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Prelims Call Letter Released For Over 12 Lakh Candidates
The SBI has issued the SBI PO Admit Card 2026 and begun the countdown to one of the most competitive bank exams in India. Candidates can make plans to finalize their preparations. With 12.14 lakh applicants and only 1,500 vacancies, many will be rushing to their computers to download the correct admit card. No one can afford to skip double-checking every printed detail.
When The Exam Will Be Held And Where
The PO Preliminary Exam will be held August 1 and 2, 2026, in eight National Exam Centers across the country. The Admit Card went live on the SBI Careers portal on July 22, 2026.
Candidates who selected the Pre-Exam Training option as part of their application and are primarily from the SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD categories had already been issued a separate Pre-Exam Training call letter on July 17. This was before the official release of the admit card.
Downloading Your Admit Card
To obtain preliminary call letters, candidates can follow the steps listed below:
- Go to the SBI official website: sbi.bankin
- Click the Careers section available on the home page.
- Select Join SBI, followed by Current Openings.
- Click the Recruitment of Probationary Officers link for advertisement number CRPD/PO/2026-27/09.
- Click the download preliminary examination call letter link.
- Enter the required details.
- Complete the captcha and hit the login button.
- Download the admit card and print additional copies.
Downloading the admit card as soon as possible is highly recommended. High traffic on the portal is expected because of the proximity to the exam.
Things to Review
Exam admit cards contain the candidate's name, roll number, photograph, exam date and shift, and the reporting time and location of the exam center. Errors of any kind on the admit card should be taken seriously. If any error is noticed on the name, photo, or center details, contact the SBI recruitment desk immediately.
An original, valid, government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar card, PAN card, a driving license or a passport) must be carried along with the printed admit card. Entry gates close well before the exam start time. Latecomers are not accommodated; hence, it is recommended to plan for extra travel time.
What Candidates Should Leave At Home
Devices such as electronic gadgets, electronic smartwatches, calculators, Bluetooth devices, and any other devices that fall under the prohibited category would not be permitted inside the exam hall. Carrying even one of these devices would result in disqualification. Unfortunate instances such as these can be avoided by developing the simple habit of checking your bag before leaving for the exam.
Understanding the larger context: the vacancies and the selection process
Of the total vacancies available, 1,000 are regular vacancies and the remaining 500 are backlog vacancies. The total selection process for an SBI PO consists of the Preliminary Exam, the Main Exam, and an Interview/Group Exercise. The selection process is based on the cumulative performance of the candidate in the Mains and the Interview. The candidate is required to qualify for all the other stages of the selection process.
This year, the competition is expected to be high (1,500 vacancies available for 12,00,000 applicants). In this scenario, knowing the syllabus would not be enough. The main Prelims Exam would require precision and the optimum use of time.
What should candidates be doing?
- Admit cards should be downloaded and printed.
- All details printed on the admit card should be verified against the application form.
- A photo ID should be kept along with your admit card.
- All prohibited electronic items should not be taken to the center.
Final Thoughts
The arrival of the SBI PO Admit Card 2026 means preparations have to switch to the next phase. With the exam fast approaching, and with the competition in the banking sector reaching an all-time high, the small details like the correct downloaded admit card, verified center address, and a bag with no prohibited items are as important as the final preparations. Candidates who show the same discipline in the final week as they did in the rest of the preparations will have the best chance to remain calm and ready on the exam day.
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