Latest updates
What’s new in IBPS SO 2026
- 01 JULIBPS SO 2026 (CRP SPL-XVI) notification released for six Scale I specialist posts with 745 indicative vacancies.
- 20 JULCorrigendum raised the indicative vacancies to 1,035; registration and fee payment closed on 21 July.
- 27 AUGSecond vacancy update: indicative vacancies now 1,043 (Rajbhasha Adhikari 94 → 102).
- 29 AUGOnline preliminary exam date as per the IBPS tentative calendar 2026-27.
- NEXTPrelims result is due in September/October 2026; the Main exam is scheduled for 1 November 2026 in the IBPS calendar (tentative).
Exam overview
IBPS SO 2026 at a glance
IBPS SO recruits specialist officers (Scale I) for 11 public sector banks through one common process — online prelims, online mains and a common interview. Each candidate applies for only one of six posts.
Conducting body
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Posts
IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer (all Scale I)
Banks
Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India
Vacancies
1,043 (indicative, updated 27 Aug 2026, for 2027-28)
Application window
1 – 21 Jul 2026
Prelims
29 Aug 2026 (calendar)
Mains
1 Nov 2026 (calendar, tentative)
Eligibility
Post-specific degree, age 20–30 (as on 1 Jul 2026)
Starting basic pay
₹48,480 (Scale I, up to ₹85,920)
Official website
ibps.in
Important dates
The 2026 recruitment timeline
01 JUL 2026
Notification & registration open
21 JUL 2026
Registration & fee payment close
Followed by a 2-day edit window (₹200)
29 AUG 2026
Online preliminary exam
As per IBPS calendar 2026-27
SEP – OCT 2026
Prelims result
Tentative; not yet posted on the CRP SPL-XVI page as of 12 Oct
01 NOV 2026
Online main exam
As per IBPS calendar 2026-27 (tentative)
NOV 2026
Mains result
Tentative
NOV – DEC 2026
Interview
Tentative
JAN 2027
Provisional allotment to banks
Tentative
Vacancies
1,043 posts on the table
Indicative vacancies for 2027-28 (updated 27 Aug 2026): IT Officer 376 · Agricultural Field Officer 370 · Law Officer 125 · Rajbhasha Adhikari 102 · HR/Personnel Officer 60 · Marketing Officer 10. By category: UR 445 · OBC 276 · SC 152 · EWS 96 · ST 74. Union Bank of India has not reported vacancies.
1,043
2026 = CRP SPL-XVI updated Annexure I as on 27.08.2026 (sum of the six post-wise tables; IBPS prints no grand total). The 1 Jul 2026 notification listed 745 and the 20 Jul update 1,035. 2025 = CRP SPL-XV notification (indicative), sum of post-wise totals. Allotment depends on the actual vacancies banks report.
Vacancy trend
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Exam pattern
How the exam is scored
New pattern for 2026: prelims and mains each have four objective tests, plus a descriptive paper in mains. Mains tests other than Professional Knowledge are qualifying; merit is on Professional Knowledge. Final merit = Mains 80 : Interview 20.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 125 |
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| General Awareness (Banking Industry) | 25 | 25 |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 125 |
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 |
| Descriptive Paper (English) | 2 | 25 |
| Total | 152 | 225 |
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 |
| General Awareness (Banking Industry) | 30 | 30 |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 |
| Descriptive — Law: English paper; Rajbhasha: Professional Knowledge (English & Hindi) | 2 | 25 |
| Total | 152 | 225 |
Syllabus
What you’ll be tested on
Tests as named in the official exam structure. IBPS does not publish a topic-wise syllabus for Professional Knowledge in the notification — it depends on the post you apply for.
Prelims: 25 Q, 20 min (English medium only)Mains: 30 Q, 25 min (qualifying)
Prelims: 25 Q, 20 minMains: 40 Q, 35 min (qualifying)
Prelims: 25 Q, 20 minMains: 30 Q, 25 min (qualifying)
Prelims: 25 Q, 20 minMains: 30 Q, 20 min (qualifying)
Prelims: 25 Q / 50 marks, 20 minMains (objective): 50 Q / 100 marks — 40 min (IT, AFO, HR, Marketing) or 45 min (Law, Rajbhasha)Subject matter follows the post: IT, agriculture, Hindi/official language, law, HR/personnel or marketing
2 questions, 25 marks, 30 minEnglish descriptive paper for IT, AFO, HR, Marketing and LawProfessional Knowledge descriptive (English & Hindi) for Rajbhasha Adhikari
Salary & posts
What you actually take home
Scale I pay as given in the notification, plus allowances and perquisites as per the rules of the participating bank.
Scale I₹48,480+
₹48,480 – ₹85,920 (basic)
IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer
Eligibility
Can you apply?
Age limit
20 – 30 years (born 2 Jul 1996 – 1 Jul 2006)
Age reference date
1 July 2026
Relaxation
SC/ST +5 · OBC (NCL) +3 · PwBD +10 · ex-servicemen / commissioned officers incl. ECOs/SSCOs +5
IT Officer
4-year B.E./B.Tech in CS/CA/IT/Electronics/E&TC/E&C/E&I, or PG in those subjects, or graduate with DOEACC 'B' level
Agricultural Field Officer
4-year degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Dairy, Fishery, Agri. Engineering or other listed fields
Rajbhasha Adhikari
PG in Hindi with English at graduation, or PG in Sanskrit with English and Hindi at graduation
Law Officer
LL.B and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council
HR/Personnel Officer
Graduate + 2-year full-time PG degree/diploma in Personnel Management, IR, HR, HRD, Social Work or Labour Law
Marketing Officer
Graduate + 2-year full-time MMS/MBA (Marketing) or PGDBA/PGDBM/PGPM/PGDM with Marketing specialisation
Qualification date
Result declared on or before 21 July 2026; no equivalent qualifications accepted
One post only
Candidates can apply for only one post; multiple applications are rejected
Application fee
₹850 (general) · ₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD (incl. GST)
Interview qualifying
40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD)
Cut-off
Cut-off
Cut-off
Content to be added for this exam.
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FAQ
IBPS SO questions, answered
The IBPS tentative calendar 2026-27 lists the Specialist Officers Main exam on 1 November 2026. The notification says the Mains result is due in November 2026 and interviews in November–December 2026.
1,043 indicative vacancies (updated 27 Aug 2026): IT Officer 376, Agricultural Field Officer 370, Law Officer 125, Rajbhasha Adhikari 102, HR/Personnel Officer 60 and Marketing Officer 10. Allotment depends on actual vacancies reported by banks.
Yes. Prelims now has four tests including Professional Knowledge (100 Q, 125 marks, 80 min), and Mains has four objective tests (150 Q, 200 marks) plus a 25-mark descriptive paper. In 2025 Mains tested Professional Knowledge only.
20 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026 (born between 2 July 1996 and 1 July 2006). SC/ST get 5 years of relaxation, OBC (non-creamy layer) 3 years and PwBD 10 years.
No. A candidate can apply for only one of the six posts; multiple applications are summarily rejected.
Yes. One-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer in the objective tests of both prelims and mains. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
All six posts are Scale I with a basic pay scale of ₹48,480–₹85,920, plus allowances and perquisites as per the rules of the bank you join.
