Congratulations to all of you who have cracked SBI PO 2019 Mains Exam. I received a lot of emails in the last few days requesting an updated Interview Guide that pertains to the 2019 Exam. Hence, I decided to make one for you with all updated questions & strategies. Before you start reading this post please ensure that you have completed Part 5 of My Road to SBI PO where I have depicted my personal Interview Experience. This interview guide is based on the 102 original questions I made which I have now expanded to 150 Questions. I have also removed old/obsolete questions, whilst further refining the remaining questions for 2019. A lot of people have been peddling courses and expensive interview sessions but I can assure you those are unnecessary. Save your money. Use your time.

Segments to be covered

The SBI PO interview comprises 4 primary segments which one must cover holistically to be well prepared.

1. Personal Questions

These include your bio data, your Graduation subject, family history, city/state and other important personal information that you mention to the Panel or write in your bio data form. Focus will be on Why SBI?

2. Current Affairs Questions

Anything under the sun can come up under CA and so you must know how to direct the interview. Try to avoid broaching a topic/subject that is unfamiliar to you because the Panel is known to pick up things you mention and grill you on those. Also note your words in the GD. Often times the points you state in the GD can come up in PI.

3. Banking, Finance & Economy Questions

If you are a Commerce Student or have already worked in Banks or Financial Institutions these questions become very important for you. For others, the basics will suffice. The Panel knows that an engineer cannot be expected to know the intricacies of finance or the Indian Economy. Nevertheless, my 150 questions below will cover most of it.

4. SBI Centric Questions

Everything SBI does is in the public domain and hence you might be asked about SBI apps, schemes or other things that come up in the news. Pay close attention to anything related to SBI that you read in the papers or see on TV.

10 Burning Current Affairs Issues to know in depth

Historically, the SBI PO Interview Panel always asks candidates about something related to contemporary events. Reading the newspaper on the day of your interview is vital to success but you will also be expected to know about the big news events of 2019 or the previous year. Some of them are listed below.

1. Economic Slowdown – Refer to US-China Trade War, Indian Auto slowdown etc.

In various circles there has been a fear of an incipient recession. Markets in India have been suffering lows for a long time while the same is true for Europe & other EMEs. Have an opinion on what is happening across the globe.

2. Fears of a No Deal Brexit

The above fears have been precipitated by the Brexit anxiety as well. It has been 3 years since the Brexit vote but the UK still hasn’t left the EU. The Current Prime Minister Boris Johnson further exacerbated the situation by suspending the Parliament. Read details about Article 50, Theresa May’s resignation, Eurozone & No Deal Brexit.

3. The Amazon Forest fires

20% of the world’s oxygen is supposed to originate from the Amazon, which is now burning at a record pace. Develop an idea about Climate Change and why political will is against fixing the issues. Brazilian premier Jair Bolsonaro’s refusal to accept aid, the US withdrawal from Paris Agreement are all important issues to be aware of.

4. RBI’s ECF Committee Report

This has been a long standing issue since the past year & just a few days back the RBI Committee headed by Bimal Jalan officially released their report. The RBI’s decision to transfer Rs. 1.76 lakh crore surplus triggered a debate.

5. Q1 FY2019-20 GDP Growth slows to 6 year low of 5%

Manufacturing slowdown has been the main culprit. While Govt spending grew, Private investment slumped.

6. Mega Bank merger announcement of 10 PSBs

The Finance Ministry announced merger of 10 existing PSBs into 4 new ones. Rs 55,000 crore capital infusion plan also unveiled. Read up on which banks will be merged to create a total of just 12 total PSBs in India.

7. Sudden cut in FD rates offered by SBI & SBI Card’s planned IPO.

The newly announced $1.1 Billion SBI Card IPO & discussions of deposit rate cut by SBI. Also read about linking rates to the benchmark of MCLR. SBI has already linked > Rs. 1 lakh deposits to MCLR rates. Other PSBs to follow. SBI became the first bank to offer Repo-linked Home Loans.

8. SBI’s aims to eliminate Debit Cards & focus to Digital India

SBI announced that it doesn’t need bank recap & Chairman Rajnish Kumar said that debit cards will be eliminated.

9. Increasing incidences of Bank Scams and NPAs & push to privatization 

This topic has been in the focus for a long time and with the second PNB scam it came into the forefront. NPA resolution has also been tricky and so privatization’s pros and cons need to be studied. You can give an example of Air India to demonstrate the difficulties that such plans offer.

10. Judicial Interventions in India – topic can relate to Section 370 annulment

2018 saw many landmark Court case Judgements in India from the Rafale Deal, Aadhar Act modifications, Sabarimala incident, Section 377, Decriminalization of Adultery, Ayodhya Case etc. Judicial overreach was also an important topic. Now with the removal of Sec 370 & other cases on the anvil, this is an important topic to study. 

List of 150 Important Questions

The Questions in this list are highly important because they have been taken from actual questions asked to me, my friends or other SBI PO candidates over the years. Go through each of them in detail and write down your answers. I would suggest you to copy each question in your notebook and write down the answer to it. Due to the volume of the questions it is prudent to maintain such a notebook. Not only will this method help you find your unique answers to each question but it will also help you revise all questions once more before your actual interview.

1. What is Market Capitalization? Which companies have highest m-cap in India?

2. Difference between stocks & debentures?

3. Do you read books? Who is your favourite author? (Google “author name+news” to read up on any latest controversies of book/author)

4. What are your hobbies? (If you have a popular hobby like cricket then be ready for tricky questions)

5. What does “leasing” mean?

6. Name a few Maharatna companies? Name a few Navratna companies?

7. Which Indian companies are in Fortune 500? Is SBI in Fortune 500? Rank?

8. Merger of 10 PSBs is being contemplated? Which PSBs were stated in the news?

9. What steps were taken by the Commerce Ministry recently to ease norms for FPIs? (buyback etc.)

10. How are fake notes identified by us in branches? What steps are to be taken when a fake note is brought to a bank by the customer?

11. A customer buys goods worth 200 rupees from a shop. The shopkeeper selling these goods makes zero profit from this purchase. The lady gives him a 1000 rupee note. The shopkeeper has no change, so he goes next door to another shopkeeper to get change for the 1000 rupee note. He keeps 200 for himself and returns 800 to the customer. Later, the second shopkeeper from next door comes back with the 1000 rupee note with a stamp on it saying “counterfeit” and takes his money back. How much loss does the first shopkeeper face? (This exact question was asked to a friend of mine, Google it if you don’t know the answer)

12. What do you know about the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018?

13. What is the CBDT?

14. What is the CBIC? What was the previous name of CBIC?

15. How many types of taxes are there? Differences? (Direct/Indirect Tax)

16. Do you know which ex-Finance Minister recently passed away? Who is the current Finance Minister?

17. Introduce Yourself (very tricky question if you are not prepared, so prepare a 2 minute speech, it should not exceed 2 minutes & should be unique. Keep it short and crisp)

18. What is CAMELS? What is CALCS?

19. What is the difference between Primary Market & Secondary Market?

20. Different types of money? What is Fiat money?

21. What are T-Bills? Give examples of different types of T-Bills?

22. Difference between EXIM & ECGC (Asked to many candidates over the years)

23. Difference between an IPO and FPO?

24. What is a Currency Chest? What is the relationship between RBI & bank in such activity?

25. What is Basel 3? By which date RBI has mandated Indian banks to adhere to Basel 3?

Head Quarters of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in Basel, Switzerland

26. What is the Energy Efficiency Rating?

27. What is India’s target for installed capacity of Renewable Energy by 2030?

28. What is inflation? What is deflation?

29. Name different types of inflation? Is it good or bad?

30. What is the difference between Fiscal policy & Monetary Policy?

31. Difference between Electrical Engineering & Electronics Engineering? (important if you are an engineer)

32. What is the SENSEX? How many companies’ stocks included in it?

33. What is the Higgs Boson?

34. Read up on someone famous related to your name (for me it was Babul Supriyo)

35. Why do you want to go into banking? (vital question if you are an engineer/non-commerce)

36. Why did you do engineering? (Unless you are commerce student expect this type of why)

37. How many currencies do you know? (Mug up atleast 10 country currency combinations as they can ask currency of X country as well)

38. Name 4 oceans?

39. What is the meaning of your name?

40. Are you preparing for UPSC? (be honest, they can tell if you lie)

41. What is ASBA?

42. Name 4 Car Manufacturers?

43. Why is the Sensex falling recently?

44. Tell me about SBI? (open-ended question, you can talk about beginning from 1806 till current times)

45. Read up on famous persons from your city/state related to finance/economics (eg- for me it was Amartya Sen, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh etc.)

46. What is the DRT?

47. What is an ARC?

48. What is the Current Ration? Debt Equity Ratio?

49. Difference between Profit & Profitability?

50. Has the GST helped India? Did you read the recent report on GST by the CAG? Details?

Impact of GST Report by CAG is quite insightful

51. Which taxes were subsumed under GST?

52. Which forest was in the news recently due to the massive fires that erupted there? Which countries are involved in this news?

53. What is your state famous for?

54. Name few tourist places in your city/state?

55. What are the hazards of coal mining? What do you know about the coal scam?

56. If you have to give a loan for starting new factory what will you check?

57. What is the CIBIL?

58. What is the PCR? What resemblance does it have to the CIBIL? Why RBI wants it? (Public Credit Registry)

59. Why did you leave your last job? (if you have that experience)

60. Are central government jobs more secure than bank jobs?

61. What are some problems that banks are dealing with? (be positive and offer solutions to problems)

62. What is the reason behind slow growth of your state? (if you belong to such states)

63. Which is better- loan to individuals or loan to corporate? (be balanced, trick question to trap you)

64. Name 5 successful businessmen from your state?

65. Which banks have headquarters in your city/state?

66. How many PSBs do we have now in India?

67. Is SBI a PSB? Is SBI a Nationalized Bank?

68. Name the years in which bank nationalization was done?

69. When is SBI Day celebrated? Why?

70. How many members are in Un Security Council? Should India be included? Why/Why not?

71. Read details of your hobbies, many questions asked from it (better to avoid too technical hobbies unless you are v.confident)

72. Have you heard about the Tendulkar Line?

73. What is India’s Q1 FY2019-20 GDP growth rate? Why was it in the news? (6 year low of 5%… Read news reports on it)

74. How is inequality measured? (Gini Coefficient)

75. Name 2 economies that are currently experiencing a recession?

76. What is the inflation percentage of Venezuela?

77. What is per capita income? Which state in India has lowest per capita income?

78. What is bank consolidation?

79. Name 5 South India states & their capitals (names of CMs as well)

80. Where does the Ganga originate?

81. Which Treaty & river are in the news for a water sharing agreement with Pakistan?

82. What is Mean, Median, Mode?

83. Which river passes through your city? Where does it originate? (If your city has a river)

84. What is India’s population? Literacy rate of your state?

85. Highest literacy rate for which state? Lowest for?

86. Who won the 2018 Economics Nobel prize?

87. How many types of banks are there? (PSBs, Pvt banks, Payment banks, SFBs etc.)

88. Who won the world cup this year?

89. What does your father do?

90. What is the MUDRA Loan? What do you know about the 59 minute PSB loan scheme?

91. What is the PSL? % allocation of PSL to different sectors? (Priority Sector Lending)

92. Full form of PMJDY (the Panel loves to ask abbreviations so make sure you know all important ones)

93. Do you know about the new PNB scam this year? Which company was involved? Who was involved in last year’s PNB scam? (Note company names, scam amounts & descriptions)

94. India’s ranking in the last Olympics? How many golds did we get?

95. What new schemes were launched by the Government for athletes?

96. What are some important qualities of a business leader?

97. Do you know about the sangam of 3 rivers? What is it called & names of rivers?

98. Which countries make up the G7? Latest G7 summit at? Latest G20 Summit?

99. Which countries make up SAARC & ASEAN?

100. BRICS Bank HQ? Chairman? Which are BRICS countries?

Map of BRICS Countries 

101. Define NPA. How to reduce NPA in banks?

102. Who manages India’s Forex? What is the current value of India’s Forex Reserve?

103. Do you know about RBI’s ECF committee?

104. What is the amount that RBI has decided to transfer to the government this year?

105. Limits for SARFAESI Act? Limits for DRT?

106. What is JAM Trinity?

107. What is EBITDA? What is EPS?

108. Which Indian journalist won the Ramon Magsaysay Award recently?

109. When can a customer approach the Banking Ombudsman?

110. What is the highest monetary award that a banking Ombudsman can give?

111. How much insurance is provided by DICGC? Is it per account or per bank?

112. Name the subsidiaries of RBI

113. What is deglobalisation? Example of countries where it is happening?

114. What is NPCI? Who regulates Payments Industry in India?

115. What are the new timings of NEFT & RTGS? What new accouncement was made by RBI in this regard?

116. What is the reverse mortgage loan?

117. What does the NABARD do?

118. Who regulates RRBs?

119. What is CP (Commercial Paper)?

120. What is CD (Certificate of Deposit)?

121. What is BSBDA?

122. What is the current Repo Rate? Current SLR?

123. After how many years unclaimed deposits must be transferred to RBI? Which Fund is used to collect the proceeds of unclaimed deposits?

124. What is the DRI scheme? (Differential Rate of Interest)

125. Which Act is responsible for regulating Cheques & DDs?

Develop an understanding of Payment Gateways & Visa/Mastercard/Rupay

126. What changes were made regarding LTCG by the government in last Budget?

127. How many types of crossings are possible in Cheques? Parties involved in Cheque?

128. What is ante dated cheque & post dated cheque?

129. What is Financial Inclusion? Have we achieved it?

130. What are BCs (Business Correspondent)? Do you know who are CSPs? (Customer Service Point)

131. What is the MCLR? What is SBI’s current MCLR? How is it different from Base rate?

132. Difference between Money Market & Capital market?

133. What is call money, notice money, term money?

134. What is a Bond? What is Coupon Rate?

135. What are WMAs (Ways & Means Advances)?

136. Difference between Merchant banking & Investment Banking?

137. What does an Investment Bank do? Difference with Commercial Bank?

138. What are Masala Bonds?

139. Difference between ADR & GDR?

140. What are White Label/Brown Label ATMs?

141. Difference between Hypothecation & Pledge? Other types of Charges?

142. Which Act defines what is legal tender in India?

143. What are small accounts? Limits on these accounts?

144. What are soiled, mutilated & imperfect notes? (Read definition)

145. What is ICCOMS?

146. Difference between NRE/NRO/EEFC/FCNR(B) Accounts?

147. 3 Pillars of Basel 2?

148. Define M1/M2/M3/M4 & M0.

149. What is CAR (Capital Adequacy Ratio)?

150. Difference between NOSTRO/VOSTRO/LORO accounts.

Good Luck!

If you have covered the above topics and gone through every question immaculately then your chances of scoring well in the interview are very high. In addition to those take a look at this GD & interview experience of a friend who joined SBI with me. Above all, keep a calm head and be confident. You have been called into that interview room because you deserve the job. Believe in yourself. My best wishes are with you. You will surely succeed.

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