Detailed Syllabus for SBI Clerk 2016 Prelims

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. Difficulty and weightage of each topic and question types included in a topic. 5. Time you should devote to each section. 6. Approach to follow to ace the exam. 7. 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 Numerical Ability Reasoning Ability TOTAL

No. of Qs. 30 35 35 100

Max. Marks 30 35 35 100

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 ¼ 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 doesn’t 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

Chapters

Weightage (# of
Questions )

Comments

-Scoring
-Easy to Solve
-High Accuracy Possible

Reading Comprehensi on
Use these tips: Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 Practice with some quizzes.
Fill in the Blanks
Practice with some quizzes. Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

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

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.

5

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
-Moderately Time Consuming

Use these tips: Link Try these quizzes: Link 1 Link 2

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

5

Usually 6 Sentences to be

rearranged.

Questions based on this

single set.

Options will tell you if you’re 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 Error

Scoring

Spotting

-Moderate Accuracy possible
-Moderately Time Consuming

Try these tips: Link 1 Link 2 Try it Yourself: Link 1 Link 2

5

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

5

Mostly grammar based.

Replacement/

Sentence

Avoid guessing too much

Correction

in these questions.

Try these quizzes: Link 1 Link 2

NUMERICAL ABILITY

Nature of Questions
-Scoring
-Easy to Solve

Chapters
Simplification Try these tips: Link

Weightage (# of Questions )
5-10

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

-Less Time Consuming
-High Accuracy Possible

Number Series
Try these quizzes: Link 1 Link 2

3-5

Problems on Completing

the Series, Finding the

Missing Term, Finding the

Wrong Term.

Average
Try these Quizzes: Link

1-2

Problems on Average

Weight/Height/Age/Marks

etc.

Interest
Use these shortcuts: Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

1-2

Simple Interest,

Compound Interest and

Mixed problems of simple

and compound interest.

Mensuration
Use this shortcut: Link
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion

-Scoring -Easy if concepts clear and steps followed -Could be Tricky -Time Consuming
-Tricky or Tough

Algebra
Try this quiz: Link
Profit & Loss
Try these quizzes: Link 1 Link 2
Time, Speed & Distance
Try this quiz: Link
Data Interpretatio n
Use these shortcuts: Link 1 Link 2
Time & Work
Shortcut Method: Link

1-2

Questions on areas of

square, rectangle, circle,

semicircle and

parallelogram, Cone,

Cylinder asked in the past.

1-2

Calculation oriented basic

percentage problems.

1-2

Problems on Simple

Ratios,

Componendo and

Dividendo, Compound

Ratio etc.

3-5

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.

0-2

Questions on Successive

Selling, Partnerships,

Discount & MP. Problems

can also be asked on

Dishonest Dealings.

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.

-More Time Consuming
-Lesser Chance of Accurate Solving -Very Tricky/Toug h
-More Time Consuming

Try some examples: Link
Permutation & Combination
Mixture Problems
Try these: Link
Probability

-Less likely to appear in the paper

Number System

Data Sufficiency

1-2

Basic Selection and

Arrangement Problems.

0-1

Problems on making a

mixture of two or more

entities/mixtures.

0-1

Very basic problems on

probability.

0-1

Problems on Divisibility &

Remainder, Multiples &

Factors, Integers, LCM &

HCF.

0-5

Data sufficiency problems

on almost all the topics

mentioned above.

REASONING ABILITY

Nature of Questions
-Scoring
-Easy to Solve
-Less Time Consuming
-High

Chapters
Arrangement & Pattern
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

-Scoring
-Easy if concepts clear and steps followed
-Could be Tricky
-Not very Time Consuming

Mathematical 0-5 Inequalities

Shortcut Method: Link Try a quiz: Link

Directions & 0-2 Distances

Try this method: Link

Coding-

1-5

Decoding

Try these shortcuts: Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

Blood

1-3

Relations

Ordering &

2-3

Ranking

Tips to approach: Link

Coded

0-5

Inequalities

Tips to Solve: Link Try a Quiz: Link

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.
Simple problems that can be solved by just drawing all information on paper.
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.
Can be asked instead of mathematical inequalities

Syllogisms

3-5

Understand the concepts: Link

Input-Output 0-5

Time saving short trick: Link

Data

0-2

Sufficiency

Series

0-2

-Tricky or Circular

5

Tough

Seating

Arrangement

-More Time

Consuming How to solve:

Link

-Lesser

Chance of Linear

5-8

Accurate

Seating

Solving

Arrangement

Try a quiz: Link

Double Line- 0-5 Up

Try this quiz: Link

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.
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.
Problems involving 2-3 rows facing each other. Can include Double Lineup type problems with information sorting.
Requires clean charting, proper technique and stepby-step solving.

Scheduling

0-5

See what it is: Link

Grouping & 0-5 Selection

Try it out: Link

Verbal

0-2

Reasoning

Use these tips: Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

Less likely to appear. Very similar to Double Line-up problems.
Problems on teams and committees asked.
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.

#5. Order of Attempting Sections

S. Order of Solving Type of question No.

1 Numerical Ability Easy and Moderate

2 English Language All you can solve

starting with Easy &

Moderate

3 Reasoning Ability Easy & Moderate

4 Numerical Ability Moderate & Tough

5 Buffer Time

Whichever subject is

easy and you can

maximize your score

in.

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