Exam Pattern

Stage 1- Preliminary Exam

• The preliminary exam for SBI PO will be conducted in the online mode
• The preliminary stage of the exam will include objective type questions
• The exam paper will be divided into different sections and each section will have separate timings
• The three sections of the exam, including the number of questions, are given in the below table-

Selection Criteria for Main Exam

A category-wise merit list is drawn based on the aggregate marks scored by the candidate after the preliminary exam. There is no sectional cut-off. Candidates numbering approximately 10 times the number of vacancies will be shortlisted for the Mains exam in each category, from the top of the merit list.  

Stage 2- Main Exam

• The objective test will consist of questions for 200 marks
• There will be descriptive questions for 50 marks
• The duration of the objective test will be 3 hours
• The duration of the descriptive section of the exam will be 30 minutes 
• There will be two descriptive questions in the English language (Letter writing and Essay)
• The two questions of the descriptive section will be 25 marks each 
• The objective section of the exam contains 4 sub-sections that are listed below-

Selection Criteria for Stage 2: 

A category-wise merit list will be prepared based on the aggregate marks obtained in Stage 2. There is no sectional cut-off. Candidates numbering up to 3 times of the category-wise vacancies will be considered for Stage 3 from the top of the category-wise merit list subject to the condition that the candidate scores the minimum aggregate marks that has been decided by the bank. 

Stage 3- Interview

• Due to the pandemic, there may be an interview of 50 marks 

or

• Interview and GD of 30 marks and 20 marks respectively

• Candidates need to acquire minimum qualifying marks, which will be decided by the Bank

Final Selection

Candidates need to qualify both in Phase 1 and Phase 2 separately. The marks obtained in Stage 2 (Main examination) both in Objective and Descriptive Test will be included with the marks obtained in Stage 3 to prepare the final merit list. The marks scored in Preliminary exam will not be added to prepare the final selection list. 

Marks scored in Stage 2, which is out of 250, will be converted in a proportion out of 75 marks and Stage 3 scores of candidates, which is out of 75 marks will be converted to 50 marks. 

The final merit list is made after aggregating the converted marks of Stage-II and Stage-III (out of 100 marks). Selection will be made from the top merit ranked candidates in each category.

Note:

• There will be a penalty for incorrect answers in the Preliminary and Main exam
• The negative marking will be applicable for objective type questions only
• For each incorrect answer, a quarter or 1/4th of assigned marks will be deducted
• If the candidate does not answer any question, there will be no penalty or negative marking for that question
• Sectional marks will not be maintained in the Preliminary and Main exam
• Candidates’ Phase-II scores (out of 250 marks) are converted to out of 75 marks, and their Phase-III scores (out of 50 marks) are converted to out of 25 marks
• The final merit list is determined after aggregating (out of 100) converted marks from Phases II and III
• Candidates with the highest merit ratings in each category will be chosen.