SBI PO syllabus

SBI's graduate-level recruitment for Probationary Officers: an online preliminary exam of 100 marks in three separately timed sections, then a main exam, a psychometric test, a group exercise and an interview.

Phase I: Preliminary examination

English Language

40 questions · 20 minutes

Set in English only. Five options, one correct. The acquaint-yourself booklet lists these task types as illustrative, not a fixed syllabus.

  • Grammar and error spotting
  • Sentence completion
  • Synonyms and antonyms
  • Cloze
  • Comprehension of a passage

Quantitative Aptitude

30 questions · 20 minutes

In English and Hindi. Five options, one correct.

  • Computation
  • Quantitative reasoning
  • Interpretation of tables and graphs

Reasoning Ability

30 questions · 20 minutes

In English and Hindi. Five options, one correct. The booklet describes this section as a test of thinking; the task list above is the mix used on this site, not a published syllabus.

  • Puzzles and seating described in words
  • Syllogisms
  • Inequalities
  • Coding
  • Blood relations
  • Series and odd one out
  • Direction sense

Phase II: Main examination

Reasoning and Computer Aptitude

40 questions, 60 marks · 50 minutes

If the 60 marks are shared equally, each question is 1.5 marks and a wrong answer costs 0.375. The notice does not say that the marks are equal inside the section.

  • Reasoning puzzles and analytical questions
  • Computer aptitude

Data Analysis and Interpretation

30 questions, 60 marks · 45 minutes

If the 60 marks are shared equally, each question is 2 marks and a wrong answer costs 0.50.

  • Interpretation of tables, graphs and caselets
  • Data comparison and sufficiency of the kind used in this paper

General Awareness / Economy / Banking Knowledge

60 questions, 60 marks · 45 minutes

If the 60 marks are shared equally, each question is 1 mark and a wrong answer costs 0.25.

  • Banking and financial awareness
  • Economy
  • General awareness

English Language

40 questions, 20 marks · 40 minutes

Set in English only. If the 20 marks are shared equally, each question is 0.5 marks and a wrong answer costs 0.125.

  • Reading comprehension
  • Grammar and vocabulary
  • Verbal ability of a higher level than the preliminary paper

Descriptive paper: Communication skills

3 questions, 30 marks · 30 minutes

Typed on the computer immediately after the objective test. The one-fourth penalty is stated for objective tests only. The notice gives 30 marks for the three questions together and does not split that total.

  • An email, one of two options
  • A situation analysis, one of two options
  • Either a report or a précis, one of two options