SBI PO Vs IBPS RRB PO - Comparing Topics and Exam Level

Table of Contents

Banking is a lucrative job aspired by lakhs of applicants. Every year lakhs of aspirants attend the exam. So, there is tight competition for these exams. The candidates apply for all the notifications whether it is of State Bank of India (SBI) PO/SO/Clerk, IBPS PO/SO/Clerical cadre, or that of IBPS Regional Rural Bank posts, Insurance exams, RBI. Some times they are unaware of the differences in the exam pattern, regardless of subjects. A better understanding of important topics and examination level will really help candidates to score well. So, here we are comparing the SBI PO and IBPS RRB PO exams.

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SBI PO Vs IBPS RRB PO: General Comparison Details

Name of Exam	SBI Probationary Officer	IBPS RRB Probationary Officer
Notification 2020	April 2020	June-July 2020
Exam Date Preliminary	June 2020	01.08.2020, 02.08.2020, 08.08.2020, 09.08.2020 and 16.08.2020
Exam Date Mains	July 2020	13.09.2020
Personal Interview	September 2020	October 2020
Vacancies	2000+	3000+
Age Limit	21 years and 30 years	18 years and 30 years
Educational Qualification	Graduates from any discipline	Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized University or its equivalent. Preference will be given to the candidates having a degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Engineering, Pisciculture, Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation, Information Technology, Management, Law, Economics or Accountancy. Proficiency in local language as prescribed by the participating RRB/s Desirable: working knowledge of Computer
Salary Scale	Basic pay of Rs. 27,620/-	Basic pay of Rs.14500- 25700/-
Examination Fees	General/ EWS/ OBC 750/- (App. Fee including intimation charges)	Rs. 600/- (except SC/ST/PWD candidates)

IBPS EXAM CALENDAR 2020

Exam Pattern

SBI Probationary Officer

Preliminary Exam

Name of test	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
English Language	30	Total Maximum Marks 100	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35		20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35		20 minutes
Total	100		1 hour

Mains Exam

Objective Test: The objective test of 3 hours duration consists of 4 Sections for a total of 200 marks. The objective test will have separate timing for every section.

Subject	Number of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness	40	40	35 minutes
Data Analysis and Interpretation	35	60	45 minutes
Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude	45	60	60 minutes
English Language	35	40	40 minutes
Total	155	200	3 hours

Descriptive Test: The Descriptive Test of 30 minutes duration with two questions for 50 marks will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay).

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SBI SO 2020 OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION

IBPS RRB Probationary Officer

Preliminary Exam

Name of test	Medium of Exam	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
Quantitative Aptitude	Hindi/English	40	40	Composite time of 45 minutes
Reasoning Ability	Hindi/English	40	40
Total	—	80	80

Note: Candidates have to qualify in the tests by securing minimum cut-off marks.

Mains Exam

Subject	Medium of Exam	Number of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
Reasoning	Hindi/English	40	50	Composite Time of 2 hours
Quantitative Aptitude	Hindi/English	40	50
General Awareness	Hindi/English	40	40
English Language	English	40	40
Hindi Language	Hindi	40	40
Computer Knowledge	Hindi/English	40	20
Total		200	200

Note: The candidates can choose either Hindi or English language for the language tests.

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SBI PO Vs IBPS RRB PO: Comparison based on Topics and Level of Exam

Level of Exams

Form the previous year analysis, candidates can expect a moderate to difficult level questions for RRB PO. And some sessions will be moderate randomly.

SBI PO exam is regarded as a tough exam among the banking exams. It is expected to be moderate to difficult and more close to a difficult level than RRB PO.

Important Topics to be concentrated

SBI PO

Quantitative Aptitude	Reasoning Ability
Approximation- 5 to 10	Arrangement – max 4(Out of these, 3 will be Medium and 1 will be Hard) More chance to ask circular arrangement with some facing inside and some facing outside) Puzzle like floor arrangements will be asked of 8 or 9 people. Most probably the hard puzzle will be of 4 variables.
Quadratic Equation- 5	Blood relation – equation-based
Number series (Most probably wrong number series will be asked) – 5	Direction/Ranking: 2 or 3 If there are three questions, then the chance of coded direction is high.
Data Interpretation – 5 to 10(One will be of moderate level and another one will be tricky or of more calculations) May ask Pie charts/ table DI questions associated with ratio and proportions)	Coded Inequalities – 5 marks
Miscellaneous – 12 to 18	Optional topics: Syllogism – 5 marks The coded syllogism is asking nowadays or conventional type syllogism questions with percentages in conclusions may ask. Machine Input-Output – 5 marks Data sufficiency – 5 marks.

In PO level exams, one should not concentrate more on simplification and miscellaneous questions. The optional topics for reasoning can be asked or not, but still, it is important to learn and easy to crack.

IBPS RRB PO

There will be only 3 or 4 sub-questions under a compounded question. Candidates can expect new question patterns. These changes are unpredictable. So, the candidates should be thorough with the basic concepts and practice more mock test series to crack the questions.

Quantitative Aptitude	Reasoning Ability
Simplification/ Approximation- 10 marks	Arrangements – 3/4 questions
Quadratic Equation- 5 marks	Blood relation – 1/3/5 If only one question- it will be like ‘Pointing a ….’ If there are 3 questions, it will be a normal blood relation and if there are 5, it may be coded or as an equation.
Number series – 5	Direction/Ranking: 1 or 3 questions
Data Interpretation – 5	Coded Inequalities – 5 marks
Miscellaneous – 15 marks	Syllogism – 5 marks