SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026 OUT: Check Prelims Aug 1 & 2 All Shifts Student Review & Good Attempts

State Bank of India Probationary Officer Exam 2026 ( SBI PO )

Shikha Goyal
Updated on Aug 2, 2026 12:36 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026: The SBI PO 2026 Prelims exam was over. Candidates can check below the SBI PO Prelims Analysis for August 1 and 2 all shifts. The analysis is based on the students' reactions. The exam analysis is considered crucial as it provides the information about the overall difficulty level of an exam, section-wise difficulty, topics asked in the SBI PO exam

The SBI PO exam is divided into prelims, mains and interview. The prelims exam carries 100 marks. The mains paper consists of 250 marks. Read below for more details on the SBI PO exam analysis 2026

Table of contents
  • SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026
  • SBI PO Cut off
  • SBI PO Exam Pattern 2026
  • SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026 FAQs
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SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026

Candidates can check below the SBI PO Prelims exam analysis 2026 for August 1 and 2 all Shifts.

SBI PO Prelims Analysis 2026 (Aug 2)

Shift 1

As per the feedback received from the students', the SBI PO Prelims exam of August 2 Shift 1 was Moderate.

Reasoning Questions Asked

Parallel Row- Around 5 questions
Year-based (Age)- Around 5 questions
Box-based and Variable (7 boxes)- Around 5 questions
Month & Date based puzzle - Around 5 questions

SBI PO Prelims Analysis 2026 (Aug 1)

Shift 2

As per the feedback received from the students, Shift 2 was Moderate. Quantitative section was easy as compared to the reasoning section, questions on age, missing number series, profit and loss and mixture were also asked.

Quantitative section was easy as compared to the reasoning sections, questions on age, missing number series, profit and loss and mixture were also asked.

According to the response of the students, around 25 questions in the Reasoning were asked from the puzzle part, few questions from blood relation topic, number based topic, month based. No questions were asked from syllogism, inequalities, etc.

Shift 1

As per the feedback received from the students, SBI PO Prelims 2026 Shift 1 was Moderate in overall difficulty. The sequence of the paper was English which is followed by Quants and then Reasoning.
English
Reading comprehension topics was related to photography which is based on exhibition and other questions were asked from Vocabulary section. Synonyms questions were asked, 5 to 6 questions were asked from Parajumbles, 2 to 3 from word replacement. word replacement also asked, 3-4  were asked from Double Fillers, 5-7 questions from cloze tests were asked, questions from error detection was also asked.
Reasoning, 
Selection based around 5 questions were asked and were also tricky.
Monthly based 5 questions were asked, consecutive months.
Comparison based questions were asked and post based also.
Pair formation questions, they were lengthy and tricky.
Quantitative 
around 2-3 questions were asked from quadratic equations, 5 to 6 questions from Bar graph and table, Table questions from Data interpretation, 9 to 11 questions were asked from arithmetic.

SBI PO previous years' exam analysis

Overall Difficulty

Sections Total Questions Good Attempts Difficulty Level
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude 40 14-18 Moderate
English Language 40 27-35 Easy
Data Analysis & Interpretation 30 9-13 Difficult
General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness 60 14-20 Moderate
Total 170 64-86 Moderate-Difficult

Section-Wise Question Distribution

Data Analysis & Interpretation

Topic No. of Questions
Bar Graph DI (A, B, C, D - boys and girls based - ratio and percentage given) 4

Caselet DI (based on A and B units sold)

5

Line Graph With Table and Ring DI

4

Pie Chart DI (sold, unsold - 360 degree angle)

5

Number Series (variable-based)

2
Arithmetic Questions (time and work, fraction-based, probability, mensuration) 5
Misc.  5
Total 30

Reasoning

Topics No.of.Questions
Designation Puzzle (7 persons) 3
Floor-based puzzle (10 persons, 5 floors) 5
Floor and Flat-based puzzle (3 floors, 2 flats) 3
Data Sufficiency 3
Year-based Puzzle with blood relation 5
Coded Direction 3
Logical/Critical Reasoning 11
Input Output 4
Coding Decoding  3
Total 40

English Language

Topics No. of Questions

Reading Comprehension (2)

  1. Injection needles and medication - 9
  2. Employment-based - 6
15

Para jumbles (7 sentences)

5

Connectors

4
Error Spotting (paragraph-based) 3
Double Fillers 4
Match the column (fillers and connectors based) 3
Misc. 6
Total 40

SBI PO Exam Analysis for Descriptive Paper 

The descriptive paper carried the following type of questions:

  1. Write an email to digitalize the office complaint box.
  2. Apartment neighbor-based, bank financial year-based on wrong information on loan. 
  3. To improve CSR activity in a Steel factory company 
  4. Road construction based (130 word count)

SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2025

Overall Difficulty

Sections Total Questions Good Attempts Difficulty Level
Reasoning Ability 30 19-25 Easy-Moderate
Quantitative Aptitude 30 16-22 Easy-Moderate
English Language 40 24-30 Easy-Moderate
Overall 100 59-77 Easy-Moderate

Section-Wise Difficulty

Reasoning

Topic No. of Questions
Parallel row seating (single variable, 14 persons) 5
Circular seating (7 persons, double variable, inside facing) 5
Age puzzle (single variable) 5
Box puzzle (single variable) 5
Month-based puzzle 5
Syllogism 3

Misc.

Meaningful word - 1

Forward, backward -1

2
Total 30

English Language

Topic No. of Questions

Reading comprehension

Topic: English Angola’s Economic Budget Status

Synonyms: Grim, Stall

10
Error Spotting 5
Cloze test 6
Word usage 2
Phrase replacement 4
Jumbled sentences 5
Sentence Rearrangement 5
Match the column 3
Total 40

Quantitative Aptitude

Topic No. of Questions

Pie chart DI (based on variable)

6

Bar graph DI + Table DI

(related graduate, post-graduate students in college)

6
Caselet DI 5
Quadratic equation 3
Arithmetic problems 10
Total 30

SBI PO Exam Analysis 2025 Video

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can I prepare for SBI PO exam without taking any coaching?
A: 

Yes, you can prepare for SBI PO exam without taking any coaching. You need to be consistent and serious about your studies. Attempt mock tests, refer to the good study materials and solve previous years question papers. You need to have understanding of English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, Computer Ability, Data Analysis & Interpretation, & General/Economy/Banking Awareness and the English Language. SBI PO exam is conducted in several stages-prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, interview and group exercises. 

Q:   What is SBI PO exam analysis?
A: 

SBI PO exam analysis is made available to candidates for different shifts after the exam get over. The exam review comprises the section-wise difficulty level, number of good attempts, types of questions asked and expected cut off. The exam analysis helps the students appearing in the subsequent exam shifts to know the difficulty level and type of questions asked in the exam.

Q:   Which are important topics for English Language section of SBI PO exam?
A: 

For SBI PO English Language important topics are Reading Comprehension, Cloze test, fill in blanks, and spotting error. To prepare for this section candidates must work on concepts of grammar and vocabulary.

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SBI PO Cut off

SBI PO cut off is the minimum qualifying mark that candidates need to secure for the exam. The cut off is released separately for the prelims exam, mains exam, and final selection. Candidates need to secure the overall SBI PO cut off marks inorder to qualify the exam. There are no sectional cut off marks in the exam. SBI PO last year cut off for the prelims exam is given below.

Category Cut-Off Marks
GEN 59.25
SC 53
ST 47.50
OBC 59.25
EWS 59.25

The authority will release the result for prelims, mains and final selection separately. Candidates will be able to download their prelims result by using the login credentials. The SBI PO cut off will also be announced along with the result. The marks secured by the candidates in the exam will be mentioned in the SBI PO scorecard. SBI PO prelims exam is qualifying in nature. The final selection is done based on the mains exam, interview & Group Exercises. The authority will check their performance through the SBI PO scorecard in the Mains and Interview. The marks that will be scored will be counted for final selection, therefore candidates should clear the cut off to qualify for the next round. 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is the SBI PO difficulty level the same across all shifts?
A: 

SBI PO difficulty level vary slightly between shifts. That's why shift-wise analysis helps determine normalisation impacts and accurate cutoff predictions.

Q:   What are the factors affecting SBI PO cut off?
A: 

SBI PO cut-off marks are calculated based on the exam difficulty. It also depends on the number of vacancies. SBI PO cutoff is also based on the number of appeared candidates.

 

Q:   How to prepare for SBI PO English?
A: 

SBI PO English section comprises Reading Comprehension, Error Detection, Cloze Test, etc. Candidates can solve questions from these chapters by improving vocabularly and grammar. They should read the editorial of the newspaper.

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SBI PO Exam Pattern 2026

SBI PO prelims exam pattern comprises three sections. Total marks allotted to the test are 100. The duration is one hour. The mains exam carries both objective and descriptive tests. The interview carries 50 marks.

Prelims Exam

Subject Number of Questions Marks Duration

English Language

40

 

100

20 Minutes

Quantitative Aptitude

30

20 Minutes

Reasoning Ability

30

20 Minutes

Total

100

1 Hour

Mains Exam

Subject

Number of Questions

Marks

Duration

Objective Test

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

40

60

50 Minutes

Data Analysis & Interpretation

30

60

45 Minutes

General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness

60

60

45 Minutes

English Language

40

20

40 Minutes

Subjective/ Descriptive Test

English Language (Letter Writing & Essay)

2

50

30 Minutes

Total

157

250

3.5 Hours

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What details are mentioned in SBI PO exam pattern?
A: 

The exam pattern is divided into prelims exam, mains exam, psychometric test, interview and group exercises. 

Q:   In which mode is SBI PO exam conducted?
A: 

The prelims and mains exams of SBI PO are conducted online. The prelims exam of SBI PO carries a total of 100 marks. The mains exam of SBI PO carries 250 marks. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam. However, the marks of the prelims exam are not counted for the final merit list. Candidates qualifying the prelims exam are called for the mains exam.

Q:   Are there any qualifying marks in SBI PO exam?
A: 

The examination authority decides category-wise SBI PO cut off marks to select candidates for the next rounds of selection process. There is no sectional cut off marks. Candifdates need to secure only the overall cut off.

 

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SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026 FAQs

Candidates can check below SBI PO exam analysis 2026 FAQs below.

Q:   Is SBI PO normalisation is grace marks?
A: 

SBI PO normalisation is not grace marks. The normalisation of marks is done to adjust the difficulty level of the question papers across various sessions. This process is followed since the exam is conducted in multiple shifts. The difficulty levels of the question papers are different.

Q:   What is SBI PO 2025 Prelims good attempts?
A: 

SBI PO 2025 prelims good attempts refer to the number of questions attempted successfully by candidates. The number of good attempts is given below.

SectionsTotal QuestionsGood Attempts
Reasoning Ability3019-25
Quantitative Aptitude3016-22
English Language4024-30
Overall10059-77
Q:   Are there any qualifying marks in SBI PO exam?
A: 

The examination authority decides category-wise SBI PO cut off marks to select candidates for the next rounds of selection process. There is no sectional cut off marks. Candifdates need to secure only the overall cut off.

 

Q:   What is the weightage of marks in SBI PO exam?
A: 

The marks obtained in the prelims exam are not counted for the final merit list. Final selection of candidates is done based on the Mains exam and group exercises and interview. The weightage of marks given to the Mains exam are 75 and 25 to Interview & Group Discussion.

 

Q:   Why is SBI PO exam analyis important?
A: 

SBI PO exam analysis helps candidates to know the difficulty level of the exam. The exam review also help them in identifying the expected cut off. Candidates appearing in the upcoming shifts can plan their strategies. 

 

 

Q:   Does SBI PO exam analysis predict the cutoff?
A: 

SBI PO exam analysis give candidates an expected cut off range but the actual cut off is decided after normalisation and result evaluation. SBI PO exam analysis is predicted based on the difficulty level of the exam.

Q:   What were the distribution of questions in the Quant section of SBI PO 2025 prelims exam?
A: 

The distribution of questions in the Quant section of SBI PO 2025 prelims exam is given below.

TopicNo. of Questions

Pie chart DI (based on variable)

6

Bar graph DI + Table DI

(related graduate, post-graduate students in college)

6
Caselet DI5
Quadratic equation3
Arithmetic problems10
Total30
Q:   What were the distribution of questions in the Reasoning section of SBI PO prelims exam?
A: 

The distribution of questions in the prelims exam is given below.

TopicNo. of Questions
Parallel row seating (single variable, 14 persons)5
Circular seating (7 persons, double variable, inside facing)5
Age puzzle (single variable)5
Box puzzle (single variable)5
Month-based puzzle5
Syllogism3

Misc.

Meaningful word - 1

Forward, backward -1

2
Total30
Q:   Are there any sectional timings in SBI PO exam?
A: 

Yes, there are sectional timings in SBI PO prelims and Mains exam. To answer each section in the prelims exam, candidates get 20 minutes. For descriptive test, candidates get 30 minutes. The duration of the Reasoning & Computer Aptitude is 50 minutes, Data Analysis & Interpretation is 45 minutes, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness is 45 minutes and English Language section is 40 minutes. 

Q:   How many marks are allotted for Group Exercises and Interview in SBI PO exam?
A: 
The maximum marks allotted for Group Exercises and Interview are 50. In the Interview and Group Exercises, candidates are judged on the basis of their personality and intelligence. There are no sectional cutoff marks in SBI PO exam. Candidates need to secure the overall cutoff marks fixed by the examination authority for the different stages of exam. There is SBI PO negative marking for wrong answers in SBI PO exam. One-fourth marks will be deducted as penalty for wrong answers in SBI PO exam. For correct answers, candidates score one mark.
Q:   Which are important topics for English Language section of SBI PO exam?
A: 

For SBI PO English Language important topics are Reading Comprehension, Cloze test, fill in blanks, and spotting error. To prepare for this section candidates must work on concepts of grammar and vocabulary.

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