SBI PO Preparation 2025: Study Plan, Best Books & Strategy

SBI PO Preparation 2025: The State Bank of India (SBI) released an official notification for the SBI PO 2025 recruitment exam on December 26, 2024, to select eligible candidates for the Probationary Officers (PO) posts in various SBI branches. SBI PO 2025 notification was released in PDF on the official website, i.e., sbi.co.in. The SBI PO exam pattern comprises prelims, mains and psychometric tests, and interview & group exercises.

Since SBI PO is one of the most competitive exams conducted nationwide, passing it with flying colours requires unwavering dedication, a well-thought-out plan, uninterrupted focus, and perseverance. And all of this is possible if you have the best SBI PO preparation tips or expert-suggested exam-taking strategies. And guess what? This article explains the same to help aspirants ace the test at first attempt.

SBI PO Latest Update!
— The SBI PO prelims exam 2025 will be conducted on March 8, 16, & 24, 2025.

SBI PO Mains exam will likely be conducted in April or May 2025. The prelims exam consists of Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language. While the mains consist of Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, English Language, Data Analysis & Interpretation, and General/Economy/Banking Awareness. Scroll down to learn more about the SBI PO Preparation 2025.

SBI PO Preparation Strategy 2025

Candidates must read the important SBI PO 2025 preparation strategy given below to make their study plan more efficient and effective. These pointers will guide the candidates to achieve their goals in less time and with thorough preparation.

1. Have a thorough knowledge of syllabus and exam pattern: Knowing the syllabus and exam pattern will help you prepare the study plan. You can sort out the important topics and start your preparation.
2. Refer to previous year’s papers and choose the right books: Go through the previous year’s papers; this will help you narrow down the syllabus and focus on the most important topics first. Also, refer to the right books to avoid waste of time.
3. Build a preparation plan and divide your tasks: Calculate the time you have for preparation and prioritise the topics you need to study. Prepare a timetable to achieve your daily goals and allocate more time to the weaker sections of the syllabus.
4. Prepare notes: Core reading will not be fruitful without efficient not-making. Always make notes of what you read. It has been proven that writing improves memory retention of topics you read.
5. Practice: Practice all the important topics with solved examples and questions. Along with practice tests, solve various sample papers and previous years’ question papers to get acquainted with the paper pattern and difficulty level.
6. Take SBI PO mock test to improve: Attempting mock tests will help you stay on track and learn from your mistakes. After practice, taking a mock test will also give you a hands-on experience with the real exam.
7. Revise: Revision and consistent practice are the keys to cracking the SBI PO exam on the first attempt. Revise all the essential topics and go through the shortcuts to solve problems on a daily basis.
8. Read: Since the English language is one of the most important subjects for SBI PO, make a habit of reading English newspapers, magazines, and journals. It will improve your vocabulary, grammar and comprehension skills.
9. Follow the latest news and events: Always be informed about current affairs and the latest news. Focus on financial and banking matters.

SBI PO Selection Process 2025

THE SBI PO exam follows a three-tier selection process. Candidates are required to get through each of the stages to reach the next level. The selection process for SBI PO is listed below.

• 1st Stage: SBI PO Preliminary Exam
• 2nd Stage: SBI PO Main Exam
• 3rd Stage: Psychometric Test, Group Exercises and Interview

Section-wise SBI PO 2025 Prelims Tips

The SBI PO syllabus for the preliminary exam is inclusive of three sections – English Language (30 marks from 30 Qs), Quantitative Aptitude (35 marks from 35 Qs) and Reasoning Ability (35 marks from 35 Qs).

1. English Language

The English Language section is one of the easiest to crack. You need to brush up on your basic skills in grammar by developing a reading habit. Additionally, that will also help improve your vocabulary.

You can also review the previous years’ papers to get an idea of what questions will come. This section usually asks questions about Comprehension, Spotting Errors, Para Jumbles, Antonyms and Synonyms.

2. Quantitative Aptitude

The Quantitative Aptitude section is the toughest, as observed in the SBI PO previous years’ papers. You need to be well-versed in topics like Ratio and Proportion, Average, Speed and Distance, Time and Work, Number Series, Data Interpretation, Quadratic Equations, and Simplification.

This section evaluates your numerical ability and problem-solving skills. Regular practice is mandatory.

3. Reasoning Ability

The reasoning section is highly scored in the SBI PO exam. Practice regularly to be able to crack this section. The questions will be very logical in nature. You need to prepare for topics such as Syllogism, Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Ranking and Order, etc. Follow up each practice with a quick revision.

Practice Unlimited SBI PO Prelims Exam Questions

Practice unlimited SBI PO Prelims questions at Embibe and boost confidence to face the examination. Follow the below-mentioned steps to take the practice test:

• 1st Step: Visit Embibe’s official website, i.e., embibe.com.
• 2nd Step: Use the mobile number/email to log in.
• 3rd Step: Select Goal as ‘Banking’ under the Government Job section.
• 4th Step: Click Next and select ‘SBI PO Prelims’.
• 5th Step: Click Next and select the preferred language.
• 6th Step: Once done, candidates can practice questions and take mock tests.

Section-wise SBI PO 2025 Mains Tips

The SBI PO syllabus for Mains is inclusive of four sections — Reasoning and Computer Aptitude (60 marks from 45 Qs), Data Analysis & Interpretation (60 marks from 35 Qs), General Awareness (40 marks from 40 Qs), and English Language (40 marks from 35 Qs).

1. English Language

For the English Language section, the same SBI PO preparation tips from the prelims phase can also be followed for the mains.

2. Data Analysis and Interpretation

The same SBI PO preparation tips for Quantitative Aptitude from the prelims phase can be followed for Data Analysis and Interpretation section in the Mains.

3. Reasoning and Computer Aptitude

Again, for the Reasoning section, the same SBI PO tips from the prelims phase can also be followed for the mains.

In Computer Aptitude, you will be required to have basic computer hardware and software knowledge. In addition, important topics include Computer Basics, Operating System Functions, Basic Internet Knowledge and Protocols, Network Basics (LAN & WAN) and Basic MS Office. It is essentially one of the easiest sections to get the maximum score.

4. General Awareness

If you want to score well in this section, reading newspapers and magazines and watching the daily news is of utmost importance. Important topics to focus on in this section include the Indian Economy, Marketing, Awards & Honours, Sports, Finance, Indian Constitution, Agriculture, and Banking. Particular attention should be given to banking terminologies.

SBI PO Preparation 2025 Interview Tips

Candidates will be asked both personal and profile-based questions in the interview round. These questions will be to judge their confidence, weakness, strengths, areas of interest and improvement. We suggest all aspirants go through the SBI PO interview questions to understand what they are likely to be asked this year.

SBI PO Preparation 2025 Group Exercise

Also, when the SBI PO interview round begins, there will be a Group Discussion (GD) round in which a team of around 10-12 members is formed. Approximately 3-4 jury members will have the authority to ask anything regarding the topic.

Each candidate will have a maximum of 2 minutes to present their views, thoughts, facts, or personal opinions on the questions asked. Aspirants will also be given a pen and paper to take note of questions or suggestions.

SBI PO 2025 Preparation Books

Refer to the table below for a list of the best SBI PO books for 2025 exam preparation:

FAQs on SBI PO Preparation 2025

Candidates must go through the frequently asked questions below to better understand:

Also, check:

We hope this article on SBI PO Preparation Tips 2025 is helpful. Stay tuned to Embibe for the latest updates on SBI PO Exam 2025!