Bank Exams · Mocks & interview

Bank PO interview: marks, weightage, format and how to prepare

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

The IBPS PO interview is for 100 marks, and the final merit list is built from Mains and Interview in the ratio 80 : 20, with a minimum of 40% in the interview (35% for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD). Before it, you must attend a non-qualifying Personality Test. SBI PO's final phase is a Psychometric Test, a Group Exercise (20 marks) and an Interview (30 marks), and those 50 marks count for 25 of the final 100, against 75 for Mains. Clerk exams have no interview. This guide covers the format, the weightage, the themes to prepare and a three-week plan.

Interview marks and weightage by exam

These are from the 2026 notifications, except NABARD, which is from the 2025 advertisement.

IBPS Clerk (CSA), SBI Junior Associate, IBPS RRB Office Assistant and RBI Assistant have no interview.

What the weightage means for you

In IBPS PO, the interview is worth 20% of the final merit. If marks are scaled linearly, a candidate scoring 70 against another's 50 in the interview gains 4 final marks (20 marks of difference × 0.2). In SBI PO, the Group Exercise and Interview total of 50 is scaled to 25, so each raw mark is worth half a final mark, and a 10-mark difference is 5 final marks.

That is enough to change ranks in a close list, and not enough to rescue a weak Mains. Prelims marks do not enter the final merit in IBPS PO or SBI PO, and the larger share of the merit is decided by the Mains. If you are still preparing for the written stages, see the IBPS PO pattern and the SBI PO pattern. For ties, IBPS PO ranks the older candidate higher.

The stages before the panel

IBPS Personality Test. It is a self-report, its profile is placed before the interview panel, and it is non-qualifying but mandatory to attend. It may be held at a centre or proctored. You cannot revise for it as you would for a paper. Answer honestly and consistently, and be rested when you take it, because the profile reaches the panel.

SBI Psychometric Test and Group Exercise. SBI's Psychometric Test is a personality profile whose findings also go to the panel. The Group Exercise carries 20 marks. The advertisement gives the marks, so check it and your call letter for the format. Whatever the format, the skills are the same as in any group task: listen, make points with substance, build on others, and do not dominate.

Timing. The 2026 IBPS PO notification lists results in November, the Personality Test in November, interviews in November and December, and provisional allotment in January 2027. The gap between Mains and the interview is a matter of weeks, so start preparing before the Mains result.

What the panel tests

Nobody can predict the exact questions, and a board's questions depend on your profile and answers. These are the recurring themes.

1. You. Introduction, family, education, hometown and state, hobbies, strengths and weaknesses, gap years and work experience if any. Everything in your application is fair game, so know it.
2. Your graduation subject. Expect basic questions on your degree: core concepts, a project or topic you liked, and how it relates to banking.
3. Why banking, why PO, why this bank. A clear and honest motivation. Be ready to discuss relocation. IBPS PO is an all-India cadre and you may be posted anywhere, and SBI PO carries a two-year probation and a joining bond under the 2026 advertisement.
4. Banking and finance. The role of the RBI, repo rate and inflation, types of accounts and KYC, digital payments such as UPI, financial inclusion, non-performing assets, priority sector lending, and recent banking news including the bank you are applying to. The banking awareness guide has the base.
5. Economy and current affairs. The latest Union Budget, inflation and growth trends, major government schemes, and events from the last six months.
6. Situations. How you would handle a customer complaint, pressure to meet targets, a colleague who disagrees with you, or an ethical dilemma.

Practice prompts

These are prompts to practise with, written for this guide. They are not questions reported from any candidate.

• Describe your degree to someone who knows nothing about it, in one minute.
• Explain the repo rate to a customer who has just opened an account.
• Why should a bank hire you instead of a candidate with a commerce degree?
• You are posted to a branch where you do not speak the local language. What do you do in the first month?
• What is one recent decision by the RBI, and who does it affect?
• A customer is angry about a delayed service. Walk through your response.
• What is your plan if you are not selected this year?

Document verification

Interview call letters list the documents to bring, so follow your call letter. Plan on originals and photocopies of identity proof, your graduation certificate and mark-sheets, the category certificate if you are claiming a reservation, photographs, and the call letter itself. If you are employed, keep your employer papers ready too.

Two points come from the notifications. IBPS requires a mark-sheet or degree certificate proving you were a graduate on the day you registered. SBI lets final-year students apply provisionally, and if called for the interview you must show proof of passing by the date in the advertisement (30 September 2026 for the 2026 PO cycle). Check that the name, date of birth and category on your documents match your application. Mismatches create delays that you do not need during the interview stage.

A three-week preparation plan

For mocks, ask your practice partner to interrupt with follow-ups. A panel can go one level deeper than your first answer. Give answers of 30 to 60 seconds and offer to elaborate. Admit it plainly when you do not know something, instead of bluffing.

Common mistakes

• Reciting memorised answers. Panels notice and ask a follow-up that breaks the script.
• Contradicting your application or Personality Test profile. Know what you wrote.
• Ignoring your own degree. An unprepared answer about your major is a quick way to lose credibility.
• Weak banking basics. Have a simple explanation for repo rate, KYC and NPAs.
• Dodging relocation. If the post is all-India, give a thoughtful answer.
• Negativity. Speak about past colleagues, employers or colleges neutrally.

What PrepMatic can and cannot do here

PrepMatic's practice is objective multiple-choice. It does not run mock interviews or cover descriptive answers, so practise those with people. What it supports is the written stages, which carry 75 to 80% of the final merit in IBPS PO and SBI PO. The free assessment shows your weakest subjects, the study plan is built from your exam date and daily hours, and mocks, including shorter custom mocks where you choose the subjects, number of questions, duration and difficulty, track your accuracy and speed over time.

Frequently asked questions

How many marks is the IBPS PO interview?

The IBPS PO interview is for 100 marks, with a minimum of 40% (35% for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD). The final merit combines Mains and Interview in the ratio 80 : 20. The Personality Test before it is non-qualifying.

How is the SBI PO final merit calculated?

The Mains (230 marks including the descriptive paper) is scaled to 75, and the Group Exercise (20) plus Interview (30) are scaled to 25, for a total of 100. Prelims marks are not counted. You must qualify Phase II and Phase III separately.

Is there an interview for bank clerk exams?

No. IBPS Clerk (CSA), SBI Junior Associate, IBPS RRB Office Assistant and RBI Assistant select on written marks, followed by a local language test where the notification asks for it. See PO vs clerk.

What questions are asked in a bank PO interview?

They fall into themes: your background, your degree, your motivation for banking, banking and finance basics, economy and current affairs, and situational questions. The questions themselves depend on the board and your profile, so prepare themes and not scripts.

Does the Personality Test affect my selection?

The IBPS notification calls it non-qualifying, but you must attend. Its findings are placed before the interview panel, so answer honestly and consistently.

Official sources

• IBPS PO/MT detailed notification: Personality Test, interview marks and final merit rules.
• SBI careers: the PO advertisement and any corrigenda.
• RBI Opportunities: Grade B interview and personality assessment details.

Interview marks, minimums and the schedule can change between cycles. Confirm them in the latest notification, and see the Bank Exams guide for the whole preparation path.

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