SBI Probationary Officer (PO) Preliminary Examination Syllabus 2026
State Bank of India (SBI)
The SBI Probationary Officer (PO) Preliminary Examination is the first stage of the SBI PO recruitment process. It is an online objective examination consisting of three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. Each section has a separate sectional timing of 20 minutes. Candidates qualifying the Preliminary Examination are shortlisted for the Main Examination. Marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not considered for the final merit list. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Duration
60 Minutes (20 Minutes per Section)
Marking
1 mark is awarded for every correct answer. The Preliminary Examination carries a total of 100 marks.
Negative marking
0.25 (one-fourth) of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every incorrect answer. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.
Exam Pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
Subject-wise Syllabus
English Language
Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Fill in the Blanks, Error Detection, Sentence Improvement, Para Jumbles, Sentence Rearrangement, Word Swap, Phrase Replacement, Vocabulary, Synonyms & Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Sentence Completion
Quantitative Aptitude
Number Series, Simplification, Approximation, Quadratic Equations, Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Partnership, Time & Work, Pipes & Cistern, Time, Speed & Distance, Boat & Stream, Mixture & Alligation, Ages, Permutation & Combination, Probability
Reasoning Ability
Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Syllogism, Inequality, Alphabet Series, Number Series, Order & Ranking, Input-Output, Data Sufficiency, Machine Input, Logical Reasoning, Statement & Conclusion
Preparation Tips
- Strengthen fundamentals of Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning.
- Practice puzzles and seating arrangements daily.
- Read newspapers regularly to improve English vocabulary and comprehension.
- Attempt sectional and full-length mock tests under timed conditions.
- Analyze mock test performance to identify weak areas.
- Focus on speed and accuracy to minimize negative marking.
- Solve previous years' SBI PO Preliminary papers to understand the latest question trends.