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SBI PO Exam Pattern 2025 - Marking Scheme, Exam Duration & Mode of Exam
Edited By Namritha Bachwal | Updated on Apr 23, 2025 04:10 PM IST | #SBI PO
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2025 - State Bank of India prescribes the SBI PO exam pattern 2025 in the official notification at sbi.co.in. According to SBI PO exam pattern, there will be three phases of recruitment process - Prelims, Mains and Psychometric tests. Aspirants preparing for SBI PO exam must go through the exam pattern in detail before starting their preparation.
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This Story also Contains
- SBI PO exam pattern 2025: Highlights
- SBI PO Marking Scheme 2025
- SBI PO 2025 Syllabus
- SBI PO Best Books 2025
Apart from exam pattern, candidates must also be aware of the SBI PO Syllabus. The SBI PO exam pattern helps aspirants know about the scheme and mode of exam, the structure of SBI PO question paper, and the weightage of topics. SBI PO full form is State bank of India Probationary Officers. The SBI PO recruitment 2025 exam is one of the India's most competitive exams in India as it is based on graduation level. Read this article till the end to know all about the exam pattern of SBI PO 2025.
SBI PO exam pattern 2025: Highlights
The SBI PO exam is conducted in 3 phases - Prelims, Mains and Psychometric tests. The prelims and mains stage is conducted in online (CBT) mode. In order to start the preparation and to crack the exam, aspirants must understand the exam pattern of SBI recruitment 2025, stick to the syllabus and only refer to the selected few books. We have shared all the important information related to the SBI PO exam pattern 2025 here in detail.
Key Highlights of SBI PO Exam Pattern 2025
Exam name | State Bank of India - Probationary Officer (SBI PO) | ||
Official Website | sbi.co.in | ||
Exam Language | English and Hindi (Except for the English test) | ||
Stages of the SBI PO exam | Stage 1: Preliminary | Stage 2: Mains | Stage 3: Group Exercise & Interview |
SBI PO exam Duration | 1 hour | 3 hours 30 minutes | - |
Mode of SBI PO Exam | Online | Online (Objective + Descriptive) | Offline |
SBI PO total marks | 100 | 250 (200+50) | 50(20+30) |
SBI PO negative marking | 1/4th for wrong answers | - | |
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2025 Prelims (Phase I)
Going by the SBI PO 2025 exam pattern, the Phase 1 - preliminary exam consists of 3 sections. The SBI PO total marks allotted for prelims is 100 marks. The prelims test of SBI PO is held in online mode.
Exam pattern of SBI PO 2025 - Prelims
Sections | Number of questions | Duration | Total Marks |
Reasoning Ability | 30 | 20 minutes | 100 marks |
English Language | 40 | 20 minutes | |
Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 20 minutes | |
Total | 100 | 1 hour |
SBI PO exam 2025 Prelims - Important points
- There are 3 sections in SBI PO prelims exam.
- All the sections in the SBI PO exam are - English, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
- In the prelims exam there are a total of 100 objective type questions asked.
- The time duration of the preliminary exam of SBI PO is 01 hour (20 minutes for each section).
- As per the exam pattern of SBI PO prelims, the prelims exam is qualifying in nature and the marks will not be counted while preparing the merit list.
SBI PO exam pattern 2025 - Mains (Phase II)
After the prelims exam, comes the Phase 2 which is the mains exam which consists of an objective type test for 200 marks and a descriptive test of 50 marks. Both the tests as per the SBI PO 2025 exam pattern will be conducted in online mode. The objective test comprises 4 sections with separate time duration for each section. According to exam pattern of SBI PO 2025, the descriptive test is conducted for 30 minutes duration of 50 marks. Candidates will have to write a letter and an essay in English in the descriptive test of SBI PO.
SBI PO exam pattern 2025 - Mains
Online Objective Test | |||
Name of the test | No. of question | Marks | Duration |
Data analysis and interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
Reasoning & Computer aptitude | 40 | 50 | 60 minutes |
English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
Total | 155 | 200 | 3 hours |
Online Descriptive Test | 2 | 50 | 30 minutes |
SBI PO exam 2025 Mains - Important points
- The objective type paper in the mains exam is to be completed in 3 hours for 200 marks.
- The descriptive type paper in the SBI PO exam should be completed in 30 minutes. The descriptive test of 30 minutes with two questions for 50 marks will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay).
- In the objective section, there will be 4 sections English Language, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Economy/ General/Banking Awareness.
- There will be penalty for wrong answer and 0.25 marks will be deducted in SBI PO mains exam.
- No deduction will be made in marks if a question is left unattempt.
SBI PO 2025 Exam Pattern - Interview (Phase III)
Candidates qualifying for the mains exam will have to undergo a group exercise and interview. The group exercise and interview will be conducted for 20 and 30 marks respectively. Marks secured in the preliminary exam will not be added for the preparation of final merit list. The final selection in 2025 SBI PO will be done on the basis of marks obtained by candidates in mains examination and group exercises & interview.
SBI PO 2025 Exam Pattern - Final Selection
Candidates will have to qualify both in Phase-II and Phase-III of SBI PO separately. The marks obtained in SBI PO Main exam (Phase-II), both in the Objective Test and the Descriptive Test, will be added to the marks obtained in Phase-III for preparing the final merit list. Candidates note that the marks obtained in the SBI PO prelims exam (Phase-I) will not be added to preparing the final merit list for selection. The marks obtained by the candidates in mains exam (Phase-II) both Objective & Descriptive Tests) and Phase-III (Group Exercise & Interview) will be normalised to 100 marks.
| Test | Main exam | Group discussion & Interview | Total |
| Maximum marks | 250 | 50 | 300 |
| Minimum marks | 75 | 25 | 100 |
SBI PO Marking Scheme 2025
Marking Scheme of SBI PO Preliminary Exam
As per the exam pattern, aspirants must score equal to or more than the SBI PO 2025 cut off to qualify for the next phase. The preliminary stage consists of questions about English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude. There are 100 questions with 100 marks. One-fourth of marks will be deducted as SBI PO negative marks for wrong answers.
Marking Scheme of SBI PO Mains Exam
The second phase of SBI PO is objective + descriptive level. The objective test consists of four sections of 200 marks according to SBI PO exam pattern 2025. Those who qualify the objective sections will qualify to appear for the descriptive test. The descriptive test evaluates a candidate’s ability in letter writing and essay writing. The total marks for the descriptive section is 50.
How to calculate SBI PO marks?
Calculation of Marks: Total weighted score = Scores obtained in ( Reasoning & computer aptitude+data interpretation+general/ economy/banking awareness + English language)
Group Exercise/Personal Interview Phase: After both the stages successfully aspirants will be called for group discussions and interview. This phase will be evaluated on the basis of group discussion and interview. Group discussion is of 20 marks and interview of 30 marks.
Candidates will be shortlisted finally and called for recruitment in various branches of State Bank of India all over India after qualifying all the stages of the SBI PO exam.
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SBI PO 2025 Syllabus
Along with the exam pattern, aspirants must also know about the syllabus of 2025 SBI PO. The syllabus consists of the topics and sections for both phases of the exam. SBI PO syllabus 2025 contains the topics from where the questions will be asked in the prelims and mains.
SBI PO 2025 Syllabus Prelims
Sections | SBI PO Syllabus (Prelims) |
Reasoning Ability |
|
English Language |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
|
SBI PO 2025 Syllabus Mains
Sections | SBI PO Syllabus (Mains) |
Data analysis and interpretation |
|
Computer aptitude |
|
Reasoning |
|
General/Economy/Banking Awareness |
|
SBI PO Best Books 2025
There are a lot of books available in the market to prepare for the SBI PO 2025 exam. It is mandatory to stick to the best and selected few books. From the following table, we have shared a list of the best books for 2025 SBI PO preparation which can help candidates start their preparation for the exam effectively.
Best Books for SBI PO 2025
Topics | Books | Author |
Quantitative Aptitude | Quantum CAT | Sarvesh Verma |
Quantitative Aptitude | RS Aggarwal | |
Reasoning | Reasoning | MK Pandey |
Verbal- Non Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggrawal | |
English | English | SP Bakshi |
English Language | Wren & Martin | |
General Awareness | Guide to Banking General Awareness | R.Gupta |
Banking Awareness | Arihant Publication | |
Computer | Objective Computer Knowledge & Literacy | Kiran Publication |
Computer Awareness | Arihant Publication | |
Data Analysis and Interpretation | Data interpretation for CAT | Arun Sharma |
CAT Data Interpretation | Nishit Sinha |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is 60% necessary in graduation to become an SBI PO?
No. 60% in graduation is not necessary to become a PO in SBI.
2. Is a B.Tech student eligible for SBI PO exams?
Definitely. B.Tech graduates are eligible to be a PO.
3. What is the selection procedure of 2025 SBI PO?
The recruitment process, as per the exam pattern of SBI PO is three phased, prelims, mains and group exercise and interview.
4. Can a B.Sc graduate apply for SBI PO exams?
B.Sc. graduates are eligible to apply for SBI PO 2025 provided the graduation is done from a recognized university.
5. What are the stages in the SBI PO 2025 exam?
There are three stages in the SBI PO exam 2025 - preliminary, mains and personality test.
6. Is there negative marking in the SBI PO exam?
Yes there is negative marking in the SBI PO exam preliminary as well as mains stage for objective type questions.
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Have a question related to SBI PO ?
If your parents’ income exceeds the OBC NCL limit this year, you should apply under the General category for IBPS PO and SBI PO recruitment. Previous years' applications under OBC NCL do not affect the current year's eligibility if income criteria change.
Sujal Singh 20 May,2025
Hello aspirant ,
I hope you are doing well. As per your mentioned query , practising previous year question papers helps you to find the difficulty level of an exam . You also get to know about the exam pattern , important topics as well. It will boost your preparation.
Here are the links below , you can get previous year question papers for both exam in online mode.
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/ibps-po-question-papers
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/sbi-po-question-papers
Revert for further query!
Good luck !
Sakshi Sharma 06 May,2025
Hi Akarsh,
The eligibility for the SBI PO exam is based on specific age criteria mentioned in the official notification.
SBI PO Age Criteria :
- Minimum Age : 21 years.
- Maximum Age : 30 years.
- Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories as per government norms.
If you're being declared ineligible, it could be due to an incorrect interpretation of the cut-off date. A mismatch in the information you provided during the application.
You can check out the given link to know more.
Best wishes!
gitika yadav 18 January,2025
Hello Saurav,
It is unlikely to create a problem during the document verification (DV) process, as long as the university name on your certificates matches the details provided in your application form. However, since your college (ABC) is affiliated with XYZ University, it's important that the certificates or documents you present clearly show the relationship between the two.
To be on the safe side, you can:
-
Check your documents: Ensure that the university name (XYZ) is correctly mentioned, and that it doesn't cause confusion with your college (ABC).
-
Include the affiliation information : If possible, mention in your application or provide a separate document stating that your college is affiliated with XYZ University.
-
Clarify during DV (Document Verification): If any questions arise, you can clarify this during the document verification by showing the affiliation of your college with the university.
If the documents are genuine and correctly reflect your academic background, this minor discrepancy should not pose a major issue.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
kumardurgesh1802 18 January,2025
Hello aspirant,
To apply for the SBI PO exam, candidates must hold a graduate degree from an accredited institution in any field. Applicants for the SBI PO exam 2025 may potentially be in their final year of education.
According to government regulations, candidates must be between the ages of 21 and 30 to be eligible for the SBI-PO test. Age relaxation is only granted to Reserved categories.
Thank you
Hope it helps you
Sajal Trivedi 12 January,2025
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