IBPS SO
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
🏦 Banking
🇮🇳 National level
● Active
IBPS SO (Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers) is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit for: IT Officer (Scale I), Agriculture Field Officer (Scale I), Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I), Law Officer (Scale I), HR / Personnel Officer (Scale I) and Marketing Officer (Scale I) in the participating Public Sector Banks. Selection is through Preliminary Examination (qualifying only), followed by Main Examination, followed by Interview.
IBPS SO 2026 — Key Facts at a Glance
| Exam name | IBPS SO — Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Latest cycle | CRP SPL-XVI (2026-27) |
| Vacancies | 1,035 as on 20 July 2026, across the six specialist posts |
| Posts | IT Officer (Scale I), Agriculture Field Officer (Scale I), Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I), Law Officer (Scale I), HR / Personnel Officer (Scale I) and Marketing Officer (Scale I) in the participating Public Sector Banks |
| Qualification | Post-specific. IT Officer requires an Engineering degree in Computer Science, IT or Electronics and Communication, or a post-graduate degree in the same fields. Agriculture Field Officer requires a degree in Agriculture or an allied discipline. Law Officer requires an LLB with Bar Council enrolment. Rajbhasha Adhikari requires a post-graduate degree in Hindi with English as a subject at degree level. HR and Marketing Officers require a post-graduate degree or diploma in the relevant field. |
| Age limit | 20 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026 |
| Application fee | ₹850 for all candidates, ₹175 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates, both inclusive of GST |
| Selection stages | Preliminary Examination (qualifying only) → Main Examination → Interview |
| What counts for merit | Only the Main Examination and the Interview count towards the final merit list. |
| Negative marking | Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. |
| Official website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS SO — the Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers — is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit for IT Officer (Scale I), Agriculture Field Officer (Scale I), Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I), Law Officer (Scale I), HR / Personnel Officer (Scale I) and Marketing Officer (Scale I) in the participating Public Sector Banks. The CRP SPL-XVI (2026-27) cycle declares 1,035 as on 20 July 2026, across the six specialist posts.
IBPS SO selection process
- Preliminary Examination (qualifying only)
- Main Examination
- Interview
IBPS SO exam pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims — English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Quantitative Aptitude (General Awareness with reference to Banking for Law and Rajbhasha) | 25 | 25 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims total | 100 | 125 | 80 minutes |
| Mains — English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 minutes |
| Mains — Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Mains — Quantitative Aptitude (General Awareness for Rajbhasha) | 30 | 30 | 25 minutes |
| Mains — Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | 40 minutes |
| Mains — Descriptive Paper (English) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Mains total | 152 | 225 | 155 minutes |
What counts towards the final merit
Only the Main Examination and the Interview count towards the final merit list.
Negative marking
Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer.
Professional Knowledge is now tested in the Preliminary Examination
CRP SPL-XVI moved Professional Knowledge into the Preliminary Examination, worth 50 of the 125 marks — twice the weight of any other section. Previous cycles kept the Preliminary Examination to three general sections and tested subject knowledge only in the Main. A candidate preparing from an older syllabus plan will walk into the wrong exam.
What is next for IBPS SO
The CRP SPL-XVI Preliminary Examination is on 29 August 2026 and the Main Examination on 1 November 2026. These vacancies are for the financial year 2027-28.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IBPS SO vacancy for CRP SPL-XVI (2026-27)?
1,035 as on 20 July 2026, across the six specialist posts.
What is the age limit for IBPS SO?
20 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026. Relaxation is 5 years for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC and up to 15 years for PwBD candidates.
What qualification is required for IBPS SO?
Post-specific. IT Officer requires an Engineering degree in Computer Science, IT or Electronics and Communication, or a post-graduate degree in the same fields. Agriculture Field Officer requires a degree in Agriculture or an allied discipline. Law Officer requires an LLB with Bar Council enrolment. Rajbhasha Adhikari requires a post-graduate degree in Hindi with English as a subject at degree level. HR and Marketing Officers require a post-graduate degree or diploma in the relevant field.
What is the IBPS SO application fee?
₹850 for all candidates, ₹175 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates, both inclusive of GST
Is there negative marking in IBPS SO?
Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer.
What is the IBPS SO selection process?
Selection is through Preliminary Examination (qualifying only), followed by Main Examination, followed by Interview.
Does the Preliminary Examination score count towards the final merit in IBPS SO?
Only the Main Examination and the Interview count towards the final merit list.
What is the IBPS SO salary?
Junior Management Grade Scale I, scale of pay ₹48,480–85,920 as printed in the notification, plus DA, HRA and city compensatory allowance.
What is the IBPS SO cut off?
It is not published. Neither IBPS nor SBI releases cut-off marks — the notification says only that cut-offs will be decided depending on vacancies and candidate numbers. Scores are shown to each candidate individually through a roll-number login, never as a category-wise table.
Are IBPS SO question papers available?
No. Banks do not release question papers after an examination. Papers circulating online are reconstructed from candidate recall and are useful for pattern and difficulty, not as an exact record.
Is each section separately timed in IBPS SO?
Yes. Every section has its own clock. Unused time in one section cannot be carried into another, and a closed section cannot be reopened.
What is next for IBPS SO?
The CRP SPL-XVI Preliminary Examination is on 29 August 2026 and the Main Examination on 1 November 2026. These vacancies are for the financial year 2027-28.