IBPS RRB PO 2026: what we know
The IBPS 2026-27 calendar schedules the Officer Scale-I prelims for 21–22 November 2026 and the Main exam for 20 December 2026. The notification gives wider windows: November/December 2026 for the prelims and December 2026/February 2027 for the Mains. No 2026 paper has been held yet. Even after the exams, IBPS does not publish difficulty ratings or good-attempt figures.
What this page covers
Test-wise paper
Test names, questions, marks and timings are from the notification, and each test is separately timed. Except for the English and Hindi language tests, every test is offered in English and Hindi, and in many states also in the regional language. IBPS publishes only test names, so the topic lists below are commonly tested topics, not an official syllabus.
Prelims · Reasoning
40 Q · 40 marks · 25 min. Commonly tested: puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, inequalities, blood relations and coding-decoding.
Prelims · Quantitative Aptitude
40 Q · 40 marks · 20 min. Commonly tested: simplification and approximation, number series, quadratic equations, data interpretation and arithmetic.
Mains · Reasoning
40 Q · 50 marks · 30 min. Commonly tested: puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, inequalities, data sufficiency and logical reasoning.
Mains · Computer Knowledge
40 Q · 20 marks · 15 min. Commonly tested: computer fundamentals, hardware and software, internet and networking, MS Office and basic security.
Mains · General Awareness
40 Q · 40 marks · 15 min. Commonly tested: current affairs, banking and economy, and static general knowledge.
Mains · English Language (option)
40 Q · 40 marks · 30 min · English only. Commonly tested: reading comprehension, error spotting, fillers and para jumbles.
Mains · Hindi Language (option)
40 Q · 40 marks · 30 min · Hindi only. Taken instead of English — you choose one. Commonly tested: comprehension, grammar and vocabulary.
Mains · Quantitative Aptitude
40 Q · 50 marks · 30 min. Commonly tested: data interpretation, arithmetic, number series and quadratic equations.
What a wrong answer costs
Every objective test deducts one-fourth of a question’s marks for each wrong answer, in both prelims and Mains; a question left blank costs nothing. Because marks per question differ by test, so does the penalty. These figures are worked out from the official marks and question counts:
| Test | Marks per question | Penalty per wrong answer |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims · Reasoning | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Prelims · Quantitative Aptitude | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · Reasoning | 1.25 | 0.3125 |
| Mains · Computer Knowledge | 0.50 | 0.125 |
| Mains · General Awareness | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · English or Hindi Language | 1.00 | 0.25 |
| Mains · Quantitative Aptitude | 1.25 | 0.3125 |
These figures assume marks are spread equally across a test’s questions, because IBPS states only test totals. IBPS does not publish good-attempt numbers, so we don’t show any.
Normalisation & cut-offs
Scores from different sessions, if held, are normalised using the equi-percentile method, with scores taken up to two decimals. In the prelims you must clear the minimum cut-off in both tests. An adequate number of candidates in each category is then shortlisted for Mains, depending on requirements. In the Mains you need a minimum score in each test and a total high enough in the merit order. Up to three times the declared vacancies in each state, category-wise, are called for interview. Mains scores aren’t shared with shortlisted candidates until the interviews are over. IBPS shows cut-offs in candidates’ result logins rather than in a separate document.
Crack IBPS RRB PO with your own daily plan
Daily targets, PYQ practice sets & timed mocks — to the latest pattern.
Turn the paper structure into your next mock
Knowing where the marks and penalties sit only helps if you practise to it. JobSafal turns the IBPS RRB PO tests into daily targets and timed practice, so accuracy becomes a habit before the exam.
Test-wise plan
Daily targets across Reasoning, Quant, General Awareness, Computer and English/Hindi.
Full CBT mocks
Real-interface mocks with rank comparison.
Sectional drills
Work on the test your mocks flag as weak.
PYQ practice sets
Practice sets tagged to each prelims and Mains test.
