SBI CBO Selection Process 2026, Stage-wise Complete Details

The State Bank of India has defined a clear four-stage selection process to fill 2273 vacancies for the post of Circle Based Officers under the SBI CBO Recruitment 2026. As per the official notification, the SBI CBO Selection Process 2026 comprises Online Test, Screening, Interview, and LPT. In this article, we will provide a complete breakdown of each stage of the selection process. Read here for more details.

SBI CBO Selection Process 2026

For the hiring of Scale 1 Circle Based Officers, SBI has laid down a strict multi-phased selection process, as per the official SBI CBO Notification 2026. SBI will shortlist candidates circle-wise and category-wise, and candidates applying for one circle will be considered only for that circle, and final selection will also be limited to that circle only. Only those who clear all four stages will be appointed as SBI Circle Based Officers. Refer to the table below for key updates and information:

SBI Circle Based Officer Selection Process 2026

We will discuss each stage of the selection process in detail for the understanding of interested and eligible candidates. The four selection stages are as follows:

1. Online Examination
2. Screening of Experience and Job Profile
3. Interview
4. Local Language Proficiency Test

1. Online Examination

The online examination comprises an objective test followed by a descriptive test, comprising 170 marks. There is no negative marking for incorrect attempts. The descriptive test will get started immediately after candidates submit their objective test, and candidates will need to type in their answers on the computer screen.

SBI CBO Apply Online 2026- Click to Check

(A) Online Objective Test

The objective test comprises 120 questions totaling 120 marks. Each question carries 1 mark. The time duration is of 2 hours, divided into four sections, including English Language, Banking Knowledge, General Awareness/Economy, and Computer Aptitude. Refer to the table below for more details:

(B) Descriptive Test

The duration of the Descriptive Test is 30 minutes. It will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) with two questions for 50 marks in total. Refer to the table below for more details:

2. Screening

Candidates who pass the online exam will have their applications and documents reviewed by the Bank’s Screening Committee. This Committee will check if the candidates meet the required experience criteria and job profile. If the candidates’ job profile doesn’t meet the requirements of the bank, their applications will be rejected.
After the Screening round, candidates will prepare a list of candidates 3 times the number of the released vacancies, who will be called for the Interview stage.

3. Interview

The Interview stage consists of 50 marks in total. Candidates will have to score the minimum qualifying marks in this round to get shortlisted in the final merit list. The interview evaluates candidates on multiple parameters such as banking knowledge, work experience, communication skills, suitability for the CBO role, etc. The minimum qualifying marks are decided by the bank.

4. Final Merit List

The final merit list contains the names of all those candidates who have cleared the interview round and will move on to the final stage of the selection process, which is the Language Proficiency Test. The final merit list is prepared on the basis of the marks scored in the online examination and the interview round. Their weightage details have been given below:

The marks scored in the online test(objective+descriptive) are converted out of 75, and the same is done for the marks scored in Interview but out of 25. The final merit list is prepared after checking the marks of candidates who clear the cut-off based on aggregate marks out of 100.

5. Local Language Proficiency Test

Final shortlisted candidates have to go through a mandatory Language Proficiency Test for the local language of the circle they have applied for, in terms of speaking, writing, and reading it. This stage is only qualifying in nature and does not carry any marks. Failure to clear this stage will lead to rejection, even if all other stages have been cleared. Candidates who have studied the local language in Class 10 or 12 do not need to appear for this test.

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