The second day of the SBI Clerk Prelims (21st September) kicked off with the first shift showing a pattern quite similar to Day 1: the paper was generally Easy to Moderate. English and Reasoning leaned more toward the easier side; Numerical Ability had more questions that needed care/time. Let’s unpack how it felt, section by section, what candidates found manageable vs challenging, and what a strong attempt looks like.
Exam Pattern & Key Numbers
Total Questions: 100
English Language: 30
Numerical Ability: 35
Reasoning Ability: 35
Duration: 60 minutes for all sections (with some sectional timing pressure)
Negative Marking: 0.25 for each wrong answer
Overall Difficulty Level
Extremely few surprises; the paper followed expected trends. Sources like JagranJosh, Practicemock, BankersAdda all report that the exam was “Easy to Moderate” overall.
Among the three sections, Numerical Ability was the most time-consuming / slightly tougher. English and Reasoning were more forgiving.
Section-wise Analysis
Here’s how each section shaped up, with what topics were asked and what level of difficulty:
| Section | Difficulty | Key Topics / Question Types | What Candidates Said / What Made It Tricky |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | RC (reading comprehension), Para-Jumbles, Error Spotting, Single Fillers, Word Swap etc. | Most people finished this section comfortably. Few tricky words or tricky usages, but nothing out of blue. Time wasn’t a huge issue here. |
| Numerical Ability | Moderate | Arithmetic, Simplification, Data Interpretation (DI) – Table DI, Caselet DI, Line Graph DI etc. | Some DI sets were standard; others took more time. Simplification & speed of calculation mattered. Accuracy in arithmetic was important. |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | Puzzles & Seating (linear, square, floor-based), Inequality, Syllogism, Direction & Distance, Alphanumeric/Series etc. | Many found this the most scoring section. Puzzles were lengthy but manageable; logical reasoning and series questions fairly standard. |
Good Attempts / What Counts as a Strong Performance
From candidate feedback and expert estimates, here are “good attempts” (questions one could attempt with accuracy and still be in a safe range) for this particular shift:
| Section | Good Attempts Range |
|---|---|
| English | 22 – 26 |
| Reasoning | 27 – 30 |
| Numerical Ability | 21 – 24 |
| Overall Total | ~75 – 81 / 82 |
So if you did around 75 to 81 attempts with decent accuracy, especially in Reasoning and English, you likely have done well in this shift.
Strengths vs Challenges
Here’s what most candidates found in their favor, and what was a stumbling block:
Strengths:
Predictable pattern: no wild surprises in topics or question types.
English & Reasoning relatively smoother: good for those with regular practice.
Some sections of DI were standard, which allowed quicker solving for well-prepared candidates.
Challenges:
Time pressure in Numerical Ability: some arithmetic or DI sets needed more time per question. Even small calculation errors hurt.
Puzzles or seating arrangements in Reasoning could be lengthy; mis-reading statements or small misplacement could cost time.
Ensuring accuracy while attempting maximum is always the balancing act: a few wrong answers can pull your effective score down given negative marking.
Comparison with Day 1 Shifts
Day 1 shifts had similar overall difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Good attempts for various shifts on Day 1 ranged between 69-84 depending on the shift.
Paper pattern and level remained consistent, so candidates in later shifts can expect similar difficulty or very minor variations.
What This Means for Cut-Off & Next Steps
Based on this shift, the cut-off is likely to be in or around the estimates that match these “good attempt” ranges. If you attempted ~75-80+ with good accuracy, you’re probably safe in this shift.
For reserved categories, cut-offs will be lower; so even fewer attempts with good accuracy may suffice.
Candidates whose Numerical Ability section was weaker might find themselves “on edge” — strong English & Reasoning can pull up the total but cannot fully make up for large losses in Quant if too many mistakes.
Tips for Later Shifts
If you’re appearing in upcoming shifts:
Time management is key: don’t get stuck on DI or long puzzles.
Prioritize Reasoning & English first, as they tend to be scoring and steady.
Accuracy > speed: avoid guessing too much because of negative marking.
Practice mock DIs and simplifications under timed conditions.
Revise basic arithmetic and shortcut methods to save time.
Final Word
Shift 1 of Day 2 (September 21) of SBI Clerk Prelims 2025 was a fair test: balanced, mostly predictable, with moderate numerical difficulty but reasonable scoring potential overall. With “good attempts” in the 75-81 range, many candidates will be breathing easier.
