SBI PO 2026-27 pattern at a glance
Prelims has 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes: 30 questions each in Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability, and 40 in English Language. Each section has a 20-minute clock. Mains Objective has 170 questions for 200 marks in 180 minutes: Reasoning and Computer Aptitude 40/60, Data Analysis and Interpretation 30/60, General Awareness/Economy/Banking 60/60, and English Language 40/20.
Communication Skills has three tasks for 30 marks in 30 minutes. The notification names formats such as Email, Situation Analysis, Report or Precis. One-fourth negative marking applies as stated in the examination rules.
Why the clocks change the paper
Equal sectional time does not mean equal workload. A reading question may be resolved quickly; a puzzle or DI set may first need a representation. A candidate cannot carry spare minutes from English into Quant. The practical skill is to identify a reliable entry, take the mark and leave an expensive question before it absorbs the section.
Negative marking makes restraint part of the pattern. If the first step is unclear and the verification cost is high, a skip can be a better decision than a guess. Review attempts together with accuracy and time consumed; an attempt count by itself hides poor selection.
Mains needs a different allocation
Mains has unequal marks and unequal question counts. Reasoning and DI each carry 60 marks, but their set construction can take very different time. GA offers many independent retrieval opportunities when revision is strong. English has 40 questions for 20 marks, so speed and precision need to be balanced differently.
There is no universal seconds-per-question formula. Start with the official section limits, then use practice to learn which question families you can solve reliably and which sets should be left.
Communication Skills
Communication tasks reward a direct response to the situation. Identify the audience, purpose and facts before writing. An email needs a clear subject and useful order; a report needs organised findings; a precis needs compression; a situation analysis needs relevant judgement. Leave time to check omissions and unnecessary words. Do not rely on one template for every task.
The pattern is useful only when it changes practice. Record why you entered a question, why you left another, and whether the final decision was accurate. That record turns a table of marks and minutes into an improvement plan.