SBI PO (Probationary Officer)

Every topic matched to the official PDF Official notice, sbi.co.in

58 topics, each explained 6 units

SBI PO is conducted by the State Bank of India for the Probationary Officer post, open to graduates of any discipline (final-year students may apply provisionally). Selection runs through three phases — a Preliminary screening exam, a Main exam with an objective test plus a descriptive paper, and a Phase III of psychometric test, group exercise and interview — and the final merit is built only from the Phase II and Phase III marks, since Prelims marks are not carried forward. So clear the Prelims as a screening step, but put your real depth of preparation into the Mains sections and the interview.

Exam Pattern

Conducting body: State Bank of India (SBI). Post: Probationary Officer (PO). Eligibility: graduation in any discipline (final-year students may apply provisionally). Selection runs in three phases.

PHASE I — PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION (online, 100 marks, 1 hour): English Language (30 questions, 30 marks, 20 minutes); Quantitative Aptitude (35 questions, 35 marks, 20 minutes); Reasoning Ability (35 questions, 35 marks, 20 minutes). The Prelims is only a screening test — these marks are NOT added to the final merit. An adequate number of candidates in each category are shortlisted for the Mains.

PHASE II — MAIN EXAMINATION (online): an Objective Test of 200 marks (about 3 hours) followed by a Descriptive Test of 50 marks (30 minutes). The objective test is usually split into four timed sections — Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness, and English Language (the exact question count and marks per section can change from year to year, so treat the split as indicative). The Descriptive Test is English (Letter Writing & Essay). There is negative marking of one-fourth (1/4) mark for each wrong answer in the objective tests.

PHASE III — PSYCHOMETRIC TEST, GROUP EXERCISES & INTERVIEW (50 marks): a group exercise and a personal interview (a psychometric test may also be conducted to aid the interview). The final merit is prepared from the Phase II (Mains) and Phase III marks — not from the Prelims.

SBI revises the exact structure fairly often; always confirm the current section split, marks and eligibility against the SBI PO advertisement of the year on sbi.co.in.

Start PractisingPlay a free quiz in Meri Taiyari

SBI PO (Probationary Officer) — related updates

SBI SBI PO Prelims result 2026: Scorecards released 02 Sep 2026 SBI SBI PO Prelims Result 2026 declared at sbi.co.in 02 Sep 2026 SBI SBI PO Pre Result 2026 Out - Check Prelims Result, Cut Off & Mains 29 Aug 2026 SBI SBI PO prelims result 2026 released at sbi.bank.in 28 Aug 2026 SBI SBI PO 2026 Pre-Exam Training (PET) — How It Works 18 Jul 2026

Full Syllabus

1 English Language (Prelims & Mains)

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
Reading Comprehension	A passage followed by questions on its meaning, tone and vocabulary; read the passage once fully before jumping to the questions.
Cloze Test	A passage with blanks where you pick the word that fits the meaning and grammar of the sentence; read the whole passage first to catch the overall sense.
Para Jumbles	Sentences given out of order that you must arrange into a logical paragraph; look for the sentence that introduces the topic first.
Error Spotting	A sentence split into parts where you must find the part with a grammatical mistake; practise common rules like subject-verb agreement and tenses.
Sentence Improvement / Correction	A sentence with an underlined part that may need a better or grammatically correct replacement; read all the options before choosing.
Fillers (single & double)	One or two blanks in a sentence that need the same or related words to complete the meaning; check that your word fits both blanks in a double filler.
Word Usage / Word Swap	Questions on using a given word correctly in context, or spotting where two words have been wrongly exchanged between sentences; focus on the exact meaning each word carries.
Phrase Replacement	An underlined phrase in a sentence that must be replaced with a grammatically correct and meaningful alternative; eliminate options that change the original meaning.
Vocabulary	Synonyms, antonyms and word meanings used in context; build a daily reading and word-list habit rather than cramming lists close to the exam.
Paragraph Completion	A paragraph with a missing sentence that you must fill by matching its idea and flow with the rest of the paragraph; read the sentences before and after the gap carefully.

2 Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis & Interpretation

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
Simplification & Approximation	Solving numeric expressions using BODMAS, or quickly estimating a close answer instead of calculating exactly; practise mental calculation to save time.
Number Series	A sequence of numbers where you must find the pattern and identify the missing or wrong term; try common patterns like differences, ratios and squares first.
Quadratic Equations	Two equations are given and you compare their roots to decide which variable is larger, smaller, equal or if the relation cannot be determined; factorisation is usually the fastest method.
Data Interpretation (tables, bar / line / pie, caselet, missing & arithmetic DI)	Data given as a table, chart or short passage that you read carefully and then apply arithmetic like percentage, ratio or average to answer; note down the given values before calculating.
Data Sufficiency	You are given a question with two or more statements and must decide whether they alone, together, or not at all are enough to answer it, without actually solving fully; check each statement's sufficiency separately first.
Percentage	Expressing one quantity as a part of a hundred of another; learn to convert common fractions to percentages instantly to speed up calculation.
Ratio & Proportion	Comparing two or more quantities and finding an unknown value that keeps the same relationship; practise converting ratios directly into fractions.
Average	Finding the typical value of a group of numbers by dividing their sum by how many there are; questions often add a new item and ask how the average changes.
Profit & Loss	Calculating gain or loss on buying and selling price, and percentages built on them; remember profit/loss percentage is usually calculated on the cost price unless stated otherwise.
Simple & Compound Interest	Interest calculated either on the original principal throughout, or on the principal plus previously earned interest; learn both standard formulas cold, without looking them up.
Time & Work	How long a person or group takes to finish a task, often working together or leaving midway; convert each worker's rate into 'work done per day' before combining them.
Time-Speed-Distance	Problems on trains, boats or people moving at given speeds, asking for the time, speed or distance; keep the units of speed, time and distance consistent before calculating.
Mixtures & Alligation	Finding the ratio in which two or more items of different values or concentrations must be mixed to get a required average; the alligation-cross method makes this quick.
Partnership	Dividing profit or loss among business partners based on how much money they invested and for how long; multiply capital by time invested before comparing shares.
Ages	Questions that build an equation from the relationship between two or more people's present, past or future ages; assume one person's age as a variable and write the rest in terms of it.
Boats & Streams	Speed problems involving a boat moving with or against a river current; remember downstream speed adds the current's speed and upstream speed subtracts it.
Mensuration	Finding the area, perimeter or volume of shapes like squares, circles, cylinders and cones; keep the standard formulas for 2-D and 3-D shapes written down and revise them regularly.
Probability	Finding how likely an event is to happen, expressed as a fraction of favourable outcomes over total outcomes; practise listing outcomes carefully for cards, dice and coins.
Permutation & Combination	Counting the number of ways to arrange (permutation) or select (combination) items from a group; decide first whether order matters before choosing the formula.

3 Reasoning Ability (Prelims & Mains)

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
Puzzles & Seating Arrangement (linear / circular / floor / box-based)	Arranging people or items around a line, circle, floors or boxes based on given clues; draw the arrangement step by step as you read each clue, don't try to hold it all in your head.
Syllogism	Statements are given and you must decide which conclusions logically follow from them; solve using Venn diagrams rather than trying to reason it out in your head.
Blood Relations	Questions about how people in a family are related to each other, based on clues given in words or symbols; draw a family tree as you read each clue.
Direction & Distance	A person or point moves in different directions over given distances, and you must find the final direction or distance from the start; sketch the path on paper rather than tracking it mentally.
Order & Ranking	Clues about people's positions, ranks or scores relative to each other, from which you find someone's exact position; list the clues and arrange them one by one rather than guessing the order.
Coding-Decoding	Letters, numbers or words are converted into a code using a hidden pattern, and you must decode a new word using the same pattern; look at letter positions and number patterns rather than memorising each example.
Inequality	Statements using symbols like greater-than, less-than or equal-to are combined to decide the relationship between two elements; convert coded symbols into their real meaning first, then combine them step by step.
Alphanumeric Series	A mixed sequence of letters, numbers and symbols where you must spot a pattern or answer questions about specific positions; count positions from both the left and right carefully.
Machine Input-Output	A set of words or numbers is rearranged step by step according to a hidden machine rule, and you must find an intermediate or final step; work out the rule from the first step before answering the rest.
Data Sufficiency	A question with two or more statements where you decide whether they give enough information to answer it, without fully solving; here the logic often involves relationships and comparisons rather than arithmetic.
Logical / Critical Reasoning (statement-argument, statement-assumption, cause-effect, course of action)	Judging whether a given argument, assumption, cause or suggested action logically follows from a statement; stick strictly to what the statement says, not what you personally believe is true.
Analogy & Classification	Finding the relationship between a given pair of items to complete a similar pair, or spotting the one item that doesn't belong to a group; identify the exact link between the given pair first, not just a loose similarity.

4 Computer Aptitude (Mains — within the Reasoning & Computer Aptitude section)

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
computer fundamentals	The basic building blocks of a computer system, like what hardware, software and a CPU are; start by clearly understanding the difference between hardware and software before the other topics.
hardware & software	The physical parts of a computer versus the programs that run on it; make a simple list of common examples of each so you can classify any given item quickly.
operating systems	The core software that manages a computer's hardware and runs other programs, like Windows or Linux; know the basic functions an OS performs, such as memory and file management.
MS Office	Common office software like Word, Excel and PowerPoint used for documents, spreadsheets and presentations; practise on the actual software if you can, since questions often ask about specific menus and shortcuts.
internet & networking	How computers connect and communicate with each other, including basic terms like IP address, browser and Wi-Fi; learn what common networking terms actually mean rather than just their full forms.
database basics	How data is stored, organised and retrieved in structured tables, and simple terms like a database, table, record and field; understand the difference between data and a database before memorising terms.
memory & storage	The different places a computer keeps data, like RAM, ROM, hard disks and pen drives, and how they differ in speed and permanence; make a simple table comparing volatile and non-volatile memory.
input / output devices	Hardware used to give data to a computer (keyboard, mouse, scanner) or receive results from it (monitor, printer, speaker); group each device you come across as input or output while revising.
computer abbreviations	Short forms used in computing, like CPU, RAM, URL and HTML; build a running list of new abbreviations as you meet them and revise it regularly instead of learning them all at once.
basic security terms	Common computer-safety words like virus, firewall, password and antivirus, and roughly what each one protects against; learn what problem each term solves, not just its definition.

5 General / Economy / Banking Awareness (Mains)

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
current affairs of roughly the last 6 months (national & international)	Major recent news events in India and abroad; read a daily current-affairs digest and note down names, places and numbers as you go, rather than trying to recall everything from memory later.
Banking & Financial Awareness (RBI & its functions, monetary policy, SEBI / IRDAI, types of accounts & negotiable instruments, NPAs, banking terms & abbreviations)	How the banking and financial system works, its regulators and everyday banking terms; go regulator by regulator (RBI, SEBI, IRDAI) and learn what each one is responsible for.
the Indian Economy & Budget	Broad concepts of how India's economy works and what the Union Budget contains; understand basic economic terms and the broad structure of the Budget rather than trying to memorise figures.
important government schemes	Central government welfare and development schemes and what each one aims to do; make a simple note of each scheme's name and its core purpose in your own words.
static GK	Fixed, non-changing general-knowledge facts like state capitals, national symbols and headquarters of major organisations; these don't change with the news, so a one-time solid revision holds up over time.

6 Descriptive Test (Mains)

What the syllabus lists	What it means and how to prepare
Letter Writing (formal / informal)	Writing a formal or informal letter on a given topic, checked for grammar, coherence, structure and clarity; learn the standard format for each type and practise keeping to the point.
Essay Writing	Writing a structured essay on a given topic, assessed for grammar, coherence, structure and clarity of expression; practise planning your points before you start writing rather than writing as ideas come.

Not covered in this pack — where to find it

Cut-off / qualifying marks	not stated in this pack
Exam date	not stated in this pack
Number of vacancies	not stated in this pack
Age limit	not stated in this pack
Application fee	not stated in this pack
Exact section-wise marks and question count for the Mains objective test	pack says this can change year to year and gives only an indicative split

Free practice — 20 questions

Work out the answer yourself first, then tap “Show answer”. Every answer shows the method, not just the letter.

In the SBI PO Preliminary Examination, how many total questions are there across all three sections (English + Quantitative Aptitude + Reasoning)?
- A 100
- B 90
- C 110
- D 95
Show answer

A — 100

English (30) + Quantitative Aptitude (35) + Reasoning Ability (35) = 100 questions in total, as given in the Prelims pattern.

Exam Pattern
What is the total duration of the SBI PO Preliminary Examination?
- A 1.5 hours (90 minutes)
- B 1 hour (60 minutes)
- C 45 minutes
- D 2 hours
Show answer

B — 1 hour (60 minutes)

The official notification states Prelims is conducted for 100 marks in 1 hour — matching the sum of the three sectional times (20+20+20 = 60 minutes).

Exam Pattern
Which section of the SBI PO Prelims has the fewest number of questions?
- A Quantitative Aptitude
- B Reasoning Ability
- C English Language
- D All three have equal questions
Show answer

C — English Language

English Language has 30 questions, while Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability each have 35 — so English Language has the fewest.

Exam Pattern
How many minutes are allotted to the Quantitative Aptitude section in the SBI PO Prelims?
- A 30 minutes
- B 15 minutes
- C 25 minutes
- D 20 minutes
Show answer

D — 20 minutes

The official notification states the Quantitative Aptitude section (35 questions, 35 marks) has a sectional time of 20 minutes.

Exam Pattern
What is the total marks for the SBI PO Mains Objective Test?
- A 200 marks
- B 150 marks
- C 250 marks
- D 180 marks
Show answer

A — 200 marks

The official notification states Phase II (Mains) has an Objective Test of 200 marks, taking about 3 hours.

Exam Pattern
What is the approximate duration of the SBI PO Mains Objective Test?
- A About 2 hours
- B About 3 hours
- C About 1 hour
- D About 4 hours
Show answer

B — About 3 hours

The official notification states the Mains Objective Test of 200 marks takes about 3 hours.

Exam Pattern
How much is deducted for each wrong answer in the SBI PO objective tests (negative marking)?
- A 1/2 mark
- B 1/3 mark
- C 1/4 mark
- D No negative marking
Show answer

C — 1/4 mark

The official notification states there is negative marking of one-fourth (1/4) mark for each wrong answer in the objective tests.

Exam Pattern
How many marks does Phase III (Psychometric Test, Group Exercises & Interview) carry in SBI PO selection?
- A 40 marks
- B 60 marks
- C 100 marks
- D 50 marks
Show answer

D — 50 marks

The official notification states Phase III — Psychometric Test, Group Exercises & Interview — carries 50 marks.

Exam Pattern
The final merit list for SBI PO is prepared using marks from which phase(s)?
- A Phase II (Mains) and Phase III only
- B Only Phase I (Prelims)
- C All three phases combined
- D Only Phase III (Interview)
Show answer

A — Phase II (Mains) and Phase III only

The official notification states Prelims marks are only for screening and are NOT added to the final merit — the final merit is prepared from Phase II (Mains) and Phase III marks only.

Exam Pattern
What is the total marks on which the SBI PO final merit list is prepared (Mains Objective + Descriptive + Phase III)?
- A 250 marks
- B 300 marks
- C 350 marks
- D 200 marks
Show answer

B — 300 marks

Phase II (Mains) = 200 (Objective) + 50 (Descriptive) = 250 marks. Adding Phase III's 50 marks gives 250 + 50 = 300 marks total for the final merit.

Exam Pattern
In an exam, a candidate scores 60% marks, and this is 24 marks more than the passing marks. The passing marks are 45% of the total marks. What are the total marks of the exam?
- A 150
- B 140
- C 160
- D 180
Show answer

C — 160

Let total marks = T. 60% of T minus 45% of T = 24, so 0.15T = 24, which gives T = 160.

Percentage
Two numbers are in the ratio 3:5. If 10 is added to each number, the new ratio becomes 5:7. What is the smaller of the two original numbers?
- A 10
- B 20
- C 25
- D 15
Show answer

D — 15

Let the numbers be 3x and 5x. (3x+10):(5x+10) = 5:7 gives 21x+70 = 25x+50, so x = 5. The numbers are 15 and 25; the smaller is 15.

Ratio & Proportion
The average of 5 numbers is 42. If one number is removed, the average of the remaining 4 numbers becomes 40. What is the value of the removed number?
- A 50
- B 45
- C 55
- D 40
Show answer

A — 50

Sum of 5 numbers = 5 x 42 = 210. Sum of remaining 4 numbers = 4 x 40 = 160. Removed number = 210 minus 160 = 50.

Average
A shopkeeper buys an article for ₹800 and sells it at a profit of 15%. What is the selling price?
- A ₹900
- B ₹920
- C ₹880
- D ₹850
Show answer

B — ₹920

Selling price = Cost price x (1 + profit%/100) = 800 x 1.15 = ₹920.

Profit & Loss
A can complete a piece of work in 12 days and B can complete the same work in 18 days. Working together, in how many days will they complete the work?
- A 7 days
- B 8 days
- C 7.2 days
- D 6.5 days
Show answer

C — 7.2 days

A's 1-day work = 1/12, B's 1-day work = 1/18. Together = 1/12 + 1/18 = 5/36 per day, so the work takes 36/5 = 7.2 days.

Time & Work
A train 150 metres long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
- A 30 km/h
- B 40 km/h
- C 45 km/h
- D 36 km/h
Show answer

D — 36 km/h

Speed = Distance/Time = 150/15 = 10 m/s. Converting to km/h: 10 x 18/5 = 36 km/h.

Time-Speed-Distance
Find the next number in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?
- A 42
- B 40
- C 36
- D 45
Show answer

A — 42

The differences between consecutive terms are 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 -- each term is n x (n+1): 1x2, 2x3, 3x4, 4x5, 5x6, 6x7 = 42.

Number Series
In a certain code language, CAT is written as DBU. How is DOG written in the same code?
- A EPI
- B EPH
- C FPI
- D DPH
Show answer

B — EPH

Each letter is shifted one place forward in the alphabet (C to D, A to B, T to U). Applying the same rule to D-O-G gives E-P-H.

Coding-Decoding
A man walks 5 km towards north, then turns right and walks 3 km, then turns right again and walks 5 km. How far is he from his starting point?
- A 5 km
- B 8 km
- C 4 km
- D 3 km
Show answer

D — 3 km

The two 5 km legs (north, then south after two right turns) cancel out, leaving only the 3 km eastward leg -- so the man is 3 km from the starting point.

Direction & Distance
Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to 'ABUNDANT'.
- A Scarce
- B Plentiful
- C Limited
- D Meagre
Show answer

B — Plentiful

'Abundant' means existing in large quantities -- 'Plentiful' carries the same meaning, while 'Scarce', 'Limited' and 'Meagre' mean the opposite (in short supply).

Vocabulary

These questions are built from the official pattern and syllabus on this page. Every answer was independently re-solved before it was published.

This exam recruits at these levels: Graduate

Note — Always confirm the syllabus and pattern against that year's official notification — changes are possible.

Start PractisingPlay a free quiz in Meri Taiyari

SBI PO (Probationary Officer) — related updates

Official source: https://sbi.co.in/web/careers/current-openings