PECB Certified PSM Basic
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ExploreAbout this exam
The PECB Certified PSM Basic is an entry-level Scrum credential offered by PECB (Professional Evaluation and Certification Board) under its Professional Scrum Master programme. It is aimed at people who are new to Scrum or who work alongside Scrum Teams - developers, business analysts, project coordinators, product owners in the making, and managers who want a shared vocabulary before moving to more advanced PECB Scrum certifications. The exam tests four broad areas: Scrum theory and principles (empiricism, the values, iterative and incremental delivery); the Scrum framework itself (accountabilities, events, and artifacts, and the rules that bind them); the Scrum Master role and servant leadership (coaching, facilitation, removing impediments, teaching and mentoring); and applying Scrum in practice (handling real team situations, scaling conversations, and common anti-patterns). Preparation should combine a careful reading of the current Scrum Guide with hands-on practice: take sample questions under time pressure, then review every wrong answer against the framework rules rather than memorising question wording, because scenario items reward reasoning about the rules, not recall of definitions. Before booking, confirm the current exam format, number of questions, duration, passing score, price, and retake rules directly with PECB, since that administrative detail is published on PECB's own exam and certification pages and is not reproduced here. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by PECB.
What you'll study
About PECB Certified PSM Basic preparation
What is the exam format?
PECB publishes the format for each of its exams on its own exam rules, online exam manual, and list-of-exams pages. Check those before you book. This guide does not state a question count, time limit, or question style, because the official PSM Basic page could not be retrieved and no figure can be confirmed.
How hard is PSM Basic?
It is positioned as an entry-level PECB Scrum credential, so the difficulty comes less from obscure facts and more from applying framework rules to scenarios. Candidates who have only memorised definitions tend to struggle with questions about who attends which event or what an artifact is for. Read the Scrum Guide closely and practise reasoning.
What happens if I fail - can I retake?
Retake rules are set by PECB and published in its exam rules and policies and certification rules and policies. Confirm the current retake conditions, any waiting period, and any fee on those pages before scheduling. No retake policy is stated here because it could not be verified from the official PSM Basic page.
How long is the exam and how many questions?
Those details are not stated on this page. PECB lists exam-specific information through its exam manual and list of exams. Because the PSM Basic page returned a 404 at the time of writing, treat any number you see elsewhere as unverified until you confirm it on PECB's own site.
In what order should I study?
Start with Scrum theory: empiricism, the three pillars, and the five values. Then learn the framework as one system - accountabilities, events, and artifacts and how they constrain each other. Move to the Scrum Master's servant-leadership stance, then practise scenario questions. Finish with timed practice and review of every miss.
What are the most common failure modes?
Typical mistakes: treating the Daily Scrum as a status report to the Scrum Master; confusing the Sprint Review with a retrospective; assuming the Product Owner must be one person writing every item alone; and answering from personal team habit rather than from the framework rules. Scenario questions punish habit-based answers.
Do I need to take a training course first?
PECB training and certification paths vary by scheme, and eligibility conditions are published by PECB. Check the current certification rules for PSM Basic rather than assuming a course is or is not mandatory. Self-study against the Scrum Guide plus practice questions is a reasonable preparation route regardless.
Is this page official PECB material?
No. This is independent study content written to help you prepare. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by PECB, and it does not reproduce any commercial question bank. Always treat PECB's own published rules and exam manual as the authoritative source for administrative and eligibility questions.