SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 - Marking Scheme, Exam Duration & Mode of Exam
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 - The State Bank of India mentions the SBI PO 2021 Exam Pattern in its official notification upon release. The SBI PO exam is one the most competitive exams in India as it is based on 10+2 and graduation level. The exam pattern is mentioned in the SBI PO notification and is released at sbi.co.in. The exam pattern of SBI PO 2021 helps aspirants know about the scheme and mode of exam, structure of SBI PO question paper and weightage of topics. Aspirants preparing for the SBI PO must go through the SBI PO 2021 exam pattern in detail or else their preparations will be incomplete. SBI PO exam is conducted in three phases, prelims mains and interview. Apart from the exam pattern, candidates must also be aware about the syllabus of SBI PO. Read this article till the end to know all about the exam pattern of SBI PO 2021.
Latest: SBI PO 2020 main result is now available.
SBI PO 2021 Exam Pattern: Highlights
As per the exam pattern of SBI PO 2021, the exam is conducted in 3 stages - Prelims, Mains and Interview. The prelims and mains stage is conducted in online mode. In order to start the preparation and to crack the exam, aspirants must understand the exam pattern of SBI PO, 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 2021 here in detail.
Key Highlights of SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021
Exam name | State Bank of India - Probationary Officer (SBI PO) | ||
Commonly known as | SBI PO | ||
Exam Conducting Authority | State Bank of India (SBI) | ||
Official Website | www.sbi.co.in | ||
Age | 21-30 as on April 1, 2021 | ||
Exam Language | English and Hindi (Except the test for English) | ||
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 |
Max. Marks | 100 | 250 (200+50) | 20+30 |
Negative Marks | 1/4th for wrong answers | - | |
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 Prelims
Going by the SBI PO 2020 exam pattern, the preliminary stage consists of 3 sections. The total marks allotted is 100 marks. The prelims test of SBI PO is held in online mode.
SBI PO Exam Pattern Prelims Stage
S No. | Sections | Number of questions | Duration | Total Marks |
1 | Reasoning Ability | 35 | 20 minutes | 100 marks |
2 | English Language | 30 | 20 minutes | |
3 | Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 20 minutes | |
Total | 100 | 1 hour |
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 Mains
After the prelims exam, comes the mains stage 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 2021 exam pattern are conducted in online mode. The objective test comprises 4 sections with separate time duration for each section. According to SBI PO 2021 exam pattern 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 Mains Stage
Online Objective Test | |||
Name of the test | No. of question | Marks | Duration |
Data analysis and interpretation | 35 | 60 | 45 minutes |
Reasoning & Computer aptitude | 45 | 60 | 60 minutes |
English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 minutes |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
Total | 155 | 200 | 3 hours |
Online Descriptive Test | 2 | 50 | 30 minutes |
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 Interview Stage
Candidates qualifying the mains exam will have to appear for the undergo group exercise and interview. The group exercise and interview is conducted for 20 and 30 marks respectively. Marks secured in preliminary exam will not be added for preparation of final merit list. The final selection in SBI PO is done on the basis of marks obtained by candidates in mains examination and group exercises & interview.
SBI PO Marking Scheme 2021
Marking Scheme of SBI PO Preliminary Exam
As per the SBI PO 2021 exam pattern, aspirants must score equal to or more than the SBI PO cut off marks to qualify for the next stage. The preliminary stage consists of questions from English Language, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude. There are 100 questions of 100 marks. One-fourth marks will be deducted as negative marks for wrong answers.
Marking Scheme of SBI PO Mains Exam
The second stage of SBI PO is objective + descriptive level. The objective test consists of four sections of 200 marks according to SBI PO exam pattern 2021. 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 will be 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.
SBI PO 2021 Syllabus
Along with the exam pattern, aspirants must also know about the syllabus of SBI PO. The syllabus consists of the topics and section for both the phases of the exam. SBI PO syllabus 2021 contains the topics from where the questions will be asked in the prelims and mains.
SBI PO 2021 Syllabus Prelims
Sections | SBI PO Syllabus (Prelims) |
Reasoning Ability |
|
English Language |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
|
SBI PO 2021 Syllabus Mains
Sections | SBI PO Syllabus (Mains) |
Data analysis and interpretation |
|
Computer aptitude |
|
Reasoning |
|
General/Economy/Banking Awareness |
|
SBI PO Best Books 2021
There are a lot of books available in the market to prepare for the SBI PO 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 SBI PO preparation which can help candidates start their preparation for SBI PO 2020 effectively.
Best Books for SBI PO 2021
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 |
SBI PO 2021 Preparation Tips
Candidates must stick to the exam pattern of SBI PO 2021 and the syllabus.
They must start their preparations at least 8-10 months in advance.
Identify their weak and strong points and start the preparations based on that.
Aspirants must solve the SBI PO previous year question papers for both prelims and mains to get an idea about the difficulty level of exam, nature of questions asked and weightage of topics from each subject. This practice will help in forming a solid approach and crack the SBI PO exam.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) - SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021 - Marking Scheme, Exam Duration & Mode of Exam
Question: Is 60% necessary in graduation to become an SBI PO?
Answer:
No. 60% in graduation is not necessary to become a PO in SBI.
Question: Is a B.Tech student eligible for SBI PO exams?
Answer:
Definitely. B.Tech graduates are eligible to be a PO.
Question: What is the selection procedure of SBI PO?
Answer:
The recruitment process, as per the exam pattern of SBI PO is three phased, prelims, mains and group exercise and interview.
Question: Can a B.Sc graduate apply for SBI PO exams?
Answer:
B.Sc. graduates are eligible to apply for SBI PO provided the graduation is done from a recognised university.
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Questions related to SBI PO
I have done results below 50% in secondary and higher secondary But there are 70% marks in graduation Will it have any effect on SBI PO SELECTION?
Hello,
The eligibility criteria to be eligible to appear for SBI PO is that a candidate must have passed bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised board. There is no minimum percentage of marks to be scored. Candidates who are in the final year of the qualifying exam are also eligible but the results must be declared on or before the cut off date specified. The selection of candidates is done in 3 stages.
- Stage 1: Preliminary Exam
- Stage 2: Main Exam
- Stage 3: Group Discussion and Interview
The final selection is based on combined marks scored in Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the selection. Stage 1 is just a qualifying exam. The marks scored in the qualifying examination that is graduation will not be given any weightage in any stage of the selection. So the merit is purely based in stage 2 and Stage 3 marks
Answer laterbooks or sites for qualifying sbi po 2021
Hello,
Below I have mentioned some of the best books for SBI PO preparation:
- Comprehensive Guide to SBI Bank PO Preliminary & Mains Exam (8th Edition): Disha Experts
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations: R.S. Aggarwal
- A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning: R.S. Aggarwal
- Word Power Made Easy: Norman Lewis
- Analytical Reasoning: MK Pandey
- Banking Awareness: RPH Editorial Board
- Objective Question Bank of Computer Awareness for General Competitions: Arihant
- English: High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
Good Luck
I have done B.Sc in hotel management so, can i seat for bank exams like SBI PO, SBI clerk, IBPS PO, IBPS clerk, RRB, etc.
Hello Aspirant,
Yes, you can. As far as bank exams(Probationary and Clerk posts) are concerned , any candidate in age group of 20-30 can sit for the exam if he/she has a valid undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Based on your category reservation ,you will get age relaxation too which you can check in detail in the exam's eligibility section. Coming to RRB ,the following are the exams:
RRB Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) Exam
Under Non-Technical Popular Categories, there are many posts like:
Commercial Apprentice
Station Master
Goods Guard an dmany more.
Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist .
Senior Clerk Cum Typist Deg
RRB Junior Engineer (JE) Exam
RRB Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) Exam
RRB Group D Exam/RRC Level 1 exam
So in railways , you can apply for non technical posts which require either graduation or 12th qualification. Technical posts will require technical degrees such as engineering as qualification ,so you may not be eligible for that. The average age limit for the various exams is at 18 minimum and about 32-33 years at maximum. Similar to bank exams , the age relaxation is provided to some reserved categories. Therefore , kindly go through the complete eligibility criteria for all posts to find out which is apt for your level of qualification.
All the best
Does ibps po/ sbi po and mens objective and descriptive exam happen in 1 day?
Hello Aspirant,
Both IBPS PO and SBI PO exams will have a descriptive section along with the objective section. The descriptive test will begin immediately after the objective section so yes it will happen on the same day ie., on the mains exam day. The descriptive section will have both essay writing and letter writing questions for which you will be given 30 minutes to complete . The total marks for this section in IBPS PO is 25 and in SBI PO it will be 50. Both the questions will be usually based on current affairs, government schemes and policies, latest news, ethical subjects and more.
All the best
What are the questions asked in computer aptitude in sbi PO? Do they really ask about the basic computer definitions or it is just the aptitude and reasoning questions?
Hello Aspirant,
The SBI PO Reasoning and Computer Aptitude section in the Main Exam, consists a total of 45 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. Below are the different categories from which Reasoning and Computer Aptitude questions are asked:
Reasoning Ability
Puzzles
Seating Arrangements
Direction Sense
Blood Relation
Syllogism
Order and Ranking
Alpha-Numeric-Symbol Series
Coding-Decoding
Machine Input-Output
Inequalities
Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning
Computer Aptitude
History and Generation of Computers
Introduction to Computer Organisation
Computer Memory
Computer Hardware and I/O Devices
Computer Software
Computer Languages
Operating System
Computer Network
Internet
Number System and Conversions
MS Office and Short cut keys
Basics of DBMS
Computer and Network Security
Just practice previous year papers to know the type and pattern of questions.
All the best
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