IBPS SO Exam Guide 2026
IBPS SO 2026 notification updates and complete exam guide. Check exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, syllabus, and application details.
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📊 Eligibility Criteria Details
| Exam Events | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Conducting Organisation | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Post | Specialist Officer |
| Vacancies | 1035 |
| Application Start Date | 01 July 2026 |
| Application End Date | 21 July 2026 26th July 2026(Extended) |
| Application Correction Window | 29 & 30 July 2026 |
| Level of Exam | National |
| Frequency of Exam | Yearly |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Exam Stages | Prelims Exam, Mains Exams, Interview |
| Participating Banks | 11 |
| Age Limit | 20 to 28 Years |
| Educational Qualification | Graduates |
| Language of Exam | English & Hindi |
| Official Website | IBPS |
📊 Important Dates & Schedule
- Events
- Dates
- Interview
- TBA
- Provisional Allotment
- TBA
- IBPS SO Mains Exam Date
- 1st November 2026
- IBPS SO Preliminary Examination
- 29th August 2026
📊 Important Dates & Schedule
| Specialist Officer Post | Vacancies (At Notification) | Revised Vacancies (20 July 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I) | 190 | 370 |
| IT Officer (Scale-I) | 301 | 376 |
| Law Officer (Scale-I) | 105 | 125 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I) | 89 | 94 |
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I) | 60 | 60 |
| Marketing Officer (Scale-I) | 0 | 10 |
| Total | 745 | 1,035 |
📊 Important Dates & Schedule
- Category
- Application Fee
- SC/ST/PWD
- Rs. 175/- (Intimation Charger Only)
- General and Others
- Rs. 850/- (App. Fee including intimation charges)
📊 Application Fee
| S No | Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) | 5 years |
| 2. | Other Backward Class (OBC - Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| 3. | Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) | 10 years |
| 4. | Ex-Servicemen / Commissioned Officers with at least 5 years of service | 5 years |
| 5. | Candidates domiciled in J&K between 1st Jan 1980 and 31st Dec 1989 | 5 years |
| 6. | Persons affected by 1984 riots | 5 years |
📊 Important Dates & Schedule
| S No. | Post Name | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | I.T. Officer (Scale I) | - 4-year Engineering/Technology degree in CS/IT/Computer Applications/ECE/ETC/EI OR- PG Degree in CS/IT/Computer Applications/ECE/ETC/EI OR- DOEACC ’B’ level qualification |
| 2. | Agricultural Field Officer | 4-year Degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/Animal Husbandry/Veterinary Science/Dairy Science/Fishery Science/Agricultural Engineering/Agri Marketing/Cooperation/Banking/Agro-Forestry |
| 3. | Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | PG in Hindi with English as a subject at graduation level ORPG in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at graduation level |
| 4. | Law Officer (Scale I) | Bachelor’s Degree in Law and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council |
| 5. | HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | Graduate with Full-time PG Degree or Diploma in Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/HR/HRD/Social Work/Labour Law |
| 6. | Marketing Officer (Scale I) | Graduate with Full-time MMS (Marketing)/MBA (Marketing)/PGDBA/PGDBM with specialization in Marketing |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Name of Tests | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 125 | - | 80 minutes |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Name of Tests | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 125 | - | 80 minutes |
📊 Recommended Books & Authors
| Reasoning Ability | English Language | Quantitative Aptitude | General Awareness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seating Arrangement | Cloze Test | Number Series | Current Affairs |
| Puzzles | Reading Comprehension | Data Interpretation | Banking Awareness |
| Inequalities | Spotting Errors | Simplification/Approximation | General Knowledge Updates |
| Syllogism | Sentence Improvement | Quadratic Equation | Currencies |
| Input-Output | Sentence Correction | Data Sufficiency | Important Places |
| Data Sufficiency | Para Jumbles | Mensuration | Books and Authors |
| Blood Relations | Fill in the Blanks | Average | Awards |
| Order and Ranking | Para/Sentence Completion | Profit and Loss | Headquarters |
| Alphanumeric Series | Ratio and Proportion | Government Schemes | |
| Distance and Direction | Work, Time and Energy | Important Days | |
| Verbal Reasoning | Time and Distance | ||
| Probability | |||
| Relations | |||
| Simple & Compound Interest | |||
| Permutation & Combination |
📊 Recommended Books & Authors
| Post | Topic |
|---|---|
| IBPS SO IT Officer Mains Syllabus | Database Management Systems |
| Data Communication and Networking | |
| Operating Systems | |
| Software Engineering | |
| Data Structures | |
| Computer Organization & Microprocessors | |
| Object-Oriented Programming (OOPs) | |
| Agriculture Field Officer (Scale-I) | Basics of Crop Production & Horticulture |
| Seed Science & Agronomy | |
| Agricultural Economics & Practices | |
| Soil Science and Resources | |
| Animal Husbandry & Agroforestry | |
| Ecology and Environment | |
| Government Schemes for Agriculture | |
| Marketing Officer (Scale-I) | Fundamentals of Marketing Management |
| Advertising & Branding Strategies | |
| Public Relations and Corporate Communication | |
| Retail Marketing & Sales | |
| Market Segmentation and Research | |
| Product Life Cycle | |
| Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) | |
| Marketing Ethics & Strategy | |
| Law Officer (Scale-I) | Banking & Financial Regulations |
| Compliance and Legal Framework | |
| Negotiable Instruments & Securities Law | |
| Foreign Exchange and Anti-Money Laundering Laws | |
| Consumer Protection Act | |
| SARFAESI Act | |
| DRT Act | |
| Bankers’ Book Evidence Act | |
| Banking Ombudsman Scheme | |
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I) | Human Resource Management Principles |
| Training & Development | |
| Performance Appraisal and Management | |
| Employee Recruitment and Selection | |
| Industrial Relations | |
| Grievance Handling and Conflict Resolution | |
| Strategic HRM and Organizational Behavior | |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I) | Grammar and Vocabulary |
| Translation from Hindi to English & vice versa | |
| Official Language Policy | |
| Administrative Terminology | |
| Comprehension & Letter Writing | |
| Use of Hindi in Banking |
📊 Ibps so prelims cut off
| Posts | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | HI | OC | VI | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I.T. Officer | 52.75 | 42.25 | 54.38 | 49.75 | 54.38 | 14.63 | 37.88 | 23.88 | 21.38 |
| Agricultural Field Officer | 36.88 | 34.13 | 36.88 | 36.88 | 36.88 | 20.13 | 33.88 | 31.75 | 22.38 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | 12.63 | 8.88 | 12.63 | 12.63 | 12.63 | NA | 12.25 | 11.13 | NA |
| Law Officer | 31.63 | 35.63 | 32.50 | 31.88 | 35.63 | 15.50 | 24.75 | 13.88 | NA |
| HR/Personnel | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 24.38 | 26.63 | 22.63 | 47.00 |
| Marketing Officer | 10.13 | 9.88 | 9.38 | 19.75 | 20.13 | 16.75 | 9.13 |
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.Is IBPS SO Exam is conducted at the national level?
Yes, the IBPS SO exam is conducted at the national level by IBPS.
Q2.When is the IBPS SO Mains exam scheduled?
The IBPS SO Mains exam will be conducted on 01st November 2026.
Q3.The IBPS SO exam is conducted for which posts?
IBPS SO is conducted for the specialist officers’ posts in various fields such as law, IT, agriculture, Rajbhasha adhikari, marketing, etc.
Q4.What is the IBPS SO selection process?
The selection process involves Prelims, Mains, and interviews.
Q5.How to apply for the IBPS SO exam?
Read the article to find the steps to apply successfully for the IBPS SO exam.
Q6.Will there be an interview round after IBPS SO Mains?
Yes, candidates qualifying the mains exam have to appear for the interview.
Q7.Can a final-year candidate apply for the IBPS SO exam?
No, only the graduates or who have completed their graduation can apply for the IBPS SO exam.
Q8.What are the participating banks recruiting for the IBPS SO 2026 exam?
There are 11 IBPS SO 2025 participating banks that are recruiting SO officers including Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Bank, Central Bank of India, Canara Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, and Union Bank of India.
Q9.What is the last date to apply for IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 ?
Candidates can apply online on or before 26th July 2026.
Q10.What is the IBPS SO Application Starting Date ?
The online application will start on 01 July 2026.
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