
SBI PO 2021 Exam Date, Admit Card, Syllabus, Vacancies, Exam Analysis
The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the SBI PO Exam every year to select eligible candidates for the Probationary Officer position. A large number of candidates apply for the exam, of which only a few are selected based on the number of vacancies. SBI PO is considered the most requested banking exam in the country. Successful candidates are assigned as probationary officers in the various branches of the bank.
SBI PO 2020 Highlights
Exam name |
SBI PO |
Conducted by |
State Bank of India |
Post |
Junior Management Grade Scale-I |
Exam level |
National |
Exam category |
Graduation |
Frequency of exam |
Once a year |
Exam stages |
Phase I Preliminary exam Phase II Mains exam Phase III Interview only or Group Exercise & Interview |
Exam mode |
Online |
Exam duration |
Preliminary exam: 1 hour (20 minutes for each section) Mains: 3 hours (With sectional timings) |
Exam syllabus |
Preliminary - English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability Mains - Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness, English Language |
Exam pattern |
Prelims: 100 questions Mains: 155 |
Language |
English and Hindi |
Exam purpose |
For the selection of Probationary Officers |
Exam helpdesk |
022-22820427 |
Official website |
sbi.co.in/careers |
SBI PO 2021admission card
The SBI PO 2021admission card for the preliminary exam is now available. The admission card is published online on the official website. To download the SBI PO 2020 Admission Card, candidates must enter the registration number or list number and date of birth or password. The admission card for the preliminary exam is released for all registered candidates. The BI PO admission card contains details such as the candidate's name, roster number, exam center address, etc.
SBI PO 2021 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria.
Educational qualification as of December 31, 2020
According to the SBI PO 2020 Eligibility Criteria, candidates who have completed their graduation in any discipline can apply. Candidates taking their senior year / semester exams are also eligible to apply. However, if they are shortlisted for the interview round, such candidates must provide proof of passing graduation. Candidates holding a Certified Public Accountant (CA) are also eligible to apply.
Age criteria as of April 1, 2020
Candidates between the ages of 21 and 30 can apply. It should be noted that age relaxation is granted to reserved category candidates as mentioned below.
Category |
Age Relaxation (in Years) |
SC/ ST |
5 |
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) |
3 |
PwD (SC/ST) |
15 |
PwD (OBC) |
13 |
PwD (Gen) |
10 |
Ex-Servicemen, Commissioned officers including Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered 5 years military service and have been released on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within 6 months from the last date of receipt of application) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency or physical disability attributable to military service or invalidment. |
5 |
Number of attempts
Category |
Number of attempts |
General/ EWS |
4 |
General/ EWS (PWD) |
7 |
OBC |
7 |
OBC (PWD) |
7 |
SC/ SC (PWD)/ ST/ ST (PWD) |
No Restriction |
SBI PO Dates 2020
Candidates can check below the dates related to the SBI PO exam.
SBI PO 2020 events |
SBI PO 2020 dates |
Salient Features |
Online registration |
14-Nov-2020 to 04-Dec-2020 |
SBI PO application form is available online |
Fee payment date |
14-Nov-2020 to 04-Dec-2020 |
Candidates need to pay fee online |
Prelims admit card |
31-Dec-2020 to 06-Jan-2021 |
The admit card for the prelims exam has been released for all registered candidates. |
Online preliminary examination |
31-Dec-2020 02-Jan-2021 04-Jan-2021 05-Jan-2021 06-Jan-2021 |
The preliminary exam will be conducted online across various cities and in multiple shifts. |
Prelims result |
3rd week of January 2021 |
SBI PO prelims result will be announced online on the official website. |
Mains admit card |
3rd week of January 2021 onwards |
The mains admit card is released for the qualified candidates of preliminary exam |
Conduct of mains exam |
29-Jan-2021 |
The mains exam is expected to be conducted for the shortlisted candidates of prelims exam. |
Mains result |
3rd/ 4th week of February 2021 |
Mains result will be declared online on the official website in PDF format. |
Call Letter for Interview only or Group Exercises & Interview |
3rd/ 4th week of February 2021 onward |
Group Exercises and Interview call letter is issued to the qualified candidates of mains exam. |
Interview only or Group Exercises & Interview |
February/ March 2021 |
Group Exercises and Interview will be conducted for the shortlisted candidates of mains exam |
Declaration of final result |
Last week of March 2021 |
The final result is announced based on candidate’s performance in mains exam and Group Exercise and Interview. |
SBI 2020 Purchase Order Selection Process
The full selection process for SBI PO is explained below:
Step 1: Fill out the SBI purchase order request form
For SBI PO 2020 registrations, candidates must first complete and submit the application form in online mode on the bank's official website. Thereafter, candidates must also pay the SBI purchase order application fee in online mode via debit card / credit card / internet banking.
Category |
SBI PO Application Fee |
General/ OBC |
Rs 750 (application fee including intimation charges) |
SC/ ST/ PwD |
Nil |
Step 2: Download the SBI PO Call Letter / Admission Card
Candidates can download the SBI PO 2020 admission card from the bank's official website. Separate admission cards are issued for the interview and preliminary, main and group exercises. It should be noted that no hard copy of the convocation letter will be mailed.
Step 3: Report for the Phase I Preliminary Exam
Candidates must then appear for the preliminary examination at the assigned examination center. The preliminary exam will last and candidates must answer questions related to topics such as English language, quantitative aptitude, and reasoning ability.
Step 4: Report for the Phase II Network Exam
Candidates who qualify for the preliminary exam must sit for the SBI PO 2020 Mains exam. Candidates are shortlisted 10 times the number of seats for the main exam. The main exam contains objective and descriptive questions that candidates must complete in a total duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Step 5: Interview of Phase III only or Exercises and Group Interview
This year, due to the pandemic, SBI will only conduct interviews or group exercises and interviews. Candidates up to three times the number of vacancies are shortlisted only for interviews or group exercises and interviews.
Step 6: SBI PO result
The SBI PO result is reported online separately for the different stages of recruitment. The result will be available on the official website in PDF format. Candidates will be able to verify their qualification status in the result. The SBI PO cut is posted along with the scorecard.
SBI PO Syllabus 2020 for Preliminary Exam
There will be a total of 100 questions in the preliminary exam of SBI PO. The total marks allotted to the test are 100.
Reasoning |
Quantitative Aptitude |
English Language |
Logical Reasoning |
Simplification |
Reading Comprehension |
Alphanumeric Series |
Profit & Loss |
Cloze Test |
Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test |
Mixtures &Alligations |
Para jumbles |
Data Sufficiency |
Simple Interest & Compound Interest & Surds & Indices |
Miscellaneous |
Coded Inequalities |
Work & Time |
Fill in the blanks |
Seating Arrangement |
Time & Distance |
Multiple Meaning /Error Spotting |
Puzzle |
Mensuration – Cylinder, Cone, Sphere |
Paragraph Completion |
Tabulation |
Data Interpretation |
- |
Syllogism |
Ratio & Proportion, Percentage |
- |
Blood Relations |
Number Systems |
- |
Input Output |
Sequence & Series |
- |
Coding Decoding |
Permutation, Combination &Probability |
- |
SBI PO 2020 Vacancies
The vacancies have been announced along with the notification. A total of 2,000 vacancies have been announced. Candidates can check the distribution of the vacancy below.
Category |
Vacancies |
SC |
300 |
ST |
150 |
OBC |
540 |
EWS |
200 |
General |
810 |
Total |
2,000 |
SBI PO Salary 2020
Basic pay: The starting basic salary is Rs 27,620 (with four increments in advance).
Pay scale:Rs 23,700-980 / 7-30,560-1145 / 2-32,850-1310 / 7-42,020 applicable to junior management.
Allowances: DA, HRA / Lease, CCA, Medical Allowances, and other allowances and perks as per rules
Eligibility criteria for hiring SBI PO 2020
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- The age limit of candidates must be between 21 and 30 years old.
- Any graduate candidate can apply for the exam.
There is also a limit on the number of attempts. The number of opportunities for the General category is four and OBC is Seven. There is no limit to the number of attempts for SC and ST candidates.
SBI PO 2020 Recruitment Request Form
Interested candidates can complete the SBI PO application form online. The application fee that can be paid online is Rs 750 for General / EWS / OBC. SC / ST / PWD candidates are exempt from paying fees. The steps to complete the application form are explained below.
- Visit the official website
- Click on the registration link
- Enter name, mobile phone number, email ID and security code
- Upon successful registration, registration ID and password are generated
- Upload scanned photo and signature images in required format
- Fill in the basic data, personal data, educational qualification and work experience
- Preview the application form before final submission
- Pay the application fees to submit the application
SBI PO Recruitment: Vacancies and Salary
The SBI determines the number of vacancies based on your business requirements. A total of 2,000 vacancies will be filled through the recruitment examination. Currently, the basic salary of the SBI PO is Rs 27,620 (with 4 increments in advance). The salary scale for Junior Management Grade I Scale is 23700-980 / 7-30560-1145 / 2-32850-1310 / 7- 42020. In addition, candidates are also entitled to DA, HRA / Leasehold, CCA , medical and other benefits. .
SBI 2020 Purchase Order Selection Process
The SBI PO selection process comprises the following stages:
Preliminary Exam: The list of merits by category for the main exam is compiled based on the total scores obtained in the preliminary exam. Candidates are selected 10 times the number of seats for the main exam.
Main exam: The main exam is a combination of objective tests and descriptive tests. The main exam merit list based on the total scores. Candidates up to three times the number of vacancies will be shortlisted for Group Exercise and Interview.
Interview only or exercise and group interview
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the third recruitment phase will comprise only interviews or group interviews and exercises.
Final selection:
The marks obtained in the preliminary exam will not be added to the preparation of the final payroll. Only the marks obtained in the main exam will be added to the marks obtained in Interview or Exercise and group interview for the final list of merits. The marks obtained by the candidates in the main exam will become 75 out of 250 points. While Group Exercise and Interview scores become 25 out of 50 points.
SBI PO 2020 Exam Centers
The SBI PO Preliminary Exam and Major Exams are scheduled to take place in various cities across the country. SBI publishes the list of test cities. Candidates must select the exam cities for the preliminary and main exam when completing the application form. The examining authority reserves the right to assign exam centers to candidates.
SBI PO 2020 Exam Day Guidelines
- Candidates should bring the hard copy of their admission card to the test center.
- Candidates must also bring proof of identity with photo.
- Bring two passport-size photographs to the test center.
- Please arrive at the test center one hour before the report time
- Do not bring cell phones or any other electronic device to the test center.
- Follow the instructions given by the proctor in the exam room.
- Do not carry stationery such as pencil cases, erasers, etc.
- Do not bring textbooks or any type of printed material to the test center.
SBI PO Recruitment Cut off 2020
SBI PO cut off is released category-wise along with the scorecard for different stages of selection. There is no sectional cut off in SBI PO exam. Candidates can check below the previous year’s SBI PO prelims cut off marks.
Category |
Cut off |
General |
71 |
Economically Weaker Section (EWS) |
68.25 |
Other Backward Caste (OBC) |
68.25 |
Scheduled Caste (SC) |
61.75 |
Scheduled Tribe (ST) |
54.75 |
SBI PO exam 2020 FAQs
Q. When will the SBI PO 2020 notice be posted?
A. The SBI PO notice had been posted.
Q. I am in my last year of graduation. Can I apply for the SBI PO exam?
A. Yes, you can request the SBI PO exam on a provisional basis.
Q. What is the age limit to submit an application?
A. The age limit is 21 to 30 years old.
Q. I have completed graduation in the branch of Science. I can apply?
A. Yes, you can request the exam.
Q. Is SBI PO stronger than CAT?
A. CAT is more difficult than the SBI PO exam.
Q. Which is better Bank PO or MBA?
A. MBA is not a career. It is a graduate course that can be beneficial to your career. Officer on probation, on the other hand, is a career.
Q. Do graduation scores on the SBI PO exam matter?
A. There is no minimum percentage of grades at graduation prescribed for applying to SBI PO.
Q. How many times can I take the SBI PO exam?
A. There is a limit to the number of attempts on the SBI PO exam.
Q. Is there a link in SBI PO?
A. Successful candidates, at the time of joining, will be required to execute a bonus of Rs 2 lakh to serve the bank for a minimum period of three years.
Q. Will selected candidates be on probation?
A. Yes, candidates selected on probation for two years.
Q. What is the career growth as a PO?
A. Candidates may be promoted from the Junior Management Grade Scale-II (MMGS-II) to the Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I) based on performance.