SBI PO Exam Pattern 2024 for Prelims & Mains

SBI PO exam pattern is such that it is divided into prelims, Mains, psychometric test, group exercises and interview. In 2022, SBI has revised the exam pattern. The psychometric test was introduced in the Phase 3 exam pattern. There is no weightage for this test and the performance of candidates in this stage will be shared with the interview panel. SBI PO prelims exam comprises three sections-Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and English Language. The total marks allotted to the prelims exam are 100. The test paper carries a total of 100 questions. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam. The mains exam comprises both objective and subjective-type tests. The total marks allotted to the mains exam are 250. Candidates qualifying the mains exam are called for psychometric test. The psychometric test is qualifying in nature. Candidates qualifying the psychometric test are called for group exercises and interview. The group exercises and interview carries 50 marks.

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.

After candidates undergo interview, a merit list is prepared by SBI based on the marks obtained in the Mains exam and interview. Based on the final SBI PO cutoff marks and available vacancies, candidates are offered letter of appointment for the post of Probationary Officer. 75 per cent weightage marks of the SBI PO Mains exam (out of 250 marks) and 25 per cent weightage marks of Group Exercise and Interview (out of 50 marks) will be considered. To compile the final merit list the aggregate scores (out of 100) will be calculated.

SBI PO Exam Pattern: Weightage of marks 

The weightage of marks given to the Mains exam and interview & group exercises are given below.

The prelims and mains exams of SBI PO are conducted online. The prelims exam of SBI PO carries a total of 100 marks. The mains exam of SBI PO carries 250 marks. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam. However, the marks of the prelims exam are not counted for the final merit list. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam.

SBI has introduced a Psychometric Test in Phase III of SBI PO exam pattern. The psychometric test is personality profiing of candidates who are selected for Phase III of SBI PO exam. The result of the psychometric test is placed before the interview panel so that they have full understanding of the candidates. SBI PO Psychometric Test determine whether a candidate is psychologically qualified for the position of the banker. The test basically assess logical reasoning, job-specific aptitude, position-specific attributes, personality type, stress management, and much more.

Click here to read more on SBI PO Psychometric Test

Yes, there are sectional timings in SBI PO prelims and Mains exam. To answer each section in the prelims exam, candidates get 20 minutes. For descriptive test, candidates get 30 minutes. The duration of the Reasoning & Computer Aptitude is 60 minutes, Data Analysis & Interpretation is 45 minutes, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness is 35 minutes and English Language section is 40 minutes. The sectional timings for SBI PO prelims and mains exams are given below.

SBI PO Prelims Shift Timings

SBI PO Mains Shift Timings

SBI PO Mains exam comprises both objective and descriptive type tests. The objective test consists of four sections and the descriptive test comprises English Language (Letter Writing & Essay). The total marks allotted to the Mains exam are 250. The duration of the test is 3.5 hours. The objective section carries questions from Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness and English Language. The subjective section carries questions from English Language (Letter Writing & Essay). The test paper carries a total of 157 questions. The structure of SBI PO mains exam is given below.

The preliminary exam of SBI PO comprises the English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. Total marks allotted to the test are 100. The duration of the test is 60 minutes. The prelims exam is only conducted to screen candidates for the Mains exam. The marks obtained in this stage are not counted for the final merit list. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam. The structure of SBI PO prelims exam pattern is given below.

The SBI PO exam pattern highlights the overall structure of the exam. The exam pattern is divided into prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, interview and group exercises. SBI PO exam pattern comprises the marking scheme, total marks, time duration, normalisation process, etc. 

Yes, there are sectional timings in SBI PO prelims and Mains exam. To answer each section in the prelims exam, candidates get 20 minutes. For descriptive test, candidates get 30 minutes. The duration of the Reasoning & Computer Aptitude is 60 minutes, Data Analysis & Interpretation is 45 minutes, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness is 35 minutes and English Language section is 40 minutes. The sectional timings for SBI PO prelims and mains exams are given below.

SBI PO Prelims Shift Timings

SBI PO Mains Shift Timings

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

In the Reasoning section of SBI PO candidates can cover Seating Arrangements, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, etc. To score good marks in this section, candidates should practice previous years' question papers and mock tests. Candidates can also practice sudoku and different types of puzzles. This will help me to solve the questions in Reasoning easily. Candidates can follow the tips given below to prepare the Reasoning section of SBI PO:

• Cramming does not work for the Reasoning section of SBI PO. Questions are purely logic-based. Practice SBI PO previous year’s question papers as possible to improve the logic-building ability
• Candidates must start with reading and understanding concepts of the Reasoning topics. Once candidates are able to understand the basics behind each topic, divert the focus on both speed and accuracy
• Solving questions within time limit is important. Candidates must identify the best way to solve questions keeping in mind both speed and accuracy

SBI PO syllabus is divided into prelims and Mains exams. The syllabus for the SBI PO (Probationary Officer) exam typically includes the following topics: Reasoning Ability Quantitative Aptitude English Language General Awareness (including current affairs) Computer Knowledge Candidates should be thorough with the syllabus of SBI PO. The question paper in the exam is framed based on the syllabus. Besides, going through the syllabus, candidates must also refer to the previous years' question papers and solve mock tests. SBI PO syllabus is given below:

Reasoning Ability: Logical Reasoning, Data Sufficiency, Seating Arrangement, Puzzles, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Input-Output and many more.

English Language: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Fill in the blanks, Multiple Meaning /Error Spotting, etc.

Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, Simple Interest & Compound Interest & Surds & Indices, Time & Distance, Work & Time, Ratio & Proportion, Percentage, Data Interpretation, Number Systems, etc.

General Awareness: Current Affairs, Financial Awareness, General Knowledge, Static Awareness, Banking Terminologies Knowledge, Banking Awareness, Principles of Insurance, etc.

Computer Aptitude: Internet, Memory, Keyboard Shortcuts, Computer Abbreviation, Microsoft Office, Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Computer Fundamentals /Terminologies, Networking, Number System, Operating System, Basic of Logic Gates.

In the Quantitative Aptitude section of SBI PO exam, candidates can focus on Simplification, Number Systems, Data Interpretation, Ratio and Proportion, Profit and Loss, Simple and Compound Interest, Sequence and Series etc. The Quant section assess the candidate's calculative ability. The best way to prepare this section is going through the previous years question papers and learning the shortcut tricks. The tips and tricks to crack SBI PO Quant section are given below:

• Candidates must find out the important topics for Quantitative Aptitude section by analysing the previous year question papers
• Candidates must learn the shortcut tricks for solving questions
• Candidates must practice the previous years’ question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam
• Candidates must attempt mock tests to improve speed and accuracy

The SBI PO examination is one of the sought-after exams in the country. Candidates must prepare for the exam with vigour and zeal. The most important aspect of the preparation phase is getting the best books for SBI PO Exams from the market. With so many books and study materials on the market, it is not easy to find where to start. Candidates should choose the best books for SBI PO preparation in order to ace the exam. Candidates needs to be thorough with the exam pattern and syllabus in order to choose the best books for SBI PO. While selecting the books, they should look for those books that have covered the entire syllabus. Candidates should also choose the books that are simple and easy to understand.

Questions in Quant section are usually asked from Number Series, Approximation, Square root and cube root, Ratio and Proportion, Average, Partnership, Percentage, Time and Distance, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Data Interpretation, Pie Charts, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Permutation, and Combination, etc. The best books for Quant section are given below: Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Agarwal Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma Magical Book on Quicker Mathematics by M Tyra Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Kumar Verma. The tips and tricks to crack SBI PO Quantitative Aptitude section are given below:

• Candidates must learn the shortcut tricks for solving questions. This will help candidates to save time and they can attempt maximum questions within the given time
• Candidates can refer to the previous years’ questions to understand the type of questions asked in the exam and the difficulty level
• Candidates must attempt mock tests to improve the speed and accuracy

SBI PO Mains exam is conducted for the candidates who qualify the prelims exam. For SBI PO Mains exam, candidates can refer to the following books:

• Objective English for Competitive Examinations by Hari Mohan Prasad and Uma Rani Sinha
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R S Aggarwal
• A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R S Aggarwal
• The Complete Success Package for SBI PO by Disha Experts

It is also important to practice with previous years' question papers and mock tests to familiarise themselves with the format of the exam. 

SBI PO descriptive paper is a part of the Mains phase of the examination. The descriptive paper is an online test of 30 minutes and comprises questions from Essay Writing and Letter Writing. Candidates can follow the tips below to ace the descriptive paper:

• Be well prepared with the basic grammar 
• Build a strong vocabulary by learning new words everyday
• Read newspapers and magazines to improve writing skills
• Practice essay writing based on the recent events
• Practice formal letter writing on various topics to boost confidence
• Use important points while writing an essay or letter

Candidates must follow the tips given below to clear the exam: Revise the important topics from each section Allot time judiciously to each question or section Attempt the maximum questions within the given time limit and with accuracy Read the complete question first Maximize your score by focusing on choosing the most accurate option as your answer Revise all the topics Attempt full-length and sectional mock test. The section-wise preparation tips for SBI PO exam are given below:

English Language

• Candidates must develop the habit of reading regularly. Candidates must read newspapers, novels, articles, journals
• Reading books help candidates in improving the vocabularly and comprehension
• Practice grammar regularly
• Candidates must brush up their grammar rules 

Reasoning Ability

This section can be tricky at times. However, with practice candidates can easily ace this section. Puzzles and Seating Arrangement are two important topics in the Reasoning section. Maximum questions in the exam are asked from these two topics. Candidates should practice questions from these two topics daily.

Quantitative Aptitude

Maximum questions in this section are asked from data interpretation. Questions of Data Interpretation are usually based on basic calculations like Ratios, Proportions, Averages, Profit/ Loss, Percentages, etc. So, understand the basics of these topics properly. The bar/ Line/ Pie/ Tabular chart may ask the questions. Questions in Artithmetic section are asked from topics such as Averages, Percentages, Problems on Ages, Profit & Loss, Partnership, Simple & Compound Interest, Mixture & Alligation, Time & Work, Boats & Streams, Pipes & Cisterns, Time Speed & Distance, Probability, Mensuration, etc. Candidates need to underatand the concepts and basic formulas.

General Awareness

To score good marks in the General Awareness section, candidates must read newspapers and watch news channels to know regarding the latest events taking place around the world.

Candidates can check below some last minute preparation tips for SBI PO:

• It is crucial that candidates must be clear with the exam pattern and syllabus
• Candidates must solve the time-consuming topics first. In English, candidates must solve topics such as Cloze test, spotting errors, fillers, vocab questions from RC. In, Quantitative Aptitude solve questions such as Number Series, Simplification/ Approximation, Data Interpretation. In Reasoning Ability solve questions from Syllogism, Inequality, Coding-Decoding, Blood relations, direction sense, etc.
• Candidates must attempt a good number of questions with accuracy to clear the cut-off marks
• The Prelims exam is all about time management, speed, and accuracy
• Candidates must maintain their speed from the start of the test
• Candidates should not panic even if they get a new pattern of question
• Candidates must keep calm and solve the questions with accuracy

Also Read: SBI PO Last Minute Preparation Tips

Ideal time duration to prepare for SBI PO is one year. However, many candidates have cracked the exam by preparing for only six or four months. Candidates should prepare for the exam with dedication and sincerity. The amount of time required for SBI PO preparation also depend on the candidate's knowledge and understanding about the different subjects given in the syllabus, study habits and schedule, level of dedication towards the exam. On an average, it is recommended to dedicate at least six months of consistent study and preparation for the SBI PO exam. The preparation includes reviewing and understanding the syllabus, exam pattern, practising sample papers, attempting mock tests, staying updated with the current events. Candidates must prepare the study routine that it is best suitable to them.