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SBI PO

State Bank of India Recruitment of Probationary Officers

SBI PO is the State Bank of India's own recruitment of Probationary Officers for its officer cadre. Selection runs in three phases: an online preliminary exam; an online main exam of objective tests plus a typed descriptive paper; and Phase III, which is a psychometric test, a group exercise and an interview. Wrong answers in the objective tests lose a quarter of the question's marks. The final merit list combines the main exam and Phase III marks; preliminary marks are not counted. Pattern, vacancies and dates are set by SBI each year in the official advertisement.

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Full SBI PO guideSBI PO Exam Guide6 min read · verified 6 June 2026

Frequency

Once a year (the 2026-27 advertisement, CRPD/PO/2026-27/09, set tentative dates: Preliminary in August 2026, Main in September 2026, Phase III in October/November 2026)

Duration

Preliminary: 1 hour. Main: 3 hours 30 minutes, made up of a 3-hour objective test and a 30-minute typed descriptive paper (2026-27 advertisement)

Format

Computer-based

Score range

Preliminary: 100 (used only to shortlist for the Main). Main: 230 (200 objective + 30 descriptive). Group exercise and interview: 50. The final merit list scales the Main to 75 and Phase III to 25, out of 100 (2026-27 advertisement)

Eligibility

Indian citizens with a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally, but must show they passed by 30 September 2026. Age 21–30 as on 1 April 2026, with upper-age relaxation for reserved categories. There is a limit on attempts: 6 for UR/EWS, 9 for OBC and for PwBD UR/EWS, and no limit for SC/ST. Each Main exam taken counts as an attempt (2026-27 advertisement)

Conducting body

State Bank of India (SBI)

Registration fee

₹750 for Unreserved, EWS and OBC candidates; nil for SC, ST and PwBD candidates. This is the non-refundable application fee and intimation charge in the SBI PO 2026-27 advertisement (CRPD/PO/2026-27/09)

Visit official website

Source: State Bank of India (SBI). Details here are for guidance only — fees, dates and eligibility change each cycle, so confirm on the official site before applying.

Verified against: State Bank of India — Recruitment of Probationary Officers 2026-27, detailed advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (PDF); State Bank of India — Careers: current openings (official); State Bank of India — Careers: Probationary Officers (official).

Last verified: 30 September 2026.

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