How Many Hours Should You Study Daily to Crack SBI Clerk Mains Exam 2025 ?

The SBI Clerk Mains Exam 2025 is expected to be held around 15th or 16th November, which means the time to start serious preparation is now. Don’t wait for the Prelims result to be declared because by then, many students will already be ahead of you. The Mains stage is where the real competition begins, and every mark matters. The students who start early and build consistency in their daily routine are the ones who finally make it to the merit list. So, if you are truly looking for selection this year, it’s time to plan your study hours wisely and make every day count.

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern 2025

For every SBI Clerk aspirant, understanding the exam pattern is the first and most important step toward success. The Mains exam is completely online and tests your speed, accuracy, and overall understanding across four sections: General/Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude.

1. Separate timing for each section – Each section has a fixed duration, so managing your time during the exam is important. You can’t use extra time from one section in another.
2. Negative marking – For each wrong answer in the objective tests, 1/4th of the mark assigned to that question will be deducted.

Why You Should Start Mains Preparation Now

Every serious aspirant knows that competition for bank exams has become extremely tough. Thousands of students apply for the SBI Clerk exam, but only a small percentage clear the Mains stage. However, the encouraging part is that students are still cracking the exam every year with the help of smart planning, a consistent routine, and self-discipline. If you’ve already visualized yourself as a banker, you’ve already taken your first step toward success. Clearing this exam isn’t rocket science, it’s about how efficiently you use your time. Once you decide to study smartly, practice regularly, and stay consistent, your preparation has already begun. You don’t need 16–18 hours of study time; even 10 focused and well-planned hours daily can make you exam-ready.

How Many Hours Should You Study Daily?

Many students believe that studying for long hours is the only way to clear the SBI Clerk exam, but that’s far from the truth. You don’t need to sit with your books all day; what you need is smart, focused, and consistent study. On average, 10 hours of well-structured study per day is ideal for full-time students. Remember, it’s not about how long you study; it’s about how efficiently you study. Divide your time between learning, practicing, and analyzing your performance. This will not only help you cover the syllabus but also improve your accuracy and speed, two key factors that decide success in the Mains exam.

Ideal Time Distribution Plan for Full-Time Aspirants

If you are a full-time student preparing for SBI Clerk Mains 2025, you should divide your day into four productive slots: Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night. Each slot should be dedicated to one specific section: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, English Language, and General/Financial Awareness. This helps maintain balance and ensures you give equal time to every subject. Between slots, take short breaks to stay fresh and avoid burnout. Here’s how you can structure your 10-hour study day for maximum results.

Morning (3 Hours)

Start your morning with something light yet impactful. Reading a newspaper is one of the best ways to start your day. It not only helps you stay updated with current affairs but also improves your English vocabulary and comprehension skills. Note down at least 10 new words from the editorial section, along with their synonyms and antonyms. After reading, focus on clearing your weak topics. Watch short conceptual videos and practice at least 5 sets of questions for each topic you find difficult. Once done, attempt a topic-wise English test to build daily consistency and test your understanding.

Afternoon (3 Hours)

Afternoon hours are perfect for building strong fundamentals in Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. Take a printout of the syllabus and mark topics where you struggle the most. Begin with one weak topic, watch a tutorial video, and make concise notes highlighting key formulas or solving tricks. Then, practice questions in sets of 20. For example, you can solve 20 questions each from five different topics, totaling 100 questions. This method not only helps you cover multiple areas daily but also trains your mind to switch between topics quickly, which is essential during the exam. Over time, you’ll notice significant improvement in both speed and accuracy.

Evening (2 Hours)

Evening time should be reserved for mock tests and analysis, the most crucial part of preparation. Attempt one full-length mock test every evening and make sure to take it on a desktop, just like in the actual exam environment. This helps you adapt to the real exam setup and reduce test anxiety. The mock will take around one hour, and the remaining hour should be dedicated to detailed analysis. Check which questions you answered incorrectly, which ones you skipped, and where you spent extra time. Maintain a notebook to record these observations so you can track your progress. Remember, mock tests only help when you analyze your mistakes and learn from them.

Night (2 Hours)

Your night slot should focus on revision and correction. And don’t forget to study general awareness sections and current affairs, as they play imp role in clearing the cut off because there is no mental calculation; if you know the answer, you just attempt it or skip it. Before ending your day, go through the mistakes you made in your mock test and try to correct them immediately. Don’t postpone this task for the next day; it’s easier to fix errors when they’re still fresh in your mind. Revise important formulas, concepts, and shortcuts from Quant and Reasoning. Also, dedicate 30–40 minutes to revising current affairs and financial awareness notes. This daily revision will help you retain information for a longer time and boost your confidence as the exam nears. Over time, this habit will reduce your mistakes and improve your accuracy.

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