Exam pattern at a glance
IBPS RRB PO 2026 (Officer Scale-I, CRP RRBs-XV) is an online exam held in two phases, followed by a common interview. Prelims only screens; mains and interview marks build the final score. As per the IBPS calendar, prelims is on 21–22 November 2026 and mains on 20 December 2026 (tentative).
Prelims exam pattern
Two objective tests, each with its own timer — 80 questions for 80 marks in 45 minutes. You must clear the minimum cut-off in both tests; IBPS then shortlists an adequate number of candidates in each category for mains.
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 25 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 40 | 20 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| Total | 80 | 80 | 45 min | −¼ of marks per wrong answer |
Mains exam pattern
Mains is where marks start to count. You need a minimum score in each test and a high enough total to be called for interview — IBPS calls up to three times the declared vacancies in each state, category by category.
| Part | Taken by | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective tests (5) | All mains candidates | 200 | 200 | 2 h |
| Common Interview | Shortlisted after mains | — | 100 | — |
Mains — test-wise breakdown
Each test is timed separately. The fourth test is a language test: you take either English Language or Hindi Language, not both. IBPS can modify the structure, including duration, and announces any change on ibps.in.
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 50 | 30 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| Computer Knowledge | 40 | 20 | 15 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| General Awareness | 40 | 40 | 15 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| English Language (or Hindi Language) | 40 | 40 | 30 min | English |
| Hindi Language (or English Language) | 40 | 40 | 30 min | Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 50 | 30 min | English, Hindi & listed state language |
| Total (one language test) | 200 | 200 | 120 min | −¼ of marks per wrong answer |
Common interview & final merit
Officer Scale-I mains is fully objective. Clearing mains leads to one more step — the interview — before provisional allotment.
Common Interview
Coordinated by the nodal Regional Rural Banks with the assistance of NABARD and IBPS, at select centres. The centre, venue, date and time are given in the interview call letter, downloaded from ibps.in.
Final score & allotment
Mains and interview scores are combined 80:20. You must qualify in both and rank high enough in merit; shortlisted candidates are provisionally allotted to an RRB of the state/UT they applied for, based on the actual vacancies the RRBs report.
Negative marking, stage by stage
IBPS uses one rule for every objective test: a wrong answer costs one-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to that question. Leave a question blank and there’s no penalty.
| Exam stage | Penalty per wrong answer |
|---|---|
| Prelims (both tests) | ¼ of the question’s marks |
| Mains (all five tests you take) | ¼ of the question’s marks |
| Interview | Not an objective test — the penalty rule covers objective tests |
| Unattempted questions | No penalty |
Prelims marks are used only to shortlist for mains. Only Main exam marks count for the interview shortlist and the final merit, where they are combined with the interview 80:20. Scores from different sessions, if held, are normalised using the equi-percentile method, to two decimal places. Mains scores are not shared with shortlisted candidates until the interview process is complete.
Crack IBPS RRB PO with your own daily plan
Daily targets, PYQ practice sets & timed mocks — built around the IBPS RRB PO pattern.
Rehearse the exam pattern
Knowing the pattern is step one. JobSafal lets you practise it in timed tests, so separately timed sections feel familiar on exam day.
Timed mocks
Full-length IBPS RRB PO mocks in a timed test interface.
Negative-marking analysis
See how your accuracy versus attempts affects your net score, question by question.
Section-wise practice
Drill one section at a time to fix the weak links the pattern exposes.
PYQ practice sets
Six timed sets to check your speed and accuracy before the real exam.
