The State Bank of India conducts the highly anticipated recruitment tests annually to select eligible candidates for junior management positions. Following the initial test rounds, aspirants closely monitor performance metrics to gauge their standing. For a comprehensive comparison, you can also review the SBI PO Prelims Shift 1 Exam Analysis 2026.
SBI PO Prelims 2026 Exam Highlights
The preliminary phase of the examination is structured to test speed and accuracy under strict time constraints. Candidates can review the core structural highlights below:
- Total Questions: 100
- Maximum Marks: 100
- Exam Duration: 60 Minutes
- Sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability.
It is important to note that there is no sectional cut-off in the SBI PO preliminary examination; selection is based strictly on the aggregate score.
Shift Timings and Schedule
The examination on August 1, 2026, was conducted across multiple shifts. Below is the detailed breakdown of reporting times and exam durations for all shifts:
| Shifts | Reporting Time | Exam Timings |
|---|---|---|
| Shift 1 | 8 am | 9 am to 10 am |
| Shift 2 | 10:30 am | 11:30 am to 12:30 pm |
| Shift 3 | 1 pm | 2 pm to 3 pm |
| Shift 4 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm |
Overall Exam Analysis & Section-Wise Good Attempts
The SBI PO Prelims exam for Shift 2 took place on August 1, 2026. Based on direct feedback from test-takers, the overall difficulty level of the examination was assessed as Moderate. Overall good attempts across all sections ranged between 67-73.
| Sections | No. of Questions | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 18-20 | Moderate |
| English Language | 40 | 30-32 | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 19-21 | Moderate |
| Total | 100 | 67-73 | Moderate |
Section-Wise Question Distribution & Trends
Reasoning Ability Analysis
Reasoning Ability had 30 questions, a good attempt range of 18-20, and a Moderate difficulty level. The specific question topics included:
| Reasoning Questions Asked in 2nd shift of SBI PO Prelims |
|---|
| Box-based puzzles (7 boxes + variable) – 5 questions Floor + Flat Based (3 x 2) + variable- 5 questions Selection-Based (11 persons + 3 categories) – 5 questions Circular Arrangement (In/Out + variable) – 5 questions Month-Based (9 months) – 5 questions Blood Relation – 2 questions Number-Based: 1 question Pair- Formatoon: 1 uestion |
Quantitative Aptitude Analysis
Quantitative Aptitude had 30 questions, a good attempt range of 19-21, and a Moderate difficulty level. The breakdown of questions asked is provided below:
| Quantitative Aptitude Questions Asked in 2nd shift of SBI PO Prelims |
|---|
| Bar Graph (Manufactured & Sold) – 5 questions Line Graph + Table (Male & Female) [Percentage Based] – 5 questions Caselet DI – 8 questions Missing Number Series – 2 questions (Profit & Loss) Arithmetic- Data Sufficiency (Train based)- 1 question Data Sufficiency (Age based)- 1 question |
English Language Analysis
English Language had 40 questions, a good attempt range of 30-32, and an Easy to Moderate difficulty level. Notably, no questions from the cloze test were featured in this shift. The topic-wise distribution includes:
| English Language Questions Asked in 2nd shift of SBI PO Prelims |
|---|
| Reading Comprehension-1 (Museum) – 8 questions (2 vocab, 1 phrasal, 1 direct) Reading Comprehension-2: 8 questions Double Filler – 5 questions Para jumble (Topic- Environment related)- 6 questions (A to F) Phrase Replacement – 4 to 5 questions Error Detection (Sentence based)- 4 questions Sentence Rearrangement- 4 to 5 questions |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Recommended Reads
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