The State Bank of India successfully conducted the SBI PO Prelims Shift 1 exam on August 1, 2026. Review our expert analysis, including the overall difficulty level, recommended good attempts, and a breakdown of questions by section.
The SBI PO 1st Shift Exam 2026 took place on August 1st between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM, with candidates reporting as per their scheduled slots. This shift witnessed a significant turnout across all test centers, as aspirants compete for 1,500 coveted Probationary Officer positions at the State Bank of India.
Based on direct feedback from test-takers, our subject matter experts have compiled a comprehensive SBI PO First Shift Exam Analysis 2026. This report highlights the difficulty level, ideal good attempts, and key questions covered in the Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language sections.
SBI PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1 Today
Competition remains fierce this year, with approximately 12 lakh candidates vying for the PO role. The initial stage of the SBI PO 2026 recruitment drive (CRPD/PO/2026-27/09), the Prelims, is scheduled for August 1st and 2nd, 2026, across four daily shifts.
The Prelims is a 100-mark computer-based test featuring objective-type MCQs. According to early feedback, the exam adhered to the anticipated pattern, with no surprise elements or out-of-syllabus content. As the Prelims serves as a qualifying round, successful candidates will proceed to the Mains examination phase.
SBI PO 1st Shift Analysis: Difficulty Level and Good Attempts
| Section | Good Attempts (Total: 100) |
Difficulty Level
|
| English Language | 27 to 32 (Out of 40) | Easy to moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 18 to 20 (Out of 30) | Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | 23 to 24 (Out of 30) | Moderate |
| Overall | 68 to 76 (Out of 100) | Moderate |
SBI PO Exam Analysis 2026: Section-wise Review
Questions Asked in English Section
| Topic |
No. of Questions
|
| Para Jumble (6 Sentences) – difficult | 5 Qs |
| Cloze Test (Grammar-Based) (Astronomy-based) | 6 – 7 Qs |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 5 Qs |
| Double Fillers | 3 – 4 Qs |
| Reading Comprehension (Elizabeth Mues) (Total: 10 Qs) |
|
| Word Replacement (1 Sentence, 3 Words) | 3 – 4 Qs |
| Error Detection (Article-Based) | 3 Qs |
| Total | 40 Qs |
Questions Asked in Reasoning Section
| Topics |
No. of Questions
|
| Pair Formation | 1 Q |
| Meaningful Word | 1 Q |
| Circular Arrangement (Some facing inside, some facing outside) (8 persons) | 5 Qs |
| Comparison Based | 3 Qs |
| Floors and Flat (4, 2) | 5 Qs |
| Selection Based (11 Persons) – tricky | 5 Qs |
| Month-based plus variable (Consecutive Months) | 5 Qs |
| Post-based ( 7 Posts) plus variable | 5 Qs |
Questions Asked in Quantitative Aptitude
| Topics |
No. of Questions
|
| Quadratic Equation | 3 Qs |
| Bar graph and Table | 6 Qs |
| Caselet DI | 5 Qs |
| Tabular DI | 5 Qs |
| Arithmetic | 12 Qs |
Upcoming Shift Timings
| Shift | Reporting Time | Exam Start Timing | Exam End Timing |
| 1 | 8 AM | 9 AM | 10 AM |
| 2 | 10.30 AM | 11.30 AM | 12.20 PM |
| 3 | 1 PM | 2 PM | 3 PM |
| 4 | 3.30 PM | 4.30 PM | 5.30 PM |
SBI PO Selection Process
- Prelims Exam (Qualifying)
- Mains Exam (Merit Maker)
- Interview ( plus Psychometric Test and Group Excercise/Discussion)
The final merit list is determined by a weighted calculation: 75% based on the Mains exam score and 25% based on the Group Exercise & Interview performance.
FAQs
The comprehensive SBI PO 1st Shift Analysis 2026 for August 1st is officially live. It provides a detailed breakdown of the section-wise difficulty, projected good attempts, and memory-based questions reported by candidates.
Based on candidate responses, the overall difficulty level of the SBI PO Prelims 2026 (Shift 1) has been assessed as Moderate.
The estimated range for good attempts in the SBI PO Shift 1 Prelims 2026 is between 68 and 76 questions out of the total 100.