Banking & insurance exams
SBI PO: Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Eligibility
State Bank of India Probationary Officer recruitment · conducted by State Bank of India (SBI)
SBI PO is the State Bank of India’s own recruitment exam for Probationary Officers. It has three phases: an online Preliminary exam (100 questions in 60 minutes across English, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning), an online Main exam with objective and descriptive tests, and a final phase with a psychometric test, group exercise and interview. The final merit is based on Mains and Phase III scores.
When is SBI PO?
SBI announces the PO recruitment through a notification on its careers page, usually once a year.
SBI PO at a glance
- Conducted by
- State Bank of India
- Phases
- Prelims → Mains → Psychometric test, group exercise and interview
- Prelims
- 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes
- Negative marking
- One-quarter of the question’s marks
- Eligibility
- Graduate in any discipline
- Age
- 21–30 years, with relaxations
SBI PO exam pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
- Prelims is qualifying; its marks are not part of the final merit.
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | Puzzles, logic, data sufficiency and computer basics |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | Charts, tables, caselets and arithmetic |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness | Current affairs, banking and financial awareness |
| English Language | Comprehension, grammar and vocabulary |
| Descriptive test | Written English (e.g. letter and essay) |
- Exact question counts, marks and timings are given in each notification.
SBI PO syllabus
English Language
- Reading comprehension
- Cloze test and fillers
- Error detection and sentence improvement
- Para jumbles
- Vocabulary
Quantitative Aptitude
- Simplification and approximation
- Number series
- Quadratic equations
- Data interpretation
- Arithmetic: percentages, ratio, profit and loss, interest, time and work, speed and distance, mixtures
Reasoning Ability
- Puzzles and seating arrangements
- Syllogism
- Inequalities
- Coding–decoding
- Blood relations and direction sense
- Order and ranking
Mains-only areas
- General, economy and banking awareness
- Computer aptitude
- Data analysis and interpretation
- Descriptive English: essay and letter writing
SBI PO eligibility
- Graduation in any discipline. Final-year students can apply provisionally if they graduate by the date in the notification.
- Age 21–30 years, with relaxations for reserved categories.
How to prepare for SBI PO
- 1English carries 40 of the 100 Prelims marks in SBI PO — more than in IBPS PO — so read widely.
- 2Practise high-level puzzles and data interpretation; SBI Mains is known for them.
- 3Prepare for Phase III early: the group exercise and interview reward clear communication.
SBI PO FAQs
Is there negative marking in SBI PO?
Yes. One-quarter of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer.
What is the age limit for SBI PO?
21 to 30 years, with relaxations for reserved categories.
What is the psychometric test in SBI PO?
A personality and behavioural assessment in Phase III, taken along with a group exercise and an interview.
Can final-year students apply for SBI PO?
Yes, provisionally, if they produce proof of graduation by the date specified in the notification.
Practise SBI PO on GyanBook
Timed quizzes and mock tests that follow the real marking scheme, instant scores with step-by-step solutions, and progress tracking for every subject. Free to start.
Related exams
GyanBook India is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with the body that conducts SBI PO. These details were checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Exam dates, eligibility rules and patterns can change — always confirm them on the official website (sbi.bank.in/web/careers) before you apply.