IBPS SO Recruitment 2026: Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Vacancy

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.

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)

*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

For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari

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
• Government Schemes related to banking/finance
• Static GK (currencies, capitals, headquarters, awards)

Post‑Specific Professional Knowledge

How to Download Syllabus

1. Open the official IBPS website: https://ibps.in.
2. Navigate to the “Notifications” or “Recruitment” section.
3. Locate the notification titled “CRP SPL‑XVI” dated 30 June 2026.
4. Click on the “Download Syllabus” link provided within the PDF.
5. Save the PDF to your device for offline reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What does the IBPS SO 2026 syllabus comprise?
A: The syllabus includes English Language, Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude or General Awareness (post‑dependent), and a post‑specific Professional Knowledge component, examined across Prelims, Mains, and the Interview.

Q2. Are the Prelims scores considered for final ranking?
A: No. The Preliminary Examination is only qualifying. Final merit is calculated by adding Main Examination marks and Interview performance.

Q3. Which subjects differ between posts in the Prelims?
A: Quantitative Aptitude is for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer, while General Awareness (banking‑focused) replaces it for Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari.

Q4. How is negative marking applied?
A: A deduction of 0.25 marks is made for each incorrect answer in both the Preliminary and Main examinations.

Q5. Where can I find the official IBPS SO 2026 notification and syllabus?
A: Both the official notification and syllabus can be accessed via the “Official Notification / Advertisement” and “Download Syllabus” links in the table below.