SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026: Mains, Prelims & Previous Years
Complete SBI PO 2026 Mains and Prelims review with 12 September Mains analysis, shift-wise Prelims data, questions asked and 2023–2025 trends.
Check SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026 for Mains and Prelims: difficulty level, good attempts, questions asked, descriptive topics and 2023–2025 trends.
SBI PO Exam Analysis 2023-2026: Difficulty Level, Good Attempts & Key Trends
The SBI PO Mains Exam 2026 was conducted on 12 September 2026 in a single shift. Based on candidates’ feedback, the overall paper was Moderate to Difficult. Data Analysis and Interpretation was the most calculation-intensive section, while Reasoning included lengthy puzzles and seating arrangements.
Quick Summary: The objective paper contained 170 questions for 200 marks, followed by a 30-mark Descriptive Test. The estimated overall good attempts were 80–95 questions with good accuracy.
SBI PO Mains Exam Analysis 2026: Overview and Pattern
Particular/Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 60 | 45 minutes |
General Awareness/Economy/Banking Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
Objective Test | 170 | 200 | 3 hours |
Descriptive Communication Skills | 3 tasks | 30 | 30 minutes |
Grand Total | — | 230 | 3 hours 30 minutes |
Exam date | 12 September 2026 | Shift | Single shift |
Advertisement number | CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 | Mode | Online |
SBI PO Mains Good Attempts and Difficulty Level
Section | Difficulty level | Estimated good attempts |
|---|---|---|
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | Moderate to Difficult | 18–22 |
Data Analysis & Interpretation | Difficult | 12–15 |
General/Economy/Banking Knowledge | Moderate | 30–35 |
English Language | Moderate | 20–23 |
Descriptive Test | Moderate | Not applicable |
Overall objective paper | Moderate to Difficult | 80–95 |
Note: Good attempts are unofficial estimates based on candidate feedback. They are not the expected cut-off or a guarantee of qualification. Accuracy, negative marking, category and actual candidate performance will affect the final cut-off.
SBI PO Mains Questions Asked 2026: Topic-Wise Analysis
Section | Important topics reported |
|---|---|
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | Floor-based puzzle; month and variable puzzle; circular seating with blood relation; linear seating; certain-number-of-persons arrangement; row-and-column puzzle; machine input-output; new-pattern coding; data sufficiency; inference; decision making; cause and effect |
Data Analysis & Interpretation | Table DI based on colours of pens; revenue-based bar graph; matches won/lost diagram DI; time-and-distance caselet; boys-and-girls caselet; condition-based quadratic equation; data sufficiency; arithmetic |
General Awareness/Economy/Banking | LIC MD and CEO; BIMCO/ICS report; ATM withdrawal limit; World Bank representation; recent Navratna status; largest Ramsar site; PMKVY launch year; CBDC services; BRICS Summit; Liquidity Coverage Ratio and Basel norms |
English Language | Two Reading Comprehensions; Cloze Test; Para Jumble; missing sentence; phrase replacement; idiom-based fillers; correct/incorrect sentences; match the columns; odd sentence out |
The topic distribution is memory-based. SBI does not immediately release the official question paper, so exact wording or question counts may vary.
SBI PO Mains Descriptive Test and Next Stage
Component | Official details/topics reported |
|---|---|
Email Writing | Attempt 1 of 2 options; topics reportedly included declining a job offer and addressing a team member’s poor performance |
Situation Analysis | Attempt 1 of 2 options; a bank manager, farmer and loan/buyer-related situation was reported |
Report or Précis Writing | Attempt as instructed from the available options |
Descriptive marks and time | 30 marks; 30 minutes |
Negative marking | One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect objective answer |
Next stage | Psychometric Test, Group Exercise and Personal Interview |
Group Exercise | 20 marks |
Personal Interview | 30 marks |
Final weightage | Mains 75%; Group Exercise and Interview 25% |
According to the official SBI PO 2026 advertisement, the Descriptive Test carries 30 marks, not 50 marks.
The SBI PO Mains Exam 2026 was Moderate to Difficult overall. Data Analysis was the toughest section, while Reasoning was lengthy. English and General Awareness were comparatively manageable. Candidates with approximately 80–95 attempts and strong accuracy may have performed competitively, but they should wait for the official result and cut-off.
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SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: All Shifts Good Attempts, Difficulty and Questions Asked
The SBI PO Prelims Exam 2026 was conducted on 1 and 2 August 2026. Based on candidates’ feedback, the overall examination ranged from Easy to Moderate to Moderate. Reasoning was dominated by puzzles and seating arrangements, Quantitative Aptitude focused on arithmetic and Data Interpretation, while English included Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test and grammar questions.
Quick Answer: The reported overall good-attempt range across the available shifts was approximately 60–76 questions. These figures are unofficial estimates and should not be treated as the cut-off.
SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
Section | Questions | Marks | Sectional time |
|---|---|---|---|
English Language | 40 | 40 | 20 minutes |
Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Negative marking | One-fourth of the marks assigned to the question for every wrong answer | ||
Marks in final merit | Prelims marks are not counted in the final selection merit |
SBI PO Prelims Good Attempts and Difficulty Level 2026
Date and shift | English | Reasoning | Quantitative Aptitude | Overall good attempts | Overall difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 August – Shift 1 | 27–32 | 23–24 | 18–20 | 68–76 | Moderate |
1 August – Shift 2 | 23–25 | 18–20 | 18–21 | 60–65 | Moderate |
1 August – Shift 3 | 26–28 | 25–28 | 16–20 | 66–72 | Easy to Moderate |
1 August – Shift 4 | 24–27 | 25–27 | 18–21 | 66–72 | Easy to Moderate |
2 August – Shift 1 | 22–27 | 24–27 | 19–22 | 66–72 | Easy to Moderate |
2 August – Shift 2 | 26–28 | 16–20 | 25–28 | 66–72 | Easy to Moderate |
Reliable consolidated figures for 2 August Shifts 3 and 4 were not available in the supplied candidate-feedback compilation. Unverified numbers should not be added merely to complete the table.
Important: Good attempts are estimated attempt ranges, not correct answers, official cut-offs or guaranteed qualifying scores.
SBI PO Prelims Section-Wise Analysis 2026
Section | Major topics asked | Overall trend |
|---|---|---|
English Language | Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Phrase Replacement, Double Fillers, Word Swap, Sentence Rearrangement and Column-Based Questions | Easy to Moderate; Reading Comprehension generally carried the highest weightage |
Reasoning Ability | Floor and Flat Puzzle, Box Puzzle, Month and Date Puzzle, Selection Puzzle, Circular and Linear Seating, Post-Based Puzzle, Blood Relation, Comparison, Inequality, Pair Formation and Meaningful Word | Moderate; approximately 20–25 questions in many shifts were puzzle or seating-arrangement based |
Quantitative Aptitude | Bar Graph DI, Table DI, Pie Chart DI, Line Graph DI, Caselet DI, Arithmetic, Quadratic Equations, Number Series, Approximation and Data Sufficiency | Easy to Moderate to Moderate; arithmetic and Data Interpretation dominated most shifts |
SBI PO Prelims Shift-Wise Questions Asked
Date and shift | English Language | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude |
|---|---|---|---|
1 August – Shift 1 | RC, astronomy-based Cloze Test, Para Jumble, fillers, word replacement and error detection | Circular arrangement, floor-flat puzzle, selection puzzle, month puzzle and post-based puzzle | Bar-table DI, caselet DI, tabular DI, quadratic equations and arithmetic |
1 August – Shift 2 | Museum-based RC, environment Para Jumble, Cloze Test, word rearrangement and phrase replacement | Floor puzzle, box puzzle, selection puzzle, circular seating, month puzzle and blood relation | Line Graph DI, Bar Graph DI, Caselet DI, number series, arithmetic and data sufficiency |
1 August – Shift 3 | RC, error detection, word usage, Cloze Test, word swap, fillers and Para Jumble | Stack puzzle, day puzzle, circular puzzle, floor-flat puzzle, linear puzzle and inequality | Table DI, Venn Diagram Caselet, Double Pie Chart DI, number series and arithmetic |
1 August – Shift 4 | Waste-management RC, Cloze Test, sentence rearrangement, Para Jumble and fillers | Floor-flat puzzle, month puzzle, parallel-row seating, selection puzzle, box puzzle and blood relation | Pie Chart-Table DI, Table DI, Caselet DI, approximation, arithmetic and data sufficiency |
2 August – Shift 1 | RC, Cloze Test, error detection, phrase replacement, AI-based Para Jumble and idioms | Parallel-row seating, age puzzle, floor puzzle, month-date puzzle, box puzzle and syllogism | Bar-Table DI, Pie Chart DI, Caselet DI, number series and arithmetic |
2 August – Shift 2 | Private-company commute RC, Gen Z and AI Cloze Test, fillers, word swap and Para Jumble | Year puzzle, box puzzle, mixed-direction linear seating, month-date puzzle and post puzzle | Bar-Table DI, Line Graph DI, Caselet DI, quadratic equations and arithmetic |
The questions and topic distributions are memory-based. Minor variation is possible because SBI does not immediately release the official shift-wise question papers.
SBI PO Prelims Good Attempts vs Cut-Off
Good attempts and cut-off are different. Good attempts indicate how many questions candidates could reasonably attempt with accuracy, whereas the official cut-off is determined by SBI after evaluating actual scores, vacancies, category-wise performance and normalization requirements.
The SBI PO Prelims result and scorecard have already been released through the official SBI recruitment portal. Candidates should rely on their official scorecard instead of unofficial attempt estimates
SBI PO 2025–26 Prelims Exam Analysis
The SBI PO 2025–26 Preliminary Examination was officially conducted on 4 and 5 August 2025. The paper was generally easy to moderate to moderate.
SBI PO 2025 Prelims: All-Shift Good-Attempt Range
Date | Shift | English (40) | Reasoning (30) | Quant (30) | Overall (100) | Overall level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 Aug 2025 | Shift 1 | 24–29 | 21–25 | 18–21 | 63–74 | Moderate |
4 Aug 2025 | Shift 2 | 23–27 | 21–24 | 16–20 | 60–69 | Moderate |
4 Aug 2025 | Shift 3 | 24–28 | 19–23 | 17–20 | 60–68 | Moderate |
4 Aug 2025 | Shift 4 | 23–27 | 20–24 | 16–19 | 59–70 | Moderate |
5 Aug 2025 | Shift 1 | 25–29 | 22–25 | 18–22 | 64–73 | Easy to Moderate |
5 Aug 2025 | Shift 2 | 26–30 | 23–26 | 20–24 | 68–76 | Easy to Moderate |
These are conservative consolidated bands. Different coaching reviews sometimes reported considerably wider ranges. A broad cross-source summary places 2025 sectional performance at approximately 24–30 in English, 19–25 in Reasoning and 16–22 in Quant, with an overall range of roughly 59–77.
SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: All Available Shifts
The table combines section-wise good attempts and difficulty levels so candidates can compare shifts without moving between separate tables.
How to read: Each subject cell shows reported good attempts; difficulty. English is out of 40 questions, while Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude are out of 30 each.
Exam Date & Shift | English Language | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | Reported Overall Attempts & Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 August — Shift 1 | 27–32; Easy to Moderate | 23–24; Moderate | 18–20; Moderate | 68–76; Moderate |
1 August — Shift 2 | 23–25; Moderate | 18–20; Moderate | 18–21; Moderate | 60–65; Moderate |
1 August — Shift 3 | 26–28; Easy to Moderate | 25–28; Moderate | 16–20; Easy to Moderate | 66–72; Easy to Moderate |
1 August — Shift 4 | 24–27; Easy to Moderate | 25–27; Moderate | 18–21; Easy to Moderate | 66–72; Overall rating disputed* |
2 August — Shift 1 | 22–27; Easy to Moderate | 24–27; Easy to Moderate | 19–22; Moderate | 66–72; Overall rating disputed* |
2 August — Shift 2 | 26–28; Easy to Moderate | 16–20; Moderate | 25–28; Easy to Moderate | 66–72; Overall rating disputed* |
2 August — Shift 3 | Not available | Not available | Not available | No confirmed analysis available |
2 August — Shift 4 | Not available | Not available | Not available | No confirmed analysis available |
The reference’s difficulty table and written summaries disagree for these shifts. They variously describe the overall paper as “Easy to Moderate” and “Moderate”; neither is presented here as a settled finding.
Why do the sectional ranges not always match the overall range?
The supplied compilation reports sectional and overall estimates separately, and they do not consistently reconcile.
For example, 2 August Shift 2 lists sectional ranges of 26–28, 16–20 and 25–28. Their endpoints sum to 67–76, while the reported overall range is 66–72.
Consequently, these ranges should be read as unreconciled coaching estimates, not as a mathematically validated target. They should not be used alone to predict qualification.
SBI PO Prelims Section-Wise Analysis 2026: Topics and Question Counts
The following table retains the topic details from all six shifts for which a breakdown was supplied.
Numbers in brackets indicate reported questions. RC means Reading Comprehension; DI means Data Interpretation. These are candidate-recall figures, not an official question paper.
Date & Shift | English Language: Reported Topics | Reasoning Ability: Reported Topics | Quantitative Aptitude: Reported Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
1 August — Shift 1 | RC (10); six-sentence para jumble (5); astronomy-themed grammar cloze (6–7); sentence rearrangement (5); double fillers (3–4); word replacement (3–4); article-based error detection (3) | Mixed-facing circular seating—8 persons (5); comparison (3); floor-flat puzzle—4 floors, 2 flats (5); selection puzzle—11 persons (5); month-based variable puzzle (5); post-based variable puzzle—7 posts (5); pair formation (1); meaningful word (1) | Quadratic equations (3); bar graph + table DI (6); caselet DI (5); tabular DI (5); arithmetic (12). Counts sum to 31; reconciliation needed. |
1 August — Shift 2 | Museum-themed RC (15); environment-based para jumble (5); cloze test (5); error detection (3); word rearrangement (3); double fillers (5); phrase replacement (4) | Floor-based puzzle (5); box puzzle—7 boxes with variable (5); selection puzzle—11 persons (5); circular arrangement with input-output/variable element (5); month puzzle (5); blood relation (3); number-based question (1); coding (1) | Male–female line DI (5); manufactured–sold bar DI (5); caselet DI (5); missing series (2); arithmetic—ages, partnership, percentage, mixture (11); train/age data sufficiency (2) |
1 August — Shift 3 | RC (10); error detection (5); word usage (2); cloze test (6); word swap (4); fillers (4); para jumble (5); phrase replacement (4) | Stack puzzle—8 boxes with variable (5); day puzzle (5); circular arrangement (5); floor-flat puzzle (5); linear arrangement (5); inequality (3); pair formation (1); meaningful word (1) | Table DI (5); missing series (3); Venn-diagram caselet (4); double pie-chart DI (6); arithmetic (12) |
1 August — Shift 4 | Waste-management RC (10); cloze test (6); error detection (3–4); sentence rearrangement (3–4); para jumbles (6 reported); double fillers (5); phrase replacement (3–4); word rearrangement (2–3). Counts require reconciliation. | Floor-flat puzzle—3×2 (5); month puzzle with variable (5); parallel rows—14 persons (5); selection puzzle (5); box puzzle—9 boxes (5); blood relation (3); pair formation (1); meaningful word (1) | Pie chart + table DI (5); table DI (5); caselet DI (3); approximation (3); arithmetic—partnership, mixture, mensuration (12); data sufficiency (2) |
2 August — Shift 1 | Double fillers (2); column questions (2); error detection (5); phrase replacement (5); cloze test (6); RC (10); AI-themed para jumble (5); idiom usage (2); sentence rearrangement (3) | Syllogism (3); pair formation (1); parallel-row seating (5); year/age puzzle (5); 10-floor puzzle (5); month-date puzzle with variable (5); box puzzle—7 boxes with variable (5); meaningful word (1) | Wrong series (2); bar graph + table DI (6); pie-chart DI (5); caselet table DI (5); approximation-oriented arithmetic (12) |
2 August — Shift 2 | Private-company commute RC (10); Gen Z/AI cloze (6); error detection (3–4); double fillers (5); column questions (2); word swap (5); phrase replacement (3–4); para jumbles (5). Reported total is 39–41; reconciliation needed. | Six-year puzzle (5); box puzzle (5); mixed-direction linear arrangement (5); month-date puzzle (5); comparison (3); post puzzle—9 posts (5); word-based question (1); pair formation (1) | Bar graph + table DI (5); caselet DI (5); line DI (5); quadratic equations (3); arithmetic—ages, time and work, expenses (12) |
SBI PO Prelims Reasoning Analysis: What Was Most Important?
Puzzles and seating arrangements were the clearest recurring topics in the supplied analysis. Their formats varied, but the same core skills appeared repeatedly: arranging information, tracking conditions and eliminating impossible combinations.
The reported puzzle types included:
- Floor and flat arrangements;
- Box and stack arrangements;
- Month, date, day and year puzzles;
- Designation and post-based puzzles;
- Selection-based puzzles;
- Circular and parallel-row seating;
- Linear seating with mixed directions;
- Puzzles with an additional variable.
Short questions included pair formation, meaningful words, comparison, syllogism, inequality and blood relations.
Preparation takeaway: Practise selecting a manageable puzzle before solving it. Track both your solving time and the number of conditions you misread; completing more sets is useful only when accuracy improves.
SBI PO Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Analysis: DI and Arithmetic
The reported Quantitative Aptitude breakdowns show repeated emphasis on DI and arithmetic.
Recurring DI formats included table, bar, line, pie-chart, mixed-chart and caselet questions. Some shifts included Venn-diagram or double pie-chart sets.
Arithmetic topics reported across shifts included:
- Percentage and expenses;
- Ratio-based calculations;
- Ages;
- Partnership;
- Mixture;
- Time and work;
- Mensuration.
Number series, quadratic equations, approximation and data sufficiency appeared in selected shifts.
Preparation takeaway: Practise reading data accurately before calculating. Review whether your time was lost in understanding the set, choosing the formula or performing arithmetic.
SBI PO Prelims English Analysis: Reading Comprehension and Context
Reading comprehension accounted for 10 questions in most supplied shift reports, rising to 15 in the 1 August Shift 2 breakdown.
The remaining questions tested grammar, vocabulary and sentence organisation through cloze tests, fillers, error detection, phrase replacement, word swap, connectors or column-based questions and para jumbles.
Reported passage or exercise themes included museums, waste management, astronomy, artificial intelligence and workplace commuting. These themes are memory-based and should not be treated as predictions for future papers.
Preparation takeaway: Prepare the skill, not the passage topic. Practise identifying the central idea, contextual meaning, sentence links and grammatical structure.
SBI PO 2025 Prelims Questions Asked
English Language
Topic | Typical questions per shift |
|---|---|
Reading Comprehension | 8–10 |
Cloze Test | 5–7 |
Error Detection | 4–6 |
Para Jumble | 5–6 |
Word Swap/Word Rearrangement | 3–5 |
Phrase Replacement | 3–5 |
Sentence Rearrangement | 3–4 |
Fillers | 2–5 |
Column-Based Questions | 2–3 |
Reported RC themes included sign language and other social or informational subjects.
Reasoning Ability
Topic | Typical questions per shift |
|---|---|
Puzzles and Seating Arrangements | 20–25 |
Syllogism/Inequality | 3–5 |
Blood Relation | 2–3 |
Pair Formation | 1 |
Meaningful Word | 1 |
Comparison/Order-Based Questions | 2–3 |
Coding or Direction-Based Questions | 1–3 |
Frequently reported sets included:
- Circular seating arrangement
- Floor and flat puzzle
- Box-based puzzle
- Designation-based puzzle
- Event and order puzzle
- Linear seating arrangement
- Parallel-row arrangement
Quantitative Aptitude
Topic | Typical questions per shift |
|---|---|
Arithmetic | 11–14 |
Data Interpretation | 13–16 |
Number Series | 2–3 |
Quadratic Equation/Approximation | 2–5 |
Data Sufficiency | 0–3 |
DI formats included bar graphs, tables, pie charts, caselets and mixed graph-table sets. Arithmetic covered percentage, profit and loss, age, partnership, mixture, mensuration, time and work, and speed-distance questions.
SBI PO 2025–26 Mains Exam Analysis
The SBI PO 2025–26 Mains Examination was conducted on 13 September 2025. It was generally reported as moderate, with Data Analysis and Interpretation being the most challenging section.
SBI PO Mains 2025 Good Attempts
Section | Questions | Consolidated good attempts | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 40 | 15–18 | Moderate |
Data Analysis and Interpretation | 30 | 9–13 | Moderate to Difficult |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 60 | 20–29 | Moderate |
English Language | 40 | 22–30 | Easy to Moderate |
Overall objective paper | 170 | 66–82 | Moderate |
Published estimates differ substantially for General Awareness and English because they were based on small candidate-feedback samples. One contemporary review reported an overall range of 71–75, while another placed it at 65–86. Therefore, 66–82 is a more defensible consolidated band—not an official cut-off. See the reported sectional comparison in the SBI PO Mains 2025 analysis.
Questions Asked in SBI PO Mains 2025
Section | Major topics reported |
|---|---|
Reasoning | Puzzles, seating arrangements, critical reasoning, machine input-output, coded direction, data sufficiency |
Data Analysis | Table DI, bar graph DI, arithmetic, number system, number series, quadratic equations, quantity comparison |
English | Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, column-based questions, sentence rearrangement, contextual sentences, idiom usage |
GA/Banking | RBI and banking updates, priority-sector lending, government schemes, international groups, exercises and current affairs |
Descriptive | Email/report/situation-analysis style writing under the revised pattern |
SBI PO 2024–25 Prelims Exam Analysis
Although this is called the SBI PO 2024–25 recruitment cycle, its Preliminary Examination was conducted on 8, 16, 24 and 26 March 2025.
SBI PO 2024–25 All-Shift Good Attempts
Because candidate reports for some later and special shifts are incomplete, the table uses conservative consensus bands.
Date | Shift | English (40) | Reasoning (30) | Quant (30) | Overall | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 Mar 2025 | Shift 1 | 24–28 | 21–24 | 15–18 | 60–68 | Moderate |
8 Mar 2025 | Shift 2 | 23–27 | 20–23 | 14–17 | 57–65 | Moderate |
8 Mar 2025 | Shift 3 | 24–26 | 22–25 | 13–15 | 59–67 | Moderate |
8 Mar 2025 | Shift 4 | 24–28 | 21–24 | 14–17 | 59–67 | Moderate |
16 Mar 2025 | Shift 1 | 25–29 | 20–23 | 15–18 | 60–67 | Moderate |
16 Mar 2025 | Shift 2 | 23–27 | 20–23 | 14–18 | 57–65 | Moderate |
16 Mar 2025 | Shift 3 | 24–28 | 21–24 | 15–18 | 60–67 | Moderate |
16 Mar 2025 | Shift 4 | 23–27 | 20–24 | 14–17 | 58–66 | Moderate |
24 Mar 2025 | Shift 1 | 20–24 | 20–23 | 12–15 | 54–62 | Moderate |
24 Mar 2025 | Shift 2 | 22–25 | 20–24 | 14–17 | 57–66 | Moderate |
24 Mar 2025 | Shift 3 | 23–27 | 20–24 | 14–18 | 58–67 | Moderate |
24 Mar 2025 | Shift 4 | 22–26 | 20–23 | 13–17 | 56–65 | Moderate |
26 Mar 2025 | Special shift | Insufficient verified shift data | Insufficient verified shift data | Insufficient verified shift data | Not reliably established | — |
The official record confirms that examinations were held on 8, 16, 24 and 26 March. The 26 March paper should not be presented as a normal four-shift examination without an independently verified schedule.
SBI PO 2024–25 Questions Asked in Prelims
English Language
Topic | Usual weightage |
|---|---|
Reading Comprehension | 7–10 |
Para Jumble | 5 |
Word Replacement/Word Swap | 4–5 |
Cloze Test | 4–7 |
Error Detection | 3–5 |
Phrase Replacement/Usage | 3–5 |
Double Fillers | 3–5 |
Sentence Rearrangement | 3–4 |
Column-Based Questions | 2–3 |
Reasoning Ability
Topic | Usual weightage |
|---|---|
Puzzles and Seating Arrangements | 20–24 |
Syllogism | 3 |
Blood Relation | 2–3 |
Inequality | 3 |
Pair Formation/Meaningful Word | 1–2 |
Coding, Direction or Miscellaneous | 1–3 |
Reported sets included month-date puzzles, floor-variable puzzles, circular arrangements, box puzzles, city-person tabular puzzles, linear arrangements and parallel-row seating.
Quantitative Aptitude
Topic | Usual weightage |
|---|---|
Arithmetic | 11–14 |
Data Interpretation | 12–15 |
Number Series | 3–5 |
Quadratic Equations/Approximation | 3–5 |
Data Sufficiency | 0–3 |
The strongest recurring Quant areas were arithmetic and DI. Questions were reported from percentage, simple interest, time and work, boats and streams, partnership, mensuration, mixture and allegation.
SBI PO 2024–25 Mains Exam Analysis
The Mains Examination for the 2024–25 cycle was conducted on 5 May 2025.
SBI PO Mains 5 May 2025 Good Attempts
Section | Questions | Good attempts | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 40 | 18–20 | Moderate |
Data Analysis and Interpretation | 30 | 10–12 | Moderate to Difficult |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 60 | 19–22 | Moderate |
English Language | 40 | 19–21 | Moderate |
Overall | 170 | 66–75 | Moderate to Difficult |
Some published tables show an “overall 62–84” range, but this is mathematically much wider than the sectional consensus. A conservative editorial range of 66–75 accurate attempts is more useful. The section-wise figures and reported questions are available in the 5 May SBI PO Mains review.
Subject-Wise Questions Asked
English Language
Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
Reading Comprehension: two passages | 16 |
Column-Based Questions | 6 |
Cloze Test | 5 |
Word Rearrangement | 3 |
Sentence Rearrangement | 3 |
Context-Based Sentences | 3 |
Triple-Column Questions | 3 |
Idiom Usage | 1 |
Total | 40 |
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
Arithmetic | 10–11 |
Table DI | 5 |
Bar Graph DI | 5 |
Number System | 4 |
Quadratic Equation | 2 |
Number Series | 2 |
Quantity Comparison | 1 |
Total | Approximately 30 |
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
Topic | Approximate questions |
|---|---|
Time-Slot Puzzle | 14–15 |
Critical Reasoning | 6–8 |
Linear Puzzle with Variable | 4 |
Coded Direction | 4 |
Machine Input-Output | 4 |
Data Sufficiency | 2 |
Miscellaneous | 2 |
Circular Arrangement | 1 |
General, Economy and Banking Awareness
Reported areas included:
- BRICS partner countries
- Priority-sector lending
- RBI Ways and Means Advances
- ATM transaction charges
- Urban Challenge Fund
- Fintech-related committees
- Operation Brahma
- Government portals
- Banking and financial current affairs
- International military exercises
SBI PO 2023–24 Prelims Exam Analysis
The SBI PO 2023 Prelims Examination was conducted on 1, 4 and 6 November 2023. The old pattern contained 30 English, 35 Quant and 35 Reasoning questions.
SBI PO Good Attempts: 1 November 2023
Shift | English (30) | Reasoning (35) | Quant (35) | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shift 1 | 20–22 | 21–23 | 23–25 | 64–70 |
Shift 2 | 22–24 | 21–23 | 23–25 | 66–72 |
Shift 3 | 23–26 | 22–24 | 22–24 | 67–71 |
Shift 4 | 23–25 | 21–22 | 20–22 | 64–67 |
SBI PO Good Attempts: 4 November 2023
Shift | English (30) | Reasoning (35) | Quant (35) | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shift 1 | 22–25 | 22–24 | 22–24 | 67–71 |
Shift 2 | 20–22 | 23–25 | 21–23 | 64–70 |
Shift 3 | 21–26 | 23–26 | 14–19 | 58–64 |
Shift 4 | 22–25 | 22–25 | 17–20 | 61–70 |
One source contains an obvious typographical error of “23–58” for Shift 1 English. Since English contained only 30 questions, that entry is invalid and has been excluded.
SBI PO Good Attempts: 6 November 2023
Shift | English | Reasoning | Quant | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shift 1 | 22–24 | 22–24 | 18–20 | 62–68 |
Shift 2 | 21–24 | 21–24 | 17–20 | 59–65 |
Shift 3 | 21–24 | 21–24 | 16–20 | 59–65 |
Shift 4 | 21–24 | 20–24 | 17–20 | 59–66 |
The 1 and 4 November figures are supported by a consolidated 2023 all-shift analysis. The 6 November Shift 1 range is also independently reported in the 6 November shift review.
SBI PO 2023 Prelims Questions Asked
Section | Frequently reported topics |
|---|---|
English | Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Para Jumble, Phrase Replacement, Word Swap, Fillers |
Reasoning | Floor puzzles, box puzzles, month-date puzzles, circular and linear arrangements, syllogism, inequality, blood relation |
Quant | Arithmetic, table DI, bar graph DI, caselet DI, quadratic equations, approximation and number series |
Typical Weightage
Section | Dominant area | Approximate questions |
|---|---|---|
English | RC and comprehension-based vocabulary | 8–10 |
Reasoning | Puzzles and seating arrangements | 20–25 |
Quant | Arithmetic | 10–13 |
Quant | Data Interpretation | 10–15 |
Quant | Series/quadratic/approximation | 5–10 |
SBI PO 2023–24 Mains Exam Analysis
The main SBI PO Mains examination was conducted on 5 December 2023. A limited examination/re-examination was also reported on 16 December 2023, so both should be shown separately.
SBI PO Mains: 5 December 2023
Section | Questions | Good attempts | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 40 | 12–19 | Moderate |
English Language | 35 | 19–26 | Moderate |
Data Analysis and Interpretation | 30 | 6–11 | Moderate to Difficult |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 50 | 21–25 | Moderate |
Overall | 155 | 63–74 | Moderate |
SBI PO Mains: 16 December 2023
Section | Questions | Good attempts | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 40 | 14–16 | Moderate |
English Language | 35 | 14–17 | Moderate |
Data Analysis and Interpretation | 30 | 6–8 | Moderate |
General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 50 | 10–14 | Moderate |
Overall | 155 | 48–55 | Moderate |
These two examinations should not be merged into one table because the reported good-attempt ranges differed significantly. Both analyses are documented in the 2023 Mains shift review.
SBI PO Mains Questions Asked: 5 December 2023
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
Concentric Circle and Square Arrangement | 5 |
Week-Based Puzzle | 5 |
Parallel-Row Seating with Blood Relation | 5 |
Row-Based Puzzle | 5 |
Designation-Based Puzzle | 5 |
Logical/Critical Reasoning | 7–8 |
Machine Input-Output | 5 |
Miscellaneous | 1–2 |
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Topic | Approximate questions |
|---|---|
Probability-Based DI | 3 |
Partnership Caselet DI | 2–3 |
Time and Speed DI | 5 |
Points and Rewards Table DI | 5 |
Logical DI | 3 |
Number Series | 3–4 |
Equation Matching | 1–2 |
Miscellaneous Arithmetic | 3–6 |
English Language
Reported topics included:
- Two Reading Comprehension sets
- Cloze Test
- Paragraph completion
- Sentence rearrangement
- Error detection
- Word or phrase replacement
- Vocabulary in context
General/Economy/Banking Awareness
Questions primarily covered:
- RBI circulars and monetary policy
- Banking and financial awareness
- Government schemes
- Reports and indices
- International organisations
- Appointments
- Current affairs from the months preceding the examination
Three-Year SBI PO Exam Trend
Component | 2025–26 | 2024–25 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|---|
Prelims overall level | Easy–Moderate to Moderate | Moderate | Easy–Moderate to Moderate |
Prelims good-attempt band | 59–76 | 54–68 | 58–72 |
Most scoring section | English | English | English |
Most time-consuming section | Quant | Quant | Quant |
Reasoning focus | Puzzles and seating | Puzzles and seating | Puzzles and seating |
Quant focus | Arithmetic and DI | Arithmetic and DI | Arithmetic and DI |
Mains level | Moderate | Moderate–Difficult | Moderate–Difficult |
Toughest Mains area | Data Analysis | Data Analysis | Data Analysis |
Mains objective good-attempt band | 66–82 | 66–75 | 63–74 |
Final Analysis
The SBI PO exam has become more reading-intensive and selection-oriented. Merely attempting a high number of questions is not enough. Candidates must combine accuracy with intelligent question selection.
The most reliable three-year conclusions are:
- Puzzles and seating arrangements form the core of Reasoning.
- Arithmetic and Data Interpretation dominate Quantitative Aptitude.
- Reading Comprehension has remained the most consistent English topic.
- Data Analysis and Interpretation is generally the toughest Mains section.
- Good attempts are not equivalent to the official cut-off.
- Comparing raw attempts across 2023 and 2025 without considering the changed section pattern is misleading.