the medium.

Candidates eligible for a scribe or compensatory time under government guidelines get 20 minutes extra for every hour of the exam. They must indicate this need in the online application.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Worked example

Suppose you attempt 72 questions and get 62 right and 10 wrong. Your score is 62 minus 2.5, which is 59.5 out of 100. If you had skipped the 10 questions you got wrong, your score would have been 62. Ten careless attempts cost you two and a half marks, which in a state-wise merit list can mean a large drop in rank.

Negative marking does not mean you should never guess. If you can eliminate two of the options with confidence, a guess between the remaining options is usually worth taking. A blind guess among all options is not.

What the Pattern Means for You

• 36 seconds per question: 15 minutes for 25 questions leaves very little time to think on lengthy questions. Speed in basic calculation and reading decides your attempts.

• Equal weight for every section: Awareness carries the same 25 marks as quant. It is the quickest section to score in, so neglecting it is costly.

• Computer aptitude is fast marks: It shares a timer with reasoning. Answering computer questions first frees time for puzzles.

• Accuracy beats attempts: With a quarter-mark penalty, a candidate with 65 attempts at 90% accuracy outscores one with 80 attempts at 75% accuracy.

The last point is easy to check. At 65 attempts and 90% accuracy, you score about 58.5 minus 1.6, or 56.9. At 80 attempts and 75% accuracy, you score 60 minus 5, or 55.

Test of Local Language

Candidates who qualify the online test must show proficiency in one specified local language of the state they applied for. Proficiency here means reading, writing, speaking and understanding. Each state has one or more specified languages; for example, the 2026 advertisement lists Marathi for Maharashtra, Tamil for Tamil Nadu and Hindi or Urdu for Uttar Pradesh.

• Exemption: If you produce a Class 10 or Class 12 mark sheet or certificate showing that you studied the specified language, you do not need to take the test.

• Venue and cost: The test is held at a centre the bank decides, and you bear your own expenses.

• Result: Candidates who fail the local language test are not engaged, whatever their written score.

SBI does not publish marks or a syllabus for this test. See the SBI Apprentice eligibility page for the full list of state-wise languages.

Medical Examination and Document Checks

Engagement as an apprentice depends on being declared medically fit. The bank also verifies eligibility at this stage, including age, graduation, category certificates, Aadhaar and the declarations you made in the application.

Two checks surprise some candidates. First, anyone who has already done or is doing an apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, or who has one year or more of experience after graduation, is not eligible. Second, unresolved loan or credit card defaults make a candidate ineligible, and candidates who have repaid must have their credit record updated or produce no-objection letters from the lender before joining.

How the Merit List Is Prepared

The final merit list is drawn up state-wise and category-wise, in descending order of online test marks. You compete only with candidates who applied for the same state and belong to the same category.

• Tie rule: If more than one candidate scores the cut-off mark, they are ranked by age in descending order, so the older candidate ranks higher.

• Wait list: A state-wise and category-wise wait list is kept for one year from the result date or until the next engagement exercise, whichever is earlier.

• Final selection: A place in the merit list leads to engagement only after the local language test, medical examination and eligibility checks.

Because seats differ widely between states, the score needed in one state can be quite different from another. Read the SBI Apprentice cut-off guide for how to set a target.

Section-wise Time Strategy

A simple rule works well: give each question one honest attempt, and if you are not moving towards an answer in about 45 seconds, mark it and move on. Return to marked questions only if time remains in that section.

Attempt and Accuracy Targets

SBI does not publish target attempts, and the right number depends on the paper and your state. The table below is a planning guide for mock tests, not an official benchmark. Adjust it once you know your own speed.

If your accuracy in a section drops below these levels, cut attempts there before you try to raise speed. If accuracy stays high for several mocks, add a few attempts at a time.

Common Pattern Mistakes

• Practising without sectional timers: A 60-minute paper with one clock feels very different from four 15-minute blocks.

• Spending too long on one puzzle: A single long puzzle can use half the reasoning time for three or four marks.

• Guessing to finish the section: Random answers in the last minute usually lower your net score.

• Leaving computer questions for last: They are the fastest marks in the reasoning section, so take them first.

• Ignoring the language test: Candidates without a Class 10 or 12 record in the state language sometimes clear the written test but fail this stage.

Exam-Day Rules

• Carry identity proof: Bring an original photo identity document and a self-attested photocopy along with your call letter.

• Prohibited items: Mobile phones, smart watches, earphones, calculators and similar devices are not allowed on the premises. Violations can lead to cancellation of candidature.

• Read the call letter booklet: SBI provides an "Acquaint Yourself" booklet with the call letter, which explains the test details and reporting rules.

• No centre changes: Requests to change the examination centre are not accepted.

The bank may also use response pattern analysis to detect copying or shared answers, so work only on your own screen.

Practise in the Current Pattern

SBI does not publish an official mock test for the apprentice exam. Detailed exam information reaches eligible candidates through the "Acquaint Yourself" booklet issued with the call letter. Check the official SBI careers page for the booklet and every update: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings

Because the sectional timer is the hardest part of this exam, practise with tests that lock each section at 15 minutes. You can attempt SBI Apprentice mock tests on Testkart in this four-section format and use the section-wise analysis to track accuracy and attempts. Check the SBI Apprentice syllabus alongside, so weak topics get fixed between mocks.

Pattern details can change between engagement cycles, and some older pages may not match the latest advertisement. Always confirm the section names, timing and marking in the current SBI advertisement before you plan your practice.