Group Exercise in SBI PO: How to Open, Contribute and Summarise a Group Discussion

Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked on 28 October 2026; not yet read line by line by a human editor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Editorial standards & corrections

Where it fits

In SBI PO 2026-27 (Advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09), Phase-III consists of a psychometric test, a group exercise of 20 marks and a personal interview of 30 marks. The 50 marks of the group exercise and interview are normalised to 25 and added to the Main examination score normalised to 75, giving the final merit out of 100. The Bank decides the minimum qualifying marks, and a candidate must qualify Phase-II and Phase-III separately. In a group exercise a small group of candidates is given a topic, a case or a problem and discusses it for a fixed time while assessors watch and mark each person. The exact format, group size and time are given in the call letter or the briefing on the day, so read and listen carefully. These details belong to the 2026-27 cycle; check your own notice and the exam page on parikshasaathi.com.

What evaluators look for

Assessors typically watch four things. Content means relevant facts, examples and sound reasoning rather than general statements. Listening means responding to what others actually said and building on it. Leadership without dominating means giving direction, bringing in quieter members and keeping the group on the topic and on time, without speaking all the time or cutting others off. Reaching a conclusion means helping the group compare options and arrive at a decision or a clear summary. Body language, tone and courtesy are noticed throughout, and quality counts for more than the number of minutes you speak.

Kinds of topics

Topics can be current (digital payments in villages, financial inclusion, cyber fraud), banking-related (bank mergers, bad loans, branches versus mobile banking), social and economic (unemployment, women in the workforce), abstract (a single word or phrase open to interpretation), or a case (a branch with falling deposits and rising complaints: what should the manager do?). For a case the group is usually expected to give a decision, so identify the problem, list the options, weigh them and recommend one.

Opening the discussion

Opening well gets you noticed, but only if you have something useful to say. A good opening defines the key terms, says why the topic matters, and proposes a simple structure, for example looking at the question from the customer's, the bank's and the government's side. Keep it under a minute and then invite others in. If you are unsure of the topic, do not rush to open; listen for a minute and enter as the second or third speaker with a fresh angle.

Contributing in the middle

Enter during a natural pause with a linking phrase such as 'Adding to what she said' or 'I see it differently, because'. Make each point once, support it with a reason or an example, and stop. Several short, relevant contributions spread across the discussion work better than one long speech. Refer to others by name, disagree with the idea and not the person, and invite a silent member to speak. If the group drifts or two members start arguing, bring it back to the question and acknowledge both views before offering a middle path.

Summarising and concluding

Near the end, someone should summarise. A good summary is neutral and short: the main points raised on each side, where the group agreed, and the conclusion or recommendation. Include points made by others, not only your own, and do not add new arguments at this stage. If the group could not agree, say so honestly and state the main difference. You may offer to summarise, but do not grab the turn if another member has already begun.

Practice methods

Form a group of six to eight friends and hold timed discussions on topics from newspaper editorials and banking news. Let one person act as observer in turn, marking each speaker on content, listening, leadership and conclusion and giving feedback afterwards. Record the discussion on a phone and listen for interruptions, filler words and long turns. Practise structuring any topic in two minutes: a definition, two or three aspects and a likely conclusion. Reading banking basics for the interview also gives you content for the group exercise.

Do's and don'ts

Do listen, take brief notes, speak clearly, use facts you are sure of, include others, stay polite and help the group finish. Do not shout, interrupt again and again, point fingers, make personal remarks, quote made-up statistics, speak only towards the assessors, stay silent throughout, or change your stand without a reason. A calm candidate who adds two or three sound points and helps the group reach a conclusion usually does better than the loudest voice in the room.

Key facts

SBI PO 2026-27 Phase-III: psychometric test, group exercise (20 marks) and interview (30 marks); the 50 marks are normalised to 25 and added to the Main examination score normalised to 75.
In SBI PO 2026-27 the Bank decides the minimum qualifying marks for the group exercise and interview, and Phase-II and Phase-III must be qualified separately.
Evaluators typically look at content, listening, leadership without dominating, and helping the group reach a conclusion; quality counts more than speaking time.
Open only if you have substance: define the key terms, say why the topic matters, propose a structure, then invite others, all in under a minute.
Enter in a pause with a link ('Adding to what she said...'); make one point with a reason or an example, then stop.
Disagree with the idea, not the person; acknowledge both sides before offering a middle path.
Case topics need a decision: identify the problem, list the options, weigh them, recommend one.
A good summary is neutral and short: main points on each side, where the group agreed, the conclusion; no new arguments.
Practise timed discussions in groups of six to eight, with an observer in turn who scores content, listening, leadership and conclusion.

Quick revision

SBI PO 2026-27: group exercise 20 + interview 30 = 50, normalised to 25 (Main 75), minimum marks set by the Bank, Phase-II and III qualified separately; assessors typically judge content, listening, leadership without dominating and reaching a conclusion; open with definitions and a structure, contribute short reasoned points, include quiet members, summarise neutrally; practise timed discussions with an observer; no shouting, interrupting, made-up data or silence.

All 11 lessons on Beyond the Written Exam: Descriptive Paper, Interview and Other Stages