The State Bank of India conducts an SBI PO exam drive for the recruitment of probationary officers. The selection process involves three phases – preliminary, mains, and interview. A descriptive paper is in the main exam and is the most important section where candidates can score well. Read on to learn tips for acing SBI PO Descriptive Paper.
The pattern of SBI PO descriptive paper:
The descriptive part of the SBI PO exam spans 30 minutes and knowing what to expect in the section can help in easily scoring well. It is a skill test involving:
- Essay writing
- Letter writing
Tips for preparing for SBI PO Descriptive Paper:
Though some candidates may perceive this to be the toughest section. However, knowing the accurate SBI PO Descriptive pattern and following some basic tips can help in getting a better score:
- Prepare for basic grammar:
Go through the standard grammar books or online resources, such as BYJU’S Exam Prep to have conceptual clarity regarding the rules for tenses and prepositions.
Make it a habit to read the newspaper regularly. Going through the English magazines can also be helpful. Strengthen your vocabulary by learning a few new words daily. Using them in sentences will help you get in the habit of using those words regularly.
- Essay writing:
While preparing for the descriptive section of the SBI PO exam, make sure that you keep an eye on the latest topics as there is a high probability of those being featured in the exam. This will help you recall the right points and provide content without any fluff. Before starting to write, jot down the keywords to avoid missing out on any important point. The essay should begin with an introduction and follow with positives, negatives as well as suggestions based on the topic.
- Letter writing:
For letter writing, check the format for different types of letters. You must be concise in presenting your thoughts and avoid using passive voice. It is better to avoid criticism and getting personal. Being neutral is the best way to present the points.
- Formats of letter writing:
Formal as well as informal letters have different formats. Here are the basic parts of any letter:
- Writer’s full address to be mentioned in the address heading.
- Mention the date.
- The recipient’s full name and address have to be in the address.
- Then comes the greeting section which needs to start with ‘Dear’ followed by the recipient’s name.
- There has to be the letter’s subject line which forms the main subject of the content.
- Letter body must address the concerns mentioned in the topic.
- Finally, the letter can be closed by ‘Regards’, ’Yours truly’, or ‘Yours faithfully’.
- Effective way of writing essays and letters:
- Introduction of the letter or essay has to be interesting:
This is essential to grab the attention of the examiner so that he/she will be interested in reading further. But a boring or monotonous beginning might not help in fetching more marks.
- Using the correct facts and figures:
When a topic involves mentioning facts and figures, those must be correct for strengthening the content.
- Avoid crossing the word count:
In the descriptive section, a specific word count is mentioned, so try to stick to the limit. Avoiding the use of longer sentences and exaggerated facts can be helpful in this. Apart from this, the content should have smaller paragraphs for presenting the ideas or thoughts, to ensure better readability.
iii. Time management:
There are various important topics for banking and current affairs, so while coming across one, make sure that you list them out so that you can quickly refer to them while revising for the exam. Practice writing essays and letters at home to make sure that you can complete a certain number of words in a given time.
Conclusion
A candidate needs to score at least the minimum marks in the Descriptive Paper for clearing the written exam. So it is essential to refer to various books and online resources while preparing. Books can help learn the basics but preparing online with BYJU’S Exam Prep will help you stay updated on the latest exam patterns and the topics which can be expected. The practice sets offered by them will surely help a candidate in performing better by boosting his/her confidence through enough practice.
