IBPS PO
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
🏦 Banking
🇮🇳 National level
● Active
IBPS PO (Common Recruitment Process for Probationary Officers / Management Trainees) is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit for: Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in the participating Public Sector Banks. Selection is through Preliminary Examination (qualifying only), followed by Main Examination, followed by Interview.
IBPS PO 2026 — Key Facts at a Glance
| Exam name | IBPS PO — Common Recruitment Process for Probationary Officers / Management Trainees |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Latest cycle | CRP PO/MT-XVI (2026-27) |
| Vacancies | 7,565 as on 27 August 2026 — 3,017 UR, 2,069 OBC, 1,161 SC, 741 EWS and 577 ST |
| Posts | Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in the participating Public Sector Banks |
| Qualification | A degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India, or an equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government. The candidate must hold a valid mark sheet or degree certificate on the day they register, and must indicate the percentage of marks obtained. |
| 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 → Personality Test (non-qualifying, but mandatory) → Interview |
| What counts for merit | Only the Main Examination and the Interview count. The Preliminary Examination is purely a screening test and its marks are discarded once you clear it. |
| Negative marking | Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Questions left blank carry no penalty. |
| Official website | www.ibps.in |
📅 IBPS PO Important Dates
| Notification | 01 Jul 2026 |
|---|---|
| Last Date to Apply | 21 Jul 2026 |
| Exam Date | Prelims: 22-23 Aug 2026 | Mains: 04 Oct 2026 |
| Result | Prelims: Declared: 23 Sep 2026 | Mains: Expected: Nov 2026 |
| Interview | Expected: Nov - Dec 2026 |
| Final Result | Provisional Allotment - Expected: Jan 2027 |
Checked against official notices · updated 07 Oct 2026. Dates marked “Expected” are tentative until the conducting body announces them.
IBPS PO — the Common Recruitment Process for Probationary Officers / Management Trainees — is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit for Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in the participating Public Sector Banks. The CRP PO/MT-XVI (2026-27) cycle declares 7,565 as on 27 August 2026 — 3,017 UR, 2,069 OBC, 1,161 SC, 741 EWS and 577 ST.
IBPS PO selection process
- Preliminary Examination (qualifying only)
- Main Examination
- Personality Test (non-qualifying, but mandatory)
- Interview
IBPS PO exam pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims — English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims — Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Prelims total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
| Mains — Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Mains — General / Economy / Banking Awareness | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| Mains — English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 minutes |
| Mains — Data Analysis & Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Mains — Descriptive (Essay and Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Mains total | 172 | 225 | 190 minutes |
What counts towards the final merit
Only the Main Examination and the Interview count. The Preliminary Examination is purely a screening test and its marks are discarded once you clear it.
Negative marking
Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Questions left blank carry no penalty.
The marks and the question counts do not line up
In CRP PO/MT-XVI the Preliminary Examination carries 30 questions in English for 30 marks, 35 in Quantitative Aptitude for 30 marks and 35 in Reasoning for 40 marks. Earlier cycles marked all three at one mark per question. Reasoning is now worth more per question than Quantitative Aptitude, which should change how you allocate the 20 minutes given to each section.
What is next for IBPS PO
The CRP PO/MT-XVI Preliminary Examination was held on 22 and 23 August 2026 and its result was declared on 23 September 2026; the Main Examination was scheduled for 4 October 2026. The Main Examination result is due in November 2026, with interviews in November / December 2026, as per the tentative schedule in the notification. These vacancies are for the financial year 2027-28.
📢 Latest Updates
View all news →- 29 Sep 2026 IBPS Scores of Online Preliminary Examination for CRP-PO/MT-XVI
- 24 Sep 2026 IBPS Online Main Exam Call Letter for CRP-PO/MTs-XVI
- 23 Sep 2026 IBPS Result Status of Online Preliminary Examination for CRP-PO/MT-XVI
- 27 Aug 2026 IBPS Corrigendum dated 27.08.2026 in connection with CRP-PO/MTs-XVI
- 14 Aug 2026 IBPS PO/MT-XVI prelims call letter released
- 14 Aug 2026 IBPS Online Preliminary Exam Call Letter for CRP PO/MT-XVI - Probationary Officers / Management Trainees
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IBPS PO vacancy for CRP PO/MT-XVI (2026-27)?
7,365 as on 20 July 2026 — 2,936 UR, 2,015 OBC, 1,131 SC, 721 EWS and 562 ST.
What is the age limit for IBPS PO?
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 PO?
A degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India, or an equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government. The candidate must hold a valid mark sheet or degree certificate on the day they register, and must indicate the percentage of marks obtained.
What is the IBPS PO application fee?
₹850 for all candidates, ₹175 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates, both inclusive of GST
Is there negative marking in IBPS PO?
Yes — one fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Questions left blank carry no penalty.
What is the IBPS PO 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 PO?
Only the Main Examination and the Interview count. The Preliminary Examination is purely a screening test and its marks are discarded once you clear it.
What is the IBPS PO 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 PO 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 PO 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 PO?
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 PO?
The CRP PO/MT-XVI Preliminary Examination is on 22 and 23 August 2026, with the Main Examination on 4 October 2026. These vacancies are for the financial year 2027-28.