SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1, Good Attempts

The SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1 for 26 September gives candidates a clear review of the Prelims paper. Here, you can check the good attempts, difficulty level, questions asked, topic-wise weightage and section-wise analysis.

Shift 1 took place from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. According to candidate feedback, the overall paper was Easy.

Moreover, candidates appearing in later shifts can use this review to understand the latest exam trend. However, the exact questions and difficulty level may change from one shift to another.

SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1 Overview

The SBI Clerk Prelims has three sections: English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability.

In total, the exam has 100 questions for 100 marks. Candidates get 60 minutes to complete the paper.

Check the main details below.

Overall, candidates found the paper easy to manage. Still, speed and accuracy played an important role because each section had a fixed time limit.

SBI Clerk Shift 1 Good Attempts 2026

The overall good-attempt range for Shift 1 was around 74–84 questions.

Here is the section-wise estimate:

However, good attempts do not guarantee selection.

Several factors can affect the final result, such as:

• Accuracy
• Number of correct answers
• Question selection
• Candidate category
• State-wise competition
• Actual cut-off
• Overall performance

Therefore, candidates should use the good-attempt range only as a reference.

SBI Clerk Shift 1 Difficulty Level 2026

Candidates described the overall paper as Easy.

The difficulty level of all three sections was also easy.

Even though the paper was easy, candidates had to work quickly. After all, every section had a separate 20-minute limit.

SBI Clerk Questions Asked in Shift 1

Shift 1 covered several common topics from the SBI Clerk syllabus.

English Language Topics

The English section included:

• Reading Comprehension
• Para Jumble
• Word Swap
• Fillers
• Phrase Replacement
• Error Detection

Numerical Ability Topics

The Numerical Ability section included:

• Simplification
• Arithmetic
• Line Graph DI
• Table DI

Reasoning Ability Topics

The Reasoning section included:

• Seating Arrangement
• Box-based Puzzle
• Month and Date Puzzle
• Syllogism
• Inequality
• Direction
• Word Series

Thus, candidates appearing in later shifts should revise these areas first.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Sequence

The sections appeared in the following order:

Each section had a separate time limit of 20 minutes.

As a result, candidates had to complete one section before moving to the next.

SBI Clerk English Language Analysis 2026

The English Language section had 30 questions.

Most candidates found this section Easy. In addition, common grammar and reading topics formed a large part of the paper.

English Good Attempts

• Total Questions: 30
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Good Attempts: 25–28
• Time: 20 Minutes

English Question Distribution

Reading Comprehension

The Reading Comprehension passage focused on a story involving Ken, a cricketer.

This topic had around 8 questions.

Since the passage was manageable, candidates with good reading speed could answer the questions without spending too much time.

Para Jumble

Para Jumble contributed about 5 questions.

To solve them, candidates had to arrange the sentences in a clear and logical order.

Word Swap

The paper had around 4 Word Swap questions.

These questions tested vocabulary, sentence meaning and word placement.

Fillers and Phrase Replacement

Fillers and Phrase Replacement had around 3 to 4 questions each.

Overall, these questions were simple for candidates with clear grammar basics.

SBI Clerk Numerical Ability Analysis 2026

The Numerical Ability section had 35 questions.

Candidates found the section Easy. However, calculation speed remained important because the section had only 20 minutes.

Numerical Ability Good Attempts

• Total Questions: 35
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Good Attempts: 24–28
• Time: 20 Minutes

Numerical Ability Question Distribution

Simplification

Simplification had around 8–10 questions.

Therefore, candidates with fast calculation skills could save valuable time in this part.

Data Interpretation

The paper included two Data Interpretation sets:

• Line Graph DI – 5 questions
• Table DI – 5 questions

Together, these sets contributed about 10 questions.

For this reason, candidates appearing in later shifts should revise:

• Percentage
• Ratio
• Average
• Difference
• Basic calculations

Arithmetic

Arithmetic had around 14–15 questions.

Important topics included:

• Percentage
• Profit and Loss
• Partnership
• Age-based Problems

So, Arithmetic was one of the most important parts of the Numerical Ability section.

SBI Clerk Reasoning Ability Analysis 2026

The Reasoning Ability section had 35 questions.

Candidates found it Easy. At the same time, Puzzles and Seating Arrangements had a high share of questions.

Reasoning Good Attempts

• Total Questions: 35
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Good Attempts: 25–28
• Time: 20 Minutes

Reasoning Question Distribution

Puzzles Asked in SBI Clerk Shift 1

Puzzles and Seating Arrangements together had about 18 questions.

Therefore, this area had the highest weightage in Reasoning.

Certain Number Seating Arrangement

One set involved a certain number of people facing north.

This set had around 3 questions.

Box-Based Puzzle

Another set focused on a box-based arrangement.

It had about 5 questions.

Month and Date Puzzle

The paper also included a puzzle based on months and dates from September to December.

This set had around 5 questions.

Numeric Box-Based Puzzle

A numeric box-based arrangement also appeared in the paper.

It contributed about 5 questions.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The SBI Clerk Preliminary Examination has 100 questions for 100 marks.

Candidates get 60 minutes in total.

Each section has a fixed time limit. Therefore, candidates cannot move unused time from one section to another.

SBI Clerk Shift Timings 2026

The SBI Clerk Prelims takes place in four shifts.

Key Takeaways from SBI Clerk Shift 1

Here are the main points from the first shift:

• Overall difficulty was Easy.
• Overall good attempts were 74–84.
• English good attempts were 25–28.
• Numerical Ability good attempts were 24–28.
• Reasoning good attempts were 25–28.
• Puzzles and Seating Arrangements had high weightage.
• Around 18 Reasoning questions came from puzzle-based topics.
• Numerical Ability included Arithmetic and two DI sets.
• English included an 8-question Reading Comprehension.
• Each section had a 20-minute time limit.
• The complete paper had 100 questions for 100 marks.

These points can help candidates plan their final revision for upcoming shifts.

How to Use SBI Clerk Shift 1 Analysis

Candidates appearing in later shifts should use this analysis as a revision guide.

However, they should not expect the same questions in every shift.

Revise High-Weightage Topics

First, focus on topics that appeared often in Shift 1.

For Reasoning, revise:

• Puzzles
• Seating Arrangement
• Syllogism
• Inequality
• Direction

Next, revise these Numerical Ability topics:

• Arithmetic
• Simplification
• Line Graph DI
• Table DI

For English, focus on:

• Reading Comprehension
• Para Jumble
• Fillers
• Word Swap
• Error Detection

This approach can help candidates cover important areas quickly.

Follow Your Existing Strategy

Do not change your full exam plan because of one shift.

Instead, continue with the strategy that worked well in your mock tests.

Also, remember that the difficulty level can change from one shift to another.

Focus on Accuracy

High attempts alone do not ensure a good score.

Therefore, candidates should avoid random guesses and focus on questions they can solve with confidence.

In addition, careful question selection can improve both speed and accuracy.

Manage Sectional Time

Each section gives candidates only 20 minutes.

So, avoid spending too much time on one difficult question.

Instead, solve easy questions first and return to harder ones only if time remains.

SBI Clerk Good Attempts vs Cut-Off

Good attempts and the official cut-off are different.

Good attempts give candidates a rough idea of performance based on:

• Candidate feedback
• Paper difficulty
• Number of attempts
• Expected accuracy

On the other hand, the final cut-off may depend on:

• Number of candidates
• Category
• State or circle
• Vacancies
• Candidate performance
• Recruitment rules

What to Do After SBI Clerk Prelims 2026?

Candidates who have completed the Prelims should continue preparing for the next stage.

For example, they can:

• Review their Prelims performance.
• Find weak topics.
• Improve calculation speed.
• Practise advanced reasoning questions.
• Revise important banking topics.
• Attempt mock tests regularly.
• Follow official SBI recruitment updates.

Meanwhile, early preparation can give candidates more time to improve before the next stage.

SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1 FAQs

Conclusion

The SBI Clerk Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1 shows that candidates found the 26 September paper Easy overall. The reported good-attempt range stood at 74–84 questions.

Moreover, Reasoning focused heavily on Puzzles and Seating Arrangements. Numerical Ability gave strong weightage to Arithmetic and Data Interpretation. Meanwhile, English included Reading Comprehension, Para Jumble and grammar-based questions.