A good fit if you...
- Want an officer career in India's largest bank.
- Are a strong all-rounder in reasoning, data analysis and English.
- Are ready for postings across India.
Banking · Officer Entry
SBI PO — Probationary Officer at State Bank of India
State Bank of India – Probationary Officer (SBI PO) is the officer recruitment of India's largest bank. It is considered one of the most rewarding banking exams for graduates because of SBI's pay, scale and promotion opportunities.
QualificationGraduation (any stream)
Age Limit21–30 years
Starting Basic₹48,480 + 4 increments
StagesPrelims → Mains → Phase III
Overview
What is SBI PO?
The SBI conducts its own PO exam every year, separate from Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). Selected candidates join as Probationary Officers in JMGS-I and go through a two-year probation with structured training.
Phase III includes a psychometric test, group exercise and interview. SBI has also set attempt limits in its notifications.
Probationary OfficerJMGS-IPsychometric TestGroup ExerciseInterview
Fit check
Who should choose SBI PO
Think twice if you...
- Want a low-target job without customer pressure.
- Are not open to transfers and rural postings.
- Have already used up the attempt limit for your category.
What gives you an edge
Any graduation
Bachelor of Arts (BA), BCom, BSc, BTech, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and others are all eligible.
Commerce & Economics
Helps with banking awareness, economy and financial topics.
Maths comfort
Quantitative aptitude and data interpretation carry heavy weight.
Step-by-step plan for your background
Arts / Humanities
If you're from Arts
- Start quant with simplification, number series and approximation, then move to data interpretation.
- Your reading strength helps in English — practise reading comprehension and essay/letter writing.
- Follow banking and economy news daily; keep a glossary of banking terms.
Commerce
If you're from Commerce
- Banking and financial awareness overlaps with your syllabus — revise Reserve Bank of India (RBI) functions, monetary policy and banking terms.
- Strengthen data interpretation and puzzles with daily timed sets.
- Use your economics knowledge for descriptive writing and the interview.
Science
If you're from Science
- Quant and DI are your strengths — aim for accuracy at speed.
- Puzzles and seating arrangements need daily practice regardless of background.
- Build banking awareness from scratch with monthly current-affairs compilations and RBI updates.
Eligibility
SBI PO eligibility criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian citizen |
| Qualification | Graduation in any discipline; final-year students can apply provisionally |
| Age limit | 21–30 years |
| Attempt limit | General/EWS: 4 · Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) (General/EWS/OBC): 7 · SC/ST: no limit (as per recent notifications) |
Upper age relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| PwBD (UR / OBC / SC-ST) | 10 / 13 / 15 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As per government rules (military service deducted from age, plus 3 years) |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | No age relaxation |
Step-by-step
SBI PO selection process
Stage 1
Apply online
Through the SBI careers website.
Stage 2
Prelims
Qualifying, with sectional timing.
Stage 3
Mains
Objective test plus descriptive English.
Stage 4
Phase III
Psychometric test, group exercise and interview.
Stage 5
Final merit
Mains and Phase III marks combined (75 : 25 after scaling).
Marks & timing
SBI PO exam pattern
Stage 1
Prelims
Questions100Marks100Duration60 minutes
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative / Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Stage 2
Mains
Questions155Marks200Duration3 hours
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 50 | 50 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Total (objective) | 155 | 200 | 3 hours |
| Descriptive English (letter + essay) | 2 | 50 | 30 minutes |
Section sizes can change between cycles — confirm in the current SBI notification.
Stage 3
Phase III
| Component | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychometric test | — | Not scored separately | — |
| Group exercise | — | 20 | — |
| Interview | — | 30 | — |
Key rules at a glance
Negative marking
0.25 of the marks of a question per wrong answer in objective tests.
Sectional timing
Fixed time for each section.
Final merit
Mains (out of 250, scaled to 75) + Phase III (out of 50, scaled to 25).
Attempts
Limited by category — see eligibility.
What to study
SBI PO syllabus
Reasoning
PuzzlesSeating arrangementSyllogismInequalityBlood relationsDirection senseCoding-decodingInput-outputData sufficiency
Quantitative Aptitude
SimplificationNumber seriesQuadratic equationsData interpretationPercentageRatioProfit and lossInterestTime and workMensurationProbability
English
Reading comprehensionCloze testError detectionPara jumblesFillersVocabulary
General / Banking Awareness
Current affairsBanking termsRBI policiesFinancial awarenessStatic GKGovernment schemes
Computer Aptitude
Computer fundamentalsMS OfficeInternetNetworking and cyber security basics
Pay, perks & work
SBI PO salary, designation & job profile
Basic pay₹48,480 + 4 advance increments
JMGS-I scale; SBI gives four advance increments to POs.
Indicative CTCAbout ₹18 – 20 lakh per year
SBI notifications quote CTC at metro centres including perks; actual in-hand is lower.
PerksLeased housing, medical, LFC
Plus concessional loans, performance-linked incentives and pension (NPS).
Job role & responsibilities
Branch management
Supervise branch operations and staff.
Credit
Appraise and monitor loans.
Customer relationships
Handle high-value customers and business development.
Compliance & audit
Ensure regulatory compliance and risk control.
Career ladder
1Entry
Probationary Officer → Assistant Manager
After completing probation.
2Step 2
Deputy Manager → Manager
Middle management scales.
3Step 3
Chief Manager → AGM
Senior management.
4Step 4
DGM and top management
Through selection and performance.
Preparation strategy
How to prepare for SBI PO
A practical, phase-by-phase plan. Adjust the timeline to when the next notification is expected.
1Weeks 1–2
Baseline
- Read the notification and syllabus.
- Attempt one Prelims mock to measure your level.
2Months 1–2
Prelims foundation
- Daily: 20 puzzles/arrangements, 30 quant questions, 1 reading comprehension.
- Learn shortcuts for simplification and number series.
3Months 2–3
Mains depth
- High-level puzzles, caselet DI and data sufficiency.
- Banking, economy and financial awareness notes.
- Weekly essay and letter writing.
4Final 6 weeks
Mocks and interview
- Prelims and Mains mocks on alternate days with analysis.
- For PO-level exams, prepare your introduction, banking basics and current issues for the interview.
Trusted resources
Where to study from
- Official notification on the recruiting body's website (ibps.in, sbi.co.in, rbi.org.in, licindia.in)
- RBI website and press releases for banking awareness
- PIB (pib.gov.in) and a daily newspaper for current affairs
- Memory-based previous papers for recent pattern trends
- A bank-exam mock test series with sectional timing
Keep exploring
Related government exams
Student doubts
Frequently asked questions
Recent notifications allow 4 attempts for General/EWS, 7 for OBC and PwBD (General/EWS/OBC), and no limit for SC/ST. Check the current notification.
Yes. After graduation in any discipline you are eligible.
No. Many candidates prepare with self-study and mock test series.
An assessment of personality traits relevant to banking roles. It is used alongside the group exercise and interview.
SBI notifications have required a service bond in recent years. Read the bond clause in the current notification.
No physical test. Only medical fitness at joining.
SBI branches and offices anywhere in India, including rural branches.
PO → Deputy Manager → Manager → Chief Manager → AGM → DGM and above.
*Eligibility, age limits, exam pattern and pay figures are based on recent official notifications and the 7th Central Pay Commission structure as of 2026. In-hand salary estimates are indicative and vary with city (HRA) and the current Dearness Allowance rate. Every recruitment cycle can change the details — always confirm in the latest official notification before applying.
Official source: State Bank of India — Careers (sbi.co.in/web/careers)