IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 (Post-Wise Detailed) + Exam Pattern, Prelims & Mains Complete Guide

• The IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 consists of two major phases: Prelims (English, Reasoning, General Awareness/Quantitative Aptitude) and Mains (Professional Knowledge – post-specific).
• The selection process includes Prelims (qualifying), Mains (80% weightage), and Interview (20% weightage).
• The Mains syllabus varies significantly across posts such as IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari.

The IBPS SO examination is conducted by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to recruit Specialist Officers across multiple public sector banks.

For IT Officer, AFO, HR, Marketing

For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari

Important Rules (Prelims)

• The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature. Marks are not included in final merit.
• Sectional cut-off and overall cut-off are applicable.
• Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect answer.
• Candidates must qualify each section to be shortlisted for Mains.

Key Characteristics

• The Mains exam tests domain-specific expertise.
• Questions are objective type but require conceptual clarity.
• This stage is the primary merit-deciding phase.

• Conducted by participating banks coordinated through IBPS.
• Minimum qualifying marks are decided by IBPS.
• Final merit calculation:

English Language

The English section evaluates comprehension ability, grammar accuracy, and vocabulary depth.

Topics Covered:

• Reading Comprehension (fact-based and inference-based passages)
• Cloze Test (contextual vocabulary usage)
• Error Detection (grammar rules)
• Sentence Improvement
• Para Jumbles (logical sequencing)
• Fill in the Blanks
• Synonyms and Antonyms
• Idioms and Phrases

Reasoning Ability

This section tests logical thinking, pattern recognition, and analytical ability.

Topics Covered:

• Seating Arrangement (circular, linear, floor-based)
• Puzzles (box-based, scheduling, distribution)
• Coding-Decoding (new pattern based)
• Blood Relations
• Direction Sense
• Syllogism (Venn diagram based)
• Inequality (direct and coded)
• Input-Output
• Data Sufficiency

This section evaluates awareness of financial systems, banking structure, and current events.

Topics Covered:

• Banking Awareness (functions, products, terminology)
• Financial Awareness (NBFCs, payment systems)
• RBI Policies and Monetary Tools
• Current Affairs (last 6 months, national and international)
• Static GK (important days, headquarters, schemes)
• Government Schemes and Economic Updates

This is the most critical section for ranking, as Mains determines final merit.

IT Officer (Scale I)

Agriculture Field Officer (AFO)

Law Officer

HR / Personnel Officer

Marketing Officer

Rajbhasha Adhikari

• Prelims is only a screening stage, but clearing sectional cut-offs is essential.
• Mains requires deep conceptual understanding of your specialization.
• Interview assesses communication, subject clarity, and banking awareness.
• Candidates should prepare according to their specific post, not generic syllabus.