SBI PO Selection Process 2026: The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the Probationary Officer (PO) recruitment every year to select eligible candidates for the post of PO across its branches. Candidates appearing for the SBI PO 2026 Examination must be thoroughly aware of the complete selection process to plan their preparation accordingly. The SBI PO Selection Process 2026 is conducted in three stages, i.e. Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination, and Psychometric Test. Candidates must qualify for all three stages to be considered for the final selection. The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature, the Mains Examination consists of objective and descriptive tests, and the Psychometric Test evaluates the candidate's overall suitability for the post through a Group Discussion and Interview round.
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Most Asked Questions In SBI PO Exam
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Most Asked Questions From Selection Combo of Puzzle & Seating Arrangement In Last 5 Years |
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Most Asked Questions From Data Interpretation & Caselet DI in Last 5 Years |
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Most Common Questions From English With Updated Pattern In Last 5 Years |
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SBI PO Selection Process 2026 Overview
The selection of candidates applying for the SBI PO Recruitment 2026 will be done on the basis of the three stages given below. Candidates will be shortlisted and selected based on their performance across all three stages using the TCS iON CBT Format.
SBI PO Selection Stage I Prelims Exam 2026
The SBI PO Preliminary Examination consists of 100 objective-type questions carrying a total of 100 marks. A negative marking of 0.25 marks is applicable for every incorrect answer. The examination is qualifying in nature and marks obtained in this stage are not included in the final merit list. The section-wise exam pattern is given in the table below.
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SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern |
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Section |
Questions |
Marks |
Time |
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English Language |
40 |
40 |
20 minutes |
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Quantitative Aptitude |
30 |
30 |
20 minutes |
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Reasoning Ability |
30 |
30 |
20 minutes |
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Total |
100 |
100 |
1 hour |
SBI PO Selection Stage II Mains Exam 2026
The SBI PO Mains Examination is divided into two parts: an objective-type test of 200 marks and a descriptive-type test of 50 marks. A negative marking of 0.25 marks will be done for an incorrect answer in the objective-type section. The detailed Mains Examination pattern is given in the table below.
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Section |
Questions |
Marks |
Time |
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Objective Type |
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Reasoning & Computer Aptitude |
40 |
60 |
50 Minutes |
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General Economy/ Banking Awareness |
60 |
60 |
45 Minutes |
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English Language |
40 |
20 |
40 Minutes |
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Data Analysis & Interpretation |
30 |
60 |
45 Minutes |
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Total |
170 |
200 |
3 Hours |
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Descriptive Paper |
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English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) |
– |
30 |
30 Minutes |
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Grand Total |
– |
230 |
3 Hours 30 Minutes |
SBI PO Selection Stage III Psychometric Test 2026
Candidates who qualify for the Mains Examination will be called for the Psychometric Test, which consists of a Group Exercise and an Interview round. The marks allotted for each round are as follows.
- Group Exercise: 20 Marks
- Interview: 30 Marks
SBI PO Final Selection 2026
The final selection of candidates will be done on the basis of combined performance in the Mains Examination (Phase 2) and the Psychometric Test (Phase 3). The marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not included in the preparation of the final merit list. The final selection criteria are given in the table below.
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SBI PO Final Selection Criteria |
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Test |
Main Exam |
GD/ Interview |
Total |
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Maximum Marks |
250 |
50 |
300 |
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Normalized Marks |
75 |
25 |
100 |
Important Notes Regarding Final Selection:
- The marks secured by the candidates within the Main Examination (out of 250 marks) are converted to out of 75 marks and Interview or Group Exercises (out of fifty marks) are converted to out of 25 marks.
- The final merit list is released after aggregating the converted marks out of 100.
- Selection is going to be done by the top-ranked candidates in each category.
SBI PO Selection Method 2026 Step-by-Step Process
The complete step-by-step SBI PO Selection Method 2026 is given below for the reference of candidates.
SBI PO Online Application 2026
Interested candidates who meet the eligibility parameters are required to use online means for the exam. The fee, which may be paid online, is Rs 750 for General/ EWS/ OBC. For SC/ST/PWD candidates, the fees are exempted. The candidates must go through the SBI PO Apply Online process.
SBI PO Admit Card Release 2026
The SBI PO Admit Card will be available 1-2 weeks before all the Candidates can download the admit card from the official website by logging in with their registration number, roll number, and Date of Birth. The admit card is a mandatory document, and candidates will not be permitted to appear for the examination without it.
SBI PO Exam Appearance 2026
SBI PO 2026 preliminary examination consists of 100 objective-type questions. Questions are going to be asked from the English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. The overall marks for the exam are 100. The duration of the exam is one hour. The main exam will have a total of 250. The test paper will have a total of 155 questions. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. Psychometric Test (Group Exercises and Interview) carries 50 marks.
SBI PO Result Declaration 2026
SBI PO result is going to be declared online separately for prelims, mains, and the Psychometric test. The result is going to be available in PDF format in the form of a merit list. The hard copy of the result will not be sent to candidates by post. Based on the marks of the prelims exam, candidates 10 times the number of vacancies are going to be called for the mains exam. Supported the performance within the mains exam, candidates 3 times the number of vacancies are called for Group Exercise and Interview.
Documents Required for SBI PO Selection Process
Here is the list of important documents that must be carried by the candidates for the document verification after the selection process. Make sure to carry original and self-attested photocopies of the documents. Also, carry it in a waterproof folder to avoid any trouble.
- Printout of SBI PO Interview Admit Card.
- Proof of Date of Birth (as specified in SSC/class 10th certificate)
- Hard Copy of Online SBI PO Application Form.
- Identification Proof with Photograph accepted by SBI (Aadhar Card, Pan Card, etc.)
- Educational Documents
- Caste certificate as per the categories issued by the competent authority as designated by the Government of India. (if applicable)
- A disability certificate issued by the District Medical Board in case of persons with a disability must be carried along with the other documents. (if applicable)
- Ex-Servicemen are required to produce a copy of the Service or Discharge book, besides the pension payment order and documentary proof of rank previously / currently held at the time of the interview.
- Experience Certificate
- Documents related to the Nationality of the candidate (if applicable)
- Documents related to the Age Relaxation (if applicable)
We hope you find this article on the SBI PO Selection Process 2026 informative and helpful. The candidates can download the PrepMe247 app to stay updated with all the information of the SBI PO exam. Also, the PrepMe247 App provides the best test series and mock test for the practice of any competitive exam. So stay tuned and stay updated