State Bank Of India Announces PO Prelims Results For 2026

The State Bank of India (SBI) has officially declared the highly anticipated results for the Probationary Officers (PO) Preliminary Examination 2026. Along with the individual scorecards, the bank has published the official merit list in a PDF format, signaling the conclusion of the first phase of one of India's most prestigious banking recruitment drives. According to official statistics, a total of 15,802 candidates have successfully cleared the preliminary hurdle and have been shortlisted to appear for the next phase of the selection process. This massive cohort of successful candidates will now compete for 1,500 vacant Probationary Officer positions across various branches of the State Bank of India nationwide.\n\n### Accessing the Merit List and Results\n\nCandidates who appeared for the preliminary examination can now access their qualifying status and detailed section-wise marks on the official career portal of the State Bank of India (sbi.co.in/careers). To view the results, aspirants need to log in using their registration number or roll number along with their date of birth. The downloadable merit list PDF contains the roll numbers of all the qualified candidates who have secured marks above the category-wise cut-off thresholds determined by the bank.\n\n### The Path Ahead: SBI PO Mains Exam on September 12\n\nFor the 15,802 shortlisted candidates, the focus now shifts entirely to the next stage of the selection cycle. The SBI PO Mains Exam 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on September 12, 2026. This phase is designed to be significantly more rigorous than the preliminary screening, testing candidates on both objective knowledge and descriptive writing capabilities.\n\nThe Mains examination structure generally comprises two main sections:\n- Objective Test: This section typically carries 200 marks and spans a duration of three hours. It consists of four distinct sections: Reasoning and Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis and Interpretation, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, and English Language. Each section has specific time limits and varying weightages, requiring candidates to manage their time with extreme precision.\n- Descriptive Test: Immediately following the objective test, candidates must take a descriptive test conducted online. Carrying 50 marks, this test lasts for 30 minutes and requires candidates to write an essay and a letter in English on a computer. This section evaluates the candidate's written communication skills, which are crucial for administrative roles in the banking sector.\n\n### Final Phases of Selection\n\nPassing the Mains exam is not the final step. Candidates who score above the qualifying marks in the Mains will be called for the third phase, which includes Group Exercises and a Personal Interview. The final merit list will be prepared by combining the marks obtained in the Mains Examination (Phase II) and the Group Exercises and Interview (Phase III). The marks secured in the Preliminary Examination (Phase I) are purely qualifying in nature and will not be added to the final selection score.\n\nAs the September 12 exam date approaches, experts advise candidates to intensify their preparation, particularly focusing on current affairs, economic developments, and practice for the descriptive writing section. Given the high stakes and the ratio of candidates to available vacancies (roughly 10:1 in the mains phase), the competition is expected to be incredibly fierce.