The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the SBI PO exam to select eligible candidates for the Probationary Officer (PO) position in various SBI branches nationwide. SBI PO is one of the most prestigious jobs in the banking industry and a dream job for millions of candidates.
The bank released the SBI PO Prelims notification on September 6, 2023. Candidates who satisfied the eligibility criteria could apply online for SBI PO 2023 from September 7 to October 3, 2023, at sbi.co.in. SBI PO Prelims exam is to be conducted on November 1, 4, and 6, 2023. The SBI PO selection process consists of three phases, i.e., Prelims, Mains, and a Group Exercise and Interview. Continue to read the article to learn more.
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Exam Summary
Before getting into the details, let us have an overview of the SBI PO 2023 exam below:
Particulars
Details
Exam Name
SBI PO
Conducting Body
State Bank of India
Frequency
Once a Year
Examination Level
National-level
Mode of Application
Online
Mode of Examination
Online
Application Fees
₹750/-
Selection Process
Three Phases:
Prelims
Mains
Group Exercise & Interview
Vacancies
2,000
Purpose of Exam
To Recruit Candidates for the Position of Probationary Officers
Salary
Rs.52,000/- to Rs.55,000/-, with Basic Pay of 41,960
The State Bank of India published an official notification for SBI PO 2023 on September 6, 2023. Aspirants could check the notification on its official website, i.e., sbi.co.in. Furthermore, we updated the official notification here. The notification contains the eligibility criteria, online registration processes, payment of application fee, issuance of call letters, selection process, exam pattern, etc. To download the SBI PO 2023 notification, click on the link below:
The bank released the schedule for SBI PO 2023. Candidates must check as well as keep track of the important dates. It will help them avoid missing any important events. Find the SBI PO Prelims important dates 2023 below:
Events
Dates
Release of SBI PO Notification
September 6, 2023
Start of Online Application Form
September 7, 2023
Last Date to Submit Application Form
September 27, 2023
Last Date to Pay the Application Fee
September 27, 2023
SBI PO Prelims Admit Card Date
October 23, 2023
SBI PO Prelims Exam Date
November 1, 4, and 6, 2023
Released of PO Pre Exam Result Date
November 21, 2023
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Vacancy
Aspirants can check out the SBI PO 2023 vacancy from the table below for all categories:
Category
Vacancy
SC
300
ST
150
OBC
540
EWS
200
GEN
810
Total
2000
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Salary & Job Profile
Before applying for SBI PO, aspirants should check the salary structure, job responsibilities, and benefits of a Probationary Officer.
SBI PO Job Description
Before joining as a Probationary Officer, candidates who are shortlisted for SBI PO posts must complete training in basic banking knowledge. Candidates must sign a Rs. 2 Lakh bond and continue working for the bank for at least three years when they apply. The candidates will be confirmed as Junior Manager Grade Scale I after the probation period (JMGS-I).
Candidates who clear the selection process will undergo a rigorous training programme for a two-year probation period. Throughout this time, you will be subjected to considerable training and transfers.
As the country’s most prestigious bank, employees should expect to get the most out of their jobs. SBI holds annual promotion examinations, which raise the employment standard (profile), position, and compensation. As a result, a PO gets a lot of exposure during their career.
SBI PO Salary Structure
According to the pay scale notification, the starting basic pay for a Probationary Officer (PO) in the Junior Management Grade Scale-I is Rs 41,960/- (with four advance increments) on a scale of 36000-1490/7-46430-1740/2-49910-1990/7-63840.
In addition, the PO will be eligible for DA, HRA/Lease rental, CCA, Medical, and other allowances and perquisites as determined by the rules in effect at the time. The annual total salary on a CTC basis will range between 8.20 lakhs and 13.08 lakhs, depending on the location of the posting and other considerations.
The Salary Structure below has been developed in accordance with the revised SBI PO salary; candidates interested in the position of SBI Probationary Officer should be aware of the increased SBI PO Salary.
An SBI Probationary Officer is eligible for a variety of benefits and allowances in addition to salary:
Dearness Allowance (DA)
Allowance for House-Rent/Lease Rental (HRA)
Compensatory Allowance for the City (CCA)
Allowance for Medical Treatment
Allowance for Travel
Leave of Absence Policies
Benefits Paid Every Month
Intelligent Compensation
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates can check the SBI PO eligibility criteria below:
SBI PO Age Limit
Candidates should be between the ages of 21 and 30 as of April 1, 2023, i.e., they must have been born between April 02, 1993, and April 01, 2002. (both days inclusive). The upper age limit will be relaxed as follows:
Category
Age Relaxation
SC/ST
05 years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)
03 years
Ex-Servicemen
05 years
PWD (General/EWS)
10 years
PWD (SC/ST)
15 years
PWD (OBC)
13 years
SBI PO Education Qualification
Graduation from a recognised university in any discipline or equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government.
Those in their final year/semester of study may also apply provisionally. If invited for an interview, they must show proof of passing the graduation exams on or before the application date.
Candidates with an Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) certificate should ensure their IDD was finished on or before December 31, 2023.
Candidates with a Chartered Accountant qualification are also eligible to apply.
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Application Form
The State Bank of India releases the online application form for SBI PO on its official website. Candidates must first register online for the exam and then proceed to fill the application form. Furthermore, they must pay the application fee online to submit the application successfully.
How to Apply Online for SBI PO Prelims 2023?
The following are the steps to apply online for SBI PO Prelims 2023:
Candidates who want to appear for SBI PO Prelims should check the exam pattern. The paper pattern will help them understand the number of questions, marking scheme, sections, and duration.
SBI PO Prelims Selection Process
The SBI PO selection process comprises three phases:
1st Stage: Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
2nd Stage: Main Examination (Mains)
3rd Stage: Interview/Interview and Group Discussion
Aspirants need to clear the preliminary exam to qualify for the main exam. Similarly, they must clear the SBI PO Mains exam to qualify for the interview round. The third phase of the selection procedure can be an interview or an interview and group discussion. It depends on the COVID-19 situation.
SBI PO Prelims Marking Scheme
Candidates can check the marking scheme of SBI PO Prelims below:
Sections
Number of Questions
Maximum Marks
Duration
English Language
30
30
20 minutes
Numerical Ability
35
35
20 minutes
Reasoning Ability
35
35
20 minutes
Total
100
100
1 hour or 60 minutes
Note:
The test will take one hour to complete in total. Each section, however, is timed separately. Candidates have 20 minutes to finish each section.
For each correct answer, one mark is awarded.
0.25 marks will be deducted from the total for each incorrect answer.
There are multiple-choice questions on every page (objective-type).
There will be no cut-off for sections. Candidates must meet the overall cut-off to be qualified for the Main exam.
The following are some of the section-wise topics covered in the SBI PO Prelims syllabus:
English Language Syllabus
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
Reasoning Ability Syllabus
Fill in the Blanks
Number System
Coding & Decoding
Reading Comprehension
Simplification
Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test
Para Jumbles
Average
Directions & Distances
Cloze Test
Percentage
Analogy
Phrase Replacement/ Sentence Correction
Interest
Arrangement & Pattern
Error Spotting
Ratio and Proportion
Syllogisms
Sentence/ Paragraph Completion
Number Series
Classification
Phrase Idiom Meaning
Profit and Loss
Blood Relations
Spellings
Speed, Time and Distance
Data Sufficiency
–
Algebra
Circular Seating Arrangement
–
Data Interpretation
Grouping and Selection
–
Mensuration
Verbal Reasoning
–
Mixture Problems
Scheduling
–
Permutation and Combination
–
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Preparation Tips
Since SBI PO Recruitment is one of the most challenging exams, candidates must be serious and systematic in their studies from the start. We have provided some useful tips for students preparing for SBI PO Prelims here:
Make your study schedule so you don’t have to stress yourself at the last minute.
The exam syllabus is broad, and preparation begins before the announcement is issued.
To do well in the exam, selecting the appropriate study material is essential.
Start preparing by knowing the related topics to pass the SBI PO cut-off score.
Be clear on the idea of each topic and concept.
Do not rely on rote learning because it is not recommended for exams.
Before responding to questions, go over the examples for each topic.
You must practice as many problems as possible in Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude sections.
Practising SBI PO sample test papers is recommended because it can help you improve your problem-solving skills and know the exam’s difficulty level and the types of questions that will be asked.
Reading is required for General Awareness, Computer Awareness, and English Language.
Reading improves your understanding of current events, sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, and much more.
Exam Taking Strategy for SBI PO Prelims 2023
SBI PO is one of the most prestigious government jobs, but passing the renowned exam requires a lot of studying. Before beginning the preparation, go through each section’s SBI PO curriculum in detail.
SBI PO preparation is a time-consuming process that can be completed in a reasonable amount of time, provided the right plan is followed from the beginning. Candidates can adapt the important SBI PO preparation tips listed below to make their study strategy more efficient and effective. These guidelines will assist applicants in achieving their objectives in less time and with more thorough preparation.
Have a very good understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern.
Knowing the syllabus and exam format will assist you in creating a study schedule.
You might begin your preparation by prioritising the important topics.
Solve previous year’s papers and choose suitable books.
Solve previous year’s papers to help you narrow down the syllabus and prioritise the most important topics.
To avoid wasting time, use the prescribed books.
Create a strategy for preparation and divide your time accordingly.
Focus on revising critical topics. Candidates should focus their efforts on topics that carry the most weight in the SBI PO prelims exam.
Short tutorials might help you practice.
For bank exam preparation, various video courses are available online. Revision is often helped by short video tutorials.
Make a list of section-by-section preparation suggestions.
Take more mock tests and test series.
Each section has a set time limit for completion. You must have a clear approach for attempting each part to attempt the maximum number of questions.
Detailed Study Plan for SBI PO Prelims 2023
The SBI PO exam will be conducted for the appointment of Probationary Officers. Candidates should plan a section-by-section strategy to answer questions accurately and within the time limit.
English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability are the three sections of the SBI PO Prelims exam, each comprising 30-35 questions. These are all objective questions with a one-mark penalty for incorrect answers and a 0.25-mark penalty for wrong answers.
Candidates will be allowed 60 minutes to finish the exam. Prior knowledge of the exam pattern is essential because it provides candidates with a basis for adequate preparation. In this article, we will explain how we came up with the idea for this work.
SBI PO Prelims Preparation for English Language
The English section is not very difficult to pass and should be attempted first.
Candidates can practice questions on sentence re-arrangement, idioms and phrases, error detection, and sentence repair to develop a strong foundation in English grammar.
Questions on synonyms, antonyms, fill-in-the-blanks, and spotting errors are used to enhance your vocabulary.
Questions on synonyms, antonyms, fill-in-the-blanks, and spotting errors are used to assess vocabulary—candidates who read from various sources and keep a list of difficult terms to revise.
A fast reading speed can help you in answering comprehension questions correctly.
SBI PO Prelims Preparation for Quantitative Aptitude
This section evaluates how well you can translate statements into numbers or solve mathematical equations.
It also assesses the speed and accuracy of the candidates.
The difficulty level of this segment is moderate-to-challenging compared to other sections, which is why prioritising which questions to attempt first is important in saving time.
Probability, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Time & Distance, Data Interpretation, and other topics are covered in this section.
You are highly advised to practice questions from RS Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations to do well in this section.
SBI PO Prelims Preparation Reasoning Ability
The reasoning is a high-scoring section.
Candidates can easily score good marks in this section with adequate preparation.
The puzzles and seating arrangement questions have high weightage, with roughly 20 questions.
Aside from these two topics, the reasoning section includes coding and decoding, inequality, syllogism, blood relation, direction and distance, order and ranking, alphanumeric series, input-output, etc.
These topics are simple, and the fundamentals may be learned in a month.
Many students make the mistake of practising puzzles and seating arrangement questions but not other important topics.
To conclude, candidates should concentrate on revising essential areas. They should pay more attention to the topics with high weightage. Guesswork and spending too much time on a single question should be avoided, as incorrect solutions are penalised.
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Admit Card
The State Bank of India issued the SBI PO Prelims 2023 admit card online on October 23, 2023. Candidates who have successfully submitted their application can download the SBI PO admit card for Prelims on the official website — from October 23 to November 6, 2023. Furthermore, they must enter the registration number and password/date of birth to download the hall ticket.
The admit card contains various details, including the exam centre name & address, roll number, and exam instructions. Aspirants must check all the details mentioned on their hall tickets and contact the concerned authority in case of any discrepancy.
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Result
The bank published the preliminary result online on November 21, 2023. Candidates can check the SBI PO result for Prelims online at sbi.co.in. They must enter the registration/roll number and password/date of birth to check the result. The scorecard contains sectional as well as overall marks. In addition, candidates can check their qualifying status from the SBI PO scorecard.
SBI PO Prelims 2023 Cutoff
Candidates have to obtain scores above the Prelims cutoff marks to qualify for Mains. The SBI PO cutoff depends on factors like the number of candidates who appeared for the exam, performance of candidates, vacancies, etc.
SBI PO Prelims Previous Year Cut-off
Aspirants can check the previous year’s cutoff below:
SBI PO Prelims Cutoff 2020-21
Category
Cutoff Marks
GEN
58.5
SC
50
ST
43.75
OBC
56
EWS
56.75
SBI PO Prelims Cutoff 2019-20
Category
Cutoff Marks
GEN
71
SC
61.75
ST
54.75
OBC
68.25
EWS
68.25
SBI PO Prelims Cutoff 2018-19
Category
Cutoff Marks
GEN
56.75
SC
54.25
ST
49.00
OH
45.25
VH
49.00
HI
14.75
SBI PO Prelims Cutoff 2017-18
Category
Cutoff Marks
GEN
51.50
OBC
48.25
SC
43.25
ST
31.25
OH
38.75
VI
42.50
HI
18.50
FAQs on SBI PO Prelims 2023
Aspirants can check some of the commonly asked questions related to SBI PO Prelims 2023 below:
Q.1: What is the SBI PO syllabus for the Prelims exam?
Ans: The SBI PO prelims exam syllabus consists of English language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability.
Q.2: Is a calculator allowed in the SBI PO exam?
Ans: No, the SBI PO exam does not allow you to use a calculator.
Q.3: What is the age limit for applying for the SBI PO exam?
Ans: To apply for SBI PO, applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 30. On the other hand, candidates from the reserved categories are given a break on the upper age limit.
Q.4: How many vacancies have been announced for SBI PO 2023?
Ans: SBI announced around 2,000 vacancies for Probationary Officer posts.
Q.5: Is the SBI PO 2023 Notification released?
Ans: The State Bank of India released the SBI PO 2023 official notification on September 6, 2023.
Q.6: Is there a negative marking in the SBI PO Prelims exam?
Ans: Yes, there is a negative marking for incorrect answers. For marking a wrong answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted.
Q.7: Is the SBI PO Prelims exam bilingual?
Ans: The SBI PO Prelims question paper will be set in English and Hindi.
Q.8: Is a B.Tech student eligible for SBI PO?
Ans: A B.Tech student can sit for the SBI PO exam. A candidate needs a bachelor’s degree from a recognised board or university in any discipline.