SBI CBO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026, Check Subject Wise Topics

The State Bank of India (SBI) has released the updated SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 and exam pattern for candidates preparing for the Circle Based Officer recruitment. The selection process includes an Online Examination followed by Screening and a Personal Interview. To score well in the exam, candidates must understand the complete subject-wise syllabus and exam structure in detail.

SBI CBO Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026

The SBI CBO 2026 Online Exam consists of several sections: English Language, Banking Knowledge, General Awareness/Economy, Computer Aptitude, and a Descriptive Test. Understanding the topics in each section is crucial for candidates to prepare effectively. The exam will have Objective-type questions, followed by a Descriptive Writing Test. After the written test, candidates who are shortlisted will move on to the Interview stage, which is an important part of the final selection process. It’s important for candidates to focus on all these areas in their preparation to increase their chances of success.

SBI CBO Syllabus: Overview

SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 overview is given in the below table for the proper understanding of the candidates related to the SBI Circle Based Officer Exam 2026. Check the table for more details:

SBI CBO Exam Pattern 2026

The SBI CBO Exam 2026 is divided into two main sections: an Online Objective Test and a Descriptive Test. The objective test features multiple-choice questions covering important banking-related subjects, all to be attempted within a duration of two hours. Candidates who successfully clear this stage will move forward to the interview round, which is the final step in the selection process. To help candidates prepare, a detailed overview of the SBI CBO Exam Pattern 2026 is shared below.

SBI CBO Descriptive Exam Pattern 2026

The time duration for the SBI CBO Descriptive test is 30 minutes and candidates will be asked to write essays and letters. 01 question will be each for the Letter Writing as well as for the Essay, carrying 25 Marks each, a total of 50.

Based on the performance of the candidates in the objective as well as the descriptive test, they will be called for a personal interview. The total mark allotted for the interview section is 50. As per the instructions of the bank, candidates will have to secure a minimum marks to clear the interview round.

SBI CBO Syllabus 2026

The SBI CBO Exam 2026 is designed to test a candidate’s knowledge in key areas like English Language, Banking Awareness, General/Economic Awareness, and Computer Aptitude. Having a clear understanding of the SBI CBO Syllabus 2026 helps candidates focus on the right topics and prepare more effectively.

SBI CBO English Language Syllabus 2026

For the English Language, candidates have to mainly focus on grammar and vocabulary, and improve their reading skills. The list of topics as specified in the SBI CBO Syllabus is as follows:

• Cloze Test
• Spotting Errors
• Sentence Correction
• Sentence Improvement
• Fill in the Blanks
• Para Jumbles
• Reading Comprehension
• Word Rearrangement
• Word Swap
• Sentence Rearrangement
• Misspelt
• Word Usage
• Sentence-Based Errors

SBI CBO General Awareness / Economics Syllabus 2026

In the General Awareness/Economics section, candidates have to focus on the static as well as the Current Affairs portion. Here, we have noted down the SBI CBO Syllabus for General Awareness/Economics.

• National Current Affairs
• International Current Affairs
• RBI in News
• Business & Economy
• Indexes & Rankings
• Central Govt Schemes
• Agreements & MoU
• Static GK
• Awards & Honors
• Banking & Insurance News

SBI CBO Computer Knowledge (with Reasoning Topics) Syllabus 2026

The Computer Knowledge section in the SBI CBO Exam 2026 may include a blend of basic computer awareness along with analytical reasoning, as observed in previous exams. Last year, many candidates reported that the section included questions not from computer concepts but from reasoning topics. This shift indicates that candidates must prepare for both technical and logical questions to perform well in this section. To help cover all possibilities, here’s a list of important reasoning topics that could appear under the Computer Knowledge in the SBI CBO 2026 exam.

• Puzzle (Seating Arrangement, Floor-Based, Box-Based, Year-Based, etc.)
• Syllogism
• Input-Output
• Coding-Decoding
• Blood Relations
• Direction Sense
• Inequality
• Data Sufficiency
• Statement & Assumption / Statement & Conclusion
• Order and Ranking
• Logical Reasoning (Cause & Effect, Course of Action, etc.)

SBI CBO Banking Knowledge Syllabus 2026

Banking Knowledge has the maximum weightage in the SBI Circle-Based Officer Exam. The topics that a candidate has to prepare have been discussed in the given section.

• 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

Preparation Tips for the SBI CBO Exam

To crack the SBI CBO 2026 exam, candidates must follow a well-structured preparation strategy that covers both conceptual clarity and practice. Since the competition is high and the exam is time-bound, focusing on accuracy, speed, and revision is essential. Here are some effective preparation tips:

Understand the Exam Pattern & Syllabus: Begin by clearly knowing the sections, mark distribution, and key topics.

Create a Study Schedule: Allocate fixed hours daily for each subject and maintain consistency.

Focus on Banking Awareness: Regularly read current affairs and stay updated with RBI and SBI-related news.

Practice Descriptive Writing: Improve your writing skills by practising essays and letters on relevant banking topics.

Attempt Mock Tests: Solve full-length mock tests under timed conditions to assess speed and accuracy.

Analyse Performance: After every mock, analyse mistakes and focus on weak areas.

Revise Regularly: Keep weekly revision sessions for important formulas, rules, and facts.