SBI PO — Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Free Mocks
State Bank of India Probationary Officer
SBI PO is State Bank of India's flagship officer recruitment. Selection has three phases — a qualifying Preliminary exam, a Main exam (objective plus a descriptive letter-and-essay paper), and Phase III with a psychometric test, group exercise and interview. It is among the most competitive banking exams, rewarding strong Data Interpretation and high-level reasoning.
SBI PO exam pattern
0.25 mark deducted for each wrong answer (objective papers).
Prelims
100 questions · 100 marks · 60 minutes (20 min per section)| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
Mains
155 questions · 200 marks · 180 min + 30 min descriptive| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 50 | 50 min |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 50 | 45 min |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 50 | 60 | 45 min |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 min |
| English (Descriptive: letter + essay) | 2 | 50 | 30 min |
SBI PO syllabus
Data Interpretation (caselet, table, mixed), Arithmetic, Quadratic Equations, Number Series, Data Sufficiency, Quantity Comparison
High-level Puzzles & Seating, Input-Output, Syllogism, Critical & Logical Reasoning, Coding-Decoding
Reading Comprehension, Word Usage, Error Correction, Para Completion, Sentence Rearrangement
Current affairs, banking & economy, financial awareness
SBI PO mock tests
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SBI PO guides & analysis
Applying for SBI PO?
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Open the SBI form tool →SBI PO — frequently asked questions
What is the SBI PO exam pattern?+
Prelims has 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes (English 30, Quant 35, Reasoning 35). Mains has 155 objective questions for 200 marks in 180 minutes plus a 50-mark descriptive paper in 30 minutes, followed by Phase III (psychometric, group exercise and interview).
Does SBI PO have a descriptive paper?+
Yes. The Mains includes a 30-minute descriptive English paper — one letter and one essay — for 50 marks, evaluated only if you clear the objective cut-off.
Is there negative marking in SBI PO?+
Yes, 0.25 mark is deducted for each wrong answer in the objective papers of Prelims and Mains.
Exam patterns follow the latest official notification and can change each cycle — always confirm details on the official State Bank of India website. Prep247 is not affiliated with or endorsed by State Bank of India.