SBI PO (Probationary Officer) Exam Pattern 2026
The full SBI PO (Probationary Officer) exam pattern for 2026 — 3 stages, with the sections, question count, marks, duration and negative marking for each, as set by State Bank of India Central Recruitment & Promotion Department (CRPD). Then take a free SBI PO (Probationary Officer) mock in the real pattern below.
Preliminary Examination (Phase I — qualifying / screening only)
- Mode
- Online objective test conducted at IBPS/SBI test centres across India
- Sections
- English Language (30 Q, 30 marks, 20 min) · Quantitative Aptitude (35 Q, 35 marks, 20 min) · Reasoning Ability (35 Q, 35 marks, 20 min)
- Questions
- 100 multiple-choice questions
- Marks
- 100 marks total
- Duration
- 60 minutes total (sectional timing of 20 minutes per section — strictly enforced)
- Negative marking
- 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer; no deduction for unattempted or review-only items
Prelims is purely a SCREENING test. Sectional cutoffs apply individually to each of the three sections AND an overall category cutoff applies. Approximately 10x the notified vacancy is shortlisted for Mains. Prelims marks are NOT carried forward into the final merit list — this is a critical structural difference from many state PSC exams.
Main Examination (Phase II — merit-deciding objective + descriptive)
- Mode
- Online objective test followed immediately by descriptive English (typed in the same exam window)
- Sections
- Objective: Reasoning & Computer Aptitude (40 Q, 50 marks, 50 min) · Data Analysis & Interpretation (30 Q, 50 marks, 45 min) · General / Banking / Economy Awareness (50 Q, 60 marks, 45 min) · English Language (35 Q, 40 marks, 40 min). Descriptive: Letter writing + Essay (2 questions, 50 marks, 30 minutes, typed in the test window)
- Questions
- 155 objective questions + 2 descriptive questions
- Marks
- 200 objective + 50 descriptive = 250 total Mains marks
- Duration
- 3 hours 30 minutes total (3 hours objective + 30 minutes descriptive)
- Negative marking
- 0.25 marks deducted per wrong objective answer; descriptive is evaluated subjectively (no negative marking)
Sectional cutoffs apply in Mains for each objective section AND for descriptive English. Candidates clearing the Mains cutoff are shortlisted (typically ~3x vacancy) for Phase III. Mains is the most demanding stage — Data Analysis & Interpretation in particular is the single biggest score-swing section.
Phase III — Group Exercise (GE) and Personal Interview (PI)
- Mode
- Offline at SBI Local Head Office / Administrative Office centres
- Sections
- Group Exercise: 20 marks (case-discussion or group-task format) · Personal Interview: 30 marks (panel of senior SBI officers)
- Questions
- Not applicable — discussion + structured interview
- Marks
- 50 marks total
- Duration
- Group exercise approximately 30 minutes per group; interview approximately 15-25 minutes per candidate
- Negative marking
- Not applicable
Final merit list = Mains (250 marks scaled to 75) + GE+PI (50 marks scaled to 25), totalling 100. Prelims does NOT contribute to the final score. Candidates who skip GE or PI are disqualified. Pre-Examination Training (PET) is offered free of cost to SC/ST/OBC/Religious Minority candidates by SBI at designated centres before Prelims.
You know the pattern — now practise in it.
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