SBI PO 2026 Recruitment — Overview
The State Bank of India (SBI) Probationary Officer (PO) exam is the most prestigious and competitive banking recruitment in India. The SBI PO 2026 notification was officially released on June 18, 2026 (Advertisement No: CRPD/PO/2026-27/09). Every year, over 20 lakh aspirants compete for approximately 600 posts, making it one of the toughest banking exams in the country.
An SBI PO is an entry-level officer responsible for managing branches, supervising clerical staff, and handling customer relations. The growth trajectory is highly rewarding — from Probationary Officer to Chief General Manager, an SBI officer's career spans 35+ fulfilling years.
SBI PO Eligibility Criteria 2026
Age Limit (as on April 1, 2026)
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 21 Years | 30 Years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 21 Years | 33 Years (+3) |
| SC / ST | 21 Years | 35 Years (+5) |
| PwBD (General/EWS) | 21 Years | 40 Years (+10) |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 21 Years | 45 Years (+15) |
Educational Qualification
- Must hold a Graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized University / Institution.
- Candidates in final year of graduation can also apply.
- Basic computer literacy is mandatory.
SBI PO 2026 — Selection Process
- Phase I — Preliminary Examination (Qualifying in nature — marks NOT added to merit)
- Phase II — Main Examination (Objective + Descriptive — marks ARE counted)
- Phase III — Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Personal Interview (20 + 30 marks)
SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 (Official)
The Prelims is a 1-hour speed test with strict sectional timing. It is purely qualifying — only your Mains marks decide your rank.
- ✅ 100 Objective Type Questions, 100 Marks.
- ❌ Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer.
- ❌ No Sectional Cut-off (overall cut-off only).
⚠️ 2026 Pattern Change: English Language questions increased to 40, while Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning reduced to 30 each — focus more on English than in previous years!
| Section / Subject | Questions | Maximum Marks | Time (Sectional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 20 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 Minutes |
SBI PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026 (Official — Revised)
⚠️ 2026 Update: Descriptive Test revised from 50 to 30 marks. Total Mains = 230 marks.
Objective Test (200 Marks)
| Section / Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 60 Minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 60 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 Minutes |
| Total Objective | 165 | 200 | 3 Hours |
Descriptive Test (30 Marks) — 30 Minutes
Essay Writing (15 marks) + Letter Writing (15 marks)
SBI PO Previous Year Cut-off (Category-wise)
Prelims Cut-off (Out of 100)
| Year | General / EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 62.50 | 59.50 | 55.75 | 48.25 |
| 2023 | 65.00 | 61.50 | 57.25 | 50.50 |
| 2022 | 60.25 | 57.00 | 53.50 | 46.00 |
Mains Cut-off (Objective — Out of 200)
| Year | General / EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88.65 | 83.50 | 75.25 | 65.00 |
| 2023 | 91.25 | 86.00 | 79.50 | 68.75 |
| 2022 | 85.00 | 80.50 | 73.75 | 62.25 |
SBI PO Detailed Syllabus 2026
1. Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis & Interpretation
Prelims Focus (Speed & Accuracy): Simplification, Approximation, Number Series (Missing & Wrong), Quadratic Equations, Ratio & Proportion, Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Time & Work, Speed Distance Time, Average & Mixtures.
Mains Focus (DI Heavy): Tabular DI, Bar Graph, Pie Chart, Radar/Spider Graph, Caselet DI, Mixed DI, Data Sufficiency.
2. Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude
Critical Topics: Puzzles & Seating Arrangement account for 60-70% of Mains Reasoning marks.
- Linear, Circular, Square Seating Arrangements
- Box, Floor, Scheduling & Day-based Puzzles
- Syllogism (Old & New Pattern), Coded Inequalities
- Blood Relations, Direction Test, Machine Input/Output
Computer Aptitude: Hardware/Software basics, Networking, Number Systems, MS Office.
3. English Language
Prelims: Reading Comprehension (1-2 passages), Cloze Test, Fill in the Blanks, Error Detection.
Mains: Advanced RC (Economy/Finance topics), Para Jumbles, Sentence Connector, Word Usage/Phrase Replacement.
4. General / Economy / Banking Awareness
- Current Affairs (Last 6 months — Banking, Finance, RBI focused)
- Banking Awareness: RBI Functions, Monetary Policy, NABARD, SEBI, Types of Banks
- Static GK: National Parks, Dams, Capitals, Currencies, Important Committees
- Economic Concepts: GDP, CRR, SLR, Repo Rate, Union Budget
SBI PO Salary 2026 — In-Hand Pay Structure
Under the 12th Bipartite Settlement, the SBI PO pay scale has been significantly revised upward.
| Component | Amount (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay (with 4 advance increments) | ₹56,480 |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | ~₹22,000 – ₹25,000 |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) / Lease | ₹8,000 – ₹14,000 |
| City Compensatory Allowance (CCA) | ₹1,000 – ₹2,000 |
| Special Allowance & Other Perks | ~₹5,000 |
| Gross Salary (Approx.) | ₹93,000 – ₹98,320 / month |
| In-Hand Salary (After Deductions) | ₹80,000 – ₹86,000 / month |
Pay Scale (JMGS-I): ₹48,480 – 2,000/7 – 62,480 – 2,340/2 – 67,160 – 2,680/7 – 85,920
Other Benefits: Lease accommodation in major cities, subsidized home/car loans, medical benefits, pension & PF, LFC, annual CTC approximately ₹21.97 Lakh.
SBI PO Preparation Strategy 2026 — 90-Day Plan
Month 1 — Foundation: Arithmetic basics, 5 Puzzles/day, newspaper editorials 30 min/day, 1 Sectional Mock Test/day on Ikkish Prep.
Month 2 — Speed Building: Speed Math shortcuts (Vedic tricks, Tables 1-30, Cubes/Squares), 2 DI sets/day, 2 RC passages/day, 1 Full Mock Test every alternate day.
Month 3 — Mock & Revise: 1 Full Mock Test daily, deep analysis for 1 hour, Current Affairs revision, target 75+ in every mock.
The key is not just giving tests, but analysing them deeply. Ikkish Prep's performance dashboard shows exactly where your time is being wasted and which topics need more focus.
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Start Free Mock TestFrequently Asked Questions
What is the SBI PO 2026 Prelims exam pattern?
SBI PO 2026 Prelims has 100 questions in 60 minutes: English Language (40 Qs/40 Marks), Quantitative Aptitude (30 Qs/30 Marks), Reasoning Ability (30 Qs/30 Marks). Negative marking of 0.25 marks applies.
What is the SBI PO salary in 2026?
Under the 12th Bipartite Settlement, SBI PO basic pay starts at ₹56,480 (with 4 advance increments). Gross salary is ₹93,000–₹98,320/month. In-hand salary after deductions is approximately ₹80,000–₹86,000/month.
Is SBI PO Prelims marks added to final merit?
No. SBI PO Prelims is purely qualifying in nature. Only Mains marks (200 Objective + 30 Descriptive = 230 total) and Phase III (Interview + Group Exercise = 50 marks) determine the final merit.
What is the SBI PO 2026 Mains pattern change?
In 2026, the Descriptive Test was revised from 50 marks to 30 marks. Total Mains score is now 230 marks (200 Objective + 30 Descriptive), down from 250 in previous years.