SBI PO Exam Pattern 2025: Prelims & Mains Scheme, Marking Details

Thinking about cracking the SBI PO 2025 exam? You’re not alone! Every year, lakhs of aspirants compete for this prestigious position. But here’s the thing—knowing the SBI PO exam pattern inside out is half the battle won. Whether it’s the Prelims, Mains, or the Interview, each stage has its own challenges. In this guide, we’ll break down the latest SBI PO exam pattern 2025, including marking scheme, syllabus, and preparation tips—backed by real success stories and expert advice. Let’s dive in!


Key Highlights 📌

Key PointDetails
Organization NameState Bank of India (SBI)
Exam LevelsPrelims, Mains, Interview
Prelims Total Marks100
Mains Total Marks250
Negative MarkingYes (0.25 marks deduction)
Prelims Duration1 Hour
Mains Duration3 Hours
Selection ProcessOnline Test + GD & Interview
Official Websitesbi.co.in

SBI PO 2025 Exam Pattern: Stage-wise Breakdown

1. SBI PO Prelims Exam Pattern 📝

The first hurdle is the Preliminary Exam, which is purely qualifying. Only top scorers move to Mains.

SectionNo. of QsMarksDuration
English Language303020 mins
Quantitative Aptitude353520 mins
Reasoning Ability353520 mins
Total1001001 Hour

🔹 Key Fact: No sectional cut-off, but overall score matters.
🔹 Negative Marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

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2. SBI PO Mains Exam Pattern 🎯

The Mains exam is tougher and includes Descriptive + Objective sections.

SectionNo. of QsMarksDuration
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude456060 mins
Data Analysis & Interpretation356045 mins
General/Economy/Banking Awareness404035 mins
English Language (Descriptive)2 (Letter + Essay)5030 mins
Total1222503 Hours

🔹 Pro Tip: The Descriptive section (Letter/Essay) is qualifying (minimum 40% for Gen, 35% for others).


Marking Scheme & Negative Marking ⚠️

Many aspirants lose marks due to careless mistakes. Here’s how scoring works:

Exam PartCorrect AnswerWrong AnswerUnattempted
Prelims+1-0.250
Mains+1 to +2 (varies)-0.250

🔹 Expert Insight: “Avoid blind guessing—attempt only what you’re 70% sure of.”Rahul Mehta, SBI PO 2023 Topper


SBI PO Interview & Final Selection 💼

After Mains, shortlisted candidates face:

  • Group Discussion (GD)
  • Personal Interview (PI)

🔹 Weightage:

  • Mains (250) + GD & PI (50) = Total 300 marks
  • Final merit list is based on Mains + Interview scores.

Changes in SBI PO 2025 Exam Pattern? 🔄

While the core structure remains similar, minor tweaks happen. For 2025:
Increased focus on Banking Awareness (recent trends show 5-6 more questions).
Descriptive section now includes current affairs-based essays.

🔹 Real-Life Example: “Last year, my essay topic was ‘Impact of AI on Banking’—staying updated helped!”Priya K., SBI PO 2024


Expert Preparation Tips 🎓

1. Prelims Strategy

  • Speed + Accuracy: Practice 20-25 mock tests under timed conditions.
  • Sectional Time Split:
  • Reasoning: 18 mins
  • Quant: 20 mins
  • English: 15 mins
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2. Mains Strategy

  • Data Interpretation (DI): Master Caselets & Pie Charts (highly repeated).
  • Banking Awareness: Follow Economic Times & RBI updates.

🔹 Research-Backed Tip: “Candidates solving 10+ DI sets daily score 15% higher.”SBI Annual Report 2024


Final Thoughts

The SBI PO 2025 exam pattern isn’t just about hard work—it’s smart work. Focus on high-weightage topics, manage time well, and stay updated with banking trends. Ready to crack it? 🚀

(Note: Always check sbi.co.in for official updates!)

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