SBI PO Exam Dates 2024 for Prelims & Mains: Check Complete Schedule

SBI PO 2024 notification was released on December 26, 2024. The notification was released in PDF form and comprises the details related to the exam. Candidates must read the notification carefully before applying. SBI PO notification is released to fill vacancies for the post of Probationary Officers. Lakhs of candidates every year apply for SBI PO exam. The selection process of SBI PO comprises prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, interview and group exercises. The prelims exam of SBI PO is qualifying in nature.

The prelims exam of SBI PO is conducted in four shifts while the Mains exam is conducted in two shifts. SBI PO prelims shift timings are 9 AM to 10 AM, 11.30 am to 12.30 pm, 2 pm to 3 pm and 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm. SBI PO Mains exam timings are 2 pm to 3 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The details regarding the shift timings are mentioned on the admit card. Candidates need to appear for the exam as per their exam slots. The exam timings for prelims and mains exam are given below.

SBI PO Prelims Exam Timings

SBI PO Mains Exam Timings

SBI PO 2024-25 application form was released on December 27, 2024. The last date to fill the application form is January 16, 2025. The application form was released online after the notification is published. Interested candidates need to fill the application form online. The application process comprises several stages which candidates need to complete successfully. Applicants are not required to sent the hard copy of the application form. The process to fill SBI PO application form 2024 are given below:

• Visit the official website of SBI 
• Click the SBI Clerk apply online link
• Register for the exam 
• Upload the scanned photograph and signature
• Fill the detailed application form
• Preview the application
• Upload the left thumb impression and handwritten declaration
• Pay the application fees
• Submit the application form

The details regarding the SBI PO exam centre will be mentioned on the admit card. The admit card comprises details such as the candidate's name, roll number, category, exam date, time, details of exam centre, scanned photograph, and signature. Candidates need to appear for the exam in the centres allotted to them. The admit card of candidates are verified at the exam centres. Candidates should keep the authenticated prelims admit card and photo-identity proof safely because they will require it at the time of the Mains exam. Candidates without the Mains admit card will not be allowed to appear for the exam.

SBI PO 2024-25 exam dates were announced. The prelims exam will be conducted on March 8 and 15, 2025. The Mains exam will be conducted in April/May 2025. The psychometric test will be conducted in May/June 2025. The Group Exercises & Interview will be conducted in May/June 2025.

The age limit for applying to SBI PO was between 21 and 30 years. Relaxation in the upper age limit is provided to candidates belonging to reserved category.The educational qualification prescribed for SBI PO is Graduation. Final year Graduation candidates can apply provisionally provided they need to submit the pass Certificate of degree exam at the time of interview. Candidates holding Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) can also apply. Candidates possessing qualifications such as Medical, Engineering, Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant can also apply.There are also restrictions in the number of attempts. The number of attempts for General category is 4, General (PwD) category is 7, OBC is 7, OBC (PwD) is 7. There is no restriction for SC/ST (PwD). Candidates with a record of default in repayment of loans/ credit card dues / or against whose name adverse reports of CIBIL or other external agencies are available are not eligible for appointment.

On joining, the selected candidates will be designated as Probationary Officers and may be on probation for two years. They will be subjected to continuous assessment, as per Bank’s extant policy, during the probation period. Those candidates who qualify in the assessment as per standards determined by the Bank from time to time, will be confirmed in the Service of the Bank in Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I).

The selection process of SBI PO comprises prelims exam, Mains exam, psychometric test, group exercises & interview. Final selection is done based on the Mains exam and group exercises and interview. The marks obtained in the prelims exam are not counted for the final merit. The prelims exam is only to screen candidates for the Mains exam. SBI PO prelims exam is conducted for 100 marks. The test paper carries questions from English Language, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The total marks allotted to the prelims exam are 100. The mains exam carries both subjective and objective type questions. Total marks allotted to the mains exam are 250. The Group Exercises and Interview carries 50 marks.

The interview (or Group Exercises & Interview) carries a total of 50 marks. Before candidates appear for the interview & Group D Exercises, candidates need to appear for the psychometric test. The performance in the psychometric test will be shared with the interview panel. The psychometric test is qualifying in nature and there is no weightage. The following type of questions are asked in SBI PO interview:

• Tell me about yourself and your qualifications.
• Why do you want to work for SBI?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• How do you handle stress and pressure?
• How do you work in a team?
• What do you know about SBI and our products and services?
• How do you handle customer complaints?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to solve a difficult problem?
• How do you stay updated on industry trends and developments?
• Why should we hire you?

The examination authority decides category-wise SBI PO cut off marks to select candidates for the subsequent rounds of selection process. There is no sectional cut off marks. However, candidates need to secure the overall cut off marks as per their categories. There are no qualifying marks in SBI PO exam. Candidates need to secure the cut off marks in the exam as per their category. The question paper of SBI PO is made available in both English and Hindi. Candidates can choose the language of the question paper as per their convenience. The cut off is the minimum qualifying marks that candidates need to secure inorder to qualify the exam.

The interview (or Group Exercises & Interview) carries a total of 50 marks. Before candidates appear for the interview & Group D Exercises, candidates need to appear for the psychometric test. The performance in the psychometric test will be shared with the interview panel. The psychometric test is qualifying in nature and there is no weightage. The following type of questions are asked in SBI PO interview:

• Tell me about yourself and your qualifications.
• Why do you want to work for SBI?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• How do you handle stress and pressure?
• How do you work in a team?
• What do you know about SBI and our products and services?
• How do you handle customer complaints?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to solve a difficult problem?
• How do you stay updated on industry trends and developments?
• Why should we hire you?

SBI PO marking scheme is prescribed by the examination authority. The scores of candidates are calculated as per the marking scheme. SBI PO marking scheme is given below:

• For incorrect answers, one-fourth of marks assigned to a particular question in the objective test are deducted as penalty to arrive at the corrected scores
• There is no negative marking for the subjective part of the Mains exam
• If a question is left blank, there will be no penalty for that question

SBI PO prelims exam is conducted in four shifts. The shift timings of SBI PO are given below.

The starting basic is INR 41,960 (with 4 advance increments). Candidates are also eligible for DA, HRA/Lease rental, CCA. Candidates also get Medical and other allowances & perquisites as per rules in force from time to time. In-hand salary ranges between INR 52,000 to 55,000 per month. SBI PO pay scale is INR 36,000-1490/7-46430-1740/2-49910-1990/7-63840. Candidates are selected to the post of  Junior Management Grade Scale-I. Selected candidates are required to sign a bond of INR 2 lakh, Candidates are required to serve the bank for a minimum period of three years. The officers will be on probation for two years. Candidates are selected on the basis of their performance in the prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, group exercises and interview.

The minimum marks to crack SBI PO exam isn't disclosed yet by the governing committee. It depends on the level of competition and the number of vacancies they have. Based on these, after the examination is over, the committee decides the cut-off level and sends notifications to the qualifying candidates informing them of further procedures. There are no sectional cut off marks in SBI PO exam. Candidates need to secure the overall cut off marks as per their categories in the exam. The marks of candidate are calculated as per the marking scheme. The marking scheme is given below:

• There is SBI PO negative marking for wrong answers, one-fourth marks assigned to a particular question in the objective test are deducted as penalty to arrive at the corrected scores
• There is no SBI PO negative marking for the subjective part of the mains exam
• If a question is left blank, there will be no penalty for that question
• For correct answers, candidates score one mark

The selection process of SBI PO comprises prelims exam, Mains exam, psychometric test, group exercises & interview. Final selection is done based on the Mains exam and group exercises and interview. The marks obtained in the prelims exam are not counted for the final merit. The prelims exam is only to screen candidates for the Mains exam. SBI PO prelims exam is conducted for 100 marks. The test paper carries questions from English Language, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The total marks allotted to the prelims exam are 100. The mains exam carries both subjective and objective type questions. Total marks allotted to the mains exam are 250. The Group Exercises and Interview carries 50 marks.

SBI PO application form is released online. Any graduate candidate can apply for the exam. SBI PO application process comprises several steps such as registration, uploading of scanned photograph and signature, filling the form, previewing the application, uploading left thumb impression and handwritten declaration. The application fee was INR 750 for General/EWS/OBC candidates, while SC/ST/PWD categories were exempted from fee payment. The steps to fill SBI PO application form are given below:

• Visit the official website of SBI
• In the career page of SBI, candidates need to go to the advertisement of SBI PO
• From the drop-down, candidates need to select the apply online link
• Candidates need to first register for the exam
• After registration, candidates need to upload the scanned images of photograph and signature
• Fill the detailed application form
• Upload the left thumb impression and handwritten declaration
• Pay the application fees and submit the application form

The starting basic is INR 41,960 (with 4 advance increments). Candidates are also eligible for DA, HRA/Lease rental, CCA. Candidates also get Medical and other allowances & perquisites as per rules in force from time to time. In-hand salary ranges between INR 52,000 to 55,000 per month. SBI PO pay scale is INR 36,000-1490/7-46430-1740/2-49910-1990/7-63840. Candidates are selected to the post of  Junior Management Grade Scale-I. Selected candidates are required to sign a bond of INR 2 lakh, Candidates are required to serve the bank for a minimum period of three years. The officers will be on probation for two years. Candidates are selected on the basis of their performance in the prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, group exercises and interview.

The interview (or Group Exercises & Interview) carries a total of 50 marks. Before candidates appear for the interview & Group D Exercises, candidates need to appear for the psychometric test. The performance in the psychometric test will be shared with the interview panel. The psychometric test is qualifying in nature and there is no weightage. The following type of questions are asked in SBI PO interview:

• Tell me about yourself and your qualifications.
• Why do you want to work for SBI?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• How do you handle stress and pressure?
• How do you work in a team?
• What do you know about SBI and our products and services?
• How do you handle customer complaints?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to solve a difficult problem?
• How do you stay updated on industry trends and developments?
• Why should we hire you?

The prelims exam of SBI PO is conducted at around 200 cities while the Mains exam is conducted at around 70 cities. Candidates are required to enter their preferences for exam centres while filling the application form. The details related to the exam centres are mentioned on the admit card. The examination authority reserves the right to allot exam centres to candidates. Usually, candidates are allotted exam centres in the cities chosen by them. However, in case of unavailability of exam centres, the examination authority allots candidates in the next available centre. The list of SBI PO exam centres is given below.