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SBI PO prelims answer key 2026 out: download the response sheet and calculate your score (+1, −0.25)
SBI has released the Phase-I (prelims) answer key and response sheet for the 1–2 August PO exam, reports said on 12 October. Log in at sbi.bank.in with your registration number and date of birth. Here's how to download it, how the marking works under SBI's notification, and a calculator for your score. No official objection window has been confirmed.
TL;DRThe short version
- SBI PO prelims answer key 2026 is out: the provisional key and your response sheet for the 1–2 Aug 2026 Phase-I exam (Advt. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09, 1,500 posts) were released on 12 Oct, per The Times of India (EducationTimes) and Testbook. Log in with registration/roll number and date of birth.
- Marking: +1 per correct answer, −0.25 per wrong answer, 0 for blanks; 100 questions, 100 marks, 1 hour, in three timed sections (SBI's PO notification, 18 Jun 2026).
- Objections: not confirmed. We found no official SBI notice of an objection window or fee; coaching sites disagree. Don't pay anyone to 'raise an objection' unless the link is on sbi.bank.in.
- Download your response sheet from SBI Careers (Current Openings → Probationary Officers): sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openingsThen work out your score in our calculator: kyuntrend.in/tools/sbi-po-prelims-score-calculator/.
Key facts
- Exam
- SBI PO 2026 Phase-I (preliminary), held 1 and 2 Aug 2026
- Advertisement
- CRPD/PO/2026-27/09, dated 18 Jun 2026; 1,500 posts
- Answer key released
- 12 Oct 2026 (TOI EducationTimes, Testbook)
- Where
- sbi.bank.in → Careers → Current Openings; login: registration/roll no. + date of birth
- Marking
- +1 correct, −1/4 of the question's marks per wrong answer, 0 unanswered (notification)
- Sections (notification)
- English 40 Qs/20 min, Quant 30 Qs/20 min, Reasoning 30 Qs/20 min
- Objection window
- Not confirmed by any official notice we could find (as of 13 Oct morning)
- Next stages
- Mains, then psychometric test, group exercise and interview (notification)
Short answer: the SBI PO prelims answer key 2026 and your response sheet are on SBI's careers site, released on 12 October 2026 according to The Times of India's EducationTimes and Testbook. They cover the Phase-I exam held on 1 and 2 August for 1,500 Probationary Officer posts. You need your registration or roll number and date of birth. TOI notes it is reporting the release "according to recent reports"; we could not open the login page ourselves to confirm the link text.
How to download the SBI PO response sheet
- Go to sbi.bank.in → Careers → Current Openings.
- Open Recruitment of Probationary Officers (Advt. No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09).
- Click the Phase-I answer key / response sheet link.
- Enter your registration or roll number and date of birth (or password), plus the captcha.
- Save or print the sheet: it shows each question, your answer and the correct answer.
How to calculate your SBI PO prelims score
SBI's notification for this recruitment sets the penalty: for every wrong answer, one-fourth of that question's marks is deducted; blanks get no penalty. Every prelims question carries one mark, so:
Score = correct answers − 0.25 × wrong answers
Example: 70 correct and 12 wrong gives 70 − 3 = 67.
| Section (notification) | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 20 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
TOI's EducationTimes article shows a different split (30/35/35). We use the figures in SBI's own notification. Your response sheet shows the actual sections in your paper; the calculator lets you enter any numbers.
Enter correct and wrong answers section by section in our SBI PO prelims score calculator. It runs in your browser.
01
Myth You can challenge any answer for a fee.
Fact SBI's PO notification does not describe an objection process, and we found no official notice opening one for this key. Some sites say objections are open; Testbook says no window has been verified. Use only links on sbi.bank.in.
02
Myth Leaving a question blank costs marks.
Fact No. SBI deducts 1/4 of the marks only for a wrong answer; a blank gets zero.
03
Myth The answer key score is your result.
Fact It's an estimate. Shortlisting depends on SBI's official result, sectional and overall cut-offs and its recruitment rules (TOI EducationTimes).
Objections: what we know
We could not find an official SBI notice that opens an objection window, sets a fee or gives a deadline for this answer key. Testbook says "no official objection window has been verified"; some other sites say objections are open. SBI's PO notification does not describe an objection process. If SBI posts one, it will be on the careers page above, and we'll update this story.
What's next
According to the notification, selection runs from the prelims to the Main exam and then Phase-III: psychometric test, group exercise and interview, with final shortlisting on SBI's official cut-offs. Several coaching sites report that the prelims result was already declared in August and the mains held on 12 September, which would make this key a reference copy; we could not confirm those dates on SBI's site.
Trend Monitor
Searches for the SBI PO prelims answer key jumped on 12 Oct after reports that the key and response sheets were live (Google Trends India, past day, read about 6:30 AM IST, 13 Oct).
- sbi po prelims answer key 2026+52,650% (past day)
- sbi po answer key+9,850% (past day)
Google Trends, India, rising queries, 30 days