The State Bank of India (SBI) recruits Circle-Based Officers (CBO) for various offices across the country. Candidates interested and eligible for these positions should kick-start their online exam preparation immediately. To begin effectively, aspirants must understand the latest SBI CBO syllabus & exam pattern. We have outlined the complete SBI CBO 2026 exam pattern & syllabus in this article to guide your preparation.
SBI CBO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026
The SBI CBO recruitment 2026 for circle-based officer posts will be conducted in four phases: an online test, screening, an interview, and a Local Language Proficiency Test. The online test comprises two parts: an objective test and a descriptive test. This is an exceptional opportunity for experienced banking professionals aspiring to join the State Bank of India. Review the summary of the SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 in the table below:
| SBI Circle-Based Officer Syllabus 2026- Highlights | |
| Exam Name | SBI CBO 2026 |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Total Marks | Objective test-120 Descriptive Test-50 Interview- 50 |
| Marking Scheme | 1 mark for each right answer |
| Negative Marking Scheme | No negative marking |
| Selection Process | Online Examination Screening Interview Local Language Proficiency Test |
| Official Website | https://sbi.co.in/ |
SBI CBO Score Card 2026 - Click to Check
SBI CBO Exam Pattern 2026
The selection process for SBI Circle-Based Officers consists of an online written test, screening, an interview round, and a Local Language Proficiency Test. Candidates must successfully qualify for each stage independently to secure a position in the State Bank of India. If you are looking for the SBI CBO Exam Pattern 2026, check out the detailed breakdown provided in the section below:
- There will be 2 tests- MCQ and Descriptive
- In a computer-based test, there will be 120 questions carrying 1 mark each.
- The duration of the online test is 2 hours 30 minutes, where 2 hours are allotted for the computer-based test and 30 minutes for the descriptive test.
- There will be no negative marking in the exam.
- There will be no sectional qualifying marks
- In the descriptive test, a letter & an essay will be asked.
| SBI CBO CBT Exam Pattern 2026 | |||
| Sections | 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 |
| SBI CBO Descriptive Test 2026 | |||
| Topics | No of Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Letter Writing | 01 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Essay-250 words on banking related | 01 | 25 | |
| Total | 02 | 50 | 30 minutes |
SBI CBO Syllabus 2026
The subject-wise SBI CBO syllabus is detailed below. Preparing for the SBI CBO 2026 Exam requires a focused, topic-by-topic approach. Every topic carries significant weightage, so skipping any section is discouraged if you aim to clear the Circle-Based Officer selection process.
SBI CBO Syllabus- English Language
A candidate's English language proficiency will be evaluated through this section. It features 30 questions derived from the following key topics:
- Cloze Test
- Reading Comprehension
- Spotting Errors
- Sentence Improvement
- Sentence Correction
- Para Jumbles
- Fill in the Blanks
- Word Rearrangement
- Word Swap
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Misspelt
- Word Usage
- Sentence Based Errors
SBI CBO Syllabus- General Awareness
Candidates must thoroughly master the topics listed below to maximize their scores in this section.
- Current Affairs (National & International)
- Banking Awareness
- GK Updates
- Currencies
- Important Places
- Indexes & Ranking
- Agreements & MoU
- Central Governmnet Schemes
- Books and Authors
- Awards
- Headquarters
- Prime Minister Schemes
- Important Days
SBI CBO Syllabus- Computer Aptitude
In previous recruitment cycles, many aspirants noted that this section included questions from reasoning concepts rather than standard computer fundamentals. Candidates preparing for the SBI CBO Exam should not overlook the essential Computer Aptitude topics outlined below:
- Statement & Assumption / Statement & Conclusion
- Order and Ranking
- Puzzle (Seating Arrangement, Floor-Based, Box-Based, Year-Based, etc.)
- Direction Sense
- Inequality
- Data Sufficiency
- Logical Reasoning (Cause & Effect, Course of Action, etc.)
- Syllogism
- Input-Output
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relations
SBI CBO Syllabus- Banking Awareness
This section focuses primarily on banking awareness. Aspirants must stay updated on all financial schemes, operational rules, and regulations established by the State Bank of India.
- Financial Markets
- Monetary Policy
- NBFCs
- NPA & SARFAESI
- Payments Bank
- Small Finance Banks
- ATM
- NPCI
- Financial Abbreviations
- Basel Norms
- Reserve Bank of India Structure
- RBI New Initiatives
SBI CBO Interview 2026
The interview carries a total of 50 marks. Candidates must achieve the minimum qualifying marks set by the bank to be considered for final selection. The final merit list will be compiled based on the combined scores of both the Online Test and the Interview for candidates who qualify in both stages.
FAQs
The complete SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 is discussed in detail within the article below.
The SBI CBO 2026 Exam features 4 main sections: Reasoning, English Language, General/Banking Awareness, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Yes, there is a negative marking of 1/4th of the allotted mark for every incorrect answer in the SBI CBO 2026 Exam.
The descriptive test evaluates English language skills, requiring candidates to write a formal letter and an essay worth a total of 50 marks.
Recommended Reads
- SBI CBO 2026 Notification: Exam Date, Eligibility & Application Form
- SBI PO Prelims 2nd August Exam Analysis 2026 (Shift 1): Good Attempts, Difficulty Level & Questions Asked
- SBI PO Shift 4 Exam Analysis 2026: Difficulty Level, Good Attempts & Review
- SBI PO Prelims Shift 2 Exam Analysis 2026 (1 Aug): Difficulty Level & Review
- SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 (1st August Shift 1): Good Attempts & Difficulty Level
- SBI PO Prelims Question Paper 2026 Released (Memory-Based) – Download 1st & 2nd August PDF
Never miss another exam update!
Get the fastest exam results, recruitment news, and educational guides delivered directly to your phone.