IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 & Exam Pattern: Detailed Prelims and Mains Guide

The IBPS SO Prelims syllabus features Reasoning, English Language, and Quantitative Aptitude (or General Awareness). Candidates have 120 minutes to complete 150 questions. The Mains examination focuses on your area of expertise, consisting of 60 professional knowledge questions worth 60 marks, to be completed in 45 minutes.

As per the official IBPS calendar, the Prelims are scheduled for August 29, 2026, and the Mains for November 1, 2026. Success starts with a structured study plan centered around the official IBPS SO syllabus. 

IBPS SO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026

The IBPS SO 2026 recruitment process comprises three core phases: the Preliminary exam, the Mains exam, and a personal interview. To secure a Specialist Officer position in participating public sector banks, candidates must successfully qualify through all these stages. Understanding the specific syllabus and exam pattern for your chosen post is vital.

• Agriculture Officer
• Law Officer
• Marketing Officer
• Rajbhasha Adhikari
• HR/Personnel Officer
• IT Officer

The IBPS SO 2026 syllabus includes Reasoning, English, and Quantitative Aptitude/General Awareness for the Prelims, while the Mains assesses specialized professional knowledge in fields like IT, Law, Agriculture, HR, or Marketing. Be mindful of the negative marking policy, where 1/4 of a mark is deducted for every incorrect response.

IBPS SO Syllabus and Exam Pattern - Overview
Exam Name	IBPS SO 2026
Posts Offered	IT Officer, Law Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari
Exam Dates	Prelims- 29th August 2026  Mains- 1st November 2026
Mode of Exam	Online (Computer-Based Test)
Duration	Prelims- 120 minutes  Mains- 45 minutes/60 minutes
Selection Process	Prelims- Qualifying Mains- Considered for merit list Interview- Considered for merit list
Negative Marking	¼th marks (Prelims & Mains)
Final Merit List	80:20 (Mains: Interview)

IBPS SO 2026 Selection Process

Selection for IBPS Specialist Officer roles is determined by your cumulative performance across three rigorous stages. Candidates who excel in both the written examinations and the final interview will be eligible for appointment in participating public sector banks.

1. Preliminary Exam – Qualifying round only — score not counted in final merit
2. Mains Exam — Professional Knowledge — score counted in final merit
3. Interview – Final stage — combined with Mains for selection

Stages	Questions	Marks	Duration
Prelims	150	125	120 minutes
Mains (General posts)	60	60	45 minutes
Mains (Rajbhasha)	47	60	60 minutes
Interview	—	100	—

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The IBPS SO Prelims is an online test featuring 150 multiple-choice questions totaling 125 marks. The exam duration is 120 minutes, with strictly enforced 40-minute sectional time limits for each subject area.

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern for Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari

Section	No. of Questions	Total Marks	Duration
Reasoning	50	50	40 minutes
English Language	50	25	40 minutes
General Awareness with  the Special Reference to Banking Industry	50	50	40 minutes
Total	150	125	120 minutes

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern For IT Officer Scale I, AFO, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer

Section	No. of Questions	Total Marks	Duration
Reasoning	50	50	40 minutes
English Language	50	25	40 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	50	50	40 minutes
Total	150	125	120 minutes

IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The IBPS SO Mains exam pattern remains consistent for Law, IT, Agriculture Field, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officers. The specific structure and requirements for these specialized tests are outlined further in this article.

Test Name	Total Questions	Marks	Medium of Exam	Exam Duration
Professional Knowledge	60	60	English & Hindi	45 minutes

For the Rajbhasha Adhikari position, the IBPS SO Mains exam is structured into two distinct sections to accurately evaluate linguistic proficiency and professional aptitude.

Test Name	Total Questions	Marks	Medium of Exam	Exam Duration
Professional Knowledge (Objective)	45	60	English & Hindi	30 minutes
Professional Knowledge (Descriptive)	2		English & Hindi	30 minutes

Q. Does the IBPS SO prelims score count toward the final merit list?
Ans.- No. The preliminary exam is strictly a qualifying round. Only your performance in the Mains examination and the personal interview determines your final selection.

IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2026

The Preliminary exam consists of three sections. While Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari candidates face a General Awareness section, all other candidates are tested on Quantitative Aptitude.

Reasoning Ability

1. Seating Arrangements
2. Puzzles
3. Inequalities
4. Syllogism
5. Input-Output
6. Data Sufficiency
7. Blood Relations
8. Order and Ranking
9. Alphanumeric Series
10. Distance and Direction
11. Verbal Reasoning

English Language 

1. Cloze Test
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Spotting Errors
4. Sentence Improvement
5. Sentence Correction
6. Para Jumbles
7. Fill in the Blanks
8. Para/Sentence Completion
9. Column Based
10. Sentence Rearrangement
11. Word Swap
12. Sentence-Based Error
13. Spelling Errors
14. Connectors

Quantitative Aptitude

1. Number Series
2. Data Interpretation
3. Simplification/ Approximation
4. Quadratic Equation
5. Data Sufficiency
6. Mensuration
7. Average
8. Profit and Loss Ratio
9. Proportion Work,
10. Time and Energy
11. Time and Distance
12. Probability
13. Relations
14. Simple and Compound Interest
15. Permutation and Combination

General Awareness

1. Current Affairs
2. GK Updates
3. Currencies
4. Important Places
5. Books and Authors
6. Headquarters
7. Prime Minister Schemes
8. Centre Government Schemes
9. Important Days
10. RBI Circulars
11. Static Banking

IBPS SO Mains Syllabus 2026

The Mains exam is designed to test your technical expertise within your chosen specialist field. Refer to the post-specific syllabi provided below for a detailed breakdown of the subjects.

IBPS AFO IT Officer (Scale-I) Syllabus

1. Database Management System
2. Data Communication and Networking
3. Operating System
4. Software Engineering
5. Data Structure
6. Computer Organization and Microprocessor
7. Object Oriented Programming

IBPS AFO Syllabus (Agricultural Field Officer  Scale-I)

1. Basics of Crop Production
2. Horticulture
3. Seed Science
4. Agronomy and Irrigation
5. Agricultural Economies
6. Agricultural Practices
7. Soil resources
8. Animal Husbandry
9. Agroforestry
10. Ecology
11. Government Schemes

Click here to view the complete IBPS AFO Syllabus 2026

IBPS AFO Marketing Officer (Scale-I) Syllabus

1. Basics of Marketing Management
2. Brand Management
3. Advertising
4. PR
5. Sales
6. Retail
7. Business Ethics
8. Market Segmentation
9. Market research and forecasting demand
10. Product Life Cycle
11. Corporate Social Responsibility
12. Service Marketing
13. Marketing Strategies

IBPS AFO Law Officer (Scale-I) Syllabus

1. Banking Regulations
2. Compliance and Legal Aspects
3. Relevant Law and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, and foreign exchange
4. Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act
5. Consumer Protection Act
6. SARFAES
7. Banking Ombudsman Scheme
8. Laws and Actions with a direct link to the Banking Sector
9. Bankers Book Evidence Act
10. DRT Act

Click here to view the complete IBPS Law Officer Syllabus 2026

IBPS AFO HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I) Syllabus

1. Human Resource Development
2. Business policy and strategic analysis
3. Transnational Analysis
4. Training and Development
5. Recruitment and Selection
6. Rewards and Recognition
7. Industrial Relations
8. Business Policy and Strategic Analysis
9. Grievance and Conflict Management
10. Performance Management and Appraisal

IBPS SO 2026 Interview Process

Candidates who clear the Mains will be invited for an interview. The final selection reflects your combined scores from both the Mains and the interview, where panelists assess your professional knowledge, communication skills, and overall fit for a banking career.

• Only candidates who qualify for the Mains are eligible for the interview.
• The final merit list is calculated by combining Mains and interview scores.
• Document verification is a mandatory part of the interview process.
• Please ensure you have all original certificates ready for verification.

Note: The current syllabus and exam patterns are based on the previous year's guidelines provided by IBPS at https://www.ibps.in. We will update this guide immediately upon the release of the 2026 official notification.