SBI PO 2021: Interview Call letter (Released), Mains Result, Application Process, Pattern, & Selection
Updated On -
Mar 6, 2021
SBI PO 2021 is conducted to recruit Probationary Officers for branches of State Bank of India across the nation.SBI PO is one of the most coveted jobs in Banking industry and a dream job for millions of aspirants .The recruitment process consists of 3 phases – Preliminary exam, Main Exam, and GD/ Interview round. Though a large number of aspirants apply for the exam every year, nonetheless, only a few candidates are selected for the designation, since the SBI PO recruitment process is completely based on the number of vacancies.
Latest Updates:
- 20 February 2021: SBI PO 2020-21 interview call letter has been released by the State Bank of India. In addition, the SBI PO Interview admit card or call letter has also been available for the qualified aspirants for download. Click here.
- 16 February 2021: SBI PO Mains result for 2020-21 has been released. Click here
SBI PO 2020-21 Highlights
| Exam name | SBI PO |
| Exam Full form | State Bank Of India Probationary Officer |
| 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 |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Exam duration | Preliminary exam: 1 hour (20 minutes for each section) Mains: 3 hours (With sectional timings) |
| Exam pattern | Prelims: 100 questions Mains: 155 questions |
| Language | English and Hindi |
| Exam helpdesk | 022-22820427 |
| Official website | sbi.co.in/careers |
SBI PO Exam Date 2020-21
SBI PO 2020-21 interview call letter has been released on 20 February and from the same day, the aspirants can download their admit card from the official website of SBI. The candidates can download the admit card till 7 March 2021. To know more about the important events of SBI PO exam date 2020-21, check the following table:
| SBI PO 2020-21 events | Important dates |
|---|---|
| Online registration | 14-Nov-2020 to 04-Dec-2020 |
| Fee payment date | 14-Nov-2020 to 04-Dec-2020 |
| Prelims admit card | 31-Dec-2020 to 06-Jan-2021 |
| Online preliminary examination | 04-Jan-2021 05-Jan-2021 06-Jan-2021 |
| Prelims result | 18-Jan-2021 |
| Mains admit card | 19-Jan-2021 |
| SBI PO Mains exam | 29-Jan-2021 |
| Mains result | 16-Feb-2021 |
| Call Letter for Interview | 20-Feb-2021 |
| Interview | March 2021 |
| Declaration of final result | Last week of March 2021 |
| SBI PO Notification 2021-22 | April/ May 2021 (Tentatively) |
SBI PO 2021 Vacancies
Below are the category – wise tentative vacancies for Probationary Officers in SBI Bank across India, which can be modified by the bank without any prior notice:
| Category | SC | ST | OBC | General | EWS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancies | 300 | 150 | 540 | 810 | 200 | 2000 |
SBI PO Eligibility 2021
Candidates must fulfil certain eligibility conditions as laid down by SBI before applying for the PO post. Here are the basic SBI PO Eligibility Criteria 2021.
Nationality
- Candidate must be an Indian National.
SBI PO Educational Qualification Requirements
- The applicants must be a graduate in any stream from a recognized university.
- The final year graduates can also apply.
SBI PO Age Limit
- Candidates must be between 21 to 30 years as on April 1, 2021.
- SC/ST/ExS/J&K Migrants get a relaxation of 5 years in the upper age limit
- OBC candidates with upper age limit 33 years can apply for the exam
- PwD category candidates reserve a relaxation of 10- 15 years depending on the category.
SBI PO Application Form 2021
SBI PO Application Form 2021 will be available on the official website – sbi.co.in once the SBI PO 2021 notification is released. The aspirants have to apply online and submit the application form in online mode. The SBI PO application form fill up process will not be completed until the aspirants pay the application fee. To complete the SBI PO application fee payment process, the candidates have to rely in online mode via credit card/ debit card/ internet banking.
| Category | SBI PO Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General/ OBC | Rs 750 (application fee including intimation charges) |
| SC/ ST/ PwD | Nil |
SBI PO Admit Card/ Call Letter 2021
- For SBI PO exam, the admit card is released separately for all three stages viz. prelims, main , and interview.
- All notifications related to the admit card or call letter for interview will be out on the official website i.e. sbi.co.in.
- All candidates need to carry their admit cards on the day of the exam, failing which they won’t be allowed to sit for the exam.
SBI PO 2021 Exam Centers
- Candidates will be allotted one of the SBI PO Exam Centers 2021. from their choices opted during the application process.
- The final exam center will be mentioned on the admit card.
- Candidates need to check the details and in case of any discrepancies, they need to contact the exam authorities immediately.
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2021
- Before SBI PO Exam 2021 , Pre Exam Training( PET OR PRT ) is conducted for SC/SC/ ST/ XS / Religious Minority Community candidates.
- Each stage in the SBI PO exam 2021 has a different paper pattern.
- Stage 1 and 2 (Prelims and Main) will be conducted in online mode.
- Phase 3, Group Exercise and Personal Interview, will be held face to face
- In Prelims, the aspirants have to answer 100 questions, and in Mains exam, the candidates have to answer 155 questions
- The final selection is based on the overall performance of each stage.
SBI PO Syllabus 2021
Here are all the important topics that you need to study to score well in SBI PO. They are given stage-wise:
Preliminary Exam: Quantitative Aptitude, English Language, Reasoning Ability.Check prelims syllabus
Mains Exam: Data Analysis & Interpretation, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Banking Awareness, Economy, English Language.Check mains syllabus
SBI PO Preparation Books 2021
The most recommended books for SBI PO 2021 are:
| Books | Author |
|---|---|
| Banking Awareness | Arihant |
| SBI PO Solved Papers | Kiran Prakashan |
| Banking Awareness for SBI/IBPS Bank | DishaPublications |
| Banking Awareness (Banking Aptitude Test) (BANK PO/OFFICERS EXAM) | Ramesh Publishing House |
SBI PO Paper Analysis
The sequence of sections in the paper was - Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General Awareness, and English Language.
- There were many new questions in the Reasoning & Computer Aptitude section, many new questions were asked.
- New type of Data Interpretation question dominated the Data Analysis & Interpretation section.
- Most of the questions in the English Language section were from Reading Comprehension.
- In the General Awareness section, 35 questions were asked from current affairs related to the economy and finance world while only 5 questions were asked from static GK.
- Reasoning & Computer Aptitude was the toughest section while English was the easiest section.
| Detailed SBI PO Paper Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Prelims 2020 (Jan 04,2021) | Prelims 2020 (Jan 05,2021) |
| Prelims 2020 Overall analysis | |
| Mains 2020 | Mains 2019 |
SBI PO Result 2021
- In order to check the SBI PO 2021 Result, candidates need to visit the official website, enter their roll number/ registration number and DOB.
- The corrected scores obtained by each of the candidates in all the sections of SBI PO 2021 will be normalized by the equi-percentile method.
- Only up to 2 decimal points, scores would be taken for the calculation.
SBI PO Cutoff 2021
- SBI will release the category-wise final SBI PO Cutoff 2020-21 exam.
- This is based on the number of candidates who appear for the exam, a number of vacancies, previous year cut off, the difficulty level of the exam etc.
- On the basis of SBI PO cutoff 2020-21, candidates are chosen for the subsequent stage.
- Get a detailed SBI PO cutoff and previous year trends for a better idea about expected cut-off this year.
SBI PO Selection Process 2021
Candidates in SBI PO recruitment are shortlisted upon their performances in the 3 stages mentioned below:
SBI PO 2021 Preliminary Examination
- It is the very first stage of SBI PO 2021 Selection process.
- SBI PO Prelims is an online objective test of 1-hour duration.
- SBI PO Pre comprises 3 sections- English Language, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude.
- Candidates must score minimum qualifying marks in all the sections to qualify for the next round.
SBI PO 2021 Main Examination
- The main examination is the second stage of the SBI PO recruitment process.
- It is a 200 marks examination, comprising 4 sections (English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning & Computers, and General/Economy/Banking Awareness).
- Descriptive test of 50 marks would be conducted immediately after the objective test.
- The corrected scores obtained by each of the candidates in different sessions (if held) are normalized using the equi-percentile method.
- Scores up to 2 decimal points are taken for the purpose of calculations.
- Candidates are shortlisted for interview by considering the scores obtained in the main examination.
SBI PO 2021 Group Discussion and Interview
- Candidates who qualify the mains exam are eligible to appear for group discussion and interview.
- Post conduction of the interview, a combined score is generated which includes the sum of marks obtained in the main examination and interview.
- The final list of the selected candidates is made upon the performance in mains and GD/ PI round only.
- It is published on the official website of the bank’s website and also in Employment Newspaper.
Download SBI PO Previous Years’ Question Papers
Go through previous year papers and preparation strategies before starting preparation for the SBI PO 2021 exam.It is also equally important to check paper analysis of 2020 SBI PO Prelims and SBI PO Mains which will help you to understand the if any change in pattern.
SBI PO 2021 FAQ's
Ques. What is the eligibility criterion to appear for examination?
Ans. Candidates having obtained Bachelors in any discipline from a recognized institute are eligible to apply for SBI PO Recruitment examination. Candidates having Integrated Dual Degree certificate must ensure that the date of passing IDD is on or before July 01 of the year of appearing for the test. Candidates possessing the qualification of Chartered Accountant can also apply.
Ques. Are the candidates appearing for final year examinations of graduation eligible to apply?
Ans. Yes, candidates appearing for final year exam are eligible to apply subject to the condition that they submit the proof of qualification at the time of document verification.
Ques. Is there any age criteria?
Ans. Candidates must have attained at least 21 years of age and should not be more than 30 years as on April 01 of the year of appearing for the test.
Ques. Is there any age relaxation for reserved categories?
Ans. Yes, applicants are provided age relaxation in upper age limit as per the following basis:
| Category | Relaxation in Upper Age limit |
|---|---|
| SC/ ST | 5 years |
| OBC- NCL | 3 years |
| PWD | 10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
| Persons with domicile of J & K during January 01, 1980 to December 31, 1989 | 5 years |
Ques. What will the selection procedure for the post?
Ans. The selection procedure will be conducted in three stages:
- Online preliminary examination
- Online Mains Examination
- Group Discussions & Personal Interview
Ques. What will be the pattern of preliminary CBT?
Ans. The online prelims test will be based on the following pattern:
| Subject | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 |
| English Language & Reading Comprehension | 30 | 30 |
Ques. What will be the duration of prelims test?
Ans. The preliminary test will be conducted for a composite duration of 60 minutes (1 hour).
Ques. What will be the pattern of Main examination?
Ans. The Mains examination will be divided into two parts:
| Part | Subject | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | General & Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 | |
| Data Analysis Interpretation | 35 | 60 | |
| English Language & Reading Comprehension | 35 | 40 | |
| Part B | Descriptive Writing | 2 | 50 |
Ques. What will be the duration of Main test?
Ans. The composite duration of the test will be 3.5 hours.
Ques. Is the duration for Mains exams composite?
Ans. No, fixed time will be allotted for each section of the test as mentioned below:
| Section | Duration |
|---|---|
| General & Banking Awareness | 60 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis Interpretation | 45 minutes |
| English Language & Reading Comprehension | 35 minutes |
| Descriptive Writing | 30 minutes |
Ques. Will the descriptive test taken on the day of the objective test?
Ans. Yes, the descriptive test will be conducted immediately after the objective Mains examination.
Ques. Will the descriptive test be conducted offline?
Ans. No, the test will be conducted online only. Candidates are therefore advised to practice typing before they appear for the test.
Ques. What is the pattern of a descriptive test?
Ans. The descriptive test will consist of two questions which include letter and essay. The test is of maximum 50 marks and must be attempted within 30 minutes duration.
Ques. What will be the maximum marks for GD & PI?
Ans. The maximum marks for Group Discussions and Personal Interview are 50 marks.
Ques. Is there any separate marks allotment for PI?
Ans. Yes, GD will be for 20 marks whereas PI is for maximum 30 marks.
Ques. What all will be included in Banking & General Awareness section?
Ans. The following topics will be included in the Banking & General Awareness:
- Banking & Insurance Awareness
- Financial Awareness
- Government Schemes & Policies
- Current Affairs
- Static Awareness
Ques. What is the application fee for SBI PO Examination?
Ans. Application fee for SBI PO varies according to the categories as given below:
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General/ OBC | INR 750 |
| SC/ ST | INR 125 |
Ques. How should the application fee be paid?
Ans. Application fee can be paid only online through Debit Card, Credit Card or Net Banking.
Ques. When are admit cards expected to be released?
Ans. Admit cards are expected to be released at least 15 days before the examination.
Ques. Is there any sectional cut off in the test?
Ans. Yes, the exam conducting authority will release sectional as well as overall cut off. Only the candidates qualifying both cut-offs will be eligible to appear for further process.
Ques. What is the expected date for result declaration for prelims?
Ans. The result is expected to be declared within 20-30 days after successful conduction of exam.
Ques. What is the marking scheme in the test?
Ans. For each correct question, the candidate will be awarded 1 mark.
Ques. Is there negative marking for the wrong answers?
Ans. Yes, as a penalty for wrong answers, 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
Ques. Can foreign national candidates apply for the test?
Ans. The exam conducting authority lays down certain nationality criteria for applicants, which includes the following:
- Citizens of India
- Subjects of Nepal or Bhutan
- Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 01, 1962 with an intention to settle permanently in India
- Persons of Indian Origin who have migrated from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Zaire, Kenya, Tanzania Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Malawi with an intention to settle permanently in India
Ques. What is the salary for SBI PO?
Ans. The basic grade pay is INR 27,620. Apart from this, the salary will include dearness allowance, city compensatory allowance, leased house accommodation, furniture allowance, medical allowance, travel allowance, etc.
Ques. Is the SBI PO exam bilingual?
Ans. Yes, the exam will be available in English and Hindi. Candidates may opt for language at the time of the test.
Ques. What all documents do I need to fill the application form?
Ans. Candidates will require following documents at the time of filling application form:
- Scanned signature
- Scanned colored photograph
Ques. Is there any limit to the maximum attempts for SBI PO Recruitment examination?
Ans. The maximum attempt limits vary according to the categories, as discussed below:
| Category | Maximum Attempts |
|---|---|
| General | 4 |
| General (PWD) | 7 |
| OBC | 7 |
| OBC (PWD) | 7 |
| SC | No Restriction |
| ST |
Ques. In case I have a problem in filling the application form, what should I do?
Ans. Candidates can consult the helpdesk in case of any queries. The helpdesk number is 022-22820427 between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM on working days.
Ques. Do I need to carry any documents at the time of the exam?
Ans. Yes, candidates must carry the original and a copy of Photo ID Card along with the admit card. Candidates must submit card and copy of ID Proof to the invigilator at the examination centre.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.