SBI PO 2021 Syllabus : SBI PO Syllabus 2021 for Prelim and Main exam is given for candidates preparing for Probationary Officer posts. Important topics for Group discussion and Interview along with Books are explained here in detail. SBI PO exam will be held in 3 stages, Prelim, Main, and GroupExcercise & Interview.
- SBI PO Prelim test will consist of 3 tests/sections – English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability for a total of 100 MCQs of 100 marks.
- The SBI PO Main exam consists of both an Objective Test and a Descriptive Test.
- Candidates qualifying the Prelim exam will be called for the Main exam, upon qualifying Main exam, candidates will be called for Phase-III/ Group Exercise and Personal Interview.
In order to be qualified in the final merit list, the candidates have to score cut off marks decided by SBI in the Main exam and Interview. A clear idea of the SBI PO exam pattern, syllabus, and the selection process is a must to prepare for the SBI PO examination.
SBI PO Quick Look
| Exam Name | SBI PO 2021 |
|---|---|
| Exam Body | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Essential Qualification | Graduation from a recognized university |
| Apply Mode | Online |
| Examination mode | Online (CBT) |
| Notification | Aug 2021 |
| Online registration | August 2021 |
| Prelim Exam | Oct 2021 |
| Prelim Result | Oct 2021 |
| Main Exam | Nov 2021 |
| Main Result | Nov 2021 |
| GD & Interview | Dec 2021 |
| Final Result | Dec 2021 |
Note – All above-mentioned dates are tentative.
SBI PO Exam Pattern
SBI PO exam pattern consists of 3 stages,
- Phase I: Prelim Exam
- Phase II: Main Exam
- Phase III: Group Discussion Excercise & Personal Interview
SBI PO Prelim Exam Pattern
- The SBI PO Preliminary examination will be of a computer-based test of multiple-choice questions.
- There will be 5 options for a particular question and the candidate is expected to choose the most appropriate one.
- Each question will carry 1 mark and there shall be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer marked.
- The paper shall have a section-wise exam and the candidate will be given 20 minutes to complete each section and after the prescribed time, the next section will turn up without the possibility of going to the previous section.
The following is a tabular representation of the summarization of the above.
| Name of test | No. of questions | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 20 minutes | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 20 minutes | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 20 minutes | 35 |
| Total | 100 | 60 minutes (1 hour) | 100 marks |
SBI PO Prelim Syllabus 2021
Following is the section-wise syllabus covering all the relevant topics from which questions will be framed in SBI PO Preliminary Examination.
| Name of section/test | Important Topics |
|---|---|
| English Language | Reading comprehension, paragraph jumbles/completion, sentence formation/correction, error spotting/correction, fill in the blanks, one word substitution, miscellaneous etc. |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Probability including permutation & combination, series & sequence, number systems, ration & proportion, percentage, data interpretation, mensuration (cone, sphere & cylinder), time & distance, work & time, simple & compound interest, mixtures & alligations, profit, loss & discount, simplification etc. |
| Reasoning Ability | Coding/decoding, input & output, problems on blood relations, syllogism, linear & circular seating arrangement, coded inequalities, data sufficiency, logical & verbal reasoning, alphanumeric series, ranking, direction/alphabet test etc. |
SBI PO Main Exam Pattern
SBI PO 2021 Main examination will have an objective test and the descriptive test which will be held online i.e., computer-based.
Objective Test
- The objective test will be multiple-choice i.e. the question will have 5 choices and the candidate is expected to mark the most appropriate one.
- In the objective test, there is a negative marking of 1/4th marks assigned for that question.
- The objective test will consist of 155 questions from 4 different sections i.e. Reasoning and Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis and Interpretation, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, and English comprising of 200 marks for which the candidate will be given 3 hours.
- Each section will have a predefined time limit and once the time of that particular section is over candidate cannot return back to that section.
Descriptive Test
In the descriptive test, the candidate is expected to write a letter and an essay within a time period of 30 minutes having a composite total of 50 marks. The candidate has to specifically type the letter and essay with the help of the keyboard allotted.
Following is a tabular representation of Phase II Main examination pattern
| Name of the test | No. of Questions | Max. marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective test | |||
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 | 60 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 155 | 200 | 3 hours |
| Descriptive test | |||
| Letter Writing & Essay | 2 | 50 | 30 minutes |
SBI PO Main Syllabus 2021
Following is the tabular representation of the syllabus for the objective test
| Name of section/test | Important Topics |
|---|---|
| English Language | Grammar, vocabulary, paragraph jumbles/completion, sentence formation/correction, word association, error spotting/correction, fill in the blanks, one word substitution, miscellaneous etc. |
| Computer awareness | Computer fundamentals, hardware & software, internet, networking, operating system, important terminologies, Microsoft Office & Excel etc. |
| Reasoning | Coding/decoding, coded inequalities, data sufficiency, input & output, double lineup, analytical & decision making, problems on blood relations, syllogism, linear & circular seating arrangement, critical, logical & verbal reasoning, alphanumeric series, ranking, direction/alphabet test etc. |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness | Problems on financial awareness, static awareness, current affairs, banking awareness etc. |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | Probability including permutation & combination, series & sequence, number systems, ration & proportion, percentage, data interpretation, mensuration (cone, sphere & cylinder), time & distance, work & time, simple & compound interest, mixtures & alligations, profit, loss & discount, simplification etc. |
For the descriptive test, the letter and essay will be general in nature and relevant to the banking sector as well as current affairs.
Group Exercise and Interview
Candidates who qualify Phase II by scoring cut off to be decided by Bank will be shortlisted and called for Group Exercise and Interview. GD will be of 20 marks while the interview will be of 30 marks.
Common Topics for GD
- FDI in the retail sector – Good or bad for India?
- Indian Villages – India’s strength or weakness?
- The merger of banks – Good or bad for India?
- Swacch Bharat Abhiyan
- Privatization of PSUs
- Women empowerment in India
- One Rank One Pension scheme – Merits and demerits
- Renaming of Popular cities – Beneficial or not?
Topics To Be Prepared For Interview
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
- Mehta Committee
- Non-performing Assets (NPAs)
- The merger of Public Sector Banks
- Difference between NEFT and RTGS etc.
SBI PO Selection Process
- SBI PO Selection procedure includes a Preliminary examination, Main examination, and Group Exercise & Interview
- Candidates need to obtain Minimum aggregate marks in the Preliminary examination to qualify for the Main exam. Category wise minimum aggregate marks/ cut off will be decided by the bank and qualifying candidates will be called for the Main examination.
- Candidates need to secure minimum aggregate marks in the Objective Test of the Main exam to consider for Descriptive test evaluation. Candidates not securing minimum cut off marks in the Objective test will not be considered for Descriptive test evaluation. Candidates need to secure qualifying marks in a descriptive test.
- On the basis of aggregate marks secured in the Main examination (marks in objective + descriptive tests), a category wise merit list will be drawn. This list will have roll numbers of candidates shortlisted for Group Exercise and Interview.
- Marks of Phase II/Main exam and GE & Interview will be added together in the ratio of 75:25 to prepare the final merit list.
SBI PO Important Books
| Subject / Test | Important books | Publication / Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quantum Cat | Sarvesh Kumar Verma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R.S. Agarwal (S. Chand Publication) | |
| Fast Track Objective Arithmetic | Rajesh Verma | |
| Magical Book on Quicker Mathematics | M Tyra (BSC Publication) | |
| Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | How to Crack Test of Reasoning: In All Competitive Exam (English) | Arihant Publication |
| A New Approach to Reasoning Verbal and non-verbal | BS Sijwali, Indu Sijwali | |
| Analytical Reasoning | MK Pandey | |
| A Modern approach to Verbal Reasoning | R.S Agarwal | |
| English Language | Objective General English | SP Bakshi (Arihant Publication) |
| Word Power Made Easy | Norwan Lewis | |
| High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren & Martin | |
| General Awareness | Static GK General Knowledge | Arihant |
| Lucent General Knowledge | Lucent Publication | |
| Banking Awareness | Arihant Publication |
SBI PO Exam Dates 2021
State Bank of India will conduct Phase I, II & III examinations on different dates. Here are the important tentative dates
- Phase I (Preliminary) examination – October 2021
- Phase II (Main) examination – November 2021
- Phase III (GD & Interview) – December 2021
SBI PO Syllabus 2021 FAQs
Q. For How Many Marks SBI PO 2021 Prelims Will Be Conducted?
A. SBI PO 2021 Preliminary examination will be conducted for 100 marks, each MCQ in SBI PO 2021 Prelims will be of 1 mark.
Q. How Many Questions Will Be In Phase II Online Main Examination?
A. SBI PO Phase II online Main examination consists of objective test and descriptive test. In the objective test, there will be 155 objective type questions for 200 marks whereas in a descriptive test there will be 2 questions for 50 marks.
Q. What If I Mark A Wrong Answer In SBI PO Objective Tests?
A. For every wrong answer marked in SBI PO objective tests, 1/4th of marks allotted to that question will be deducted as a penalty.
Q. How Many Questions Of Reasoning Are Asked In Phase-I Of The Examination?
A. There are going to 35 questions in the reasoning section of Phase-I.
Q. How Many Question Of English Language Will Be Asked In Objective Test Of Phase-II Of The Examination?
A. There are 35 questions of the English language in the objective test of phase-II of the examination.