The State Bank of India (SBI) has released the official notification for the Circle-Based Officer (CBO) recruitment 2026, offering 2,050 vacancies across various circles. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed breakdown of the SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern to help you structure your preparation effectively.
SBI CBO 2026: Exam Pattern
The selection process for SBI CBO 2026 consists of three stages: Online Written Examination, Screening of Experience, and Interview.
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Online Objective Test | 120 marks (2 hours) |
| Online Descriptive Test | 50 marks (30 minutes) |
| Screening | Verification of work experience against Scale-I Generalist Officer profile |
| Interview | 50 marks |
| Final Selection | 75% weightage to Online Test + 25% weightage to Interview |
Candidates must qualify in both the Online Test and Interview separately to be considered for final selection .
SBI CBO Objective Test Pattern 2026
The objective test consists of 120 multiple-choice questions with a total of 120 marks. There is NO negative marking for incorrect answers . Each section has a dedicated time limit that must be adhered to.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Banking Knowledge | 40 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| General Awareness / Economy | 30 | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Computer Aptitude | 20 | 20 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 2 Hours |
Key Points:
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There are no sectional qualifying marks — only minimum aggregate qualifying marks apply .
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The test is conducted online in both English and Hindi languages (except the English section) .
SBI CBO Descriptive Test Pattern 2026
The descriptive test is conducted immediately after the objective test and must be typed on the computer .
| Component | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter Writing | 1 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Essay Writing | 1 | 25 | |
| Total | 2 | 50 | 30 Minutes |
SBI CBO Syllabus 2026: Section-Wise Detailed Topics
1. English Language (30 Marks)
This section tests grammar proficiency, vocabulary, comprehension, and sentence construction skills .
Key Topics:
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Reading Comprehension
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Cloze Test
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Spotting Errors / Sentence Correction
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Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement
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Fill in the Blanks
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Word Rearrangement & Swap
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Misspelled Words
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Word Usage / Phrase Replacement
Approximate Topic Weightage :
| Topic | Approx. Marks |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 8–10 |
| Cloze Test | 5–6 |
| Error Detection | 4–5 |
| Para Jumbles | 4–5 |
2. Banking Knowledge (40 Marks)
This section carries the highest weightage and demands focused study on foundational and current banking concepts .
Key Topics :
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RBI Structure & Functions — Monetary Policy, Repo Rate, CRR, SLR
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Financial Markets — Money Market, Capital Market, Derivatives
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NBFCs — Types and regulations
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NPA & SARFAESI Act — Asset classification, recovery mechanisms
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Basel Norms — Basel I, II, III (capital adequacy, risk management)
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Payments Bank & Small Finance Banks
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NPCI Products — UPI, IMPS, AEPS, RuPay
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Banking Terms & Abbreviations
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Latest Banking Awareness — Appointments, mergers, circulars
Approximate Topic Weightage :
| Topic | Approx. Marks |
|---|---|
| RBI & Monetary Policy | 5–6 |
| Banking Regulations (Basel, NPA, SARFAESI) | 6–8 |
| Banking Terms & Concepts | 6–8 |
| Current Banking Updates | 6–8 |
3. General Awareness / Economy (30 Marks)
This section tests awareness of current affairs, especially related to the Indian economy and banking industry .
Key Topics :
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National & International Current Affairs
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RBI in News — Recent policy announcements
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Government Schemes (Central Govt. initiatives)
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Economic Survey & Union Budget highlights
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Indexes, Rankings & Reports
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Awards & Honors, Nobel Prize winners
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Banking & Insurance News
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Agreements & MoUs
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Static GK — Capitals, currencies, headquarters
Approximate Topic Weightage :
| Topic | Approx. Marks |
|---|---|
| Banking & Financial Current Affairs | 10–12 |
| Government Schemes | 5–6 |
| Economic Survey & Budget | 4–5 |
4. Computer Aptitude (20 Marks)
This section includes a mix of basic computer awareness and reasoning-based aptitude questions . Based on previous exam analysis, a significant portion of questions may come from reasoning topics .
Computer Awareness Topics :
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History & Generation of Computers
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Computer Hardware & Software
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Operating Systems
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Internet & Networking Basics
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MS Office — Word, Excel, PowerPoint
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Computer Memory & I/O Devices
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Computer & Network Security
Reasoning Topics Under Computer Aptitude :
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Puzzles (Seating Arrangement, Floor/Box-Based)
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Input-Output
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Syllogism / Venn Diagrams
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Inequality
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Coding-Decoding
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Blood Relations & Direction Sense
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Data Sufficiency
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Logical Reasoning — Cause & Effect, Course of Action
Approximate Topic Weightage
| Topic | Approx. Marks |
|---|---|
| MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) | 5–6 |
| Internet & Networking | 4–5 |
| Computer Fundamentals | 4–5 |
SBI CBO Descriptive Test Syllabus
Letter Writing (25 Marks)
Formal letter writing on banking-related topics. Common themes include :
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Complaint letter regarding unauthorized transactions
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Request to improve branch infrastructure
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Communication explaining revised KYC/loan documentation
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Proposal for financial literacy workshops for rural customers
Essay Writing (25 Marks)
Essays on current banking, economic, and socio-economic themes. Sample topics :
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Impact of Digital Banking and UPI Growth on Traditional Banking
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Role of Financial Inclusion in Strengthening India’s Rural Economy
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Measures to Prevent Cybercrimes and Enhance Customer Data Security
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Rising NPAs in India: Causes, Effects, and Preventive Strategies
SBI CBO Syllabus: Important Topics
1. English Language
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Error Detection
- Sentence Improvement
- Para Jumbles
- Fill in the Blanks
- Vocabulary (Synonyms/Antonyms)
- Grammar & Usage
Focus on accuracy + comprehension speed
2. Banking Knowledge (Most Important)
- Banking Terminologies
- RBI Functions & Monetary Policy
- Financial Institutions
- NPA & Basel Norms
- Banking Products & Services
- Indian Banking System
- Financial Awareness
This section carries maximum weightage (40 marks)
3. General Awareness / Economy
- Current Affairs (Banking & Economy)
- Static GK
- Indian Economy
- Government Schemes
- Budget & Economic Survey
- History, Geography, Polity
- Awards, Sports, Books
Focus on last 6 months current affairs
4. Computer Aptitude
- Basic Computer Knowledge
- MS Office
- Internet & Networking
- Operating Systems
- Computer Abbreviations
- Hardware & Software
Key Points for Preparation
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Banking Knowledge is Critical — With 40 marks, this section deserves maximum attention .
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No Negative Marking — Attempt all questions without fear of penalty .
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No Sectional Cut-offs — Focus on overall aggregate score .
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Descriptive Test Matters — Marks from letter and essay contribute to the 75% weightage of the Online Test in final merit .
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Computer Aptitude Includes Reasoning — Don’t limit preparation to theory; practice reasoning questions too .
Final Selection & Weightage
| Component | Marks | Weightage in Final Merit |
|---|---|---|
| Online Test (Objective + Descriptive) | 170 | Converted to 75 marks |
| Interview | 50 | Converted to 25 marks |
| Total | 100 marks |
Candidates must clear the screening of experience before being called for the interview. The Screening Committee verifies whether the candidate’s work experience substantially matches the profile of a Scale-I Generalist Officer at SBI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is there negative marking in the SBI CBO 2026 exam?
No, there is no penalty for wrong answers in the objective test.
Q2: What is the total duration of the online written exam?
The objective test is 2 hours, and the descriptive test is 30 minutes — conducted back-to-back.
Q3: Are there sectional qualifying marks?
No, SBI does not prescribe sectional cut-offs for the CBO exam .
Q4: What topics should I focus on for the Banking Knowledge section?
Focus on RBI policies, monetary policy instruments, NPA management, Basel norms, and current banking awareness (appointments, mergers, circulars) .
Q5: Is the Computer Aptitude section only about computer theory?
No, based on previous exams, this section includes reasoning-based questions like puzzles, coding-decoding, and input-output .
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