SBI Clerk 2023 Previous Year Question Paper

The SBI Clerk 2023 question paper was not officially published, so this page does not host it. Instead it has a clearly labelled mock paper with original questions modelled on the reported 2023 pattern, plus a timed attempt plan and an error-log routine. The SBI Clerk exam covers English, Numeracy, Reasoning and Computer/GA.

Explore: SBI Clerk hub · Syllabus & pattern · SBI Clerk 2024 · How to use PYQs

No official paper released

SBI did not publish the SBI Clerk 2023 question paper. Practise the SBI Clerk 2023 mock paper: original questions modelled on candidate reports, clearly labelled as a mock.

Why this year matters

Treat SBI Clerk 2023 as a second full-length dress rehearsal once the newest SBI Clerk year on this hub is logged. Sectional timing and cut-offs matter as much as raw accuracy. Track attempts per section, not just the total.

Count attempts and accuracy by section. A high raw score with a failed sectional cut-off is still a fail in the real exam.

Paper analysis

Snapshot of SBI Clerk 2023

Strong mid-recent Clerk timed.

2023 should feel close to the newest paper in structure. If it feels wildly easier or harder, check whether you changed attempt strategy, not only content knowledge.

What this paper stresses

Mains vs Prelims difficulty mismatch (especially SBI / RBI).
Sectional cut-off failures despite a decent overall.
Puzzle / DI sets that should have been abandoned earlier.
English error-spotting under speed pressure.

What to extract before you move on

Prelims vs Mains repair queues kept as separate lists.
Puzzle / DI patterns that beat you when you overstay.
Sectional attempt targets that still clear cut-offs in mocks.
English miss taxonomy (grammar vs vocab vs RC).

How 2023 sits next to other years

Stack 2023 beside SBI Clerk 2024, SBI Clerk 2022, SBI Clerk 2021. Shared misses across these years are your real syllabus debt.

Analyst note: SBI did not publish the SBI Clerk 2023 paper. The mock below is original practice in the reported pattern; treat coaching “memory-based” papers as unofficial reconstructions.

SBI Clerk 2023 mock paper (Junior Associates Prelims, modelled on candidate reports)

This is a mock paper we wrote. The official 2023 paper was never released.The conducting body has not published it. These 28 questions are original, written by previousyearquestions.app to match what candidates and exam analyses reported about the 2023 exam: section mix, topics and difficulty. Use it to practise the pattern. The questions themselves are not from the real exam.

SBI does not publish its Junior Associates question papers, so there is no official paper for the 2023 recruitment to host; the papers online are coaching memory-based versions. This original mini-paper is modelled on candidate reports of the 2023 Junior Associates Preliminary exam, held in January 2024 (from 5 January).

What candidates reported about 2023

100 questions in 60 minutes with separate sectional timers (Reasoning 35, Numerical 35, English 30); five options per question.
The 2023 cycle's prelims were held in January 2024; shifts were mostly rated easy or easy to moderate, with Numerical Ability time-consuming in some shifts.
Reasoning (5 January, Shift 3): about 15 puzzle and seating questions, a mixed alphanumeric series, Chinese coding, syllogism, blood relation, direction, an operation-based question and a number pair-counting question.
Numerical Ability: about 15 simplification questions, 10 arithmetic, a boys-and-girls tabular DI and a wrong number series.
English: RC (7–8 questions), synonyms and antonyms, sentence rearrangement, cloze test and error detection.
Common good-attempt estimates were around 76–82; negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer.

Suggested time: 18 minutes. Each section had its own timer in the real exam. For this 28-question mock use about 6 minutes per section (18 minutes in total), without going back. Five options per question; +1 for a correct answer, −0.25 for a wrong answer.

English Language

Passage

A customer who walks into a bank branch in a state where she does not speak the local language can find even simple tasks difficult. Forms, notices and conversations at the counter may all be in a language she cannot read. Many banks now print key forms in several languages, but staff still spend time explaining details face to face.

Voice-based translation tools promise to ease this. A customer speaks into a phone in her own language, and the app repeats her request in the language of the clerk. Early trials at a few branches found that simple requests, such as asking for a balance or a new chequebook, were handled smoothly.

More complex matters proved harder. Loan terms, legal words and numbers spoken quickly were sometimes translated wrongly, and both customers and staff said they would not trust an app for decisions involving large sums. For now, the tools appear most useful as a bridge for routine tasks rather than as a replacement for a person who speaks both languages.

What did the early trials of the translation app find?
1. The app failed even for simple requests
2. Simple requests such as balance enquiries were handled smoothly
3. Customers preferred printed forms
4. Loan terms were translated perfectly
5. Staff refused to use the app
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (Simple requests such as balance enquiries were handled smoothly)
'Early trials ... found that simple requests, such as asking for a balance or a new chequebook, were handled smoothly.'
Why were customers and staff unwilling to rely on the app for important matters?
1. The app was too expensive
2. Loan terms, legal words and fast-spoken numbers were sometimes translated wrongly
3. The app worked only in one language
4. Branches had no internet
5. Customers could not use phones
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (Loan terms, legal words and fast-spoken numbers were sometimes translated wrongly)
The third paragraph says these items 'were sometimes translated wrongly', so people would not trust the app for large sums.
What is the author's conclusion about the translation tools?
1. They should replace bilingual staff
2. They are useless in banks
3. They are useful for routine tasks but cannot replace a person who speaks both languages
4. They should be used only for loans
5. They will soon make printed forms unnecessary
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (They are useful for routine tasks but cannot replace a person who speaks both languages)
The last sentence calls them 'a bridge for routine tasks rather than ... a replacement for a person who speaks both languages'.

Vocabulary

Choose the word most similar in meaning to ROUTINE as used in the passage.
1. regular
2. rare
3. risky
4. sudden
5. complex
Answer and explanation
Answer: A (regular)
Routine tasks are ordinary, regular ones.
Choose the word most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to TRUST.
1. distrust
2. faith
3. belief
4. reliance
5. confidence
Answer and explanation
Answer: A (distrust)
The other four are near-synonyms of trust; 'distrust' is its opposite.
Choose the word that fits the blank: The new app allows customers to ______ their fixed deposits without visiting the branch.
1. renew
2. repent
3. recite
4. resign
5. rebuke
Answer and explanation
Answer: A (renew)
Fixed deposits are 'renewed' for a further term.

Arrangement and error

Arrange the sentences in order and choose the THIRD sentence. A. Within an hour, the extra payment was reversed. B. Arjun noticed that his account had been debited twice for the same bill. C. He immediately called the bank's helpline. D. The executive registered a complaint and gave him a reference number.
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. None of these
Answer and explanation
Answer: D (D)
Order: B (problem) – C (calls helpline) – D (complaint registered) – A (payment reversed). The third sentence is D.
Find the part with an error: The committee has / submitted it's report / to the chairman / on time.
1. (A) The committee has
2. (B) submitted it's report
3. (C) to the chairman
4. (D) on time.
5. (E) No error
Answer and explanation
Answer: B ((B) submitted it's report)
The possessive is 'its'; 'it's' means 'it is'.

Numerical Ability

Simplification

3/8 of 640 + 45% of 380 = ?
1. 401
2. 406
3. 411
4. 416
5. 421
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (411)
3/8 of 640 = 240; 45% of 380 = 171; 240 + 171 = 411.
17 × 17 − 13 × 13 = ?
1. 110
2. 116
3. 120
4. 124
5. 130
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (120)
289 − 169 = 120.
2520 ÷ 36 ÷ 5 = ?
1. 12
2. 14
3. 16
4. 18
5. 20
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (14)
2520 ÷ 36 = 70; 70 ÷ 5 = 14.
7.5% of 2400 + ? = 260
1. 60
2. 70
3. 80
4. 90
5. 100
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (80)
7.5% of 2400 = 180; ? = 260 − 180 = 80.

Wrong number series

Find the wrong number: 7, 9, 13, 21, 37, 69, 132
1. 9
2. 13
3. 21
4. 69
5. 132
Answer and explanation
Answer: E (132)
Differences double: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. 69 + 64 = 133, so 132 is wrong.

Data interpretation

Number of boys and girls in four schools:

School	Boys	Girls
P	360	240
Q	300	300
R	420	280
S	250	350

In which school do girls form the highest percentage of students?
1. P
2. Q
3. R
4. S
5. P and R equally
Answer and explanation
Answer: D (S)
Girls' share: P 240/600 = 40%, Q 50%, R 280/700 = 40%, S 350/600 ≈ 58.3%. S is highest.
By how many does the total number of boys in the four schools exceed the total number of girls?
1. 140
2. 150
3. 160
4. 170
5. 180
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (160)
Boys = 360 + 300 + 420 + 250 = 1330; girls = 240 + 300 + 280 + 350 = 1170; difference = 160.

Arithmetic

The present ages of P and Q are in the ratio 5 : 7. Eight years ago the ratio was 3 : 5. What is P's present age?
1. 15 years
2. 20 years
3. 25 years
4. 28 years
5. 30 years
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (20 years)
(5x − 8)/(7x − 8) = 3/5 gives 25x − 40 = 21x − 24, so x = 4 and P = 20 years.
12 workers can build a wall in 15 days. After they have worked for 5 days, 4 more workers join them. In how many days in all is the wall completed?
1. 11.5
2. 12
3. 12.5
4. 13
5. 13.5
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (12.5)
Total work = 180 worker-days; after 5 days, 120 remain. 16 workers need 120 ÷ 16 = 7.5 days, so the total is 5 + 7.5 = 12.5 days.
60% of a number is 48 more than 40% of the same number. What is the number?
1. 200
2. 220
3. 240
4. 260
5. 280
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (240)
20% of the number = 48, so the number = 240.

Reasoning Ability

Puzzle

Seven persons P, Q, R, S, T, U and V sit in a row, all facing south.

T sits exactly in the middle of the row. R sits immediately to the left of T. P sits immediately to the right of T. U sits immediately to the left of R. Only one person sits between Q and R. S sits at one of the extreme ends.

Who sits at the extreme right end of the row?
1. Q
2. S
3. U
4. V
5. P
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (S)
From west to east: S, V, P, T, R, U, Q. Everyone faces south, so a person's right is towards the west and left towards the east. T is in the middle (4th). R is immediately to T's left (east, 5th) and P immediately to T's right (west, 3rd). U is immediately to R's left (6th). Q is two seats from R, i.e. 3rd or 7th; 3rd is P's, so Q is 7th. S is at an end, so S is 1st, leaving V 2nd.
Who sits second to the left of P?
1. Q
2. R
3. T
4. U
5. V
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (R)
From west to east: S, V, P, T, R, U, Q. Everyone faces south, so a person's right is towards the west and left towards the east. P's left is east; two seats east of P is R.
How many persons sit between V and U?
1. Two
2. Three
3. Four
4. Five
5. One
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (Three)
From west to east: S, V, P, T, R, U, Q. Everyone faces south, so a person's right is towards the west and left towards the east. V is 2nd and U 6th from the west; P, T and R sit between them.

Series, coding and operations

In the series W 3 K # 9 B @ 2 H 6 % M 4 Z how many letters are immediately followed by a number?
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (Three)
W 3, H 6 and M 4 qualify; K, B and Z are not followed by numbers. Total three.
In a code language, 'save more money' is 'qa ti lo', 'more money now' is 'lo ti ne' and 'money is time' is 'ti zu ro'. What is the code for 'more'?
1. qa
2. ti
3. lo
4. ne
5. zu
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (lo)
'money' is common to all three sentences, so money = ti. 'more' and 'money' are common to the first two; after removing ti, 'more' = lo.
If '+' means '×', '−' means '+', '×' means '÷' and '÷' means '−', what is the value of 12 + 3 − 36 × 4 ÷ 5?
1. 36
2. 38
3. 40
4. 42
5. 44
Answer and explanation
Answer: C (40)
Replacing the signs: 12 × 3 + 36 ÷ 4 − 5 = 36 + 9 − 5 = 40.
If the digits of the number 5274163 are arranged in ascending order, how many digits will remain in the same position?
1. None
2. One
3. Two
4. Three
5. Four
Answer and explanation
Answer: D (Three)
Ascending order gives 1234567. Comparing with 5274163, the digits 2 (2nd), 4 (4th) and 6 (6th) stay in place: three.

Syllogism, blood relation and direction

Statements: All files are papers. Some papers are folders. No folder is a pen. Conclusions: I. Some papers are not pens. II. Some files are folders.
1. Only conclusion I follows
2. Only conclusion II follows
3. Either I or II follows
4. Neither I nor II follows
5. Both I and II follow
Answer and explanation
Answer: A (Only conclusion I follows)
The papers that are folders cannot be pens, so I follows. Files and folders are linked only through 'some papers', so II does not follow.
J is the sister of K. K is the son of L. L is the wife of M. N is the sister of M. How is N related to J?
1. Mother
2. Aunt
3. Sister
4. Cousin
5. Grandmother
Answer and explanation
Answer: B (Aunt)
J and K are children of L and her husband M. N is M's sister, so N is J's (paternal) aunt.
A car starts from point P and travels 6 km north, then turns and travels 8 km west. How far is it from P, and in which direction is P from the car?
1. 10 km, South-East
2. 10 km, North-West
3. 14 km, South-East
4. 10 km, South-West
5. 8 km, East
Answer and explanation
Answer: A (10 km, South-East)
The car is 6 km north and 8 km west of P: distance = √(36 + 64) = 10 km, and P lies to the south-east of the car.

Reports this mock is modelled on

How to sit SBI Clerk 2023

Work through the mock paper above under exam timing. It follows the reported pattern, but the questions are our own.
Sit the paper under current brochure rules (timers, negatives, NAT/MSQ norms), even if 2023’s interface looked different.
When the clock ends, stop. Review should take at least as long as the attempt.
Fill the error log the same day: section, topic, and miss type (concept, silly, time, or misread).
Next session, repair only logged items. Then pick another year from the decade list.

Other years in this decade

FAQ

Where can I download the official SBI Clerk 2023 question paper?

SBI did not release it publicly. This page has a clearly labelled mock paper modelled on candidate reports instead.

What does the SBI Clerk 2023 paper analysis include?

A year snapshot, what the paper stresses, what to extract into your error log, and how 2023 compares with neighbouring years on this hub.

How should I practise the SBI Clerk 2023 previous year paper?

Open the official PDF, sit it timed under current brochure rules, fill an error log the same day, read the paper analysis, then move to another year in the decade list.

Is SBI Clerk 2023 still useful if I finished newer papers?

Yes. Recent years sharpen timing; stack them after a same-day review of each attempt.

Are memory-based SBI Clerk 2023 papers reliable?

Treat memory-based sets as interim. Reconcile contested items with official keys or response sheets when the conducting body publishes them.

Where is the SBI Clerk syllabus and pattern for this paper?

See the SBI Clerk syllabus & pattern page on this hub, and always re-check the latest official brochure before exam day.