SBI PO Selection Process
Last verified 31 Jul 2026
SBI PO selection runs through the stages below.
- Phase-I: Preliminary Examination (qualifying only)
- Phase-II: Main Examination
- Phase-III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercises and Interview
Exam pattern by stage
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims — English Language | 40 | — | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | — | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Reasoning Ability | 30 | — | 20 minutes |
| Prelims total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
| Mains — Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| Mains — Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Mains — General Awareness / Economy / Banking Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Mains — English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
| Mains — Descriptive (Email and Situation Analysis) | 3 | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Mains total | 173 | 230 | 3 hours 30 minutes |
What counts towards the final merit
Only Phase-II and Phase-III count. The Preliminary Examination is a screening test and its marks are discarded once you are shortlisted.
Document verification
Originals are checked against everything declared in the application — qualification, category, age and any relaxation claimed. Certificates must be in the prescribed formats and dated on or before the closing date of the application. A candidate found ineligible at this point loses the candidature regardless of score.
No sectional cut-off in the Preliminary Examination
SBI states plainly that there is no sectional cut-off in the Preliminary Examination — the category-wise merit list is drawn on aggregate marks alone, and roughly ten times the vacancies in each category are shortlisted. IBPS does the opposite and requires a minimum in every section. If you are sitting both, that single difference changes whether you can afford to skip a weak section.