Pariksha SaathiSBI PO 2026: exam pattern, marks, negative marking, age limit
Every figure on this page is copied from an official document linked next to it, with the date we last checked it. Pattern, age limit and dates are from the PO 2026-27 notification. Last verified: 15 October 2026.
At a glance
- Selection stages
- Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online) → Phase-II: Main Examination (online) → Phase-III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview
- First stage: Questions / Marks / Time
- 100 / 100 / 60 min
- Negative marking
- One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. No deduction for an unanswered question.
- First stage dates
- 1 August 2026 to 2 August 2026
- Tentative vacancies
- 1,500 (as on 18 June 2026)
Current affairs free every morning: today's PDF (in Hindi) · on Telegram
Weekly live mock: Sunday, 8 November 2026, 10:00–12:00 IST · 50 questions in 60 minutes, one paper for everyone · Sit it in the Android app →
Exam pattern
Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online)
Preliminary Examination
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | — | — | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | — | — | 20 |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | — | — | 20 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 |
Time allowed: 60 minutes. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 20 minutes of compensatory time for every hour of the examination. Negative marking: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. No deduction for an unanswered question. This part is qualifying only: it does not add to the merit score.
- Objective multiple-choice test of 100 marks with five options per question. Each of the three sections has its own 20-minute timer. Questions are bilingual (English and Hindi) except English Language.
- The notice gives one total of 100 marks for the 100 questions and does not list marks section by section, so none are shown per section.
- These marks only decide who is shortlisted for the Main examination: a category-wise merit list on aggregate marks, about 10 times the vacancies in each category, with no sectional cut-off. They are not added to the final merit list.
Phase-II: Main Examination (online)
Objective Test
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 1.50 | 60 | 50 |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 2 | 60 | 45 |
| General Awareness / Economy / Banking Knowledge | 60 | 1 | 60 | 45 |
| English Language | 40 | 0.50 | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 170 | 200 | 180 |
Time allowed: 180 minutes. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 20 minutes of compensatory time for every hour of the examination. Negative marking: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. No deduction for an unanswered question.
- Each of the four sections has its own timer. The first three sections are bilingual (English and Hindi); English Language is in English only. An in-built on-screen calculator is available for Data Analysis & Interpretation.
- Each candidate must score a minimum qualifying score in every section of the objective test and in the descriptive paper, separately. The sectional cut-offs are decided by the Bank according to the number of vacancies.
- If the total penalty for a section comes to a fraction, it is rounded off to the nearest integer (as stated in the Main examination information handout).
Descriptive Test: Communication Skills
Time allowed: 30 minutes. Marks: 30. Held immediately after the objective test; answers are typed on the computer.
- Three questions of 10 marks each: email writing (1 out of 2), situation analysis writing (1 out of 2), and report writing or précis writing (any one out of 2). To be attempted in English only.
- A minimum qualifying score is needed in this paper separately, along with the objective tests.
Phase-III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview
Psychometric Test
This part is qualifying only: it does not add to the merit score.
- A personality-profiling test for candidates shortlisted for Phase-III; every question is mandatory. It carries no marks: its findings are placed before the interview panel. It may be held in proctored mode or at identified centres, as the Bank decides.
Group Exercise and Personal Interview
Marks: 50.
- Group exercise 20 marks and interview 30 marks, 50 marks in all. The minimum qualifying marks are decided by the Bank.
- A candidate must qualify Phase-II and Phase-III separately. Main examination marks (objective plus descriptive, out of 230) are normalised to 75 and group exercise plus interview marks (out of 50) to 25; the two are added into a final merit score out of 100. Preliminary Examination marks are not added.
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers, Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (18 June 2026) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Free SBI PO mock tests in this official pattern →
Syllabus: subjects tested
The subjects in short, as the official syllabus lists them. The exam body's own notification is final.
- Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
- Puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, coding-decoding, inequalities, and basic computer-aptitude topics.
- Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis
- Number series, simplification, data interpretation, data sufficiency, and arithmetic word problems.
- English Language
- Reading comprehension, cloze test, error spotting, sentence rearrangement, vocabulary, plus a descriptive essay/letter-writing component at Mains.
- General / Economy / Banking Awareness
- Banking terms and regulations, economic and financial current affairs, and general static GK relevant to the sector.
Full syllabus, stage by stage → · Official website ↗
Age limit and qualification
21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026 (born between 2 April 1996 and 1 April 2005, both days inclusive). Upper age relaxation: OBC (non-creamy layer) 3 years; SC/ST 5 years; PwBD 10 years (UR/EWS), 13 years (OBC), 15 years (SC/ST); ex-servicemen and commissioned officers who meet the notice's service conditions 5 years. Relaxations are not cumulative. Maximum chances: 6 for UR/EWS; 9 for UR (PwBD), EWS (PwBD), OBC and OBC (PwBD); no limit for SC/ST. Appearing in the Main examination counts as a chance, appearing in the Preliminary Examination does not. Age is counted as on 1 April 2026.
| Posts | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Probationary Officer | Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government, as on 30 September 2026. Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally, but if called for interview they must show proof of passing the graduation examination on or before 30 September 2026. Medical, engineering, Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and similar qualifications are also eligible. |
Preliminary: no sectional cut-off; about 10 times the vacancies in each category are shortlisted for the Main examination on aggregate marks. Main: a minimum qualifying score in each section and in the descriptive paper, and a minimum aggregate score, all decided by the Bank; up to about 3 times the category-wise vacancies are shortlisted for Phase-III. Group exercise and interview: minimum qualifying marks as decided by the Bank.
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers, Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (18 June 2026) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Important dates
| Event | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online registration and fee payment | 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| Phase-I: Preliminary Examination | 1 August 2026 to 2 August 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| Phase-II: Main Examination | 12 September 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| Phase-III: Psychometric Test | 31 October 2026 (tentative) | official notice ↗ |
| Phase-III: Group Exercise and Interview | From 18 November 2026 onwards (tentative) | official notice ↗ |
| Declaration of final result | November / December 2026 (tentative, per the June 2026 advertisement) | official notice ↗ |
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers, Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (18 June 2026) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Source: Tentative vacancies ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Practice questions by section
Free questions, each with its answer, in the subjects this exam tests. Every topic opens a list of question pages.
Reasoning
- Syllogism 115 questions
- Blood Relations 89 questions
- Coding-Decoding 88 questions
- Analogy 39 questions
- Direction Sense 38 questions
- Seating Arrangement 29 questions
- Calendar 19 questions
- Clock 19 questions
Computer Knowledge
Quantitative Aptitude
- Geometry: Lines and Triangles 24 questions
- Number System 21 questions
- Percentage 21 questions
- Trigonometry 20 questions
- Boat and Stream 19 questions
- Mensuration: 2D 16 questions
- Permutation and Combination 15 questions
- Probability — Tier II 15 questions
English
- Error Spotting 94 questions
- Fill in the Blanks 56 questions
- Sentence Improvement 52 questions
- Cloze Test 38 questions
- Direct and Indirect Speech 30 questions
- One Word Substitution 19 questions
- Degrees of Comparison 13 questions
- Active and Passive Voice 12 questions
General Studies
- General Science 480 questions
- Static General Knowledge 240 questions
- Indian Geography 239 questions
- Physical and World Geography 239 questions
- Indian Polity and Constitution 238 questions
- Environment and Ecology 237 questions
- Modern Indian History and Freedom Struggle 235 questions
- Indian Art and Culture 234 questions
General Awareness
All practice questions by topic →
Free notes (PDF)
Notes for every topic in this exam’s syllabus, one PDF per subject: each lesson ends with a quick-revision box, and each PDF ends with a revision sheet. Written by an AI assistant and not reviewed by a subject-matter expert.
- Quantitative Aptitude (89 pages, 1.1 MB)
- Reasoning (74 pages, 954 KB)
- English (65 pages, 819 KB)
- General Awareness (208 pages, 2.3 MB)
- Computer Knowledge (18 pages, 314 KB)
- Descriptive, interview and physical tests (22 pages, 339 KB)
Latest notices
- SBI PO 2026: online psychometric test on 31 October 2026 at 1 PM in remote proctored mode; mock test open only on 28 Octobernotification · 28 October 2026
- SBI PO 2026-27: Psychometric Test on 31 October, Group Exercise and Interviews from 18 November 2026 (Tentative)notification · 16 October 2026
- SBI Probationary Officers 2026-27 main exam call letter now availableadmit card · 19 September 2026
SBI PO admit card, result and answer key: every notice →
Recent current affairs for this exam
- TRAI releases Telecommunication Interconnection (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026: shift to LSA-level and IP-based interconnection, effective 1 January 20273 November 2026
- India to pursue solution-oriented and equitable climate action at UNFCCC COP31 in Antalya: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav3 November 2026
- Coal Ministry's Coal Controller Organisation develops SUVIKALP, a digital mine repurposing tool for closed and abandoned mines3 November 2026
- NITI Aayog and TEXMiN sign a Joint Statement of Intent to strengthen India's critical minerals ecosystem3 November 2026
- APEDA facilitates trial export of 1.5 MT of Arunachal Pradesh kiwi from Ziro to Dubai3 November 2026
Prepare
- Exam calendar: official dates across every exam
- Syllabus and subjects tested
- Job profile and salary
- Free lessons
- Start practising
Frequently asked questions
What are the selection stages of SBI PO?
Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online) → Phase-II: Main Examination (online) → Phase-III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview, as per the PO 2026-27 notification.
How many questions are in the SBI PO first stage?
Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online): 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes, as per the PO 2026-27 notification.
Is there negative marking in SBI PO?
Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online), as per the PO 2026-27 notification: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. No deduction for an unanswered question.
Is there negative marking in SBI PO Phase-II: Main Examination?
Phase-II: Main Examination (online), as per the PO 2026-27 notification: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. No deduction for an unanswered question.
Which parts of the SBI PO exam are qualifying?
As per the PO 2026-27 notification, these are qualifying: Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online): Preliminary Examination; Phase-III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview: Psychometric Test.
What is the age limit for SBI PO?
21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026 (born between 2 April 1996 and 1 April 2005, both days inclusive). Upper age relaxation: OBC (non-creamy layer) 3 years; SC/ST 5 years; PwBD 10 years (UR/EWS), 13 years (OBC), 15 years (SC/ST); ex-servicemen and commissioned officers who meet the notice's service conditions 5 years. Relaxations are not cumulative. Maximum chances: 6 for UR/EWS; 9 for UR (PwBD), EWS (PwBD), OBC and OBC (PwBD); no limit for SC/ST. Appearing in the Main examination counts as a chance, appearing in the Preliminary Examination does not. Age is counted as on 1 April 2026.
Can final-year students apply for SBI PO?
As per the PO 2026-27 notification: Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government, as on 30 September 2026. Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally, but if called for interview they must show proof of passing the graduation examination on or before 30 September 2026. Medical, engineering, Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and similar qualifications are also eligible.
What are the minimum qualifying marks in SBI PO?
Preliminary: no sectional cut-off; about 10 times the vacancies in each category are shortlisted for the Main examination on aggregate marks. Main: a minimum qualifying score in each section and in the descriptive paper, and a minimum aggregate score, all decided by the Bank; up to about 3 times the category-wise vacancies are shortlisted for Phase-III. Group exercise and interview: minimum qualifying marks as decided by the Bank.
How many vacancies are there in SBI PO?
1,500 tentative vacancies for PO 2026-27, as officially published on 18 June 2026.
What are the SBI PO first-stage exam dates?
Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (online): 1 August 2026 to 2 August 2026, as per the PO 2026-27 notification.
Which subjects does the SBI PO exam test?
The official syllabus lists: Reasoning & Computer Aptitude; Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis; English Language; General / Economy / Banking Awareness.
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers, Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (18 June 2026) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
How this page is made
These facts are transcribed from the official documents linked above and checked against them on the date shown. If anything here differs from the official notification, the official notification is right. Please tell us through the Contact page. See also our editorial standards. Contact · Editorial standards