SBI PO exam is the qualifying exam used to recruit Probationary Officers. In fact, it is one of the most important exams in the banking sector. It is conducted every year for appointing PO in the State Bank of India (SBI). As a Probationary Officer working for the SBI, your job will include carrying out several administrative tasks and communicating well with the customers. The expected date for the exam will be released soon for the year 2021-22.
If you want to crack the exam preparing from home, you need to have the right strategy. There are a lot of candidates who join coaching classes to prepare for the exam. However, it might not be a feasible option for everyone because of several reasons. But that should not stop you from trying to qualify for the SBI PO exam. You don’t need any coaching for the SBI PO exam. All you have to do is use a few tricks and practice as many mock tests as you can.
If you want to ace this exam, you need to prepare well with dedication and sincerity. The first thing is that you have to go through the exam syllabus and pattern thoroughly. You must have a proper section-wise strategy so that you can attempt questions within the given timeframe and with high accuracy.
It is crucial that you go through the question papers of previous years, mock tests, and practice papers. You have to focus on accuracy and avoid doing guesswork. Focus on managing your time properly while writing the exam. You should not spend a lot of time on a single question.
In this article, you will be learning about some of the best strategies that you can use to prepare for the upcoming SBI PO exam without the help of coaching from any institute.
Preparing for the SBI PO exam
If you are determined to qualify for the exam, you need to start your preparations at the earliest. In most cases, 2 months or 60 days will be enough for achieving the desired results. The job market for PO is very competitive and in comparison to other jobs, the demand for bank exams is high.
That is why, if you are an SBI PO aspirant, you have to stay a step ahead of your competition. You don’t want to miss out on the most crucial time for preparation and end up losing your confidence before the exam. Let’s check some tips that will help you prepare for the SBI PO exam from your home:
For the first month
For the first month, you have to start by knowing the details. You need to get acquainted with all the details of the exam like the exam pattern, syllabus, duration of the tests, and important dates. Once you know the pattern and syllabus, you can start figuring out your strong and weak areas. According to this information, create a timetable that covers the entire syllabus in one month.
It is important to remember that there is an overall cutoff and a sectional cutoff in the exam. That is why you have to properly prepare for all the sections. If possible, you should cover all the topics completely. For the English language section, you need to improve your vocabulary, comprehension skills, and grammar. It is recommended that you read English magazines, journals, newspapers, and follow a grammar book.
Another important aspect of your SBI PO preparation is following news for the General Awareness section. You should read newspapers and watch news channels daily in order to get well versed with the current happenings all over the globe. While you are studying for the exam, don’t forget to make notes. It helps with memory retention and you can use these notes for revising the exam.
For the second month
In the second month, you will be focusing on practice. It is the time for practising questions from all the sections that you covered while preparing for the exam in the first month. You need to practice different types and levels of questions. Don’t forget about previous years and sample question papers as they help you get well versed with the types of questions asked in the exam.
Mock tests are helpful when it comes to making yourself acquainted with the exam scenario. It will also help you solve the important question that will aid in your preparation. Use the notes that you made earlier to start your revision. This is the time to analyze your preparation and make sure that you have retained everything that you learned.
Apart from this, you also have to follow the latest news. It is crucial to learn about recent affairs, specifically the issues related to financial and banking matters.
For the interview
These were some of the preparation strategies that you can use for cracking the SBI PO exam at home. There are also some tips for the interview that you can use to ensure that you act properly, get a good score, and acquire the post of Probationary Officer at SBI:
- Be confident and have a proper body posture
- Be punctual
- Be relevant
- Be soft-spoken
- Be well dressed
- Be well versed in the banking and financial issues
For the exam
Having a systematic study plan will help you prepare well for the PO exam. However, the situation in the exam can be a lot different than what you expected. That is why here are a few tips that will ensure that you are able to perform well in the exam
1. Manage your time well
The SBI PO exam has many questions that have to be answered in a limited amount of time. That is why you have to manage your time efficiently. You can assign some time for each section and give priority to all the sections, instead of focusing on just one.
2. Try to be accurate
The SBI PO exam has a negative marking scheme which means that you will get a negative one-fourth of marks for wrong answers. This is a risk that you have to avoid. Make sure that you are solving the questions accurately. While solving the paper, avoid making rough guesses.
3. Follow a recurring strategy
The best way to ensure that you clear the exam easily is to start with the easy questions. Solve as many questions as you can and then move on to other sections. Come back later to solve the difficult ones. Check the section that has the least number of attempted questions and start with that. Continue this cycle until your time runs out.
So, these were a few tips that will help you prepare well for the exam and crack the exam right from your home.
Also read: Facts About JEE Main Paper 2
