SBI PO Exam Pattern
Being among the most awaited jobs, SBI offers great opportunities for career growth and thus, the SBI PO exam 2026 cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, it is advisable to be aware of the SBI PO 2026 exam format and exam pattern of SBI PO to avoid any errors later. The SBI PO exam pattern 2026 consists of three phases:
- Phase 1 - Prelims Exam.
- Phase 2 - Mains Exam.
- Phase 3 - Interview / Group Exercise & Interview.
After all the phases of SBI PO 2026 are completed, the final list of the selected candidates will be released.
SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern
The SBI PO Prelims 2026 will be an online test consisting of three sections - English Language, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude respectively, not in any fixed order. You do not have any option to switch to another section in between unless the time for that section is exhausted.
| SL. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | English Language | 40 | 100 | 20 Minutes |
| 2. | Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 20 Minutes | |
| 3. | Reasoning Ability | 30 | 20 Minutes | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour | |
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SBI PO Mains Exam Pattern
Those who qualify for Prelims will appear in the SBI PO Mains 2026 exam. The SBI PO Mains exam will consist of 4 sections and a Descriptive Test of 30 minutes duration in which English writing skills will be tested.
(i) Objective Test
The Objective Test of SBI PO Mains has multiple choice questions from four sections as mentioned below. Weightage is different for each section in SBI PO Mains. For complete details on the SBI PO Mains exam pattern refer to the table below.
| S.No. | Name of Tests (Objective) | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| 2 | Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| 3 | General Awareness/ Economy/ Banking Awareness | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| 4 | English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 170 | 200 | 3 hours | |
| Descriptive Test (Communication Skills: Emails, Reports, Situation Analysis & Precis Writing) | 3 | 50 | 30 minutes | |
| Grand Total | 250 | |||
(ii) Descriptive Test
The Descriptive Test of the SBI PO Mains 2026 will be held in continuation with the Objective one, though the test will be evaluated only for those who manage to score qualifying marks in the SBI PO objective test.
| Descriptive Test | Marks | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Communication Skills: Emails, Reports, Situation Analysis & Precis Writing) | 50 | 30 Minutes |
SBI PO Group Discussion & Personal Interview
If you are able to qualify for the SBI PO Mains 2026 exam, then you will be called for Phase 3, i.e. Group Discussion (GD) & Personal Interview (PI), in the ratio of 3:1 with respect to the vacancies, where you will have to participate in group exercises and face an interview board. The qualifying marks or cut-off for this round will be decided later and the distribution of marks for both is given below.
| Events | Marks |
|---|---|
| Group Discussion | 20 |
| Personal Interview | 30 |
| Total | 50 |
SBI PO Final Selection
After all the three phases of the SBI PO exam 2026 is complete, a final merit list will be declared depending upon the number of vacancies in SBI PO recruitment 2026. The list of selected candidates will be given, based on their scores in the SBI PO Mains and Interview round.
| Exam Phase | Maximum Marks | Normalized Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Written Test | 250 | 75 |
| G.D & PI | 50 | 25 |
| Total | 300 | 100 |
SBI PO Marking Scheme
SBI PO exam 2026 marking scheme is the same for both Prelims and Mains. In the SBI PO exam for every incorrect answer, 1/4th of the marks will be deducted whereas for every correct answer 1 mark will be allotted. The details for SBI PO 2026 marking scheme is given below.
SBI PO Marking Scheme
| SBI PO Marking Scheme | Considered Marks |
|---|---|
| For correct answers | 1 mark |
| For wrong answers | -0.25 or 1/4th marks |
| For not attempted | 0 (no marks) |
SBI PO Exam Language
SBI PO exam 2026 will be bilingual in nature which means you can attempt the exam in either of the languages i.e. English or Hindi. One thing that should be kept in mind is that the English Language section will be provided in English Language only. The Descriptive test conducted to judge writing skills in the SBI PO Mains exam 2026 is also available in English Language only.
SBI PO Free Mock Tests
Practice forms a major and important part of the preparation for any examination. SBI PO is one of the toughest competitors in India that offer great opportunities to eligible candidates. Thus, apart from learning and practice, testing yourself is also equally important. ixamBee provides 1000+ free mock tests for the SBI PO exam as well as for all the government-related exams where you can practice and prepare well. You just need to visit the website’s free mock test section and you can attempt the SBI PO free mock test 2026 right away.
