SBI Clerk Main Exam is over and the next exam is SBI PO (Preliminary and Main). Both these exams open the doors of the prestigious State Bank of India for you, but obviously at different job profiles.
The syllabus for both the exams are broadly the same but there are some major differences in the pattern as well as type and topic of questions that are asked in the Main exams. As you have just taken the SBI Clerk Exams, it is advisable to know what differences you can expect in the SBI PO Exams.
Preliminary Level Exam
The pattern of the Preliminary Exam for both the exams is exactly the same. Needless to say, you can expect questions to be of a bit higher difficulty level in SBI PO Prelims Exam (as compared to SBI Clerk Prelims)
| SL | Name of Test | No of Questions | Marks |
| 1 | English Language | 30 | 30 |
| 2 | Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 |
| 3 | Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Main Exam
As you all must be already aware, Sectional Timing and Variable Marking Scheme has been introduced for the first time in the Main Exam of both SBI Clerk and SBI PO. Still there are significant differences between the pattern of the Main Exams.
| SL | SBI Clerk | SBI PO | |
| 1 | General Awareness (Includes Banking/Finance Awareness) | 50 questions (50 marks)
Time allotted :- 35 minutes |
40 questions (40 marks)
Time allotted :- 35 minutes |
| 2 | English Language | 40 questions (40 marks)
Time allotted :- 35 minutes |
35 questions (40 minutes)
Time allotted :- 40 minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude* | 50 questions (50 marks)
Time allotted :- 45 minutes |
Not present |
| 4 | Data Analysis and Interpretation* | Not Present | 35 questions (60 marks)
Time allotted :- 45 minutes |
| 5 | Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 50 Questions (60 Marks)
Time allotted :- 45 minutes |
45 Questions (60 Marks)
Time allotted :- 60 minutes |
| 6 | Descriptive Test | -Not Present- | Present – 50 marks
Time allotted :- 30 minutes |
* Please note that the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation & Analysis section of SBI Clerk and SBI PO exam respectively are overlapping. There were around 10 questions of Data Interpretation in the ‘Quantitative Aptitude’ section of SBI Clerk Main Exam 2016 and likewise you can expect questions from Quantitative Aptitude in the ‘Data Analysis and Interpretation’ section of SBI PO Main Exam.
Based on the number of questions in each section and the respective time allotted to them, let’s have a look how many minutes you will be having per question in SBI PO Main, as compared to SBI Clerk Main :-
| SL | Section | SBI Clerk | SBI PO |
| 1 | General Awareness (Includes Banking/Finance Awareness) | 0.7 minutes/question | 0.9 minutes/question |
| 2 | English Language | 0.9 minutes/question
|
1.1 minutes/question |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis and Interpretation | 0.9 minutes/question | 1.3 minutes/question |
| 5 | Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 0.9 minutes/question | 1.3 minutes/question |
As you can notice, you got less than one minute per question in SBI Clerk Main, but you will get more than a minute per question in SBI PO Mains (Except General Awareness Section). Hence, though the difficulty level of SBI PO Main will be more than that of SBI Clerk Main Exam, you will definitely be having more time in your hands to solve the questions.
Also, Descriptive Test that you wasn’t present in SBI Clerk Main will be there in the SBI PO Main Exam to test your verbal written communication skills (Essay and Letter Writing).
It is extremely important that you start your preparation without wasting any time. To take standardized Mock Test (according to the new pattern) for SBI PO, click here
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