SBI PO Syllabus 2026 for Prelims & Mains Released: Download PDF

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

Shikha Goyal
Updated on Sep 30, 2026 14:27 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

SBI PO Syllabus 2026: The Syllabus plays a crucial role in the preparation. The SBI PO Mains exam was conducted on September 12, 2026 and Prelims exam was held on August 1 and 2. The SBI PO Mains syllabus consists of Data Analysis & interpretation, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness, English Language, and a Descriptive Test. The Mains exam will be held for 230 marks out of which 200 marks for the objective test and 30 marks for the descriptive test. 

The SBI PO prelims exam is of qualifying in nature and Mains and Phase 3 marks together determine the final rank. The standard of the syllabus of SBI Probationary Officer is of Graduation level. Read below for more details on SBI PO syllabus 2026.

 

 

Table of contents
  • SBI PO Mains Syllabus 2026
  • SBI PO Exam Pattern 2026
  • SBI PO Exam Preparation 2026
  • SBI PO Books
  • SBI PO Prelims Syllabus 2026
  • SBI PO Syllabus 2026 FAQs
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SBI PO Mains Syllabus 2026

SBI PO mains syllabus comprises four subjects. The mains exam carries 230 marks. SBI PO exam syllabus for mains exam is given below.

Crack SBI PO Exam? Preparation Tips & Strategy

Get a complete SBI PO preparation guide PDF FREE with subject-wise expert prep tips, mock test strategy and high-scoring techniques.

SBI PO Mains Data Analysis & Interpretation Syllabus

Tabular Graph Line Graph
Pie Chart Bar Graph
Radar Graph Caselet Missing Case DI
Data Sufficiency Probability
Permutation and Combination -

SBI PO Mains Reasoning Syllabus

Verbal Reasoning Syllogism
Circular Seating Arrangement Linear Seating Arrangement
Input-Output Blood Relations
Directions and Distances Ordering and Ranking
Data Sufficiency Coding and Decoding
Code Inequalities Course of Action
Critical Reasoning Analytical and Decision Making

SBI PO Mains English Language Syllabus

Reading Comprehension Grammar
Vocabulary Verbal Ability
Word Association Sentence Improvement
Para Jumbles Cloze Test
Error Spotting Fill in the blanks

SBI PO Mains General/Economy/ Banking Awareness Syllabus

Financial Awareness Current Affairs
General Knowledge Static Awareness
Banking and Financial Awareness -

SBI PO Mains Computer Aptitude Syllabus

Internet Memory
Keyboard Shortcuts Computer Abbreviation
Microsoft Office Computer Hardware
Computer Software Computer Fundamentals /Terminologies
Networking Operating System
Basic of Logic Gates -

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SBI PO Descriptive Syllabus

The Descriptive Paper of 30 minutes duration with two questions for 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay). Besides the preliminary exam and the mains exam, psychometric test, interview and group exercises are conducted. The final merit list is made on the basis of marks obtained by a candidate in the mains exam and interview and group exercise.

SBI PO Psychometric Test

SBI PO psychometric test is conducted for personality profiling. The shortlisted candidates will appear for Group Exercises and Interview. Finding of the test may be placed before the Interview panel for having a thorough perspective on the candidates. The psychometric test is an objective way to measure the potential ability of candidates to perform well in the job. Psychometric tests measure a range of skills from cognitive abilities, knowledge to assessing their personality.

Also Read:

SBI PO exam pattern

SBI PO preparation

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SBI PO Exam Pattern 2026

The online exam of SBI PO is conducted in two stages-Prelims and Mains. Candidates need to qualify both the stages to be selected for the interview round. For each incorrect answer in the objective test, there is negative marking of 0.25 marks. SBI PO exam pattern for Prelims and Mains is given below.

SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
Subjects English Language Quantitative Aptitude Reasoning Ability
No. of Questions 40 30 30
Marks 40 30 30
Duration 20 minutes 20 minutes 20 minutes
SBI PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
Subjects Reasoning & Computer Aptitude Data Analysis & Interpretation General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness English Language Descriptive Test
No. of Questions 40 30 60 40 --
Marks 60 60 60 20 30
Duration 50 minutes 45 minutes 45 minutes 40 minutes 30 minutes

 

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SBI PO Exam Preparation 2026

Candidates can clear SBI PO exam through a proper preparation plan. They should know syllabus. It is also necessary to go through the exam pattern. Prepare study notes after completing chapters. This helps in revision. They should create timetable and follow it. Work on improving speed. Also practice writing for Descriptive test. Candidates should give ample of tests and should also learn from their mistakes. The strategy to crack the prelim and mains exams is given below. 

  • You should focus on the revision of critical topics. 
  • A number of video tutorials are available online for bank exam preparation. Short video tutorials are very helpful for revision.
  • Candidate should take the sectional and full-length mock tests during preparation. 
  • Candidate must be clear with the concepts. 
  • Learn shortcuts for solving questions. Since there are sectional timings, learning shortcuts will help you to attempt maximum questions in less possible time.
  • Practice with more and more sectional tests, and take one mock test every day. 
  • In SBI PO exam, there is a negative marking for incorrect responses. Therefore, you are advised not to do guesswork., etc.

Also Read:

SBI PO Preparation

SBI PO Books

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SBI PO Books

SBI PO books help candidates to clear the concepts of the topics given in the syllabus. They should refer to those books that are easy to understand and simple. The list of books is given below.

SBI PO Books for Quantitative Aptitude

Book Author
Quantum CAT Sarvesh Kumar Verma
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT Arun Sharma
Magical Book on Quicker Maths M Tyra
Fast Track Objective Arithmetic; Rajesh Verma
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams RS Aggarwal

SBI PO Books for Reasoning

Best Books for Reasoning Ability Author/Publication
A New Approach to Reasoning Verbal and Non-Verbal B.S. Sijwali and Indu Sijwali
Analytical Reasoning MK Pandey
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning R.S. Aggarwal
How to Crack Test Of Reasoning Jaikishan & Premkishan
Shortcuts in Reasoning for Competitive Exams Disha Experts

SBI PO Books for Computer Aptitude

Best books for Computer Aptitude Author/Publication
Objective Computer Awareness for General Competitive Exams Arihant Publications
Computer General Awareness Dr. Alok Kumar
Computer Knowledge (SBI/IBPS Clerk/PO/RRB/RBI/SSC Railways Insurance Exams) Shikha Agarwal
Kiran Objective Computer Knowledge & Literacy 2300+ Objective Question English Pratiyogita Kiran & KICX Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan
Computer Lucent

SBI PO Books for English

Best Books for English Author/Publication
Objective General English SP Bakshi
Descriptive General English SP Bakshi and Richa Sharma
High School English Grammar and Composition Wren and Martin
Word Power Made Easy Norman Lewis

SBI PO Books for Genaral Knowledge

Economic Survey Government of India Ministry of Finance
Static General Knowledge Arihant Publications
Banking Awareness Disha Experts
Banking & Financial Awareness Kiran’s Publication

SBI PO books are the best resource to prepare for the exam. Candidates must choose the ones that have covered the syllabus. The books should be simple to understand. This helps to clear the concept of the subjects given in the syllabus.

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SBI PO Prelims Syllabus 2026

SBI PO prelims syllabus comprises three subjects. The total marks allotted to the prelims test are 100. We have provided below SBI PO syllabus for the prelims exam. SBI PO Prelims English Syllabus is given below along with the weightage of different topics.

English Language

SBI PO Prelims English Language Syllabus Weightage

Reading Comprehension

7-10 Questions

Cloze Test

5-10 Questions

Para jumbles

4-5 Questions

Spotting Errors

5-10 Questions

Fill in the blanks

5-7 Questions

Vocabulary-based Questions

4-5 Questions

Paragraph Completion

3-3 Questions

Sentence Improvement

5-8 Questions

Also Read:

Reasoning Ability

Name of the Topic Expected number of Questions

Puzzles and Seating Arrangement

15-20 Questions (3-4 sets)

Syllogism

4-5 Questions

Inequality

4-5 Questions

Coding-Decoding

3-4 Questions

Input-Output

3-4 Questions

Series-based Questions

4-5 Questions

Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Order, Ranking, etc.

5-7 Question

Data Sufficiency

4-5 Questions

Quantitative Aptitude

Topics Expected Questions

Number Series

5 Questions

Simplification/Approximation

5-7 Questions

Quadratic Equation

4-5 Questions

Data Interpretation

10-15 Questions (2-3 sets)

Miscellaneous Question

10-12 Questions

Data Sufficiency

4-5 Questions

Quantity Based questions

4-5 Questions

 

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SBI PO Syllabus 2026 FAQs

Candidates can check below SBI PO syllabus FAQs. 

Q:   What are the key topics for Reasoning section in SBI PO exam?
A: 
This section includes questions from Verbal Reasoning, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Blood Relations, Coding and Decoding, etc. Candidates can ace this section by practising previous years' question papers, mock tests, puzzles, etc.
Q:   Which are the best books for SBI PO English?
A: 

The English Language section is also the most important in SBI PO Examinations, along with the Quantitative Aptitude section. This section holds 30 and 40 marks in Prelims and Mains examinations, respectively. Additionally, 50 marks are allotted to the descriptive test. The syllabus includes the following topics such as Reading comprehension, Error correction, Cloze Test, Para jumbles, Fill in the blanks, Idioms and phrases, Synonyms, Antonyms. Given below are the best books for SBI PO English:

  • Objective General English by SP Bakshi
  • Descriptive General English by SP Bakshi and Richa Sharma
  • High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin
  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

 

Q:   What are the key topics for English Language section in SBI PO?
A: 

To get good marks in the English language section, candidates must improve their grammar and vocabulary. The standard of questions asked in this section is of high school level. This section appears in both prelims and mains exams.

Q:   How to prepare for SBI PO GK section?
A: 
To prepare the GK section of SBI PO candidates should read newspapers to keep themselves updated with the Current Affairs topics of last one year or six months. Candidates should also be familiar with the banking terminologies, government schemes related to finance, etc. The General Awareness section comprises Current Affairs and Static GK. General/Economy/Banking Awareness carries the maximum marks (60 marks). If candidates mark a wrong answer, 1/4th or 0.25 marks of the total marks assigned to a particular question are deducted to arrive at a corrected score. If candidates leave a question blank, no penalty is marked. Candidates can refer to the books such as Pratiyogita Darpan, Manorama Yearbook, etc.
Q:   Can you suggest some books for SBI PO Mains exam?
A: 

Books for SBI PO mains exam are Objective English for Competitive Examinations by Hari Mohan Prasad and Uma Rani Sinha, Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R S Aggarwal, A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R S Aggarwal, The Complete Success Package for SBI PO by Disha Experts.

Q:   What type of questions are asked in SBI PO psychometric test?
A: 

A psychometric test is conducted to assess the power of decision-making, and personality. The marks obtained in this test are not counted for final merit list.

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:   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 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 is the final selection of candidates for SBI PO exam done?
A: 

After candidates undergo interview, a merit list is prepared by SBI based on the marks obtained in the Mains exam and interview. Based on the final SBI PO cutoff marks and available vacancies, candidates are offered letter of appointment for the post of Probationary Officer. 75 per cent weightage marks of the SBI PO Mains exam (out of 250 marks) and 25 per cent weightage marks of Group Exercise and Interview (out of 50 marks) will be considered. To compile the final merit list the aggregate scores (out of 100) will be calculated.

SBI PO Exam Pattern: Weightage of marks 

The weightage of marks given to the Mains exam and interview & group exercises are given below.

TestMain ExamGroup Exercise & InterviewTotal

Maximum Marks

250

50

300

Normalized Marks

75

25

100

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:   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:   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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