SBI PO is conducted by State Bank of India (SBI) and covers English, Quant, Reasoning, GA and Descriptive. This page summarises the SBI PO exam pattern, marking scheme and syllabus as a study snapshot for previous year question practice. Confirm eligibility, dates and marking in the latest official notification on sbi.co.in.
Official brochure wins
Pattern and syllabus notes below are a study snapshot for PYQ practice. Always cross-check the latest notification and information bulletin on sbi.co.in before you finalise eligibility, fees, or marking assumptions.
Pattern snapshot
Three-phase selection in recent cycles. Phase difficulty, especially Mains, is the differentiator.
| Section | Duration | Questions (typical) | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims (E/Q/R) | Sectional | As notified | +1 / −0.25 typical |
| Mains Objective | Longer sectional CBT | As notified | Confirm advertisement |
| Mains Descriptive | As notified | Letter/essay style | As notified |
| GE + Interview | As scheduled | N/A | Personality / group performance |
Category-wise vacancies and cut-offs vary. Use PYQs for skill; official PDFs for process.
Marking scheme (study snapshot)
| Question type | Correct | Wrong | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective | As notified | Negative typically present | Read advertisement |
| Descriptive | As notified | N/A | Practise under timer |
Numbers above are typical of recent cycles. Confirm exact marks, negatives, and sectional rules in the current brochure.
Detailed syllabus bullets (for mapping PYQ misses)
English
- RC and verbal ability
- Grammar
- Vocabulary usage
Quant / DI
- Arithmetic
- Advanced DI caselets
- Number series / quadratic as tested
Reasoning
- High-level puzzles/seating
- Critical reasoning style items as tested
- Miscellaneous reasoning
GA + Descriptive + GE
- Banking/financial awareness
- Current affairs
- Descriptive English
- Group exercise themes
Eligibility snapshot
- Graduation as per SBI PO advertisement
- Age limits category-wise as notified
- Other conditions (attempts, etc.) per official PDF
Eligibility can change by year (age, attempts, degree, category rules). Treat this as orientation only.
Who runs it and how often
- Exam: State Bank of India Probationary Officer (SBI PO)
- Conducted by: SBI
- Typical frequency: Annual (as notified)
- Category: Banking
- Official site: sbi.co.in
Link PYQs to syllabus
- Take one recent full paper under realistic timing.
- Map every miss to a syllabus bullet above.
- Study that bullet from your primary resource (notes/textbook).
- Re-solve only those PYQs before the next full paper.
- Update your error log with the syllabus tag so weak areas compound correctly.
Brochure caution
Do not rely on undated coaching PDFs for duration, number of questions, or negative marking. Screenshot or bookmark the current information bulletin. If a PYQ set disagrees with the latest pattern, still use it for skill practice, but do not treat its structure as the live exam.