Exam 1
IBPS PO
Exam 2
SBI PO
Salary · Eligibility · Exam Pattern · Syllabus · Which is Better
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Exam Category | Banking | Banking |
| Min. Qualification | — | — |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Exam Stages | — | — |
| Gross Salary | — | — |
| Interview Round | Yes | Yes |
| Educational Qualification | IBPS PO eligibility → | SBI PO eligibility → |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Nationality | Indian Citizen | Indian Citizen |
| Max Attempts | — | — |
| Total Questions | — | — |
| Total Marks | — | — |
| Duration | — | — |
| Negative Marking | Yes (–0.25) | Yes (–0.25) |
| Interview | Yes | Yes |
| Basic Pay | — | — |
| Gross Monthly Salary | — | — |
| Pay Level/Band | — | — |
| Key Allowances | — | — |
IBPS PO Subjects
SBI PO Subjects
Winner: SBI PO
SBI PO has a higher starting CTC (approx. ₹8.5–9L per annum) vs IBPS PO (approx. ₹7.5–8L). SBI also offers better perquisites including accommodation and conveyance in many postings.
Winner: SBI PO
SBI PO offers a faster promotion track (Scale I → II typically in 3–4 years) compared to IBPS PO. General Manager roles at SBI carry national significance — career ceiling is higher.
Winner: IBPS PO
SBI PO is generally considered harder — the Mains has a higher cut-off and the interview round is more rigorous. IBPS PO Mains is slightly more predictable in difficulty pattern.
Winner: IBPS PO
IBPS PO gives broader PSB exposure and typically has more vacancies. For candidates appearing in their first banking exam attempt, IBPS PO's higher vacancy count improves selection probability.
Bottom Line
SBI PO is the more prestigious posting with higher salary. IBPS PO is more accessible and has more vacancies. Target SBI PO as your primary goal and IBPS PO as a strong backup — preparation for one covers 90% of the other.
Absolutely. SBI PO and IBPS PO have ~90% preparation overlap. Both require the same 5 subjects at Mains (Reasoning, DI, English, GA, Computer). SBI PO additionally has a descriptive paper (Letter/Essay) and an interview round — plan for these as extras over your IBPS PO base preparation.
Expert Tip
The SBI PO Mains Descriptive Paper (25 marks, 30 mins) is where candidates lose rankings. Practice Letter Writing and Essay in the last 4 weeks before the exam. This is often the difference between selection and waitlist.
SBI PO is the more prestigious posting with higher salary. IBPS PO is more accessible and has more vacancies. Target SBI PO as your primary goal and IBPS PO as a strong backup — preparation for one covers 90% of the other.
Absolutely. SBI PO and IBPS PO have ~90% preparation overlap. Both require the same 5 subjects at Mains (Reasoning, DI, English, GA, Computer). SBI PO additionally has a descriptive paper (Letter/Essay) and an interview round — plan for these as extras over your IBPS PO base preparation.
IBPS PO: SBI PO is generally considered harder — the Mains has a higher cut-off and the interview round is more rigorous. IBPS PO Mains is slightly more predictable in difficulty pattern.
SBI PO: SBI PO has a higher starting CTC (approx. ₹8.5–9L per annum) vs IBPS PO (approx. ₹7.5–8L). SBI also offers better perquisites including accommodation and conveyance in many postings.
Explore IBPS PO
Explore SBI PO
Can't Decide? Practice Both
Try actual exam-pattern tests for IBPS PO and SBI PO — first test free.