Exam guide · SBI
SBI PO
State Bank of India Probationary Officers Recruitment
SBI's own national recruitment for Probationary Officers, its entry-level officer cadre, selected through a three-phase process.
Vacancies
1,500
Age limit
21–30 years
Application fee
₹750 (General/EWS/OBC); Nil (SC/ST/PwBD)
Notice published
18 June 2026
SBI PO notification: key dates and vacancies
| Online registration and fee payment | 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Preliminary exam (Phase-I) | August 2026 (tentative) |
| Main exam (Phase-II) | September 2026 (tentative) |
| Phase-III (psychometric test, group exercise, interview) | October/November 2026 (tentative) |
| Final result | November/December 2026 (tentative) |
| Vacancies | 1,500 (1,446 regular + 54 backlog) |
Posts filled through this exam
- Probationary Officer, Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I)
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, 2026 (Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09) (published 18 June 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
Posts in SBI PO: pay level and age limit
Open a post for its departments, qualification and exam stages.
| Post | Pay level | Group | Age limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probationary Officer (JMGS-I) | Basic pay ₹48,480 | Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I) | 21–30 years |
SBI PO is State Bank of India's own recruitment of Probationary Officers in Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I). Unlike IBPS PO, SBI runs the whole process itself and recruits only for SBI.
The 2026 advertisement (CRPD/PO/2026-27/09) announces 1,500 vacancies: 1,446 regular and 54 backlog. Selection runs in three phases — a qualifying preliminary exam, a main exam with an objective and a descriptive paper, and Phase-III with a psychometric test, a group exercise and an interview.
This guide explains the pay scale, age and qualification rules, each phase's pattern and the application steps from the official SBI advertisement.
SBI PO 2026 vacancies
SBI has advertised 1,500 Probationary Officer posts: 1,446 regular vacancies and 54 backlog vacancies. The category-wise split is printed in the advertisement on sbi.bank.in/careers.
SBI PO salary: JMGS-I scale
A Probationary Officer starts at a basic pay of ₹48,480 in the scale ₹48,480 – 2,000/7 – 62,480 – 2,340/2 – 67,160 – 2,680/7 – 85,920, with four advance increments as stated in the advertisement. Allowances and perquisites are paid as per SBI rules; the advertisement does not print an in-hand figure.
Age limit, relaxation and qualification
You must be 21–30 years old on 1 April 2026.
You need graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government. Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally, but must have passed by 30 September 2026; the same date applies to integrated dual-degree holders.
Upper age relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD (UR / EWS) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-servicemen | 5 years (subject to conditions) |
How the three phases work
Phase-I, the preliminary exam, is a one-hour online objective test of 100 marks: English Language (40 questions), Quantitative Aptitude (30) and Reasoning Ability (30), with 20 minutes per section. It is qualifying only and has no sectional cut-off.
Phase-II, the main exam, has a three-hour objective paper of 200 marks — Reasoning & Computer Aptitude (40 questions, 60 marks), Data Analysis & Interpretation (30 questions, 60 marks), General/Economy/Banking Awareness (60 questions, 60 marks) and English Language (40 questions, 20 marks) — plus a 30-minute descriptive paper of 30 marks typed on the computer (email writing, situation analysis and report writing/précis). Sectional cut-offs apply in the main exam.
In the objective tests, one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer.
Phase-III has a psychometric test, a group exercise of 20 marks and an interview of 30 marks.
How to apply for SBI PO
- 1
Register on SBI's careers site
Online registration and fee payment ran from 18 June to 8 July 2026 through the link on sbi.bank.in/careers.
- 2
Pay the fee
₹750 for General, EWS and OBC candidates; SC, ST and PwBD candidates pay nothing. The fee is non-refundable.
- 3
Check the corrigendum
A corrigendum dated 1 July 2026 removed the credit-history (CIBIL) clause from the advertisement; all other conditions stand.
- 4
Download call letters
Call letters for each phase are issued on SBI's careers page; the tentative schedule is August 2026 for prelims, September 2026 for mains and October/November 2026 for Phase-III.
Latest SBI PO recruitment
No active trusted recruitment is published for this exam right now.
Exam overview
Reviewed editorial
Who it is for
Graduates who want an officer-level banking career at India's largest public sector bank.
Eligibility, age and qualification
Exact limits are set per post in each official notice.
Age limit
21–30 years (as on 1 April 2026)
Educational qualification
- Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government
- Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally but must have passed by 30 September 2026
- Integrated dual degree holders must have passed by 30 September 2026
Upper age relaxation
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD (UR / EWS) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-servicemen | 5 years (subject to conditions) |
Application fee
₹750 (General/EWS/OBC); Nil (SC/ST/PwBD). SC, ST and PwBD candidates pay no fee. The fee is non-refundable.
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, 2026 (Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09) (published 18 June 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
- Indian nationals
- Graduates in any discipline
- Final-year students (provisional)
- Age-relaxed reserved categories
Selection process and exam pattern
Stages of selection
- 1Prelims: online objective test of 100 marks, qualifying only
- 2Mains: online objective test (200 marks) plus a descriptive test (30 marks)
- 3Phase-III: psychometric test, group exercise (20 marks) and interview (30 marks)
Preliminary
1 hour
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | See notice |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | See notice |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | See notice |
Each section has 20 minutes and there is no sectional cut-off. Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. Total: 100 marks.
Main (Objective)
3 hours
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness | 60 | 60 |
| English Language | 40 | 20 |
Each section has a sectional cut-off. Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer.
Main (Descriptive)
30 minutes
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Email writing, situation analysis and report writing/précis (choose 1 of 2 in each) | 3 | 30 |
Answers are typed on computer and the paper has a sectional cut-off.
Source: Recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, 2026 (Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09) (published 18 June 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
Reviewed editorial
Candidates clear an online preliminary exam and a main exam with objective and descriptive papers, then a psychometric test, group exercise and interview. The final merit list uses main exam and Phase-III marks.
Syllabus and subject-wise prep
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude and Data Analysis & Interpretation
- Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
- General Awareness, Economy and Banking
- Descriptive writing (email, situation analysis, report/précis)
- Group exercise and interview
Prepare for SBI PO
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Frequently asked questions
What is the age limit for SBI PO?
21–30 years, counted as on 1 April 2026, as per the Recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, 2026 (Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09). Category-wise upper age relaxation is given in the notice.
What qualification is needed for SBI PO?
Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government. Final-year or final-semester students may apply provisionally but must have passed by 30 September 2026. Integrated dual degree holders must have passed by 30 September 2026.
What is the SBI PO exam pattern?
Preliminary: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability (1 hour). Each section has 20 minutes and there is no sectional cut-off. Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. Total: 100 marks. Main (Objective): Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness, English Language (3 hours). Each section has a sectional cut-off. Negative marking: 1/4 of the question's marks for each wrong answer. Main (Descriptive): Email writing, situation analysis and report writing/précis (choose 1 of 2 in each) (30 minutes). Answers are typed on computer and the paper has a sectional cut-off.
How many vacancies are there in SBI PO?
1,500 (1,446 regular + 54 backlog), according to the Recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, 2026 (Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09).
How many vacancies are there in SBI PO 2026?
1,500: 1,446 regular and 54 backlog vacancies.
What is the salary of SBI PO?
Basic pay of ₹48,480 in the JMGS-I scale (up to ₹85,920) with four advance increments, plus allowances as per SBI rules.
What is the age limit for SBI PO 2026?
21–30 years as on 1 April 2026, with relaxation for SC/ST (5), OBC (3), PwBD (10–15) and ex-servicemen.
Can final-year students apply for SBI PO?
Yes, provisionally, if they pass their graduation by 30 September 2026.
Is SBI PO prelims qualifying?
Yes. The 100-mark prelims only decides who goes to the main exam and has no sectional cut-off.
Is there negative marking in SBI PO?
Yes, one fourth of the marks of a question for every wrong answer in the objective tests.
What is in SBI PO Phase-III?
A psychometric test, a group exercise of 20 marks and an interview of 30 marks.
What is the SBI PO application fee?
₹750 for General/EWS/OBC; nil for SC, ST and PwBD.
What is SBI PO?
SBI's own national recruitment for Probationary Officers, its entry-level officer cadre, selected through a three-phase process.
Who is SBI PO for?
Graduates who want an officer-level banking career at India's largest public sector bank.
How is SBI PO selection described?
Candidates clear an online preliminary exam and a main exam with objective and descriptive papers, then a psychometric test, group exercise and interview. The final merit list uses main exam and Phase-III marks.
Niyookti is not part of SBI. The official SBI website (sbi.bank.in) and its notices are the only final source. Always confirm details there before applying.