SBI PO 2026: Exam Pattern, Dates, Selection Process & Preparation
Last checked: 12 September 2026. SBI PO 2026 is the current Probationary Officer recruitment cycle under Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09. The official recruitment process has moved beyond the Preliminary stage: SBI has published the Preliminary result and the Main Examination call letter. Candidates should rely on the latest SBI Careers notice for any further stage-specific update.
Official recruitment position: 1,500 provisional vacancies (1,446 regular + 54 backlog) were notified. SBI states that vacancies may vary according to the Bank’s actual requirement.
SBI PO 2026 Recruitment Status
| Stage | Latest position |
|---|---|
| Online application | 18 June to 8 July 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Held on 1 and 2 August 2026 |
| Prelims result | Declared; marks information is available on SBI’s careers portal |
| Main Examination | Call letter available; examination scheduled for September 2026 |
| Phase III | Psychometric Test, Group Exercises and Interview; tentative October/November 2026 |
| Final result | Tentatively November/December 2026 |
Check SBI Careers / Current Openings for the live notice and call-letter links.
SBI PO 2026 Exam Pattern
Phase I: Preliminary Examination
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
The Preliminary marks are used for shortlisting candidates for Mains and are not counted in the final merit calculation.
Phase II: Main Examination
| Component | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Descriptive Test | 2 | 50 | 30 minutes |
| Total | 172 | 250 | 3 hours 30 minutes |
The objective sections are followed by the descriptive English test. Negative marking applies to objective questions as specified in the recruitment notice.
Phase III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercises & Interview
The final selection stage includes a psychometric assessment plus Group Exercises and Interview. The Bank’s notified selection methodology uses the Main Examination and Phase III for final merit after normalization/weighting as prescribed in the recruitment notice.
Eligibility Snapshot
- Education: Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government.
- Age: 21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026, with applicable relaxation for reserved categories as per SBI rules.
- Nationality: As specified in the SBI recruitment notification.
What Candidates Should Study for SBI PO Mains
- Data interpretation, arithmetic and advanced quantitative problem solving.
- Critical reasoning, puzzles, seating arrangements and computer aptitude.
- Banking, financial awareness, RBI and monetary-policy developments.
- Current affairs with emphasis on the previous 4–6 months and banking/economy events.
- Descriptive English: essay and formal letter writing.
Preparation Strategy for the Current Stage
- Use the official Main call letter and information handout as the immediate reference.
- Practise full-length Mains sets under section-wise time limits.
- Maintain a banking-current-affairs revision notebook and revise it repeatedly.
- Write at least two descriptive answers per week and improve structure, grammar and concision.
- After every mock, classify errors into concept, calculation, interpretation and time-management categories.
Important SBI PO 2026 Links
Important Note
Exam dates, call-letter availability, vacancies and selection-stage notices can change. For SBI PO 2026, use SBI’s official Careers portal as the final authority and treat third-party schedules as secondary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the SBI PO 2026 Preliminary exam been conducted?
Yes. SBI states that the Preliminary Examination was held on 1 and 2 August 2026, and the Preliminary result has been published.
What is the next major stage?
The Main Examination is the next major stage for candidates shortlisted through Prelims. SBI has made the Main Examination call letter available.
How many SBI PO vacancies were notified?
The notification lists 1,500 provisional vacancies, comprising 1,446 regular and 54 backlog vacancies.