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SBI Clerk Mains: Cut-Offs, Exam Strategy & Time Management
With the SBI Clerk Prelims complete, the focus is now on SBI Clerk Mains which would be conducted during the last week of June. For the first time, students will be taking the test in the new sectional timing pattern. The new pattern with increased timing per section will increase sectional cut-offs & does make it important for some to change their existing exam taking strategy and we will take a look at how to approach the exam. But before that, here’s a look at the exam pattern.
Click hereto take Mock tests of SBI Clerk Main in New Pattern.
Main Exam Pattern:
Advantage of New Pattern:-
- With the new pattern, one does not have to spend time in deciding how much time to spend on each section and which section to attempt first. This has been pre-decided for everyone. While this maybe a disadvantage for a few of the advanced users, for many this would simplify things to a great extent.
- There is 40 minutes more overall for the exam.
Approach for each section:
While there is an increase of 40 minutes, unfortunately for many, a lot of time has been allocated for GK & English where candidates generally spend far lesser time. One can expect the sectional cut-offs of each section to increase in this new pattern, especially that of English.
- General Knowledge – 50 Questions in 35 minutes – Most candidates should complete this in 20 minutes. The additional time can only be used to ensure that you have not made any silly markings in a hurry which many candidates do in an attempt to complete GK in 10 minutes.
- English Language –40 questions in 35 minutes – Expect cut-offs to increase in this section compare to previous similar exams. This is because most students do not spend enough time in English and typically most of them avoid Reading Comprehension. In the new pattern, you cannot avoid Reading Comprehension. If you are not practicing it, you should start practicing & attempting it during your mocks. With a forced time limit now, students who are good at English will be able to attend all 40 questions. This new pattern also means that you cannot avoid questions from any topic anymore in English.
- Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning/CK – 50 Questions in 45 minutes – Many candidates would have wished for more time here than in GK or English. So unlike in the previous 2 sections where accuracy plays a part and you need to attempt almost all types of questions, here speed will be the key like in other similar exams.
How to Improve:
- In the first two sections of GK & English, where time is not much of a constraint, one will need to be thoroughly prepared across all topics. One cannot afford to avoid any topic because you are weak at it. Hence, try and prepare for all topicsunder GK and English with separate practice for each topic to develop a sense of confort in solving all types of questions. Try the Free Topic Tests for English Language & GK on Oliveboard. Click here to access them.
- Quant + Reasoning: Since speed is the key here, practicing is key to improving your speed. Practise sectional tests with separate timings for each section to see how many you are able to solve. Here it is important that one solves all questions they are confortable with first and then move onto the more difficult ones to maximize attempts and strategy in limited time. Click here to take sectional tests of 50 questions & 45 minutes for Quant & Reasoning.
- Make sure you are taking online tests for practice along with a timer that allows you to monitor not just the time you spend on each section but also the time spent on each question to analyze where you are getting stuck.
Regards
Team ExamPundit