IBPS SO 2026 – Complete Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Vacancy Details
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the IBPS SO 2026 syllabus and exam pattern along with the CRP SPL‑XVI notification on 30 June 2026. This update introduces Professional Knowledge in both the Preliminary and Main examinations, making domain‑specific preparation essential for aspirants.
IBPS SO Prelims Admit Card 2026 Released
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the admit card for the IBPS SO Preliminary Examination 2026 on 20 August 2026. Candidates who applied for the CRP SPL-XVI recruitment can access their hall tickets on the official portal using their login credentials. The preliminary examination is scheduled for 29 August 2026, and the Main examination will take place on 1 November 2026.
Short Information
IBPS is conducting the Specialist Officer (SO) recruitment for 745 vacancies across 11 public sector banks. The selection process comprises an online Preliminary Examination (qualifying), an online Main Examination (merit‑based), and a Common Interview. The Prelims consist of 100 questions carrying 125 marks to be completed in 80 minutes, while the Main exam’s weightage varies by post.
Exam Pattern
Preliminary Examination (2026)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration (per section) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | Sectional time limit |
| Reasoning Ability | 25 | 25 | Sectional time limit |
| Quantitative Aptitude / General Awareness* | 25 | 25 | Sectional time limit |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | Sectional time limit |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 minutes |
*Quantitative Aptitude is for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer. General Awareness (banking‑focused) is for Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari.
Negative Marking: 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer in both Prelims and Mains.
Main Examination (2026)
For IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer
| Section | Nature | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | Objective | Highest weightage |
| English Language | Objective/Descriptive (qualifying) | — |
| Reasoning Ability | Objective | — |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Objective | — |
| Descriptive English Paper | Descriptive (Essay/Letter/Precis) | — |
For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Section | Nature | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | Objective | Highest weightage |
| Descriptive Paper | Descriptive (post‑specific writing test) | — |
Only the Professional Knowledge and descriptive components contribute significantly to the final Mains score; English and Reasoning sections are largely qualifying.
Subject‑wise Syllabus
English Language (Common to All Posts)
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Para Jumbles & Sentence Rearrangement
- Error Detection / Spotting
- Fill in the Blanks
- Sentence Improvement
- Vocabulary (Synonyms & Antonyms)
Reasoning Ability (Common to All Posts)
- Puzzles & Seating Arrangements (linear, circular, box‑based)
- Syllogism
- Blood Relations
- Coding‑Decoding
- Direction Sense
- Inequalities
- Order & Ranking
- Data Sufficiency
- Machine Input‑Output
Quantitative Aptitude (For IT, AFO, HR & Marketing)
- Simplification & Approximation
- Number Series
- Data Interpretation (tables, bar/line/pie charts)
- Quadratic Equations
- Arithmetic: Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple/Compound Interest, Time & Work, Speed & Distance, Ratio & Proportion, Averages, Mixtures & Alligations
General Awareness (Banking‑Focused) – For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari
- Banking & Financial Awareness
- Current Affairs (national & international)
- RBI Policies & Monetary Tools