SBI Apprentice Previous Year Papers 2022–2023: Free PDF Download & Solutions

Short Information: SBI Apprentice previous year papers are available free on sbi.co.in under the Careers section, though complete solved solutions are rarely published by SBI itself. You will find question papers more reliably than full answers, so pair them with coaching materials or online forums for step-by-step solutions. The exam pattern has stayed the same since 2022—100 questions, 60 minutes, four sections, no negative marking.

By Editorial Team · Post Date: 29 September 2026, 06:00 PM · Latest Update: 12 October 2026, 07:36 AM IST

Key takeaways

• Download papers from sbi.co.in/careers; papers from 2022–2023 cycles are archived but not always complete.
• Exam is 100 questions, 60 minutes, four sections (English, Reasoning, Maths, General Awareness), no negative marking.
• Cut-offs vary by category and year (General: 40–50 marks out of 100 in recent cycles); SBI sets them after the exam based on merit and vacancies.
• No Hindi-medium papers exist; SBI conducts exams in English only per RBI guidelines.
• Use previous papers as diagnostic tools: take full mocks, identify weak topics, solve topic-wise, then retake.
• Selection is merit-based only—no interview or group discussion; after written exam comes document verification, medical test, then appointment.

Where to Download SBI Apprentice Previous Year Papers for Free

SBI apprentice previous year papers are available on the official SBI website (sbi.co.in) under the 'Careers' or 'Recruitment' section, and some papers are also hosted on the SBI recruitment portal during active notification cycles. However, SBI does not always publish complete solved papers immediately after exams. You will find question papers more reliably than full solutions.

Official Sources to Download SBI Apprentice Papers:

1. SBI Official Website (sbi.co.in) – Visit the Careers page, scroll to 'Apprentice Recruitment' or 'Past Recruitment,' and look for downloadable PDFs of previous year question papers. Papers from 2022 and 2023 cycles are sometimes archived here.
2. SBI Recruitment Portal – During active recruitment windows, the official notification page hosts sample papers and previous year papers as reference material for candidates.
3. IBPS Website (ibps.in) – If SBI apprentice recruitment was conducted through IBPS in a particular year, papers may be available on the IBPS portal under 'Apprentice' recruitment archives.
4. RBI Guidelines Document – The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) publishes apprentice recruitment guidelines; some versions include sample question structures and past paper references.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid downloading papers from unverified coaching websites, YouTube channels, or Telegram groups. Many sites host pirated or incorrectly transcribed papers with wrong answers. Stick only to sbi.co.in, ibps.in, and RBI official sources.

Step-by-Step: How to Download from SBI Official Website

1. Open sbi.co.in on your phone or desktop browser.
2. Tap the 'Careers' menu at the top or scroll to the footer and click 'Recruitment'.
3. Look for 'Apprentice' or 'Past Recruitment' section. Click on the year (e.g., 2023 Apprentice Recruitment).
4. Scroll down to find 'Question Papers' or 'Previous Year Papers' link. Tap it, and the PDF will download to your phone's Downloads folder.

What You Will Find in Downloaded Papers:

Tip: SBI usually releases the official answer key within 3 days of the exam. Do not rely on coaching websites' answer keys until the official key is out, as there are often discrepancies.

SBI Apprentice Papers: What & Where to Download

SBI Apprentice Exam Pattern & Question Breakdown (2022–2023)

SBI Apprentice exam is a single-tier online test with 100 questions across four sections: English, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness. The total duration is 60 minutes, and there is no negative marking.

State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the Apprentice recruitment exam following the Apprentices Act, 1961 and RBI guidelines for apprentice hiring. The exam structure remained consistent in 2022 and 2023, with no major changes to the pattern.

Exam Structure at a Glance

The SBI Apprentice written exam is online only and tests four core areas. You get 60 minutes to answer all 100 questions. There is no negative marking, so you should attempt every question. The exam is available in both Hindi and English — you choose the language on your admit card.

Unlike SSC exams (SSC MTS, SSC Stenographer) which have prelims and mains, the SBI Apprentice exam is a single-stage written test. Your score on this test determines your merit list position. After clearing the written exam, you move to document verification and medical fitness checks.

Section-Wise Breakdown (2022–2023)

All four sections carry equal weight in the exam:

• English: 25 questions | 25 marks | Tests reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and sentence correction.
• Reasoning: 25 questions | 25 marks | Covers analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, and logical reasoning.
• Quantitative Aptitude: 25 questions | 25 marks | Includes arithmetic, percentage, ratio, time-work, and basic algebra.
• General Awareness: 25 questions | 25 marks | Focuses on current affairs, banking, economy, and static GK.

Total: 100 questions | 100 marks | 60 minutes

SBI Apprentice Exam Pattern: 2022 vs 2023 Comparison

SBI Apprentice Cut-Off Marks: 2022 & 2023 Analysis

SBI apprentice cut-off marks vary by category and year, based on the number of vacancies, difficulty level of the exam, and candidate performance. State Bank of India (SBI) sets separate cut-offs for General, OBC, SC, and ST candidates. The 2022 cut-offs ranged from 40–50 marks out of 100 for General candidates, while 2023 data follows a similar pattern. Cut-offs are not fixed in advance—SBI announces them after the exam based on merit and vacancy count.

How SBI Calculates Cut-Off Marks
SBI follows this process:

1. Exam is conducted for all candidates across India.
2. Answer keys are released; candidates can raise objections.
3. Final answer key is published after objection review.
4. Marks are calculated and candidates ranked by score.
5. Cut-off is set at the score of the last candidate selected for the vacancy count available.
6. Separate cut-offs are declared for each category (General, OBC, SC, ST).

The cut-off is not a fixed percentage. If 5,000 vacancies exist and 50,000 General candidates appear, the cut-off will be the score of the 5,000th ranked candidate. If the exam is harder, the cut-off drops; if easier, it rises.

SBI Apprentice Cut-Off Data: 2022 Reference
Since 2023 final results and cut-offs are still being finalized by SBI, the 2022 cycle provides the most reliable benchmark. Below is the category-wise cut-off pattern observed:

SBI Apprentice Cut-Off Marks (2022 Cycle) – Approximate Range

Complete Solutions & Topic-Wise Paper Analysis

Solved SBI Apprentice papers show full step-by-step solutions, not just answer keys. They break down how to reach each answer in Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, and General Awareness. Using these papers helps you spot which topics repeat year after year and which ones trip up most candidates.

What Solved Papers Contain

A complete solved paper includes:

• Every question with the correct answer marked
• Step-by-step working for Maths and Reasoning problems
• Grammar rules and vocabulary notes for English questions
• Source and explanation for General Awareness answers
• Time taken per question (to help you manage speed)
• Difficulty rating: Easy, Medium, or Hard

Topic Frequency: 2022 vs 2023

The table below shows which topics appeared most often in SBI Apprentice exams across both years. State Bank of India (SBI) does not publish official topic breakdowns, but analysis of candidate-reported papers and coaching institute records shows these patterns:

High-Frequency Topics in SBI Apprentice 2022–2023

SBI Apprentice Papers in Hindi: Availability & Download

SBI does not release apprentice question papers in Hindi medium. The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the apprentice recruitment exam in English only, as per RBI guidelines for apprentice recruitment under the Apprentices Act, 1961. Papers are available in English on the SBI official website (sbi.co.in) after the exam cycle closes, but Hindi translations are not provided by SBI.

Why Hindi papers are not available:

• RBI and SBI follow a standardised English-medium exam format across all bank apprentice programmes.
• The apprentice role requires basic English communication for customer-facing and internal bank work.
• Providing Hindi papers would require separate question setting, evaluation, and merit list management — operationally not done by SBI.

Hindi-medium alternatives for practice:

• RBI Assistant papers: Available in Hindi on the RBI official portal; similar difficulty and pattern to SBI apprentice exams.
• Other bank apprentice exams: Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Canara Bank apprentice papers sometimes appear in Hindi on verified third-party job portals.
• Bilingual preparation strategy: Use English SBI papers to build exam familiarity, and solve Hindi-medium papers from RBI Assistant or SSC exams (SSC conducts Hindi papers) to strengthen reasoning and quantitative aptitude in your preferred language. This dual approach helps you answer faster in the actual English exam.

Where to find English SBI apprentice papers: Download free PDFs from sbi.co.in under the 'Careers' or 'Apprentice Recruitment' section after the exam notification closes. Verified third-party job sites also host these papers with solutions.

How to Use Previous Year Papers for Maximum Score Improvement

Use previous year papers as a diagnostic tool, not just practice sheets. The 6-step strategy below turns your solving into measurable score improvement by forcing you to identify and fix weak spots before the actual exam.

Step 1: Take a Full Mock Test Under Timed Conditions
Download one complete SBI Apprentice previous year paper (2022 or 2023). Set a timer for the exact duration (usually 60 minutes for 100 questions). Sit in a quiet space. Do not pause, skip sections, or check answers mid-test. Treat it like the real exam hall.

Step 2: Check Your Answers Against the Official Solutions
After time is up, mark your paper using the provided answer key. Count total correct, wrong, and unattempted. Note your raw score. This baseline matters—you will compare it to your next attempt.

Step 3: Identify Weak Topics by Section
Do not just count wrong answers. Write down which topic each wrong answer came from. For example:

• Reasoning: 3 errors in Analogy, 2 in Coding-Decoding
• Quantitative Aptitude: 4 errors in Percentage, 1 in Time & Work
• English: 2 errors in Vocabulary, 3 in Grammar

This breakdown is your study map.

Step 4: Study Only the Weak Topics
Spend 2–3 days on your weakest topic (the one with most errors). Use your textbook, YouTube tutorials, or coaching notes. Do 20–30 practice questions on that topic alone. Do not study topics where you already scored well—that wastes time.

Step 5: Re-Attempt Only Weak-Topic Questions
Go back to the same previous year paper. Solve only the questions from topics you studied in Step 4. Check answers again. Your score on these questions should improve by at least 30–40%.

Step 6: Take Another Full Mock Test
After 4–5 days, download a different previous year paper and repeat Steps 1–2. Your total score should be higher than the first attempt. If not, your study method needs change—ask a mentor or switch resources.

Time-Management Tips by Section

• Reasoning (30 questions, 20 minutes): Spend 30–40 seconds per question. Skip any question taking more than 1 minute; return to it only if time remains.
• Quantitative Aptitude (35 questions, 20 minutes): Do easy arithmetic and number-series questions first (10–15 seconds each). Leave word problems for the end if you run short on time.
• English (35 questions, 20 minutes): Read the passage once fully before answering comprehension questions. Spend 5 minutes per passage, 15 seconds per vocabulary/grammar question.

Common Mistakes Candidates Make

• Solving papers passively: Many candidates solve 10 papers but never analyze errors. They repeat the same mistakes in the exam. Solution: After every paper, spend 2 hours on error analysis.
• Ignoring unattempted questions: If you left 5 questions blank, that is a time-management problem, not a knowledge problem. In your next attempt, allocate time differently.
• Not timing themselves: Solving papers at home without a timer gives false confidence. The exam is timed. Always use a timer.
• Studying all topics equally: Candidates waste time on topics they already know. Focus 70% of effort on your bottom 2–3 topics.
• Comparing scores across different papers: SBI Apprentice papers from different years may have different difficulty levels. Instead of comparing raw scores, compare your rank or percentile if available.

What to Do Next
Download at least 3–4 previous year papers from the official SBI website or verified sources. Follow this 6-step cycle for each paper over 4–6 weeks. Track your score improvement in a notebook. Once your average score stabilizes above the expected cut-off (check the cut-off analysis section of this site), you are exam-ready. Take one final full-length mock test 2 days before the actual exam to build confidence.

Sample Score Improvement Tracker (3 Papers Over 6 Weeks)

What Happens After the Written Exam: Selection Process & Next Steps

After you submit your written exam answer sheet, SBI follows a strict four-stage selection process before you join as an apprentice: merit list declaration → document verification → medical fitness test → final appointment letter. There is no group discussion or interview round in SBI Apprentice recruitment. The entire process is merit-based, meaning your written exam score decides everything.

Selection Pipeline: Step-by-Step

1. Merit List Release — SBI publishes the merit list on sbi.co.in within 4–6 weeks of the exam. Your rank depends on your total marks in English, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Candidates who score above the cut-off (which varies by state and category) are shortlisted.
2. Document Verification — Shortlisted candidates receive a call for document verification at the nearest SBI branch. You must bring: admit card, hall ticket, Aadhaar, PAN, 10th and 12th mark sheets, graduation certificate (if applicable), caste certificate (if SC/ST/OBC), and a recent passport-size photograph. Verification usually takes 1–2 days.
3. Medical Fitness Test — After document verification clears, you undergo a basic medical examination conducted by an SBI-appointed doctor. This is a standard fitness check; most candidates pass unless there is a serious health issue.
4. Final Appointment Letter — Once medical clearance is confirmed, SBI issues your appointment letter. You are then assigned to a branch for your 12-month apprenticeship.

Timeline from Exam to Joining

Expect 8–12 weeks from exam date to your first day at the branch. The exact timeline depends on how quickly SBI processes merit lists and schedules document verification drives in your state.

What Most Candidates Get Wrong

Many assume they need to prepare for an interview or group discussion. SBI Apprentice has neither. Your written exam marks are final. Also, do not delay submitting documents during verification — missing even one certificate can disqualify you, even if your exam score was high.

FAQs

Q: Can I get the apprenticeship if I fail the medical test?
A: No. Medical fitness is mandatory. If you fail, you lose the offer. However, you can reapply in the next recruitment cycle.

Q: What if I don't have my 10th mark sheet during document verification?
A: Bring an attested copy from your school or a provisional certificate. SBI may ask you to submit the original within 30 days.

Q: Is there a waiting list if I don't make the main merit list?
A: SBI sometimes maintains a waiting list. If a selected candidate withdraws, waiting-listed candidates are called in order of merit. Check sbi.co.in for updates.

Q: How long is the apprenticeship?
A: The Apprentices Act, 1961 mandates a 12-month apprenticeship. After completion and satisfactory performance, you may be considered for permanent roles, though this is not guaranteed.

Q: Can I choose my branch location?
A: No. SBI assigns you based on operational need and your state of domicile. You cannot request a specific branch.

Q: What happens if I resign during the apprenticeship?
A: You forfeit any claim to permanent employment. Resigning before 12 months is complete may also invite a penalty under the apprenticeship agreement.

SBI Apprentice Selection Stages: What to Expect

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