Our Champions 
ABOUT EXAM
The IBPS SO (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection - Specialist Officer) exam is a great opportunity for aspirants looking to establish a career in the banking sector with specialized skills and knowledge. The selected candidates are appointed as Specialist Officers in various domains such as IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Marketing Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari. The job of a Specialist Officer at the bank is challenging and requires expertise in a specific domain. The Specialist Officers have a promising career growth trajectory, and they can rise to the level of General Manager or Chief General Manager in a bank.
IBPS SO 2026 Exam Overview
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the tentative calendar for the IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) CRP SPL-XIII vacancies of 2026. The IBPS SO examination is conducted in three stages – Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview, and the final selection is based on the candidate’s performance in the Main examination and Interview. The exam pattern, syllabus, and eligibility criteria vary according to the post applied for. As per the tentative calendar, the IBPS SO Prelims and Mains exams are expected to be conducted in separate phases during the 2026 exam cycle. The official notification will be released on the IBPS website at www.ibps.in.To help you understand the format and important aspects of the IBPS SO exam we have prepared the following table:
| Name of Agency | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Online Registration | To be announced |
| Preliminary Exam Date | To be announced |
| Mains Exam Date | To be announced |
| Posts Available | I.T. Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer |
| Total Vacancies | To be announced |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Mode of exam | CBT |
| Selection procedure | Prelims, Mains, Interview |
| Official website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS SO 2026 Eligibility Criteria
The exam is conducted for various posts, including I.T. Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer. Each of these posts has different eligibility criteria that the candidates must meet to be eligible for the selection process. For instance, the eligibility criteria for an I.T. Officer post might require the candidate to have a degree in computer science or engineering, while a Law Officer might require the candidate to have a law degree. Similarly, the age limit, work experience, and language proficiency requirements may also differ for each post. Therefore, checking the eligibility criteria for IBPS SO before applying is crucial to ensure that you are eligible for the specific post you wish to apply for.IBPS SO 2026 Age Limit
To apply for the post of IBPS SO, an unreserved category candidate should not be below 20 years & above 30 years of age.
However, there will be age relaxations in the upper age limit for different categories as follows:
However, there will be age relaxations in the upper age limit for different categories as follows:
| Category | Relaxation |
| Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe | 5 Years |
| Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 Years |
| Persons With Benchmark Disabilities | 10 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen, Commissioned Officers including (ECOs) / (SSCOs) who have 5 years 3 rendered at least 5 years of military service and have been released on completion of the assignment | 5 Years |
| Persons affected by the 1984 riots | 5 Years |
Nationality / Citizenship:
A candidate must be either –
I. A Citizen of India or
II. A subject of Nepal or
III. A subject of Bhutan or
IV. A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or
V. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India, provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) & (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
I. A Citizen of India or
II. A subject of Nepal or
III. A subject of Bhutan or
IV. A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or
V. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India, provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) & (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
Education Qualification:
The following are the essential education qualification for the Speciliastis officer in different departments
I.T. Officer (Scale-I)
a) 4-year Engineering/ Technology Degree in Computer Science/ Computer Applications/ Information Technology/ Electronics/ Electronics & Telecommunications/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation
OR
b) Post Graduate Degree in Electronics/ Electronics & Tele Communication/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation/ Computer Science/ Information Technology/ Computer Applications
OR
Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level
OR
b) Post Graduate Degree in Electronics/ Electronics & Tele Communication/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation/ Computer Science/ Information Technology/ Computer Applications
OR
Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level
Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I)
4-year Degree (graduation) in Agriculture/ Horticulture/Animal Husbandry/Veterinary Science/ Dairy Science/ Fishery Science/ Pisciculture/ Agri. Marketing & Cooperation/ Co-operation & Banking/ Agro-Forestry/Forestry/Agricultural Biotechnology/ Food Science/ Agriculture Business Management/Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Agricultural Engineering/ Sericulture
Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I)
Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the degree (graduation) level
OR
Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (graduation) level.
OR
Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (graduation) level.
Law Officer(Scale I)
A Bachelor Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with Bar Council
HR/ Personnel Officer (Scale I)
Graduate and Two Years Full-time Post Graduate degree or Two Years Full-time Post Graduate diploma in Personnel Management / Industrial Relations/ HR / HRD/ Social Work / Labour Law.
Marketing Officer (Scale I)
Graduate and Two Years Full-time MMS (Marketing)/ Two Years Full-time MBA (Marketing)/ Two Years Full-time PGDBA / PGDBM/ PGPM/ PGDM with specialization in Marketing *
IBPS SO Application Fee
The application fee for applying for the post of specialist officers shall be as follows. You can make the payment of Application Fees/Intimation Charges through the On-Line Mode only. As per the notification, you will also have to bear the Bank Transaction charges for Online Payment of application fees/intimation charges.
| Category | Fees (Non-refundable) |
| GENERAL/ EWS/ OBC candidate | 850/- (inclusive of GST) |
| SC/ ST/ PwBD/ ESM/DESM candidates | 175/- (inclusive of GST) |
EXAM PATTERN
IBPS Exam Pattern
Prelims Exam Pattern:
Stage I: Prelims
- The preliminary examination for the post of IBPS SO 2026 will be conducted online.
- This phase is divided into 3 sections, however, the subjects asked in the prelims will differ on the basis of the post you choose.
- You are given 150 questions to attempt in a duration of 120 minutes. However, there will be a sectional time limit of 40 minutes for each section and you cannot jump to other sections until the time for that particular section is over.
- The prelims of IBPS SO will be qualifying in nature, i.e, marks obtained in this phase will not be considered while preparing the final merit list.
- You will have to qualify the cutoff of each of the three sections by securing minimum qualifying marks/ cut-off marks decided by IBPS.
- An adequate number of candidates in each category as decided by IBPS depending upon requirements will be shortlisted for the Online Main examination.
- There will be a penalty of one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests.
- If the examination is held in different shifts, the corrected scores obtained by each of the candidates in different sessions will be normalized using the equi-percentile method.
You can attempt IBPS SO mock tests at Smartkeeda to familiarise yourself well with the SO exam pattern.
Prelims Pattern for the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari
| S.No | Name of the Test | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| 1. | English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| 2. | Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| 3. | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
Prelims Pattern for the Posts of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer
| S.No | Name of the Test | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| 1. | English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| 2. | Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| 3. | Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
Main Exam Pattern:
- This is the second round in the recruitment process of IBPS SOs.
- The IBPS SO Mains Examination will contain questions only from the Professional Knowledge Subjects.
- The marks obtained in this round will solely be considered for preparing the merit and therefore to get the final selection you must score well in this round.
- The pattern for different posts shall be as follows.
Mains Pattern For the Posts of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer
| S.No | Name of the Test | No of Question | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| 1. | Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
Mains Pattern For the post of Rajbhasha Adhikari
| S.No | Name of the Test | No of Question | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| 1. | Professional Knowledge (objective) | 45 | 60 | 30 minutes |
| 2. |
Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) |
2 | 30 minutes |
→ Click here to attempt IBPS SO IT mock test!
→ Click here to attempt IBPS SO Marketing officer mock test!
→ Click here to attempt IBPS SO Law officer mock test!
Penalty For Wrong Answers
(Applicable to both – Online Preliminary and Online Main Examination)
There will be a penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty to arrive at the corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question. Therefore, if you’re unaware of an answer, it would be better to leave the response blank to save yourself from a negative marking.
There will be a penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty to arrive at the corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question. Therefore, if you’re unaware of an answer, it would be better to leave the response blank to save yourself from a negative marking.
Cut-off Score (Online Main examination)
You will be required to obtain a minimum score (cutoff) in each test of the Online Main examination and also a minimum total score to be considered to be shortlisted for the interview. Depending on the number of vacancies available, cut-offs will be decided and candidates will be shortlisted for interview by IBPS. Prior to the completion of the interview process, scores obtained in the online Main examination will not be shared with the candidates shortlisted for interview.
Stage III: Interview
This is the final and important part of the IBPS SO recruitment process. Candidates who have been shortlisted in the Online Main examination for IBPS SO will subsequently be called for an Interview that will be conducted by the Participating Banks and coordinated by the Nodal Bank in each State/ UT with the help of IBPS.
During the interview round of IBPS SO, the panel members will try to check your confidence, knowledge, opinions, communication skills, and fitness for the job. This is also the scoring part of the examination process and the marks obtained in this round are added to the final merit. The following are the important points regarding the IBPS SO interview process:
During the interview round of IBPS SO, the panel members will try to check your confidence, knowledge, opinions, communication skills, and fitness for the job. This is also the scoring part of the examination process and the marks obtained in this round are added to the final merit. The following are the important points regarding the IBPS SO interview process:
- The total marks allotted for the IBPS SO Interview are 100.
- The minimum qualifying marks in the interview will be 40% for Unreserved category candidates and 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWBD candidates.
- The weightage (ratio) of the Online Main Exam and interview will be 80:20 respectively.
- The combined final score of candidates shall be arrived at on the basis of scores obtained by the candidates in the Online Main Examination of IBPS SO and Interview.
- IBPS will not disclose the interview scores of the candidates failing to secure minimum qualifying marks.
- You have to qualify both in the Online Main Exam and interview and be sufficiently high in merit to be shortlisted for the subsequent provisional allotment process.
IBPS SO Waitlist
In the IBPS SO exam, a reserve list, to the extent of approximately 10 percent of the vacancies under each category for each post is maintained which is subject to the availability of candidates. The waitlist or reserve list is maintained for candidates who have cleared the written examination but have not been allocated any post due to a marginal difference in their marks and the cutoff. The waitlisted candidates are selected on a provisional basis, and their selection depends on the availability of vacancies in the participating banks. If any selected candidate chooses to withdraw from the post or does not meet the eligibility criteria, the vacancy is offered to a candidate from the waitlist. The reserve list is usually valid for one year from the date of the result declaration. However, being on the waitlist does not guarantee the selection
IBPS SO Participating Banks
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) collects vacancies from various participating public sector banks in India. The following 11 banks participated in the IBPS SO recruitment in the year 2022:
1. Bank of Baroda
2. Bank of India
3. Bank of Maharashtra
4. Canara Bank
5. Central Bank of India
6. Indian Bank
7. Indian Overseas Bank
8. Punjab National Bank
9. Punjab & Sind Bank
10. UCO Bank
11. Union Bank of India
IBPS SO Previous Year Cutoff
By analyzing the minimum qualifying marks of previous years, you can understand the trend in the cutoff and get an idea of the expected cutoff for the current year. This can help you prepare accordingly and have a realistic expectation of your chances of qualifying for the exam.
However, you must remember that the cutoff varies from year to year based on certain factors such as the difficulty level of the exam, the number of vacancies available, etc. Here is the previous year’s IBPS SO prelims cutoff (out of 120) and IBPS SO mains cutoff (out of 60):
However, you must remember that the cutoff varies from year to year based on certain factors such as the difficulty level of the exam, the number of vacancies available, etc. Here is the previous year’s IBPS SO prelims cutoff (out of 120) and IBPS SO mains cutoff (out of 60):
IBPS SO Prelims Cutoff 2022
| POST | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR |
| I.T. OFFICER | 61.88 | 55.88 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| AGRICULTURAL FIELD OFFICER | 17.75 | 17.75 | 17.75 | 17.75 | 17.75 |
| RAJBHASHA ADHIKARI | 22.5 | 11.13 | 22.5 | 22.38 | 22.5 |
| LAW OFFICER | 46.38 | 51 | 47.5 | 48.5 | 51 |
| HR/PERSONNEL | 40.5 | 37.5 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 40.5 |
| MARKETING OFFICER | 38.63 | 38.63 | 38.63 | 33.13 | 38.63 |
IBPS SO Mains Cutoff 2022
| POST | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR |
| IT Officer (Scale I) | 10.25 | 11 | 13.25 | 13.75 | 13.75 |
| Agriculture Field Officer (Scale I) | 27 | 22.25 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 27.5 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | 27.75 | 25.25 | 27.75 | 27.75 | 27.75 |
| Law officer (Scale I) | 26.25 | 26.25 | 19.25 | 21.25 | 26.25 |
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | 16 | 12.5 | 20.75 | 21.5 | 21.5 |
| Marketing Officer (Scale I) | 21.75 | 19 | 22.5 | 20 | 22.75 |
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus:
| Sections | Syllabus |
|
English language |
× Reading Comprehension × Para jumbles × Cloze Test × Miscellaneous × Fill in the blanks × Multiple Meaning /Error Spotting × Paragraph Completion |
|
Reasoning ability |
× Logical Reasoning × Alphanumeric Series × Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test × Data Sufficiency × Coded Inequalities × Seating Arrangement × Puzzle × Tabulation × Syllogism × Blood Relations × Input-Output × Coding-Decoding |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
× Simplification × Profit & Loss × Mixtures & Allegations × Simple Interest × Compound Interest × Surds & Indices × Work & Time × Time & Distance × Mensuration × Data Interpretation × Ratio & Proportion, Percentage × Sequence & Series × Permutation, Combination & Probability |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry |
× Government Schemes, Agreements & Deals × Banking & Financial Awareness × Banking terms, rates, processes × Current Affairs × Awards and honors × Books and authors × Latest appointments, × Monetary Policies × Economic Terms × Current Affairs × Financial & Economics News × Static GK |
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus
• IT Officer (Scale-I): Database Management System, Data Communication and Networking, Operating System, Software Engineering, Data Structure, Computer Organization and Microprocessor, Object-Oriented Programming
Click here to attempt IBPS SO IT mock test
• Marketing Officer (Scale-I): Basics of Marketing Management, Brand Management, Advertising PR, Sales, Retail, Business Ethics, Market Segmentation, Market research and forecasting demand, Product Life Cycle, Corporate Social Responsibility, Service Marketing, Marketing Strategies
Click here to attempt IBPS SO Marketing officer mock test!
• Law Officer (Scale-I): Banking Regulations, Compliance, and Legal Aspects, Relevant Law and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange, Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act, Consumer Protection Act, SARFAES, Banking Ombudsman Scheme, Laws and Actions with the direct link to Banking Sector, Bankers Book Evidence Act, DRT Act
Click here to attempt IBPS SO Law officer mock test!
• HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I): Human Resource Development, Business policy, and strategic analysis, Transnational Analysis, Training and Development, Recruitment and Selection, Rewards and Recognition, Industrial Relations, Business Policy and Strategic Analysis, Grievance and Conflict Management, Performance Management, and Appraisal•Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I): Basics of Crop production, Horticulture, Seed Science, Agronomy and Irrigation, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Practices, Soil resources, Animal Husbandry, Agroforestry, Ecology, Government Schemes
IBPS SO Exam: Tips to Prepare
IBPS SO exam is conducted to recruit specialist officers in various public sector banks. This exam is more competitive than other exams conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection because of the limited number of vacancies. While the Prelims stage is similar to other IBPS exams, the Mains stage requires a different approach as it tests the candidate's professional knowledge. Before you start preparing for this exam, it is important to understand the pattern of the post you are applying for. We have already discussed the examination pattern for specialist officers in different departments.
Once you have a clear understanding of the examination pattern, syllabus, important topics, marking schemes, cut-off, and the number of safe attempts for the IBPS SO exam, you will be able to develop an effective study plan and make the most out of your preparation.
To prepare for the professional knowledge section, you should understand the topics that are covered in the syllabus of the post you are applying for. Make a list of the important topics asked in the professional knowledge section for a particular post and prioritize them based on their weightage.
To improve your speed and accuracy, you should attempt IBPS SO mock tests on a regular basis. Practicing regularly using IBPS SO mock tests during your test preparation will motivate you to face the challenging questions in the exam and provide you with a better perspective of what kind of questions might appear in the exam. It will also help them to get familiar with the exam environment and reduce anxiety. Apart from regular practice, you should also stay updated with current affairs and banking news. This will help you perform well in the general awareness section.
After taking the test you should carefully go through your performance report and check the topics where your responses were wrong or where you wasted most of your time by comparing your analytics to the toppers. The highly detailed, error-free analytics report on your strengths and weaknesses prepared by Testzone (Smartkeeda) will help you discover the weak spots of your performance that actually can limit you from achieving your dream job. You can attempt “Topic Tests” available at Testzone to strengthen your concepts on those particular topics.
Here you can find the direct links to practice Topic-wise quizzes for IBPS Exam:
Once you have a clear understanding of the examination pattern, syllabus, important topics, marking schemes, cut-off, and the number of safe attempts for the IBPS SO exam, you will be able to develop an effective study plan and make the most out of your preparation.
To prepare for the professional knowledge section, you should understand the topics that are covered in the syllabus of the post you are applying for. Make a list of the important topics asked in the professional knowledge section for a particular post and prioritize them based on their weightage.
To improve your speed and accuracy, you should attempt IBPS SO mock tests on a regular basis. Practicing regularly using IBPS SO mock tests during your test preparation will motivate you to face the challenging questions in the exam and provide you with a better perspective of what kind of questions might appear in the exam. It will also help them to get familiar with the exam environment and reduce anxiety. Apart from regular practice, you should also stay updated with current affairs and banking news. This will help you perform well in the general awareness section.
After taking the test you should carefully go through your performance report and check the topics where your responses were wrong or where you wasted most of your time by comparing your analytics to the toppers. The highly detailed, error-free analytics report on your strengths and weaknesses prepared by Testzone (Smartkeeda) will help you discover the weak spots of your performance that actually can limit you from achieving your dream job. You can attempt “Topic Tests” available at Testzone to strengthen your concepts on those particular topics.
Here you can find the direct links to practice Topic-wise quizzes for IBPS Exam:
| English Language | Quantitative Aptitude | Reasoning Aptitude |
| Reading Comprehension | Simplification | Inequality |
| Find the Error | Number Series | Syllogism |
| Sentence Correction | Approximation | Blood Relation |
| Misspelled Words | Data Interpretation | Coding Decoding |
| Sentence Rearrangement | Problems on Ages | Direction Sense |
Thanks & Regards
(Team Smartkeeda)
FAQs
Have any Questions?
Here are answers to the most commonly asked ones
help@smartkeeda.com
Q: How is IBPS SO Prelims Mock Test Series by Smartkeeda helpful?
A: IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests by Smartkeeda simulate the actual IBPS SO PRELIMS Exam and provide candidates with an idea of the Exam pattern, difficulty level, and types of questions asked in this Exam.
Q: Who can take the IBPS SO Prelims Mock Test Series?
Q: How many Mock Tests are included in the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Test Series?
Q: Is the IBPS SO Prelims Mock Test Series Bilingual?
Q: Is there a time limit for each mock test?
Q: Can I pause the mock test in between?
Q: Can I reattempt the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests if I am not satisfied with my performance?
Q: Can I find questions from the mock test in the actual IBPS SO PRELIMS Exam?
Q: How can I attempt the Smartkeeda IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests?
Q: Can I attempt a free IBPS SO PRELIMS mock test before buying a plan?
Q: How can I track my performance in the IBPS SO Prelims Mock Test Series?
Q: Is there any doubt-asking feature if I get stuck with any questions?
Q: What is the difficulty level of IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests at Smartkeeda?
Q: Can I attempt the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests on my mobile phone?
Q: Will I get solutions to the questions in the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests Series provided by Smartkeeda?
Q: Can I attempt the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests offline?
Q: What is the price of the IBPS SO PRELIMS Mock Tests Series by Smartkeeda?
