SBI PO Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions: Prelims and Mains PDF Guide
State Bank of India provides official Probationary Officer examination handouts containing the examination pattern and sample questions. Candidates preparing for SBI PO Prelims and Mains can use these official materials to understand the question format, sections, timings and level of the examination. SBI does not publish an official archive of actual previous-year question papers with official solutions on its recruitment website.
SBI PO Previous Year Question Paper: Official Status
Candidates searching for an SBI PO previous year question paper PDF should first understand the difference between an official examination document and a memory-based paper. SBI’s official website publishes recruitment notifications, examination handouts, results, call-letter information and other recruitment documents. The official handouts include sample questions to familiarise candidates with the type of examination.
The official 2025 SBI PO Preliminary Examination handout is titled “Acquaint Yourself Booklet” and provides information about the Online Preliminary Examination and sample questions. SBI also published a separate Main Examination handout explaining the Main examination and the type of tests that candidates would face.
| Particular | Official SBI Position |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Organisation | State Bank of India |
| Post | Probationary Officer |
| Previous Year Question Papers | No Official PYQ Archive |
| Official Preliminary Material | Online Preliminary Examination Acquaint Yourself Booklet |
| Official Main Material | Online Main Examination Information Handout |
| Official Sample Questions | Available in the examination handouts |
| Official Solved Previous-Year Papers | Not Published as an Official Archive |
SBI PO Prelims Official Exam Pattern
The official SBI Preliminary Examination handout describes an Online Preliminary Examination consisting of objective tests for 100 marks. The examination has three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. The 2024-25 official handout specifies 40 questions in English Language, 30 in Quantitative Aptitude and 30 in Reasoning Ability, with 20 minutes allotted separately to each section and one hour for the complete examination.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 100 marks total across the test | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | Included in 100 marks | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | Included in 100 marks | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
SBI PO Mains Official Exam Pattern
The official SBI PO Main Examination handout provides the structure of the online Main examination. The Main examination consists of an objective test for 200 marks and a descriptive test for 50 marks. The objective test has four sections with separate timings.
| Objective Test | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Total | 170 | 200 | 3 hours |
Descriptive Test
| Component | Official Details |
|---|---|
| Test | Descriptive Test |
| Maximum Marks | 50 |
| Duration | 30 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Communication Skills | Email writing, Situation Analysis writing, Report writing / Precis writing |
Does SBI Release Previous Year Question Papers?
SBI’s official recruitment pages do not provide a dedicated archive containing complete previous-year SBI PO question-paper PDFs with official solutions. Candidates may find such papers on coaching and educational websites, but those documents should not be described as official SBI question papers unless they are directly published by SBI.
For official preparation, candidates can use SBI’s examination handouts. These documents explain the examination structure and contain sample questions. They are particularly useful for understanding the type of questions that may appear in the examination.
| Material | Official SBI Status |
|---|---|
| Actual previous-year question paper | Not available as an official archive |
| Memory-based question paper | Not an SBI-issued document |
| Third-party solved paper | Not an official SBI solution |
| Official examination handout | Official SBI material |
| Official sample questions | Available in official handouts |
SBI PO Official Preliminary Handout: What It Contains
The official SBI Preliminary Examination handout is designed to familiarise candidates with the examination. It explains the examination structure and provides sample questions. The sample questions cover areas such as English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
The official handout provides sample questions related to English language ability, including grammar, vocabulary and comprehension-related areas.
The handout provides representative numerical and mathematical questions to help candidates understand the test format.
Sample questions demonstrate the type of reasoning problems candidates may encounter in the objective examination.
The official material also explains important instructions applicable to the online examination.
SBI PO Official Main Handout: What It Contains
The official SBI Main Examination Information Handout explains the objective and descriptive components of the Main examination. It also describes the type of tests that candidates will take and provides sample questions.
| Area | Official Preparation Information |
|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | Official examination section with representative question types. |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | Official objective-test section with representative questions. |
| General Awareness / Economy / Banking | Official objective-test section identified in the Main handout. |
| English Language | Official objective-test section with sample material. |
| Descriptive Test | Officially described as a 50-mark, 30-minute English-language test. |
How to Use SBI PO Previous Papers for Preparation
Candidates who have access to previous examination papers from legitimate sources can use them as practice tests. However, because such papers are not necessarily issued by SBI, they should be treated as practice material rather than official documents.
SBI PO Previous Paper Preparation Strategy
Read the official SBI examination handout before relying on any practice question paper.
Work separately on English, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning for Prelims.
Follow the section-wise timing prescribed by SBI when practising the Prelims.
Maintain a record of incorrect answers and the topics responsible for them.
Do not wait until the Preliminary result to begin Main examination preparation.
Follow the descriptive-test structure specified in the official Main handout.
Previous Paper With Solutions: What Candidates Should Verify
A question paper labelled “SBI PO Previous Year Paper with Solution” should not automatically be considered an official SBI document. Candidates should check the source before using it for preparation or publishing it as an official PDF.
| Check | What to Verify |
|---|---|
| Source | Confirm whether the document was published directly by SBI. |
| Year | Check the examination year and recruitment cycle. |
| Phase | Confirm whether it relates to Prelims or Mains. |
| Question Paper | Check whether it is an actual paper, sample paper or memory-based reconstruction. |
| Solutions | Check whether the answers are official SBI answers or third-party explanations. |
| Exam Pattern | Compare the paper with the official examination handout applicable to that recruitment. |
SBI PO Negative Marking
The official SBI Preliminary Examination handout states that there is a penalty for wrong answers in the objective tests. For each incorrect answer, one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question is deducted while calculating the corrected score. If a candidate leaves a question unanswered, there is no penalty for that question.
Candidates should always check the notification and examination handout for the recruitment cycle they are appearing in before applying an older marking scheme to a new examination.
Official SBI PO Examination Material
| Document | Official Information |
|---|---|
| Preliminary Examination Handout | Official SBI handout containing examination information and sample questions. |
| Main Examination Handout | Official SBI handout explaining the Main examination and sample questions. |
| Recruitment Advertisement | Official SBI notification containing eligibility, selection process and recruitment conditions. |
| Current Openings | Official SBI Careers page where recruitment-related notices are published. |
How to Download Official SBI PO Preparation Material
SBI PO Previous Year Paper FAQs
Does SBI release official previous-year SBI PO question papers?
SBI’s official recruitment website does not provide a dedicated archive of actual previous-year SBI PO question papers with official solutions. It does provide official examination handouts containing sample questions.
Where can I find official SBI PO sample questions?
Official sample questions are available in SBI’s Preliminary and Main Examination handouts published through the SBI website.
Are memory-based SBI PO papers official?
No. Memory-based papers are reconstructed from candidates’ recollections and are not official SBI-issued question papers.
Does SBI provide official solutions for previous-year papers?
SBI does not provide an official archive of solved previous-year SBI PO papers. Candidates should distinguish third-party solutions from official SBI documents.
What is the SBI PO Prelims exam pattern?
The official handout describes three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability, with 100 marks and a one-hour examination duration in the cited official handout.
What is the SBI PO Mains exam pattern?
The official Main handout describes an objective test of 200 marks followed by a descriptive test of 50 marks.
Is there negative marking in SBI PO?
The official Preliminary Examination handout states that one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for an incorrect answer in objective tests, while no penalty is applied to an unanswered question.
Can I use third-party solved papers for SBI PO preparation?
Yes, they can be used as practice material, but candidates should not treat them as official SBI documents or assume that every answer has been officially verified by SBI.
Official Links
| Purpose | Official Source |
|---|---|
| SBI Careers – Current Openings | Visit SBI Careers |
| SBI Probationary Officers | Open Official PO Page |
| SBI PO Preliminary Examination Handout | Download Official Prelims Handout |
| SBI PO Main Examination Handout | Download Official Mains Handout |
| SBI PO Recruitment Advertisement 2025-26 | Download Official Advertisement |
Final Advice
SBI PO previous-year question papers can be useful for understanding the level of competitive banking examinations, but candidates should carefully distinguish official SBI material from third-party resources. SBI’s official Preliminary and Main Examination handouts are reliable sources for checking the examination structure, sections, timings and sample question formats.
For candidates specifically looking for an “SBI PO Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions PDF”, the safest approach is to use officially published SBI handouts for verified examination information and use other practice papers only when their source and status are clearly identified. An unofficial memory-based paper should never be presented as an official SBI question paper.