SBI Clerk exam-day guide
SBI Clerk · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed call letter / admission letter
Download it as soon as the link opens and print a clean copy. Confirm on your call letter how many copies and whether a passport photo must be affixed and signed across it - practice differs by advertisement, so verify with the provider.
Recent passport-size photograph matching the one uploaded
Carry at least two spare copies; one is typically pasted on the call letter and centres may ask for extras. Use a plain background and the same photo you used in the application to avoid mismatch at verification.
Original photo ID used in the application
Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or voter ID as listed in the notification. The ID must be valid (not expired) and must match the name and details in your application.
Photocopy of the same photo ID
Centres usually retain a copy. Carry two photocopies to be safe, and keep them with the originals in one folder.
Blue or black ballpoint pen
Needed for signatures, thumb impression and any written declaration at the verification desk. Do not rely on the centre providing one.
Caste / category / PwBD / ex-serviceman certificate, if applicable
Carry the original and a copy if your category was claimed in the application. Exact requirements depend on the stage and advertisement - confirm with the provider.
No Objection Certificate, if you are a government or PSU employee
Many recruitments require an NOC at a later stage rather than at the exam, and the wording varies. Check the notification or confirm with the provider before the exam day.
Confirmed travel plan and centre location
Do a route check the day before. Reach the area early; centres in metro cities often have only one open gate and long queues for biometric verification.
Leave prohibited items at home or with a companion
Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, notes and金属 items are not allowed inside the hall. Most centres have no secure storage.
Note the reporting time and gate-closing time
Taken from the call letter. Arriving after the gate closes generally means you will not be allowed in - verify the exact cutoff with the provider.
Light snack and water for after the exam
Consumables inside the hall are usually restricted; keep them in your bag or with a companion for after the test.
A good night's sleep and a light meal
A one-hour prelims paper rewards alertness more than last-minute cramming. Avoid new food or heavy caffeine on the morning of the exam.
Plan the day
Download and print the call letter; check centre address, reporting time and any photo/signature instructions. Photocopy your ID, assemble the document folder, and take one full mock test in the exact sectional order and 60-minute limit.
Do a route reconnaissance or map check, decide the mode of travel and build in a 45-minute buffer for queues. Stop starting new topics; revise only formula sheets, grammar rules and error logs.
Pack the folder (call letter, photos, original ID, photocopies, certificates, pen), lay out clothes, charge nothing that needs charging (leave devices behind), and sleep by a normal hour. No late-night mock tests.
Eat a light breakfast, leave so you reach the centre 45-60 minutes before the reporting time, carry only the folder and a pen. At the centre, complete document check, biometric capture and seat allocation without rushing.
Read the on-screen instructions, confirm that the question paper shows the expected number of questions and sections, and check the on-screen calculator/rough-sheet arrangements. Report any anomaly to the invigilator immediately.
Read the notification for the exact pattern. In SBI Clerk Prelims there is normally one composite 60-minute limit with no separate sectional timers, so sequence sections by your strength, keep a hard cutoff per section, and skip anything that takes more than about 45 seconds on the first pass.
Stop attempting new questions, fill any marked review items only if you are reasonably confident, and make sure every attempted answer is saved. Do not leave blanks in questions you have already solved on paper.
Hand over the rough sheet if one was issued, collect your belongings outside the hall, and note down the section-wise attempt count for planning the next stage.
Rules to check
Carry only the documents listed on your call letter plus a pen. Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth earbuds and any other electronic device are banned inside the exam hall; possession can lead to disqualification.
Entry is normally refused after the gate-closing time printed on the call letter, even if your reporting time slot is later. Confirm the exact cutoff with the provider and plan to arrive well before it.
Your identity will be verified through the original photo ID, signature and biometric capture (thumb impression and/or photograph). Sign exactly as you did on the call letter and attendance sheet.
Confirm with the provider whether your paper has sectional time limits or a single overall limit before you decide your section order. In SBI Clerk Prelims the 60-minute limit is normally composite, which is why many candidates start with their strongest section.
There is typically a negative marking of one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer, while unattempted questions carry no penalty. Do not guess blindly; eliminate and then mark.
Rough sheets, if provided, are countable items and must be returned to the invigilator before you leave; carrying them out of the hall is treated as unfair means.
Do not communicate with other candidates, look at another screen, or attempt to tamper with the computer or keyboard. Any instruction from the invigilator overrides your own plan and must be followed immediately.