EXAM SYLLABUS

The SBI PO 2026 syllabus comprises three subjects in the Preliminary Examination: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. The Main Examination covers Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, and English Language, along with a Descriptive Paper that evaluates candidates' writing skills through tasks such as essay and letter writing. The overall syllabus is designed to assess candidates' speed, accuracy, reasoning ability, analytical skills, language proficiency, and general awareness.

The exam structure for Probationary Officers will be done through a three-Phase process:

Phase I – Preliminary Examination

Phase II – Main Examination

Phase III – Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Interview

For Preliminary Examination

EXAM SYLLABUS

The SBI PO 2026 syllabus comprises three subjects in the Preliminary Examination: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. The Main Examination covers Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, and English Language, along with a Descriptive Paper that evaluates candidates' writing skills through tasks such as essay and letter writing. The overall syllabus is designed to assess candidates' speed, accuracy, reasoning ability, analytical skills, language proficiency, and general awareness.

The exam structure for Probationary Officers will be done through a three-Phase process:

Phase I – Preliminary Examination

Phase II – Main Examination

Phase III – Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Interview

For Preliminary Examination

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for the Quantitative Aptitude section with Topic description, Topic Example, and the Difficulty level is given below:

Note:- The above-mentioned examples are for illustrative purposes only.

REASONINNG ABILITY DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for Reasoning Ability section with Topic description, Topic Example and the Difficulty level is given below:- 

Note:- The above-mentioned examples are for illustrative purposes only.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DETAILED SYLLABUS

The detailed syllabus for the English Language section with Topic description, Topic Example, and the Difficulty level is given below:- 

Note:- The above-mentioned examples are for illustrative purposes only.

EXAM PATTERN

The exam pattern for the SBI PO Prelims and Mains is outlined in the table below. Review it to understand the marking scheme, question types, and other important details.

The selection for Probationary Officers will be done through a three-Phase process:

Phase I – Preliminary Examination

Preliminary Examination consisting of Objective Test for 100 marks will be conducted online. The test will have of 3 Sections (with separate timings for each section) as follows:

Mod of Examination

SBI PO Examination shall be held as a Computer Based Test. Questions shall be based on Multiple Choice Objective Type.

Medium of Examination

1. Questions from the Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning Ability section shall be available in both English & Hindi.

2. Questions from the English Language section shall be available in English only.

3. Candidates need to choose the language of the question paper they want to attempt before the commencement of the exam.

4. However, candidates will be allowed to change the language of the particular question also.

Marking Scheme

There will be penalty for wrong answers marked in Objective Tests. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, 0.25 of marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty to arrive at corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e. if no answer is marked by candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.

Normalization Score

The corrected scores obtained by each of the candidates in different sessions (if held) will be normalized using the equi-percentile method.

1. First, the percentile rank of the students for each shift of the exam is calculated using the formula given below -

Percentile rank of the candidates = ((Total Students in a shift - Rank of candidate in that shift)/(Total Students in a shift - 1)) x 10

2. After that, based on the number of available vacancies, a cut-off percentile rank is decided.

3. Based on this cut-off score, candidates are shortlisted for the next phase of the recruitment process.

Note:- Scores up to two decimal points shall be taken for the purpose of calculations.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates planning to apply for the SBI PO Exam must fulfil the eligibility criteria prescribed by the State Bank of India (SBI). Applicants are required to meet the specified conditions related to age limit, educational qualification, nationality, and other eligibility requirements to be considered for the recruitment process. The detailed SBI PO eligibility criteria are provided below.

1. Nationality

2. Age Limit & Relaxations

3. Educational Qualifications

Nationality

A candidate must be either -

1. A Citizen of India or

2. A subject of Nepal or

3. A subject of Bhutan or

4. A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or

5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India, 

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) & (5) above shall be a person in whose favor a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Age Limit: (As on 01.04.2026)

Not below 21 years and not above 30 years as on 01.04.2026 i.e. candidates must have been born not later than 01.04.2005 and not earlier than 02.04.1996 (both days inclusive).

Relaxations of Upper age limit

Note: Cumulative age relaxation will not be available either under the above items or in combination with any other items.

Education Qualification

Graduation in any discipline from a recognized University or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by the Central Government. Those who are in the Final Year/ Semester of their Graduation may also apply provisionally subject to the condition that, if called for interview, they will have to produce proof of having passed the graduation examination on or before 30.09.2026.

Candidates having Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) certificate should ensure that the date of passing the IDD is on or before 30.09.2026. Candidates possessing qualifications such as Medical, Engineering, Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant etc. would also be eligible.

Note: The date of passing eligibility examination will be the date appearing on the mark sheet or provisional certificate issued by the University/ Institute. In case the result of a particular examination is posted on the website of the University/ Institute, a certificate issued by the appropriate authority of the University/ Institute indicating the date on which the result was posted on the website will be taken as the date of passing.

Number of Chances (Attempts Allowed)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates planning to apply for the SBI PO Exam must fulfil the eligibility criteria prescribed by the State Bank of India (SBI). Applicants are required to meet the specified conditions related to age limit, educational qualification, nationality, and other eligibility requirements to be considered for the recruitment process. The detailed SBI PO eligibility criteria are provided below.

1. Nationality

2. Age Limit & Relaxations

3. Educational Qualifications

Nationality

A candidate must be either -

1. A Citizen of India or

2. A subject of Nepal or

3. A subject of Bhutan or

4. A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or

5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India, 

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) & (5) above shall be a person in whose favor a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Age Limit: (As on 01.04.2026)

Not below 21 years and not above 30 years as on 01.04.2026 i.e. candidates must have been born not later than 01.04.2005 and not earlier than 02.04.1996 (both days inclusive).

Relaxations of Upper age limit

Note: Cumulative age relaxation will not be available either under the above items or in combination with any other items.

Education Qualification

Graduation in any discipline from a recognized University or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by the Central Government. Those who are in the Final Year/ Semester of their Graduation may also apply provisionally subject to the condition that, if called for interview, they will have to produce proof of having passed the graduation examination on or before 30.09.2026.

Candidates having Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) certificate should ensure that the date of passing the IDD is on or before 30.09.2026. Candidates possessing qualifications such as Medical, Engineering, Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant etc. would also be eligible.

Note: The date of passing eligibility examination will be the date appearing on the mark sheet or provisional certificate issued by the University/ Institute. In case the result of a particular examination is posted on the website of the University/ Institute, a certificate issued by the appropriate authority of the University/ Institute indicating the date on which the result was posted on the website will be taken as the date of passing.

Number of Chances (Attempts Allowed)

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) Reservation

4% horizontal reservation as per the RPwD Act, 2016.

Categories eligible

Visual Impairment (VI) – Blindness & Low Vision

Hearing Impairment (HI) – Hard of Hearing

Locomotor Disabilities (LD) – One/both arm/leg affected, cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, spinal deformity/injury, etc.

d & e – Mental Illness (MI), Autism Spectrum Disorder (Mild), Multiple Disabilities

IMPORTANT DATES

The SBI PO 2026 online application process commenced on June 18, 2026, and the last date to submit the application was July 18, 2026. The SBI PO Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on August 1 and 2, 2026, and the Prelims Admit Card was released on July 22, 2026. The Prelims Result was declared on August 28, 2026. Candidates who have qualified for the next stage will appear for the SBI PO Mains Examination scheduled for September 12, 2026. The recruitment process will subsequently proceed to the Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Personal Interview, followed by the final selection.

EXAM ANALYSIS

The SBI PO Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on August 1 and 2, 2026 in multiple shifts. The examination was held online and consisted of 100 objective-type questions carrying 100 marks, with a total duration of 1 hour. The Prelims result was declared on August 28, 2026, and shortlisted candidates are eligible for the Mains Examination.

Exam Pattern

The SBI PO Prelims consists of three sections:

English Language: 40 questions – 40 marks

Quantitative Aptitude: 30 questions – 30 marks

Reasoning Ability: 30 questions – 30 marks

Total: 100 questions – 100 marks

Duration: 60 minutes

There is separate sectional timing of 20 minutes for each section.

Difficulty Level

The overall difficulty of the SBI PO Prelims 2026 was expected to remain Moderate, with variations across shifts. The examination primarily tested speed, accuracy, question selection and time management.

Section-wise Analysis

English Language

The section generally focused on Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Fillers, Para Jumbles, Phrase Replacement and Vocabulary. Reading-based questions required careful reading and consumed time.

Quantitative Aptitude

Important areas included Data Interpretation, Arithmetic, Simplification/Approximation, Number Series and miscellaneous quantitative questions. Arithmetic and DI questions were comparatively time-consuming, making calculation speed important.

Reasoning Ability

The section included Puzzles & Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Inequality, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Alphanumeric Series and miscellaneous reasoning questions. Puzzles generally required more time than the other topics.

Good Attempts

The number of good attempts varies from shift to shift because the difficulty level and question distribution were not necessarily identical. Therefore, a single fixed number should not be treated as the official benchmark.

A candidate's performance should be evaluated based on attempts + accuracy + shift difficulty, rather than attempts alone.

Time Management

With only 20 minutes per section, candidates needed to avoid spending excessive time on lengthy puzzles, DI sets or difficult English questions. The best strategy was to:

Attempt easy questions first.

Avoid getting stuck on one question.

Maintain high accuracy.

Reserve time for manageable questions.

Use the sectional time efficiently.

Important Topics

English Language: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Fillers, Para Jumbles, Phrase Replacement and Vocabulary.

Quantitative Aptitude: Data Interpretation, Arithmetic, Simplification/Approximation, Number Series, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Profit & Loss, Average, Time & Work, Time-Speed-Distance and related topics.

Reasoning Ability: Puzzles & Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Inequality, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Series and miscellaneous reasoning.

Overall Analysis

The SBI PO Prelims 2026 was primarily a test of speed, accuracy and time management. English was largely manageable for candidates with strong reading and grammar skills, while Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning required effective question selection. Candidates who cleared the Prelims should now focus on Mains-level Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, English and the Descriptive Paper.

STUDY TIPS

To prepare effectively for the SBI PO Prelims , develop a well-structured study plan that emphasizes building conceptual clarity and accuracy. Consistently practice mock tests and solve previous year papers to improve speed and time management. Regularly assess your performance to identify areas of weakness and focus on improving them. Prioritize understanding the concepts over memorization, and stay informed about current affairs to boost your overall knowledge for the subsequent Mains stage.

Subject-Wise Strategy

English Language

Key Topics: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Fill in the blanks, Vocabulary.

Reading Comprehension (RC): Read The Hindu / Indian Express editorial daily to improve speed & vocabulary. Practice inference-based questions (SBI often asks indirect Qs).

Grammar & Error Spotting: Revise tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions.

Vocabulary: Learn 5–10 new words daily; revise synonyms/antonyms.

Time strategy: Attempt Fill in the Blanks, Cloze Test, Errors first (fast scoring) ? RC at the end.

Practice daily: 2 RCs + 1 Cloze + 1 Para Jumble + 10 Grammar Qs.

Quantitative Aptitude

Key Topics: Simplification/Approximation, Number Series, Quadratic Equations, Data Interpretation (DI), Arithmetic Word Problems.

Simplification & Approximation: Master BODMAS, surds, percentages; these are “speed boosters.”

Number Series & Quadratic Equations: Practice 5–10 questions daily.

Data Interpretation (DI): Focus on Tables, Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Caselets.

Arithmetic Word Problems: Practice Time & Work, SI-CI, Profit-Loss, Ratio-Proportion, Speed-Distance.

Practice daily: 10 simplifications + 10 arithmetic Qs + 1 DI set. Use a timer – try finishing 35 Qs within 18 mins during mocks.

Reasoning Ability

Key Topics: Puzzles & Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Inequalities, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation, Direction, Alphanumeric Series.

Puzzles & Seating Arrangements (major chunk, 15–20 Qs): Start with simple linear & circular seating, then move to floor-based & scheduling puzzles.

Syllogism & Inequality: Practice both traditional & coded forms.

Coding-Decoding & Series: Revise new patterns (letter shifting, mixed coding).

Blood Relation/Direction Sense: Solve with diagram method (less error-prone).

Practice daily: 2 puzzles + 5 syllogism + 5 inequality + 5 coding/series. Don’t get stuck in a tough puzzle ? skip & come back later.

General Prelims Study Tips

Mock Tests: Attempt 2–3 full-length mocks weekly, later increase to daily before the August 2026 exam.

Accuracy > Attempts: Since there’s 0.25 negative marking, avoid random guessing.

Revision: Keep short notes of formulas, vocab, and grammar rules.

STUDY PLANS

The deciding factor for selection is the Strategy & Planning used for preparation. A result-oriented plan for the SBI PO examination allows candidates to navigate the high competition.

6-Month Study Plan 

Month 1–2 (Foundation): Cover basics of Quant, Reasoning, and English. Build reading habits and learn Vedic math tricks.

Month 3–4 (Intensive Practice): Move to moderate/high-level questions. Focus on complex DI and high-level Puzzles. Start 1 full-length mock every weekend.

Month 5 (Simulation): Focus on speed and accuracy. Attempt 2–3 full-length mocks per week. Analyze every mistake in a dedicated notebook.

Month 6 (Final Polish): Daily mocks in the last 2 weeks before the August exam. Revise high-weightage topics and formulas only.

3-Month Study Plan (May – July 2026)

Month 1 (Basics): Weekly breakdown of all core chapters. 20–25 Qs per subject daily.

Month 2 (Exam-Level): Focus on Caselets, Floor-based puzzles, and inference-based RC. 2 full-length mocks per week.

Month 3 (Speed & Accuracy): Sectional tests (20 mins each). Daily full-length mocks in the final 2 weeks. Target 25+ attempts in each section with 90% accuracy.

1-Month Study Plan (July 2026)

Week 1: Rapid revision of all concepts. Focus on "Speed Math" (Squares, Cubes, Fractions).

Week 2: Solve 3–4 Puzzles and 3 DI sets daily. Sectional mocks for time management.

Week 3–4: One full-length mock daily. Intensive analysis of weak areas. Stop new topics; focus only on strengths to maximize score in the August 2026 Prelims.

OVERVIEW

The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts an SBI PO examination every year to select suitable candidates for the position of Probation Officer. The SBI PO exam is an annual officer recruitment exam administered annually by the State Bank of India for their various vacancies in the branches. SBI PO is considered one of the most wanted bank exams in the country. Successful candidates are employed as probation officers in various branches of the bank. The SBI PO exam consists of three phases pre-examination, main examination, and interview (interview and group exercises). SBI Po Prelims is the first phase of online examination, conducted to recruit Probationary Officers in the State Bank of India.

SELECTION PROCESS

The SBI PO selection process is a three-staged process to shortlist the most eligible candidates for the post of Probationary Officer at the State Bank of India.

Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (Screening)

Online objective test:

Shortlisting rule: A category-wise merit list is made on total Prelims marks; no sectional cut-off in Prelims. About 10× the number of vacancies (per category) are called for Mains.

Negative marking: 0.25 of the question’s marks deducted for each wrong answer (no penalty if left blank).

Phase-II: Main Examination (Merit-deciding)

Conducted online: Objective (200 marks) + Descriptive (50 marks); Descriptive follows immediately after Objective.

Selection criteria for Phase-III

Sectional cut-offs apply in Mains – you must clear each objective section and the Descriptive paper.

A minimum aggregate qualifying score (decided by SBI) is applied on the total Mains score.

Candidates up to ~3× the category-wise vacancies are shortlisted for Phase-III from the Mains merit list.

Negative marking: again 0.25 per wrong answer in objective tests.

Phase-III: Psychometric Test + GE + Interview

Psychometric Test: personality profiling; findings may be shared with the interview panel. (It’s not allotted marks for the final total.)

Group Exercise: 20 marks; Interview: 30 marks ? Total 50. Minimum qualifying marks decided by the Bank.

Final Selection & Merit Preparation

You must qualify Phase-II and Phase-III separately. Prelims marks are not counted in final merit.

Normalization/Weightage

Mains (Objective + Descriptive): 250 marks scaled to 75

GE + Interview: 50 marks scaled to 25

Final merit out of 100 = 75 (Mains) + 25 (Phase-III); selection is from top ranks category-wise.

Tie-breaking: If multiple candidates are at the cut-off in the final merit, older age ranks higher.

Result publication: Prelims, Mains and Final results are released on SBI’s career website.