SBI CBO Syllabus : Section-Wise Topics and Study Plan

The SBI CBO syllabus covers four objective sections and one descriptive paper: English Language, Banking Knowledge, General Awareness and Economy, Computer Aptitude, and a typed test of letter writing and essay. There is no reasoning or quantitative aptitude section in the Circle Based Officer online test, which sets it apart from SBI PO and SBI Clerk.

State Bank of India names the tests in its advertisement but does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topic lists below are built from the official advertisement (Advertisement No. CRPD/CBO/2025-26/18, 2026 cycle) and from the kind of questions banking officer exams usually ask. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list. Because you already work in a bank, this page also shows where your daily experience helps and where you need fresh study.

Table of Contents

SBI CBO Syllabus at a Glance

All sections are part of one online test of 170 marks.

Key Points to Know Before You Start

• No official topic list: SBI publishes only the test names. Treat every topic list, including this one, as a guide.

• No reasoning or quant: Pages that list reasoning or quantitative aptitude for CBO are mixing it up with other SBI exams. The advertisement does not include these sections.

• One minute per question: Each objective section gives about one minute for every question, so accuracy matters more than speed tricks.

• No negative marking: The advertisement states there is no penalty for wrong objective answers, so attempt every question.

• Revise, do not restart: Many topics, such as deposits and KYC, are already part of your job. Spend your time on the gaps, not on what you already handle daily.

• Descriptive paper is typed: You type letter and essay answers on the computer, so typing practice is part of preparation.

SBI CBO Banking Knowledge Syllabus

Banking Knowledge is the largest section with 40 marks. Questions test concepts and current developments, not just definitions. Officers with field experience usually find the operational topics easy and the regulatory topics harder.

Banking structure and regulation

• Indian banking system: Public sector, private sector, regional rural, small finance, payments and cooperative banks, and their regulators.

• RBI: Functions, monetary policy tools such as repo rate, reverse repo, CRR and SLR, and the role of the Monetary Policy Committee.

• Key laws: Banking Regulation Act, RBI Act, Negotiable Instruments Act, SARFAESI Act and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in outline.

• Other regulators: SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA and NABARD, and what each one oversees.

Banking operations

• Deposits: Savings, current, term and recurring deposits, interest calculation and basic account rules.

• Loans and advances: Types of loans, priority sector lending, interest rate linkage, retail, MSME and agriculture credit.

• Asset quality: Classification of assets, non-performing assets, provisioning and recovery methods.

• KYC and anti-money laundering: Customer identification, due diligence and reporting norms.

• Negotiable instruments: Cheques, bills of exchange, endorsement, crossing and dishonour.

Digital banking and payments

• Payment systems: UPI, NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, cards, BBPS and their basic rules.

• Technology in banking: Core banking, mobile and internet banking, cyber fraud and customer protection.

• Financial inclusion: Jan Dhan accounts, business correspondents and government schemes delivered through banks.

Financial markets and insurance

• Money and capital markets: Treasury bills, bonds, certificates of deposit, equities and mutual funds in outline.

• Insurance and pensions: Basic principles, life and general insurance, and pension schemes.

• Global banking norms: Capital adequacy and Basel standards, at a conceptual level.

Types of questions to expect

Banking Knowledge questions are usually direct, but they are often framed in a few repeated ways. Practise each style so nothing looks unfamiliar on the screen.

• Statement-based questions: You judge which of two or three statements about a policy, scheme or law is correct.

• Match and sequence questions: Matching institutions with functions, or acts with their purpose.

• Application questions: A small situation, such as a customer request or a loan classification, where you apply a rule.

• Current-development questions: Recent RBI circulars, new payment features or banking reforms reported in the news.

Start with RBI, monetary policy and asset quality, because these topics repeat across banking officer exams. Then move to digital payments and recent regulatory circulars. Banking changes quickly, so read RBI press releases and the monthly bulletin for the last six months.

SBI CBO English Language Syllabus

The English section has 30 questions in 30 minutes. It tests reading speed and grammar accuracy at a graduate level.

Reading comprehension and cloze test usually carry the most questions. If your English is strong, protect your time here and spend the saved minutes on Banking Knowledge. If it is weak, build a daily reading habit before you start sectional tests.

SBI CBO General Awareness and Economy Syllabus

This section has 30 questions in 30 minutes. Banking and economy questions dominate, so it overlaps with Banking Knowledge.

• Current affairs: Last six months of national and international events, with extra weight on banking, finance and the economy.

• Indian economy: GDP, inflation, fiscal and monetary policy, budget terms, economic survey highlights, and major economic indicators.

• Government schemes: Financial inclusion, credit, insurance, pension and MSME schemes, and who they target.

• Financial institutions: World Bank, IMF, ADB, AIIB, NDB, headquarters and heads in the news.

• Appointments, awards and summits: Banking leadership changes, major awards and international meetings.

• Static general knowledge: Banking-related headquarters, taglines, regulators and important reports.

SBI CBO Computer Aptitude Syllabus

The Computer Aptitude section is the shortest at 20 questions in 20 minutes. It is also one of the easiest to score in if you revise a fixed set of fundamentals.

SBI CBO Descriptive Test Syllabus

The descriptive test is a test of English with two questions for 50 marks in 30 minutes. It is taken on the computer right after the objective test, and you type your answers. The advertisement describes the two tasks as letter writing and essay.

Letter writing

Practise formal letters to a manager, a customer or an authority. Common themes are complaints, requests, applications, suggestions and feedback related to banking. Keep a fixed format: subject line, short opening, two focused paragraphs and a polite close.

Essay writing

Practise essays on banking, economy, technology and social topics. A simple structure works well in 30 minutes: introduction, two or three main points with examples, and a short conclusion. Typical themes include digital banking, financial inclusion, cyber security, bank mergers, credit growth and the role of technology in finance.

Plan about 12 to 15 minutes for each answer. The Bank does not publish a marking rubric, so write clearly, keep sentences short and avoid grammar errors rather than trying to sound complex.

Section-Wise Priority and Difficulty

SBI does not publish difficulty levels, so the table below is an indicative guide based on marks and on how the syllabus fits an officer's background. Your own mock test scores should override it.

English is worth special attention. It supports 80 of the 170 online test marks once the descriptive test is added, which is almost half of the total.

Screening and Interview: Is There a Syllabus?

Screening and the interview have no syllabus. In screening, a committee checks your experience and whether your job profile substantially matches that of a Scale-I Generalist Officer in SBI. The interview carries 50 marks.

For the interview, prepare these areas:

• Your own role: The products you handle, targets, audits and any customer problem you solved.

• Circle knowledge: Economy, major industries and banking needs of your chosen Circle.

• Banking developments: Recent RBI decisions, SBI news and digital banking trends.

• Local language: Basic ability to read, write and understand your Circle language.

Topic Overlap Across Stages

Some topics help you in more than one place. Study them once and revise them often.

How to Cover the SBI CBO Syllabus

A plan of about 12 weeks works for most working candidates. Adjust it to your strengths.

1. Weeks 1 to 4, concepts: Cover Banking Knowledge topic by topic, start daily reading for English and begin current affairs notes.

2. Weeks 5 to 8, practice: Add computer aptitude revision, grammar practice and one typed letter or essay each week. Take short topic tests after each chapter.

3. Weeks 9 to 11, full tests: Attempt timed sectional tests and then full online tests. You can use SBI CBO online tests on Testkart to practise all four timed sections and review the section-wise analysis.

4. Week 12, revision: Revise your error log, formula and shortcut lists, and the last six months of current affairs. Read your SBI CBO study notes and take two full tests.

Keep an error log from day one. Write down every wrong answer, the reason, and the correct concept. Marks are often lost to half-known concepts, so reviewing the log is more useful than adding new material late in the plan.

For the official advertisement and any new notification, check the SBI careers page: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings