The SBI PO stands for State Bank of India Probationary Officer exam. SBI PO Exam is an annual recruitment exam held by the bank to fill vacancies across all its 2,00,000 branches. The application fee is Rs. 750 and can be done online. The admit card is also published online. To apply for the SBI PO, the candidate needs to fulfill the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility criteria for SBI PO Exam
- Candidates must be between the ages of 21 and 30.
- Candidates must have an undergraduate degree from a recognised university.
- Final year students are eligible.
SBI PO Exam Pattern
The exam is conducted online and only has objective-type questions. The SBI PO exam pattern is quite similar to IBPS Clerk. There are three stages that candidates must clear—prelims, mains and interview or group discussion.
- Prelims: This exam is divided into three sections—English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability. Every right answer is worth one mark and every wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. Each section has to be completed within 20 minutes.
- Mains: After clearing Prelims, candidates can attempt the Mains exam. There are two sections in this exam—an objective-type paper worth 200 marks and a descriptive-type paper worth 50 marks.
- Interview/Group Discussion: Candidates who clear the Mains exam will be shortlisted for the interview round. The group discussion is worth 20 marks and the interview is worth 30 marks.
How can a Beginner Prepare for SBI PO Exam?
SBI PO is a prestigious job with a well-paying salary, therefore, the exam is one of the toughest to crack. However, the following tips will help a beginner be better prepared:
- Don’t panic: Don’t let the syllabus overwhelm you. The best way to manage it is to remain calm. Then, planning and dividing the syllabus into sections will make studying easier.
- Know the syllabus well: The best way to be prepared is to know the syllabus well and cover all the topics. There is no need to study more than what is mentioned in the syllabus. To know more about the detailed syllabus check out BYJU’S Exam Prep.
- Make a timetable: Making a timetable and sticking to it can help you prepare for the test very easily. Depending on your needs, you can set slots for learning new concepts, revising old concepts and solving old papers, etc. Consistency is key and a timetable can help you achieve that.
- Practice mock tests: Practising mock tests and solving sample papers or old question papers can help you get acquainted with the question pattern. This is also a great way to increase speed and accuracy.
- Don’t ignore the English and general knowledge sections: These sections will get you the highest scores but many candidates ignore them. If you score well here it can give you an edge over others.
- Make a habit of staying updated with the news: Reading newspapers will not only improve general awareness but will also improve your English language skills.
Preparing for the SBI PO exam with commitment is the only way to crack it. These tips will certainly prove helpful to any beginner who is considering preparing for the exam.
