The Circle-based Officer (CBO) exam is conducted by the State Bank of India (SBI) annually to recruit candidates working as a Scheduled Commercial Bank Officer (Mostly RRB Officers) for different local circles. Many candidates across the nation apply for this exam. The selection process consists of an online test (objective + descriptive), screening (document verification), and an interview. The objective test covers 4 subjects, namely English Language, Banking Knowledge, General Awareness/Economy, and Computer Aptitude. In this blog, we are discussing the topic-wise weightage of the General Awareness section of the SBI CBO exam 2025 based on the previous year trends.
SBI CBO Exam 2025 Overview
The SBI CBO Exam overview 2025 covers important information related to this exam, like Selection Process, Job Role, Total Marks, Negative Marking, Eligibility, Work Experience, etc. This information is covered in a structured manner in the table provided below.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Post Name | Circle Based Officer (CBO) |
| Conducting Body | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Level of Exam | National |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Objective + Descriptive) |
| Selection Process | Online Written Test + Screening + Interview |
| Job Role | Officer-level role in branch banking, loan processing, customer service, compliance |
| Total Marks (Written Test) | 170 Marks (120 Objective + 50 Descriptive) |
| Negative Marking | No negative marking |
| Descriptive Test | English Letter Writing & Essay (30 minutes) |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation in any discipline |
| Exam Pattern | Online Test (Objective)-120 marks 1. English Language – 30 questions – 30 marks – 30 minutes 2. Banking Knowledge – 40 questions – 40 marks – 40 minutes 3. General Awareness – 30 questions – 30 marks – 30 minutes 4. Computer Aptitude – 20 questions – 20 marks – 20 minutes Online Test (Descriptive)-50 marks The duration of the Descriptive Test is 30 minutes. It will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) with two questions for total 50 marks. |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | There will be no sectional qualifying marks. There is minimum qualifying marks on aggregate, and the minimum qualifying marks will be as decided by the Bank. |
| Work Experience Required | Minimum 2 years of work experience in a scheduled commercial bank or RRB as an officer |
| Age Limit | 21 to 30 years (age relaxation as per category) |
| Salary (Basic Pay) | ₹36,000/- + allowances (approx. ₹50,000 – ₹55,000 in-hand) |
| Posting Location | Within the selected Circle only; no inter-circle transfer allowed |
SBI CBO General Awareness/ Economy Topic-wise Weightage
The General Awareness/ Economy section in the SBI CBO exam is of 30 marks and contains 30 questions of a 30-minute duration. There are no sectional qualifying marks in this exam, but the minimum qualifying marks will be decided by the bank. Most asked topics in this sections includes Current Affairs (8 to 10 questions), Economic updates (5 to 6 questions), budget (3 to 4 questions), static GK (2 to 3 questions), International Summits (3 to 4 questions), and Monetary Policy basics (3 to 4 questions). The important topics of general Awareness, whose weightage is higher in the SBI CBO 2025 exam, are provided in the table below.
| General Awareness/ Economy Topic | Expected No. of Qs |
|---|---|
| Current Affairs (last 6 months) | 11–14 |
| Economic Updates/Reports | 5–6 |
| Budget/Union Govt Schemes | 3–4 |
| Static GK (Banking + Economy) | 2–3 |
| Monetary/Fiscal Policy basics | 3–4 |
Note: These topics are important, and their weightage provided here is based on the observations from the Previous year trends. You need to focus on these topics well, but also prepare for the other topics mentioned in the syllabus to boost your overall score.
SBI CBO 2025 General Awareness Complete Syllabus
Topics covered in the General Awareness Syllabus, along with the subtopics, are provided below. The General Awareness syllabus majorly covers Banking & Financial Current Affairs (last 6 months), Indian Economy & Budget, Static GK related to Economy, Government Schemes & Committees, Reports & Indices, International Financial Institutions, and Monetary & Fiscal Policy Basics.
Banking & Financial Awareness
- Repo/Reverse Repo Rate, CRR, SLR, MSF
- Recent RBI policy decisions
- New banking licenses, mergers
- Digital initiatives (UPI, e-RUPI, CBDC)
- Basel norms, PCA, CRAR, NPA-related terms
Government Schemes & Committees
- Stand-Up India, PM SVANidhi, PMJDY, PMEGP
- Mudra Yojana, PMFME
- Any new committee formed by RBI/SEBI/NABARD
Reports & Indices
- Human Development Index, EoDB, Global Hunger Index
- IMF, World Bank, ADB, WTO reports
- India’s rankings in global indices
Budget & Economy
- Union Budget highlights (2025–26)
- Tax reforms, subsidies, disinvestment targets
- Economic Survey key points
- GDP projections (RBI, IMF, World Bank)
Static Economy GK
- Basic terms: inflation, deflation, stagflation
- Types of economies, sectors (primary/secondary)
- National income concepts (GDP, GNP, NNP)
General Awareness/ Economy for SBI CBO Exam: Tips to Score Well
To score better in this section, you need to focus on learning the last 6 months’ current affairs with special focus on financial updates. For covering government schemes, you can refer to the PIB (pib.gov.in), India.gov.in, and Official Govt PDFs (budget.gov.in). For Economic Updates, you can refer to the Economic Times, Financial Express (editorials), and Business Standard.
- Revise current affairs via the PracticeMock App.
- Make short notes or one-liners for important updates.
- As there is no negative marking, you must attempt all questions to boost your overall score in the exam.
- Revise Monthly Current Affairs PDFs (Recommended: Bazooka monthly PDF by PracticeMock)
- Attempt full-length GA sectional mocks every week or topic-wise quizzes.
- Focus more on Banking + Economy-related current affairs, not sports/awards.
- Don’t skip Union Budget—it’s crucial for Economy-based questions.
Related Blogs
| SBI CBO Notification 2025 | SBI CBO Syllabus and Exam Pattern |
| SBI CBO Salary 2025 | SBI CBO Study Plan 2025 |
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