SBI PO 2019

The State Bank of India or SBI is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services company. SBI conducts exam every year to recruit eligible candidates for various posts like Probationary Officer (PO), Junior Associate (Clerical) and Specialist post (SO) along with various other posts. SBI PO is one such post which is released by the State Bank of India every year to recruit interested candidates. It is considered as one of the best jobs in the banking industry. Before starting the application process, you should know the highlights of the examination

SBI is one of the largest banking organizations in the country which also has its branches extended overseas. It is a government-owned corporation which is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. SBI releases an official notification almost every year where it announces vacancies for the post of PO (Probationary Officer). The official notification of SBI PO consists of all the details regarding the eligibility and the application process. The candidates need to confirm the eligibility criteria specified in the notification to avoid cancellation of their candidature in future.

Being among the most awaited jobs, SBI offers great opportunities for career growth and thus the examination for SBI PO cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, it is advisable to be aware of the exam format and pattern to avoid any errors later. The pattern of SBI PO is similar to last year. SBI PO exam is conducted in three phases:

• Phase I - Prelims or Preliminary Examination
• Phase II - Mains Examination
• Phase III - GD & Interview

After all the phases are completed, the final list of the selected candidates is released which are supposed to be given their respective postings.

SBI PO 2019 Phase I- Prelims Exam Pattern

The Preliminary exam of SBI PO will be an online test consisting of three sections of English Language, Reasoning Ability and Numerical Ability respectively, not in any fixed order. All the three sections are allotted separate sectional timings of 20 minutes each, which makes the total timing to be of 1 hour with a total of 100 marks

• There is a provision of negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer. It means that for one incorrect answer, one fourth of the marks allotted to that question will be deducted.
• There is no sectional cut - off in the prelims. Overall score of the candidate of all the three sections will be considered for selection.

SBI PO 2019 Phase – II: Mains Exam Pattern

Once the Prelims examination is over, the candidates who are able to qualify it are supposed to appear in the Mains examination. The SBI PO Mains Exam will consist of 4 sections: English Language, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude and General / Economy / Banking Awareness respectively. Apart from this objective test, the SBI PO Mains Examination also consists of a ‘Descriptive Test’ of 30 minutes duration which tests the English writing skills of the candidate. Thus, the total time duration of the examination will be 3 hours 30 minutes..

(i) Objective Test

The Objective Test of SBI PO mains examination consists of four sections namely: English Language, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude and General / Economy / Banking Awareness. Weightage is different for each section. For example, the Reasoning section consists of 60 marks and the number of questions that will be asked is 45. Likewise, for Data Analysis & Interpretation section a total of 35 questions will be asked and 60 minutes will be allotted. For complete details on the examination pattern for the SBI PO mains examination please refer to the table below:

(ii) Descriptive Test

The Descriptive Test of the SBI PO Mains Exam will be held in continuation with the Objective one and all the candidates are supposed to appear for this exam, though the test will be evaluated only for those who manage to score qualifying marks in the objective test.

• There will be similar kind of negative marking in the Mains Examination, where 0.25 or 1/4th marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.
• There will not be any sectional cut-off in the Mains Exam too.

SBI PO 2019 PHASE – III: GROUP DISCUSSION & PERSONAL INTERVIEW

The candidates who are able to qualify the SBI PO Mains Examination will be called for the Phase III, i.e. Group Discussion (GD) & Personal Interview (PI),in the ratio of 3:1 with respect to the vacancies, where they will have to participate in group exercises and face an interview board where they can be asked questions from any subject/area. The qualifying marks or cut-off for this round will be later decided and announced by the bank and the distribution of marks for both the activities is given below:

SBI PO 2019 Final Selection

After all the three phases of SBI PO Examination will be finished, a final merit list will be declared wherein the list of selected candidates will be given, based on their scores in the Mains and Interview round. A final cut-off will be declared depending on the candidates’ obtained scores and the vacancies available and those who are able to clear the final cut-off range will finally be appointed to the post.

SBI PO exam is bilingual in nature which means a candidate can attempt the exam in either of the languages i.e. English or Hindi. One thing should be kept in mind that the English Language section will be provided in English language only. The Descriptive test in which the candidate’s writing skills is judged in Mains examination will also be available in English language only.

SBI PO exam marking scheme is the same for both Prelims and Mains. For SBI PO Prelims exam for every incorrect answer, 1/4th of the marks will be deducted whereas for every correct answer 1 mark will be allotted. For SBI PO Mains examination there will be similar kind of negative marking i.e. 0.25 or 1/4th marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.

The SBI PO exam tests the candidates on the basis of various subjects depending upon the phases, i.e Prelims & Mains. It is advisable to get hold of the complete syllabus of all the subjects, so that you do not miss out on any important part and fall short of anything in your preparation phase.

SBI PO 2019 PRELIMINARY EXAM SYLLABUS

SBI PO Preliminary (Prelims) phase will be consisting of three tests - English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability, which have different chapters from which questions are asked with varying difficulty levels. By knowing the complete syllabus, you can prepare well and ensure your success in the first stage and reach to the next. The detailed syllabus for SBI PO Prelims phase is as follows:

SBI PO 2019 MAINS EXAMINATION SYLLABUS

SBI PO Mains Examination consists of five tests, unlike the Prelims where there are only three. As it is the next phase, therefore, it is important to understand that the level of the examination will be higher than the previous phase. Thus, the number of sections are also more than the Prelims phase. Here, your General Awareness will also be tested along with your computer knowledge. Having information on all the subjects and respective topics will help in forming a fair preparation plan. The syllabus for SBI PO Mains is as follows:

In order to ensure a successful application, it is extremely necessary to check the complete eligibility criteria and then continue filling the application. SBI specifies certain eligibility criteria which needs to be fulfilled by the candidate if he/she wishes to apply for the SBI PO exam such as Educational Qualification, Nationality and Age Limit criteria. More details on this is specified below.

Educational Criteria

All the candidates need to confirm the specified eligibility criteria to ensure their candidature for the SBI PO Exam. A candidate needs to have a certain educational qualification in order to be eligible to fill in the application form for SBI PO. To be able to apply for the exam a candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university. For complete details on the educational qualifications please refer to the table below:

Age Criteria

One of the most worrisome things for a candidate who wishes to apply for any exam is whether he/she is eligible for the exam or not. Age limit criteria is one thing that needs to be taken care of in order to apply for the exam. For SBI PO exam a candidate needs to be in between minimum age of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years of age. Any candidate out of this range is not eligible to apply for the SBI PO exam.

Age Relaxation

SBI provides a certain relaxation in age according to the various categories of applicants. The purpose behind providing an age relaxation to certain categories of applicants is probably to support them and not deprive them of the job facilities. There is an upper age relaxation of 5 years given for the candidates belong to SC/ST category whereas a candidate who belongs to OBC category enjoys an upper age relaxation of 3 years. For more details please refer to the table below:

Reservation For Persons With Disability (PWD):

A reservation has been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities of about 4%, as per Section 34 of the “Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016”. The categories that are covered under the PWD category are as follows:

• Locomotor Disabilities
• Visual Impairment
• Hearing Impaired
• d&e

Category Codes

• The official notification for SBI PO specifies that any change in the category will not be entertained later on. Thus, it is advised to fill in your category carefully at the start of the application. Candidates who belong to the OBC category but come in the creamy layer, are not entitled to OBC reservation or age relaxation. They are supposed to indicate their category as ‘GEN’ / ‘GEN’ (LD) / ‘GEN’ (VI) / ‘GEN’ (HI) / ‘GEN’ (d&e) - as applicable.
• The benefits provided under EWS category can be availed only if the ‘Income and Asset Certificate’ is produced.

Number of Chances

The number of chances made by an applicant will be counted after the year 2010. If you have appeared in Prelims and have not been able to qualify it, that will not be counted as an attempt.

One of the reasons why SBI PO is preferred by most of the students who all are preparing for the government exams and wish to enter into the banking sector is because it is one of the largest public sector banks of our country and it will be a boost for any candidate’s career to associate with such brand name. The job of an SBI PO (Probationary Officer) is quite an attractive job and rewarding as well. An SBI PO is entitled to receive many benefits in his/her career and receives a starting salary of around Rs 27,620/- (with four advance increments).

To start your preparation, it is necessary that you should have an idea about the number of vacancies that have been released so that you are aware of what you can expect in the examination as far as the level is concerned. The lower number of vacancies is directly proportional to the higher level of the paper and vice-versa. To give an idea on vacancies we have provided below the table which depicts the vacancies for the year 2019.

Once the official notification gets released, you will be required to start your application process and start filling the application form. It is advised to the candidate to have a look at the SBI PO official notification thoroughly in order to avoid any kind of misinformation. It should also be noted that a candidate should fill out the application form very carefully because any mistake in the application form can lead to the disqualification from the exam. The application process has been simplified in a few steps:

• Go to the official website of SBI: www.sbi.co.in and click on the ‘CLICK HERE FOR NEW REGISTRATION’ tab provided on the top right corner of the page.
• You will be redirected to the first page of the application form where you will be required to fill in all the basic details and click on Save & Next button to move forward.
• You will now be redirected to the second page of the form where you will be asked to upload your scanned passport size photograph and signature based on the specification mentioned therein and click on the next button.
• After you move on to the next page, you will have to fill in your personal details including your educational qualifications,.
• The next step would be filling the exam centres preference list. You will be required to fill in 4 centres. Click on 'Save & Next'.
• After you are finished with entering the details, the preview of your form will be shown, so that if you find any error, you may edit and correct it. Once the application is submitted, you will not be able to edit it.
• At the end, you will have to choose a preferable online payment method to submit the application fee for SBI PO. You can pay the fees through credit card / debit card / net banking etc.
• Click on the 'Submit' button to complete the application

Once the application form is submitted it is now required a candidate to fill the application fee for the same. The payment of the application fee can be done through online mode only. No offline payment facility will be provided. For General and OBC candidates a total fee of Rupees 750 will be charged (inclusive of intimation fee) whereas candidates belong to SC/ST/PWD will be required to pay the intimation fee-only i.e. Rupees 125. For complete details on the application fee, the table is given below:

SBI will be allocating the exam centres to all the SBI PO applicants according to their selected choice of the state/city. No request pertaining to change the exam Centre will be entertained by SBI, though SBI itself reserves the right to make any change in the list of exam centres. Exam centres for both Prelims and Mains will be asked at the time of filling out the application form. Exam centres for both Prelims and Mains will be asked separately to the candidate. No change of the examination Centre shall be entertained once the application form is submitted.

SBI will be releasing the admit cards for the SBI PO Prelims Examination soon after the application process will be completed. The SBI PO prelims admit card notification will be updated on the official website of the State Bank of India. Candidates are advised to keep visiting the official website in order to keep oneself updated about the admit card. The admit cards for SBI PO Mains Examination will be released a few days after the Prelims exam, as there will not be a long gap between SBI PO Pre and Mains Examinations.

SBI PO notification is expected to be released soon in the coming months, where all the exam related information will be given. The official notification of SBI PO exam contains exam syllabus, Eligibility Criteria and Exam Dates. The Exam dates include the opening date of the application form, closure date of the application form and Date SBI PO Preliminary examination along with other important exam dates. The SBI PO exam dates will be updated here once the official notification gets released.

Being well prepared for any examination means being well-informed about it. Collecting all information related to the examination includes not only the syllabus and exam pattern, but knowing the previous year cut-off can also prove very helpful and beneficial in the preparation. Below are the previous year cut-offs given for SBI PO 2017, 2018 and 2019 examination.

SBI PO Cut Off 2018 for Prelims

Following is the cut off for SBI PO 2019 Prelims candidates can have a look at the table can evaluate the difficulty level of the exam.

SBI PO Mains Cut-Off 2018

The previous year cutoff for SBI PO 2018 Prelims is given in the table below:

Category wise SBI PO cutoff for the GD and Interview Rounds of SBI PO 2018 Exam (Out of 50 Marks)

The table given below shows Category wise SBI PO cutoff for the GD and Interview

Overall Cut Off for SBI PO 2018

The table given below shows the overall cut-off for SBI PO Mains 2018 Exam.

SBI PO Cut Off 2017 for Prelims

SBI PO cut-off for 2017 Prelims is given below:

Sectional Cut Off for SBI PO Prelims 2017

The previous year cut-off for the individual sections for the SBI PO Prelims 2017 is given in the table below:

SBI PO Cut Off 2017 for Mains

Sectional Cut Off for SBI PO Mains 2017

The tables given below indicate the previous year cut-offs for the year 2017 for SBI PO Mains Examination.

Overall Cut Off for SBI PO 2017 Mains

The table given below shows the overall cut-off for SBI PO Mains 2017 Exam.

To know about Last five years cut off please click here

SBI offers excellent career opportunities, being one of the top banking organizations in India. Starting off as an SBI PO (Scale I) gives you a good chance to enter the organization and further grow in your career path and quickly move to further scales, as SBI offers great promotion policies where you can move forward in your career at an exceptional pace. Below is the list of various job positions according to the organization hierarchy:

SBI PO is one of the most sought-after jobs in the banking industry and thus requires a well-planned preparation strategy where you focus on your strengths and weaknesses equally. You need to design a full-fledged plan well before time so that you do not happen to rush off with the syllabus at the last minute. SBI is expected to release the notification soon and it is better to make a plan right away and not wait for the actual notification to get released to avoid the last-minute rush.

• It will be better to divide your syllabus and make a plan accordingly.
• Once you divide the syllabus - the chapters and topics - you need to set a timeline for the same.
• Keep enough time for ‘revision’.
• Make sure that you include enough practice in the preparation plan, which will help in assessing your knowledge from time to time.

We have a large number of online platforms available for exams related preparation and all information. Therefore you just need to click on a link and you will be directed through the vast storage of information available online. Blogs are also one of the ways of receiving good information and knowledge. ixamBee also provides the following blogs related to SBI PO Examination:

SBI PO Recruitment 2019: Exam Notification and All Details

IBPS PO or SBI PO: Which One is Better?

Banking Awareness: Importance of Banking Awareness in Bank PO Exams

Best Online Test Series for BANK PO Exams; Choose Wisely

Preparing for Bank PO Exams? Here’s What You Ought to Know!

English Preparation Tips for Bank Exams- Part 2

Normalisation of Score in Banking Exams

How to Ace a Bank Interview in Style

Good study material is one of the main prerequisites that are essential to ensure success in any examination. Be it online (E-books) or offline, books help immensely in building the basics of any subject. A good book can make or break the preparation, therefore, it is very important to choose books that prove helpful in the examination. We have listed down some good books that may help in your SBI PO Exam preparation.

ixamBee provides a detailed SBI PO Online Course which enables the students to cover each and every topic that is given in the exam syllabus. It is extremely important to work at your best in order to ensure success in the SBI PO Exam. Thus, the SBI PO Online course has been formulated by experienced educators - Ms.Arunima Sinha (Coach for Banking exams for 6 years, Ex-Manager SIDBI, Ex-Bank PO), Mr. Chandraprakash Joshi (ex-RBI GR B, MBA-Finance, PhD) and Mr. Karan Sardana (Coach for Bank, SSC, Insurance, Police MAT, CLAT Exams for 10 years). They have tried to incorporate all necessary information which is precise and all that is required for your preparation.

To know in detail about SBI PO Online course, Please click here

Practice forms a major and important part of the preparation of any examination. SBI PO is one of the toughest competitions in India that offer great opportunities to eligible candidates. Thus, apart from learning, practice and testing, yourself is also equally important. Thus, ixamBee is providing 700+ free mock tests for all the government-related exam where you can practice and prepare well. You just need to visit the website’s Free Mock Test section and you can attempt the mock test for SBI PO exam right away.

Before starting off your preparation for the SBI PO , it is advisable to study the exam analysis for the previous examinations that will give better clarity in setting your goals, depending on the exam level and the type of questions that you can expect and you need to prepare for.

Pre-exam training

SBI also provides facility of Pre-exam training to certain category of candidates, to ensure that they are not deprived of the necessary information required to qualify the examination.

Please find below an indicative list of training centres:(Pre Exam Traning )