The SBI PO exam will be announced on SBI’s official website www.sbi.co.in. In this article, you will be able to come across the examination details, which include dates, time, how to enroll and more. The SBI PO exam is divided into three stages, Prelims, Main, and Interview. Only after qualifying all three stages, you become the PO in SBI branches.
How to Crack SBI PO In First Attempt?
Now, the first main step is passing the prelims and then the main. It is a competitive exam where you will have to answer questions from multiple subjects. Since the examination also has negative marking, which means your points get deducted with the wrong answer, it becomes imperative to ensure your preparation is on point.
If you are someone who is trying to study at home, this article has all the details to help you crack the exam on the first attempt. Read ahead to know more.
Understand The Exam Pattern
Simply jumping into studying without actually understanding the syllabus will be useless. Therefore, along with going through the syllabus thoroughly, make sure you familiarize yourself with the exam pattern too.
Make sure you understand about the exam stages including the timing and the type of questions that will come. When it comes to SBI PO Prelims, you will get three sections, which include English, Number Ability, and Reasoning Ability.
You will have 20 minutes for each section where each section will carry one mark each and wrong answers will gain you a negative marking of 0.25 marks. Therefore, it becomes important that you answer the questions carefully.
During the mains, you will receive two sections. They are objective and descriptive where the marks will be 200 and 50 marks respectively. Once you clear both prelims and then the mains, you will go through the group discussion and interview rounds where each will have 20 and 30 marks respectively.
One of the tips that can help you ace the exam is to take free SBI PO mock tests as they will give you an understanding of how well you have prepared yourself for the same.
The mock tests will also let you know your strengths and weaknesses. They are important because they will help you understand the areas that need more work. So, you can spend more time on subjects where you are weak.
Understand The Syllabus
Don’t simply ask your friends or someone who has appeared for the exam before. Do your own research when it comes to the syllabus.
Why? They keep getting updated every now and then and you don’t want to study the old syllabus, missing out on any important factors. Let’s take a look at the detailed syllabus for this year, which will help you prepare better.
English
Having a stronghold on the English language is very important. In the exam, you will encounter reading comprehensions, para jumbles, sentence rearrangement, Cloze test, correcting the sentences, error detection, vocabulary, paragraph completion, matching the column, and more.
Therefore, start with grammar and take the free SBI PO mock-up tests to test your English language knowledge.
Quantitative Aptitude
Simplification, Approximation, Quadratic Equation / Mathematical Inequalities, Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Miscellaneous, Profit & Loss, Percentage, Time & Work, Time Speed and Distance, Ratio, Partnership, Number Series.
Reasoning Ability
Coding-Decoding, Coding Inequality, Syllogism, Series (Numeric, Alphabetic, Symbolic), Input-Output, Miscellaneous, Direction Sense, Blood Relation, Order, and Ranking, and more.
Data Sufficiency, Logical Reasoning, Inferences, Assumptions, Arguments, Conclusions, Course of Action, Cause & Effect, Computer Aptitude, High-Level Seating Arrangement, and Puzzles.
General Awareness
Read the newspaper, know about the current events of at least 9 months, read about all the information that’s related to banking, learn about the history of SBI, static awareness, and important banking terms.
Prepare A Time-Table
Although the syllabus doesn’t seem much in the beginning, the topics are vast and you need time to prepare. Now, let’s say you are starting your preparation now, and hypothetically the exam is in August last week. You have almost two months for extensive preparation.
Here, it is important to create a timetable into three categories. In the first, you will study everything starting with the weakest subjects to the strongest. Once you are done, take mock tests to see which areas need more work.
Then in the second segment of your timetable, you will work on only these subjects, while revising the rest. Lastly, it’s only a revision. Here, take frequent mock tests and keep revising to improve your hold on the subjects.
Remember, don’t stress or let the nerves interfere with your studies. It is imperative that you keep your calm and study according to the timetable without fail. Lastly, keep a realistic timetable. For instance, if you can dedicate 5 hours to your studies every day, don’t make it 7-8 when you are creating the timetable.
Strengthen Your Basics
Let’s say, English is not your strongest subject. But, directly jumping to sentence correction or paragraph building will not really help because the basics, which is grammar in this case, isn’t something you remember or are familiar with.
Therefore, dedicate a small portion of time to the basics before starting your actual practice. This will ensure that you don’t miss out on anything and are able to answer the questions correctly because you know the concept well. This is true for the rest of the subjects too. Understand first and then only proceed.
Other Tips To Help You
- Read and write at every point.
- Make sure you read the newspaper everyday understanding things that are written.
- Make notes. Even when you are reading the paper and something seems important, write it down in your notebook.
- Analyze previous years question papers and try solving them.
- Learn to manage your time.
Remember, cracking the exam is not impossible. Have faith and prepare well.
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