Banking Awareness is one of the most important scoring sections in the SBI Clerk Mains examination. It mainly tests a candidate’s understanding of banking concepts, RBI guidelines, financial institutions, payment systems, government schemes, and recent developments in the financial sector. The questions are usually factual and concept-based, which makes regular revision of static banking topics and current banking updates essential for scoring well.
In recent years, SBI Clerk Mains has focused heavily on RBI regulations, digital banking systems, NBFC guidelines, capital markets, financial inclusion schemes, and emerging payment technologies. Most questions are repeated in different forms, so practicing previous year questions plays a key role in preparation.
Banking Awareness Questions Asked in Previous SBI Clerk Mains Exams
SBI Clerk Mains generally includes questions from RBI policies, banking reforms, financial institutions, digital payment systems, insurance, and government banking initiatives. Many topics are repeatedly asked every year with slight variations, making previous year questions very important for revision and exam preparation. Below are important banking awareness questions asked in recent SBI Clerk and related mains examinations.
SBI Clerk Mains 2025 – Banking Awareness Questions
The following questions reflect the latest focus areas of SBI Clerk Mains, especially on RBI initiatives, financial inclusion, and regulatory developments:
- SORR – What does “O” stand for in Secured Overnight Rupee Rate?
- RBI committee on ethical AI in finance chaired by whom?
- IFCI capital infusion by Department of Financial Services
- Maximum contribution limit in NPS Vatsalya
- Minimum Net Owned Fund requirement for Infrastructure Finance Company (IFC)
- Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) conducted by which organizations?
- Credit guarantee cover for MSMEs increased from ₹5 crore to ₹10 crore
- Number of RBI-regulated TReDS platforms in India
- Tenure of RBI Central Board officials
- RBI’s SORR benchmark committee headed by whom?
- Which RRB is sponsored by SBI?
- FIU-IND signed MoU with which agencies for anti-money laundering tracking?
- Government stake in SIDBI
- Section 80C benefits on Post Office Small Savings Schemes
- Minimum sum assured under LIC Saral Jeevan Bima
- Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme subsidy percentage
- Udyam Registration Number (URN) related question
SBI Clerk Mains 2024 – Banking Awareness Questions
This year’s questions mainly covered capital adequacy norms, digital payment systems, NBFC guidelines, and cross-border transactions:
- Minimum Net Owned Fund requirement for NBFCs
- UPI123 Pay and UPI Lite wallet limits
- CET1 ratio prescribed by RBI
- Capital adequacy ratio for Urban Cooperative Banks
- Slice merged with which Small Finance Bank?
- PSL target for Small Finance Banks
- TReDS loan limit for SC/ST entrepreneurs
- UCB CRAR timeline (10%, 11%, 12%)
- RBI CRAR requirement
- Minimum KYC holding period
- Project Nexus related to RBI payment systems
- Indo-Nepal remittance transaction limit
- SLR maximum limit
- Ombudsman compensation related question
SBI Clerk Mains 2023 – Banking Awareness Questions
The 2023 paper included a mix of digital banking, regulatory frameworks, and financial market-related questions:
- Number-less credit card launched by which bank?
- Incremental CRR percentage
- Tokenisation stakeholders
- Digital Payment Index parameter-based question
- India Post Payments Bank and SIDBI MoU
- EASE 5.0 theme
- Capital market/public issue question
- Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) exclusion
- Account becomes inoperative after how many years?
- REC Limited Yen-denominated Green Bonds tenure
- Housing Finance Companies added to NBFC upper layer
- Participants in TReDS platform
- SBI Basel III Additional Tier-1 bond issuance amount
- UPI transaction limit for Retail Direct Scheme and IPO subscriptions
- Tenure of RBI Board of Directors
- UDGAM portal purpose
- Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs)
- HDFC Bank banking licence application in Singapore
- RBI GNPA-related report question
- Entities not regulated by SEBI
- RBI guideline on releasing pledged property documents within 30 days
- Overseas presence of Indian banks through subsidiaries/branches
- PNB and IREDA co-lending agreement
- PFRDA amendment related question
- Build for Billions startup accelerator with RBIH and Union Bank of India
- COVID-19 stress committee headed by K.V. Kamath
- Number of RRBs, PSBs, LABs, SFBs
- RRBs located in Union Territories
- UPI global expansion through NPCI International partnership
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 related question
- Which bank arranged Indian offshore loans in 2023?
- NBFC upper layer framework question
- RBI Floating Rate Savings Bond spread over NSC
- Mudra loan restrictions question
- RBI Ombudsman applicability
- Payments Vision document – 4Es
- Depository definition
- Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) limit
- Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)
- Listed Payments Bank on NSE and BSE
- RBI compliance monitoring guidelines applicable to which entities
- RBI Green Deposits framework
SBI Clerk Mains 2022 – Banking Awareness Questions
This year focused on monetary policy tools, insurance, and new financial market structures:
- Bank Rate (Nov 2022)
- White Label ATM question
- Bank PSL penalty clause
- CBDC – Wholesale Digital Rupee
- Social Stock Exchange
- Borrowing limit in Sovereign Gold Bonds
SBI Clerk Mains 2021 – Banking Awareness Questions
The 2021 paper mainly covered banking basics, collaborations, and institutional knowledge:
- First cooperative bank converted into Small Finance Bank
- IFSCA headquarters
- Fx4U scheme by Canara Bank
- Signature Visa Debit Card by Bank of India
- NSDL and HDFC ERGO MoU
- Definition of Neobank
- SBI–NPCI–JCB collaboration
- MSME Pulse initiative
- SBM Bank headquarters/location
Important Banking Awareness Topics for SBI Clerk Mains
The SBI Clerk Mains exam repeatedly focuses on core banking concepts, regulatory frameworks, and financial systems. Candidates should prioritise the following topics for effective preparation:
- RBI Regulations & Monetary Policy
- Digital Banking & Payment Systems
- UPI, CBDC, AePS & Tokenisation
- NBFC & Banking Guidelines
- CRR, SLR, CRAR & CET1 Ratios
- Capital Market & Financial Institutions
- Priority Sector Lending (PSL)
- Banking Reforms & EASE Agenda
- Deposit Insurance & Financial Inclusion
- Banking Products & Digital Finance
- Insurance & Pension Schemes
- Government Banking Initiatives
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