SBI PO

There are multiple reasons why clearing the SBI PO exam becomes tough compared to other banking exams. Some of these reasons are:
1. Limited number of attempts: This makes aspirants feel pressured to qualify within the allotted number of attempts.
2. Time constraints: Candidates have one hour to complete 100 questions in the preliminary exam and three hours to complete 155 questions in the main exam.
3. Negative marking: There is one-fourth negative marking of 0.25 marks, which increases the challenge.
4. Tricky questions, such as from the reasoning and data interpretation sections, consume a lot of time.
5. High competition: Candidates appearing for the SBI PO exam are not only huge in numbers but also diverse. A B.Tech graduate may have to compete with an MBA graduate.
6. Sectional cut offs: The candidates need to clear section-wise cutoffs separately, and therefore, aspirants need to score well in all sections.
7. The GD and PI rounds: The group discussion and interview rounds are the final and most challenging.

The basic difference between SBI SO and SBI PO is that SO is a Specialist Officer and PO is a probationary officer. Both posts are equally good, but the PO post is the most sought after due to the nature of work and the higher number of vacancies. The salary of PO is better than that of PO. The starting salary of a probationary officer is INR 27,620, whereas the salary of a specialist officer is Rs. 23,700 per month. Also, the promotional aspect for PO is comparatively better and one can get promoted to the post of Senior Manager within ten years. On the other hand, the SO is appointed for a specialised task, such as a law officer, and their career begins as scale I officers. One can expect to be promoted to the Scale II officer level after a few years. However, if someone wants to have experience in a particular field, such as HR, and does not want a workload, the SO post is better.

SBI PO is one of the most desired banking jobs due to the benefits it offers. Some of these benefits are:
1. Competitive salary: At the junior scale, your basic monthly salary will be Rs 27,620, with four advance increments to Rs 42020.
2. Bonus Allowance: You will get a variety of additional allowances, including daily allowance, travel allowance, and medical allowance.
3. Early promotion: If you clear the cumulative promotion test after training, then you get directly promoted to the post of Deputy Manager.
4. Favorable loans: The SBI bank provides loans to its employees with a cheaper interest rate.
5. Leased accommodation remuneration: In major cities such as Delhi, this can reach Rs. 35,000.
6. Abroad postings: You can get an opportunity to work in foreign countries with foreign postings in the overseas branches of SBI.

You have to apply online on the official website of the State Bank of India for the post of probationary officer. The SBI publishes an official notification on its official website as well as in print media regarding the number of vacancies for the PO posts. For this year, the last date to apply was October 12th, 2022. You have to visit the official website if you have completed graduation and are between the ages of 21 and 30. You need to submit the required application form with relevant details. Then you will have to pay an application fee of Rs. 750 after filling in the application form. You can visit this page on Shiksha to know the detailed application process for SBI PO https://www.shiksha.com/exams/sbi-po-exam.

The SBI PO exam is difficult but doable. There are some factors which make SBI PO a bit challenging for aspirants. These are as follows:
1. There is a limit to the number of attempts. The aspirants feel pressured to clear the exam with their allotted attempt limits.
2. Standard and tricky questions from sections such as reasoning and DI are common in SBI PO papers.
3. The number of aspirants appearing for SBI PO is not only huge but also diverse. An art stream candidate may have to compete with the already selected clerk of the bank.
4. The time limit is very strict for both the prelim and mains. You have only one hour for the prelims, with 100 questions, and three hours for the 155-question mains.
5. You have to clear sectional cutoffs separately, so you have to be good in all sections equally.
6. The one-fourth negative marking scheme is a challenge, and the aspirant feels the pressure of losing. 25 marks
7. The surprise questions in the main stage further increase the pressure on aspirants.
8. Finally, the group discussion and interview rounds are also very challenging and require quick thinking. However, if you have practiced well and followed a clear strategy, then the SBI Bank PO exam could be cleared.