The State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the Probationary Officer (PO) exam annually to recruit candidates for Junior Management Grade Scale-I positions. The selection process comprises three distinct phases: Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Psychometric Test followed by an Interview. Candidates must hold a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university to be eligible. The starting basic pay scale for an SBI PO is ₹41,960, supplemented by various allowances like HRA, DA, and medical benefits. All recruitment notifications and application processes are managed strictly through the official SBI career portal.
Selected candidates are appointed as Probationary Officers (PO) in the Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I).
The SBI PO examination is conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Psychometric Test/Interview.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | As per official recruitment notification |
| Application Fees | Rs. 750 (General/OBC/EWS); Nil (SC/ST/PwBD) |
| Age Limit | 21 to 30 years (with category-based relaxations) |
| Attempt Limits | 4 (General), 7 (OBC), No limit (SC/ST) |
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The State Bank of India (SBI) recruits Probationary Officers (PO) through an annual competitive process hosted on the official portal sbi.co.in/web/careers. Candidates must track the Current Openings section for the latest recruitment notification. Selection involves a three-tier process: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Psychometric Test followed by Group Exercises and Interview. Applicants must ensure their eligibility matches the criteria stipulated in the most recent official advertisement to avoid candidature rejection during document verification.
To download the official SBI PO recruitment notification, follow these steps:
| Event | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | As per official cycle |
| Online Registration | Active for 20-25 days |
| Prelims Exam | Typically Nov/Dec |
| Mains Exam | Typically Jan/Feb |
SBI PO vacancies are announced category-wise in the official notification. The distribution typically includes:
| Exam Year | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2000 |
| 2023 | 2000 |
| 2022 | 1673 |
| Designation | Pay Scale/Level | Job Role |
|---|---|---|
| Probationary Officer (PO) | JMGS-I | Banking operations, credit, and administrative management. |
The application fee is non-refundable and payable online:
Payment is accepted via Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, or UPI.
Candidates must be between 21 and 30 years of age as of April 1st of the recruitment year.
Candidates must possess a Graduate Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or any equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government. Final year students may apply provided they produce proof of graduation on the interview date.
| Phase | Subjects | Duration | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | English, Quant, Reasoning | 60 Mins | 0.25 Marks |
| Mains | Reasoning, Data Analysis, Banking Awareness, English | 3.5 Hours | 0.25 Marks |
The starting basic pay for an SBI PO is ₹41,960 in the scale of 36000-1490/7-46430-1740/2-49910-1990/7-63840. Total compensation includes Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), City Compensatory Allowance (CCA), and other perks as per the Bipartite Settlement.
Admit cards are released on the SBI Careers portal. Candidates must carry a printed copy of the call letter and a valid original photo ID (Aadhar Card, PAN Card, or Passport) to the exam center.
Results are published on the official SBI website. The final merit list is prepared by aggregating marks from the Main Examination and the Interview/Group Exercise phase. Normalization is applied across shifts to ensure parity.
Focus on Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning as they carry the highest weightage. Practice Descriptive English daily to improve typing speed and grammar. Utilize Banking Awareness modules for the General Awareness section. Maintain a strict mock test schedule to enhance time management under exam pressure.
Regularly attempting full-length mock tests is critical for success in SBI PO. Candidates should aim to solve at least 20-30 Prelims mocks and 10-15 Mains mocks before the actual exam. Focus on platforms that offer an interface similar to the actual IBPS/SBI exam environment. Analyze the 'percentile' rather than just the 'score' to understand your standing among competitors.
The following data represents the official cut-off marks for the State Bank of India (SBI) Probationary Officer (PO) recruitment, sourced directly from official SBI Career portal result write-ups and recruitment notifications. Data is presented as per official category-wise declarations for the Preliminary and Main examination stages.
| Category | Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| SC | 52.50 |
| ST | 47.50 |
| OBC | 59.25 |
| EWS | 59.25 |
| GEN | 59.25 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2023 Preliminary Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2023-24/19.
| Category | Cut-off Marks (Out of 250) |
|---|---|
| SC | 30.00 |
| ST | 25.00 |
| OBC | 35.00 |
| EWS | 35.00 |
| GEN | 35.00 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2023 Main Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2023-24/19.
| Category | Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| SC | 52.50 |
| ST | 47.75 |
| OBC | 59.50 |
| EWS | 59.50 |
| GEN | 59.50 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2022 Preliminary Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2022-23/18.
| Category | Cut-off Marks (Out of 250) |
|---|---|
| SC | 30.00 |
| ST | 25.00 |
| OBC | 35.00 |
| EWS | 35.00 |
| GEN | 35.00 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2022 Main Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2022-23/18.
| Category | Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| SC | 54.00 |
| ST | 48.25 |
| OBC | 61.25 |
| EWS | 62.75 |
| GEN | 63.00 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2021 Preliminary Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2021-22/18.
| Category | Cut-off Marks (Out of 250) |
|---|---|
| SC | 30.00 |
| ST | 25.00 |
| OBC | 35.00 |
| EWS | 35.00 |
| GEN | 35.00 |
Source: Official SBI PO 2021 Main Examination Result Write-up, Ref: CRPD/PO/2021-22/18.