PrepMaticCompare posts & exams · Bank exams
IBPS PO vs SBI PO: what differs in the 2026 notifications
On this page
IBPS PO recruits Probationary Officers and Management Trainees for 11 public sector banks, and SBI PO recruits Probationary Officers for State Bank of India alone. Both are 100-mark, 60-minute prelims followed by a mains, and both end in an interview stage, but the details differ: IBPS PO gives Mains and Interview an 80:20 split, while SBI PO gives Mains and a Group Exercise plus Interview a 75:25 split. The pay scale is the same JMGS-I scale. You can apply to both.
IBPS PO and SBI PO side by side (2026 cycle)
| Item | IBPS PO/MT (CRP PO/MT-XVI) | SBI PO (CRPD/PO/2026-27/09) |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | IBPS for 11 participating public sector banks | State Bank of India |
| Notification | 30 June 2026 | 18 June 2026 |
| Fee | ₹850; ₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD | ₹750; nil for SC/ST/PwBD |
| Age (cut-off date) | 20 to 30 (1 July 2026) | 21 to 30 (1 April 2026) |
| Graduation | Must be a graduate on the day of registration | Final-year students may apply provisionally; proof by 30 September 2026 |
| Attempts | No limit stated in the notification | 6 UR/EWS, 9 OBC and PwBD, no limit SC/ST; only Mains appearances count |
| Prelims | 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 min: English 30 Q/30 M, Quant 35 Q/30 M, Reasoning 35 Q/40 M | 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 min: English 40 Q, Quant 30 Q, Reasoning 30 Q |
| Prelims cut-off | Sectional cut-off in each test | No sectional cut-off; about 10 times the vacancies shortlisted on aggregate |
| Mains (objective) | 170 Q, 200 M, 160 min: Reasoning 40/60, General/Economy/Banking/Digital Awareness 50/60, English 40/20, Data Analysis and Interpretation 40/60 | 170 Q, 200 M, 3 hours: Reasoning and Computer Aptitude 40/60, Data Analysis and Interpretation 30/60, General/Economy/Banking Awareness 60/60, English 40/20 |
| Descriptive | Essay and Comprehension, 2 Q, 25 marks, 30 min | Communication Skills: Email, Situation Analysis, and Report or Precis, 3 Q, 30 marks, 30 min |
| Next stage | Personality Test (non-qualifying, attendance mandatory), then Interview of 100 marks | Psychometric Test, then Group Exercise (20) and Interview (30) |
| Final merit | Mains 80 : Interview 20 | Mains (230 marks) 75 : Group Exercise and Interview (50 marks) 25 |
| Pay scale | JMGS-I, ₹48,480 to ₹85,920 | The same scale, starting at ₹48,480 plus 4 advance increments |
In both, prelims marks do not count toward the final merit. SBI deducts one-quarter of the marks assigned to a wrong answer.
Where the two prelims differ
SBI puts the weight on English: 40 of its 100 questions are English, against 30 in IBPS. IBPS gives Reasoning the most marks (40 of 100) and Quant 30 for 35 questions. If English is your strength, SBI's split suits you. If you are quick at reasoning, IBPS's marks reward that. IBPS also sets a sectional cut-off, so a weak section can end an attempt even with a good total, and SBI does not. The IBPS PO pattern and SBI PO pattern have section-wise detail.
Where the mains and the last stage differ
The IBPS mains is 160 minutes with four timed sections, and SBI's mains runs 3 hours. SBI keeps Computer Aptitude inside its reasoning section, while IBPS has no Computer section. The descriptive paper also differs: IBPS asks for an essay and a comprehension, and SBI asks for an email, a situation analysis and a report or precis, typed on the computer. Older articles that say "letter and essay, 50 marks" are out of date for SBI.
After Mains, IBPS candidates take a Personality Test and a 100-mark interview, with a minimum of 40 per cent (35 per cent for reserved categories). SBI candidates go through a Psychometric Test, a Group Exercise and an Interview. Practise for the group round only if you apply to SBI. See bank PO interview preparation for both.
Who should choose which
- Apply to both if you are 21 to 30 and a graduate. The skills are the same, the dates are close, and a miss in one does not cost the other.
- Note the degree rule if you are in your final year: SBI accepts provisional applications, and IBPS needs you to be a graduate on the day you register.
- Check the minimum age if you are 20 on the cut-off date: IBPS allows 20, and SBI's minimum is 21.
- Check attempts if you have used several. SBI counts Mains appearances up to a limit, and the IBPS notification states none.
The CIBIL clause in SBI's original 2026 advertisement was removed by a corrigendum dated 1 July 2026, and the IBPS PO notification has no CIBIL clause. Do not rely on posts saying SBI PO 2026 needs a clean CIBIL record.
Preparing for both
Prepare the shared Quant, Reasoning, English and Banking Awareness base once, then add SBI's group round or IBPS's essay work. See the IBPS PO preparation strategy, the SBI PO preparation strategy, and Bank PO vs clerk.
PrepMatic's free assessment, about 15 untimed multiple-choice questions, shows which of Quant, Reasoning and English is weakest. You can then take full-length mocks, or shorter custom mocks focused on your weak subjects. PrepMatic has no descriptive answer evaluation, so the descriptive paper needs separate practice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for both IBPS PO and SBI PO?
Yes. They are separate recruitments with separate applications and fees. Check the age cut-off dates, since IBPS counts from 1 July 2026 and SBI from 1 April 2026.
Which has more English in the prelims?
SBI PO. Its 2026 prelims has 40 English questions, 30 Quant and 30 Reasoning. IBPS PO has 30 English, 35 Quant and 35 Reasoning questions.
Is a clean CIBIL record needed for SBI PO 2026?
SBI removed the CIBIL clause from its 2026 advertisement by a corrigendum dated 1 July 2026. The IBPS PO notification has no such clause either. Read the current notification for any new condition.
Official sources
- IBPS CRP PO/MT-XVI notification
- SBI PO 2026 detailed advertisement
- SBI current openings: notifications and corrigenda.
- IBPS tentative calendar 2026-27
These figures are from the 2026 cycle. Read the next notification before relying on them.
Know which section is costing you the cut-off
Take a free bank-exam assessment on PrepMatic. It shows where you stand in Quant, Reasoning and English, then builds a daily study plan and mock tests focused on your weak subjects.
Start free assessment →Free forever plan · No credit card · 2-minute setupRelated
- IBPS PO syllabusIBPS PO syllabus and pattern for the 2026 cycle: prelims and mains tables, descriptive test, Personality Test, interview weightage and commonly tested topics.
- SBI PO syllabus and patternSBI PO 2026 pattern and syllabus: prelims English 40, Quant 30, Reasoning 30; mains with the new email and situation-analysis descriptive; 75:25 merit weights.
- IBPS PO strategyA section-wise IBPS PO strategy built on the 2026 marks: where the marks sit, how to split sectional time, the prelims-to-mains switch and mock cadence.
- SBI PO preparation strategyHow to prepare for SBI PO: what differs from IBPS PO, a 24-week plan, mains-level DI and reasoning, the new descriptive test, and interview prep.
- Bank PO interviewBank PO interview guide: IBPS and SBI marks and weightage, the Personality Test and Group Exercise, question themes, documents and a three-week plan.
- Bank PO vs clerkBank PO vs clerk compared on the 2026 notifications: starting pay, role, posting, exam stages, interview and promotion, plus how to choose your first target.
More in Bank exams
- IBPS Clerk vs SBI ClerkIBPS Clerk (CSA) vs SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) on the 2026 notifications: prelims, mains, computer section, local language test, age and pay.
- IBPS SO vs IBPS POIBPS SO vs IBPS PO compared on the 2026 notifications: posts, qualification, prelims, mains, Professional Knowledge weightage and interview split.
- Nationalised bank vs RRB jobsPublic sector (nationalised) bank jobs vs Regional Rural Bank jobs compared: IBPS exams, age, local language, posting, officer and clerk posts and pay.
- RBI Assistant vs IBPS ClerkRBI Assistant vs IBPS Clerk (CSA) compared: prelims and mains pattern, computer section, language test, office-wise vs state-wise vacancies and papers.
- RBI Grade B vs SBI PORBI Grade B vs SBI PO compared on the 2026 advertisements: eligibility, attempts, exam phases, descriptive papers, interview marks and starting pay.
- RRB PO vs IBPS POIBPS RRB PO (Officer Scale I) vs IBPS PO compared on the 2026 notifications: prelims, mains, age, local language rule, interview weightage and posting.