SBI SO Assistant Manager System Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2024

SBI SO (Systems) Assistant Manager Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2024 

The SBI SO notification for the Systems department has been released for 2024 by the SBI. As per the SBI SO recruitment notification, the online registration for the exam will begin from September 14, 2024 and end by October 4, 2024. The notification has several important details regarding the SBI SO eligibility criteria, salary, exam dates, and more.  

The State Bank of India administers the SBI SO exam for the Systems Department Assistant Manager post for recruiting its specialist officers in the department of Systems or Information Technology. A candidate in this role will be entrusted with the responsibility of managing and maintaining the technological infrastructure of SBI, ensuring that the digital banking services are conducted without any glitch, and implementing new software systems across the horizon. This exam's competition is pretty stiff since it attracts a large number of people who are well skilled in IT, cybersecurity, database management, etc, and developing software. 

 Prestige and job security associated with employment with one of the largest public sector banks in India, perhaps top the list of reasons why the SBI SO (Systems) test is so sought after. Being an Assistant Manager in the Systems department means working in a technologically advanced environment with a wide scope for learning and growth. Its salary structure, along with allowances and benefits, are also very attractive, making the SBI SO (Systems) Assistant Manager post a lucrative career option for IT professionals. The career path also offers various opportunities for career growth wherein one can move into higher managerial positions within the bank. 

 Being an SBI SO (Systems) Assistant Manager includes having a competitive salary, housing allowances, medical benefits, and pension schemes among others. Besides the salary benefits, employment with SBI also offers candidates with stability and a healthy work-life balance, especially compared with many IT jobs in the private sector. Secondly, employees are able to work on state-of-the-art technologies in projects that closely belong to the bank's digital transformation, hence developing their competencies as well as professional status. Such an amalgamation of fiscal, professional, and personal benefits makes the position of SBI SO (Systems) Assistant Manager highly coveted. The SBI SO recruitment 2024 has stirred considerable excitement among the candidates.  

Candidates are advised to go through the detailed SBI SO notification for the Assistant Manager (Systems) post to understand the 2024 SBI SO eligibility criteria, important dates and more.  

SBI SO Exam Pattern: (Systems) Assistant Manager 

The SBI SO exam pattern for Assistant Manager (Systems) has been prepared in such a way that overall competencies of the candidates are tested through it, both in terms of general aptitude and professional knowledge about the IT domain. This will ensure that even with technical competencies, aspirants acquire and demonstrate necessary reasoning, quantitative, and communication skills for the post of Assistant Manager with the SBI. The SBI SO Systems Assistant Manager recruitment consists of an online test followed by an interview.  

Following is a detailed break-up of the SBI SO exam pattern that candidates need to go through in order to qualify for the SBI SO Assistant Manager position: 

SBI SO Systems Assistant Manager Online Written Test 

The SBI SO exam for Assistant Manager (Systems) consists of two separate sections for which the candidate has to appear at once. One is the General Aptitude section and the other is the Professional Knowledge section.  

The General Aptitude section is qualifying in nature, but the marks obtained in this section are not added when deciding the final merit list. However, it is mandatory to clear this section with a minimum cutoff to progress to the next section of the SBI SO exam. Those who cannot not get minimum qualifying marks in the General Aptitude section will be disqualified irrespective of the performance in the other sections. The SBI SO syllabus for this section of the exam consists of three areas: Test of Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language.  

The Test of Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude section of the exam comprise of 15 questions each and the English Language section comprises of 20 questions. The entire section is allotted a total time of 45 minutes to answer all of the 50 questions in total. Each sub-section tests different abilities:  
The Test of Reasoning analyzes a candidate's logical thinking, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills. The Quantitative Aptitude tests numerical and mathematical competence, ranging from basic arithmetic, algebra, to data interpretation. The English Language section tests the candidates' command over grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension.  

This section will not carry any negative marking, which implies that the candidate can attempt all the questions without the fear of losing marks for wrong answers. However, it is mandatory to achieve the minimum qualifying marks, which would be decided by the Bank. 

The next section of the SBI SO exam for Assistant Manager (Systems) is the Professional Knowledge section. This section of the online written exam constitutes the most critical component of the test in determining the merit ranking. Professional Knowledge has a total of 60 questions for 100 marks. The time allotted to this section of the exam is 75 minutes. 

The SBI SO syllabus for this part of the written exam consists of four sections: Software Development, Infra Support, Networking, and Cloud Operations. The Software Development and Infra Support sections consist of 20 questions for 33 marks each. The Networking and Cloud Operations sections consist of 10 questions for 17 marks each.  

After candidates clear the SBI SO written examination, they are shortlisted for the next round, which is Interview. The Bank will call candidates for the interview based on their performance in the Professional Knowledge paper. The SBI SO interview for Assistant Manager (Systems) will be category-wise so that there is equal opportunity for every candidate. While taking the Interview, the verbal communication skills, the confidence level, technical knowledge, and the power of expressions of the candidate are closely tested. The qualifying marks for the Interview are not predetermined by the Bank; they will be later decided at the discretion of the Bank. The candidates who do not attain qualifying marks in the interview will be dropped from the final list of selections. 

The weightage of the Online Written Exam and the Interview is 70:30.  

The bank also keeps a waitlist, and this waitlist is prepared only after the declaration of the final result. This waitlist contains candidates who have performed very well but could not be included in the final merit list. The wait list is category-wise so that candidates are represented fairly under various categories, including General, OBC, SC, ST, etc.  
The waitlist shall hold good for one year from the date of declaration of the last result or from the date of the declaration of the new vacancy for the same post, whichever is earlier. In case any of the selected candidates fails to join, resigns, or any other vacancy arises during the validity period, the position will be offered to the next candidate in the waitlist. 

SBI SO Syllabus Assistant Manager (Systems) 

The SBI SO syllabus for Assistant Manager (Systems) exam has been structured in a way that it tests candidates' knowledge and skills in various fields that are essential for delivering IT functions within the bank. Note that this SBI SO syllabus is only indicative. The online examination may contain questions that are not part of the syllabus under the discretion of the examination authorities. 

Software Development 

Data Structures and Algorithms: 

• Key concepts include Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Binary Trees, Binary Search Trees, Heaps, Hashing, and Recursion. 
• Candidates should be familiar with Searching and Sorting Algorithms and their respective Space-Time Complexities. 

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Concepts: 

• Understanding of core principles such as Abstraction, Association, Encapsulation, Composition, Polymorphism, Aggregation, Inheritance, and Message Passing. 

Web/Application Development: 

• Proficiency in HTML5/CSS and JavaScript. 
• Knowledge of HTTP/HTTPS protocols, AJAX, and REST APIs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE). 
• Familiarity with Cookies and Version Control Systems like Git. 

Software Engineering: 

• Comprehension of Software Development Lifecycle Phases including Requirement Analysis, Planning, Product Design, Coding, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance. 
• Basic Software Testing Concepts such as Black Box Testing, White Box Testing, Unit/Integration/Regression Testing, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT). 
• Awareness of Design Patterns and SOLID principles. 

Databases: 

• Fundamentals of Relational DBMS, ER Diagrams, Transactions (ACID Properties), Keys, Indexes, Normalization, and Joins. 
• Basic understanding of SQL commands (DDL, DML, TCL), SQL Functions, Views, Triggers, and Cursors. 
• Knowledge of Monolith vs Microservice architecture. 

Web Application Security: 

• Basic questions on types of web application attacks like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), Injection Attacks, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS). 
• Familiarity with Tree Traversal strategies, Digital Signatures, Public-Private Key Encryption, OWASP Top 10 Web-Security Risks. 

Infra Support 

Basics of Operating Systems: 

• Concepts such as System Calls, Processes, Threads, Inter-process Communication, Concurrency, Synchronization, and Deadlocks. 
• Understanding of Memory Management, Virtual Memory, CPU Scheduling Algorithms (FCFS, SJF, SRTF, Round Robin), Paging, and Page Replacement Algorithms (FIFO, Optimal, LRU). 

Infrastructure Concepts: 

• Knowledge of Operating Systems (Windows and Unix/Linux), Virtual Machines, Storage Solutions, Networking Components, and Backup and Recovery Practices. 
• Best practices in security and compliance controls. 

Networking 

Network Fundamentals: 

• Types of Networks (LAN, WAN, MAN), Network Topologies (Ring, Mesh, Bus, Star), and Network Devices (Hub, Bridge, Router, Gateway). 
• Understanding of OSI Data Model, TCP/IP Model, Subnets, Supernets, and IPv4 vs IPv6. 
• Familiarity with Networking Protocols such as ARP, DHCP, ICMP, and NAT, and Application Layer Protocols like DNS, SMTP, HTTP, FTP. 

Network Security: 

• Knowledge of Network Security Protections including Firewalls, Access Control, Remote Access VPN, and different types of Firewalls. 

Cloud Computing 

• Cloud Fundamentals: 
• Understanding Cloud Computing characteristics, types of Cloud Services (SAAS, PAAS, IAAS), and Public vs Private Cloud. 
• Concepts of Virtualization, Distributed Parallel vs Cloud Computing, Containerization, and Types of Virtualization (Server-based, Hypervisor-based, Type 1 vs Type 2, Full vs Para Virtualization). 
• Differences between Virtual Machines and Containers and knowledge of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) practices. 

Understanding the SBI SO (Systems) Assistant Manager exam syllabus is crucial for effective preparation and successful performance. The SBI SO syllabus outlines the key areas of knowledge and skills required for the role, including Software Development, Infra Support, Networking, and Cloud Computing. By familiarizing yourself with the syllabus, you can strategically focus your study efforts on the relevant topics, ensuring a comprehensive grasp of both general aptitude and professional knowledge. This targeted preparation helps in maximizing your score in the Professional Knowledge section, which is pivotal for securing a place in the final merit list and advancing to the interview stage.