SBI PO vs IBPS PO: how the prelims and mains differ
SBI PO and IBPS PO recruit Probationary Officers for public sector banks, and most banking aspirants sit both. The syllabus is nearly the same, but the papers differ in ways that change how you should attempt them. This article compares the two, using the 2026 notices: SBI's advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 and IBPS's CRP PO/MT-XVI.
Who recruits
- SBI PO recruits for the State Bank of India only. The 2026 notice listed 1,500 vacancies. Applicants must be graduates and between 21 and 30 on 1 April 2026, with the usual relaxations.
- IBPS PO is a common recruitment for eleven public sector banks named in the notice, including Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India. Applicants must be graduates and between 20 and 30 on 1 July 2026.
Prelims side by side
| SBI PO prelims | IBPS PO prelims | |
|---|---|---|
| English | 40 questions, 20 minutes | 30 questions, 30 marks, 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 questions, 20 minutes | 35 questions, 30 marks, 20 minutes |
| Reasoning | 30 questions, 20 minutes | 35 questions, 40 marks, 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 questions, 100 marks, 1 hour | 100 questions, 100 marks, 1 hour |
| Penalty | One fourth of the question's marks | One fourth of the question's marks |
| Sectional cut-off | None: merit on the aggregate | Yes, in each test |
Two differences matter:
- Section sizes. SBI gives English 40 questions, more than IBPS's 30. In SBI prelims, English is the largest section; in IBPS, Reasoning carries the most marks.
- Cut-offs. SBI prelims has no sectional cut-off: about ten times the vacancies in each category are shortlisted from the aggregate. IBPS requires a cut-off in each test. In SBI you can lean on your strong sections; in IBPS you must be safe in all three.
Mains side by side
| SBI PO mains | IBPS PO mains | |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: 40 questions, 60 marks, 50 minutes | Reasoning: 40 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes |
| Data | Data Analysis and Interpretation: 30 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes | Data Analysis and Interpretation: 40 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes |
| Awareness | General Awareness / Economy / Banking: 60 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes | General, Economy and Banking Awareness: 50 questions, 60 marks, 35 minutes |
| English | 40 questions, 20 marks, 40 minutes | 40 questions, 20 marks, 35 minutes |
| Objective total | 170 questions, 200 marks, 3 hours | 170 questions, 200 marks, 160 minutes |
| Descriptive | 3 questions, 30 marks, 30 minutes | 2 questions (essay and comprehension), 25 marks, 30 minutes |
Both mains are separately timed by section, with one-fourth negative marking in the objective tests. SBI's mains puts computer aptitude inside its Reasoning section; both papers give data interpretation the same weight as reasoning, which is where many selections are decided.
One preparation for both
The overlap is large, so one plan serves both.
- Prelims: practise all three subjects under 20-minute sectional timers. For SBI, add extra English practice, since it is 40 questions there. For IBPS, make sure your weakest section is safe.
- Mains: data interpretation and high-level puzzles are the common core. Banking and economy awareness, including RBI's circulars, needs daily reading for months, not weeks.
- Descriptive: practise typing short essays, letters and reports against the clock; both banks test them on a computer.
Read our IBPS PO prelims strategy for a section-by-section plan, and the negative marking guide for when a guess pays with five options and a quarter-mark penalty.
Mockrooms has timed prelims mocks for both SBI PO and IBPS PO, each following its own notice. Always check the current notice before you apply, because section sizes and timings can change from year to year.