What is SBI PO?
The State Bank of India recruits Probationary Officers for an officer-track role across its branch and administrative network. The job combines customer and branch operations, credit and compliance exposure, supervision and later managerial responsibility. Selected candidates may be posted anywhere in India.
Current 2026-27 recruitment
Advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 announced 1,500 vacancies. Registration ran from 18 June to 8 July 2026. SBI described the preliminary examination as tentative for August 2026, the main examination for September 2026, and Phase III for October/November 2026; these periods are not exact exam dates.
Eligibility and age
Graduation in any discipline must be completed by 30 September 2026. Final-year/semester candidates may apply provisionally only if they can produce proof by that date.
Age: 21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026.
Upper-age relaxation: SC/ST 5 years; OBC (non-creamy layer) 3 years; PwBD 10 years (General/EWS), 13 years (OBC), or 15 years (SC/ST); eligible ex-servicemen 5 years.
Selection process
Selection has three phases: preliminary examination; main examination; and Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview. Preliminary marks are only for shortlisting. Main marks are normalized to 75 and Group Exercise plus Interview marks to 25 for final merit.
Preliminary examination pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Main examination pattern
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General Awareness / Economy / Banking | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
| Objective total | 170 | 200 | 180 minutes |
| Communication Skills descriptive test | 3 | 30 | 30 minutes |
Negative marking
For every wrong answer in an objective test, one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question is deducted. There is no penalty for an unanswered question.
Syllabus and preparation scope
SBI publishes the tested subject areas and task types rather than an exhaustive micro-topic syllabus. Prepare English comprehension and usage; arithmetic and data interpretation; logical and analytical reasoning; computer aptitude; banking, economy and current awareness; and typed communication tasks such as email, report, situation analysis and precis writing according to the notification.
Pay, probation and role
Starting basic pay is ₹48,480 plus four advance increments in the ₹48,480–85,920 scale. Allowances and benefits include DA, HRA/lease rental, CCA, NPS, medical and leave-fare benefits under SBI rules. The official advertisement states an approximate Mumbai CTC of ₹21.97 lakh; it is not a guaranteed in-hand amount. Probation is two years, and the cycle carries a ₹2 lakh service bond for three years.
Frequently asked questions
Does SBI PO have an interview? Yes. Phase III includes a Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Interview.
Do prelim marks count in final merit? No. They are used only to shortlist candidates for the main examination.
Is there sectional timing? Yes, in both preliminary and objective main tests.
Can final-year students apply? Yes, provisionally, subject to producing graduation proof by 30 September 2026.