IBPS SO eligibility at a glance
The baseline: be an Indian citizen (or belong to another eligible category) and be 20–30 years old on 1 July 2026. You must also hold the exact qualification for your post, with the result declared by 21 July 2026. IBPS stresses these are minimum criteria. The bank you are allotted to has the final say on appointment.
Nationality
A candidate must be one of the following:
Everyone other than an Indian citizen needs a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
Age limit
All six posts share one age band, counted as on 01.07.2026:
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 20 years |
| Maximum age | 30 years (General & EWS) |
| Date of birth | Not earlier than 02.07.1996 and not later than 01.07.2006 (both dates inclusive) |
Reserved categories get the upper-age relaxations below. Certificates for any relaxation must be shown in original, with photocopies, at the interview and later stages.
Age relaxation
The upper age limit is relaxed for these categories. SC/ST/OBC (NCL) relaxation can be combined with only one of the PwBD or ex-servicemen relaxations.
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (RPwD Act, 2016) | 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen and commissioned officers (including Emergency and Short Service Commissioned Officers) with at least 5 years’ military service, released on completion of assignment — including those whose assignment ends by 20.07.2027 — and not by dismissal or discharge for misconduct, inefficiency or disability | 5 years, subject to the ceiling in Government guidelines |
OBC candidates need a non-creamy layer certificate in the Government of India format, issued on or after 01.04.2026; creamy-layer OBC candidates apply as General. There is no reservation for ex-servicemen in the officers’ cadre.
Educational qualification, post by post
Each post has its own required qualification, from a university, institution or board recognised by the Government of India or approved by a Government regulatory body. IBPS and the banks don’t accept any equivalent qualification.
| Post | Required qualification (as on 21.07.2026) |
|---|---|
| 01 · IT Officer | A 4-year engineering / technology degree in Computer Science, Computer Applications, Information Technology, Electronics, Electronics & Telecommunications, Electronics & Communication or Electronics & Instrumentation; or a postgraduate degree in any of those subjects; or graduation plus DOEACC ‘B’ level |
| 02 · Agricultural Field Officer | A 4-year degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Dairy Science, Fishery Science, Pisciculture, Agri. Marketing & Cooperation, Co-operation & Banking, Agro-Forestry, Forestry, Agricultural Biotechnology, B.Tech Biotechnology, Food Science, Agriculture Business Management, Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Agricultural Engineering, Sericulture or Fisheries Engineering |
| 03 · Rajbhasha Adhikari | A postgraduate degree in Hindi with English as a subject at graduation; or a postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at graduation |
| 04 · Law Officer | A Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) and enrolment as an advocate with the Bar Council |
| 05 · HR/Personnel Officer | Graduation plus a two-year full-time postgraduate degree or diploma in Personnel Management, Industrial Relations, HR, HRD, Social Work or Labour Law* |
| 06 · Marketing Officer | Graduation plus a two-year full-time MMS (Marketing), MBA (Marketing), or PGDBA / PGDBM / PGPM / PGDM with a Marketing specialisation* |
* With dual specialisations, one must be in the prescribed field; with major/minor specialisations, the major must be in it. A PG degree (MMS or MBA) or PG diploma with more than two specialisations is not eligible.
Application fee and category rules
The fee was paid online between 01.07.2026 and 21.07.2026. Your category decides your fee, age relaxation and reservation, and it cannot be changed after the edit window.
Application fee
₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates; ₹850 for all others. Both include GST; bank transaction charges are paid by the candidate.
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)
Certificate with the non-creamy layer clause, in the Government of India format, issued on or after 01.04.2026 and held by the date of interview.
EWS
Family gross annual income below ₹8 lakh, within the asset limits; Income & Asset Certificate valid for 2026-27 (for FY 2025-26).
Category is final
No change of category is allowed after registration and the edit window. Results are processed on the category in your application.
Persons with benchmark disabilities
Persons with benchmark disabilities (at least 40% of a specified disability) are eligible for reservation under section 34 of the RPwD Act, 2016. Which disabilities are suitable differs by post. IBPS set this out in a clarification notice dated 12.08.2026:
| Post | Visual (VI) | Hearing (HI) | ID & others |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT Officer | LV | D, HH | ASD (M), SLD, MI, MD |
| Agricultural Field Officer | LV | D, HH | ASD (M), SLD, MI, MD |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | B, LV | D, HH | MI, MD |
| Law Officer | B, LV | HH | SLD, MI, MD |
| HR/Personnel Officer | B, LV | D, HH | MI, MD |
| Marketing Officer | B, LV | D, HH | SLD, MI, MD |
B = blind, LV = low vision, D = deaf, HH = hard of hearing, ASD (M) = autism spectrum disorder (mild), SLD = specific learning disability, MI = mental illness, MD = multiple disabilities involving the above. Locomotor disability (OC / LD) is suitable for every post, but the sub-categories and functional requirements differ. Check your post in the official PwBD notice. A disability certificate from a competent authority is required, and certificates marked “likely to improve” (temporary disability) are not eligible for reservation. Scribe and compensatory-time rules (20 minutes per hour, where eligible) are in section B.III of the notification.
Prep for IBPS SO with your own daily plan
Daily targets for Reasoning, English, Quant & banking awareness — the general tests in the IBPS SO exam.
Cleared the eligibility check? Start day one
Your degree covers Professional Knowledge. The general tests are where many specialists need daily practice, and you have to clear them at both stages. JobSafal turns Reasoning, English, Quant and banking awareness into a daily routine. It doesn’t have IBPS SO mock tests or PYQ sets yet, and it doesn’t cover post-specific Professional Knowledge.
Daily study plan
The general tests sequenced into short daily targets.
Reasoning & English
Common to all six posts, in prelims and mains.
Quant or banking awareness
Matched to the test your post takes.
English & Hindi
Notes in both languages.
