SBI’s Probationary Officers’ main descriptive exam has everything to do with reading comprehension and composition. It is a 30 minute long paper that tests your writing skills, mainly essays (250 words) and letters (150 words). It is evaluated for 50 marks.
Here are some trips that you can follow to prepare and give your best in the descriptive paper for SBI PO exam.

1. Stay Updated with Current Events

Many topics that the applicant will be required to write for may be picked from current affairs. As such, staying up to date really improves the ability to formulate the policies, changes etc. or fill in the body of the letter as appropriately and completely as possible.

2. Read different Newspapers

In the same vein of staying updated, it is important that you read to also infer the style in which the news report or the editorial was written. You understand the style, the tone and jargon via reading while also picking up the structure and the substance of the article. Your vocabulary also increases. All of this helps in filling the answer of the topic adequately while also using the language to structure the answers to the questions properly.

3. Consult Grammar Books

Grammar books are great for additional preparation and references. You don’t need to be very well versed; a basic grammar book will teach you active voice and tenses and sentence structure, along with the formats for writing letter and essay bodies. That will be enough if you consult and practise them regularly.

4. Practise Writing Skills

The only two questions asked in the descriptive exam are essay writing and letter writing. Do not repeat your content and write very factual and relevant information.
For essays: Relearn the format of an essay—introduction, body, conclusion/closing. In the body, ensure that you are filling it with the positives, negatives, suggestions or solutions, if any. If the essay is speculative, analyse the topic as required and merely close the essay instead of providing a defining statement or a conclusion. It is advised to stay neutral in your style of writing, and do not provide strong personal opinions.
For letters: Be thorough with the various formats of letter writing. The body provides little space to be elaborate since the format already eats up a significant word count, therefore stay concise while attempting the body. Use active voice for the letter and refrain from providing any personal details in the same.
It helps to practise older topics and papers or use them as inspiration to attempt on new topics as per current scenario. Be dynamic as you practise and challenge yourself. Use any relevant statistical data to back your content up—this is actually recommended.

5. Practise Writing Skills on the Laptop

PO descriptive exams are usually conducted online and the time frame is very limited. Unless you have an impeccable writing speed, it will become challenging to finish the paper on time. Practise your writing skills by choosing a topic for your essays and letters as regularly as possible. Set a time limit during practice for the content you write. 30 words per minute is an advisable speed.

6. Read and Reread the Question

Often comprehending the question takes time despite how direct it is. What exactly is the question asking you to write on? Is it related to you, as the writer, or is it concerning the receiver of the letter? Are you writing an analysis, or are you offering a suggestion on the basis of that? Is that even necessary in that context? Critically analyze the intent of the question.
It’s not a herculean task to pass the descriptive exam; just remain purposeful in the way you present your data and information and soon you’ll be acing the test!