The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) successfully conducted the Specialist Officer (SO) Preliminary Examination on 29 August 2026. Part of the CRP SPL-XVI recruitment process, this online examination serves as a critical gateway for candidates aspiring to join the banking sector as Specialist Officers.
IBPS SO Exam 2026: Key Highlights
Particulars
Details
Exam Name
IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) 2026
Conducting Body
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection
Recruitment Process
CRP SPL-XVI
Exam Stage
Preliminary Examination
Exam Date
29 August 2026
Exam Mode
Online
Total Questions
100
Maximum Marks
125
Duration
2 Hours
Negative Marking
1/4th mark for each wrong answer
Benefits of IBPS SO Memory-Based Question Paper
Utilizing memory-based question papers is an essential part of post-exam analysis. Here is how you can leverage these resources:
Check the types of questions asked in the examination.
Recall questions they attempted.
Identify important topics from each section.
Understand the difficulty level of the paper.
Compare their attempts with the questions and solutions.
Prepare for other Banking SO Examinations.
Exam Pattern Structure
The structure varies slightly based on the specific officer role. Below are the patterns for various domains:
For IT Officer, AFO, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer
Subject
No. of Questions
Maximum Marks
Duration
English Language
25
25
20 Minutes
Reasoning
25
25
20 Minutes
Quantitative Aptitude
25
25
20 Minutes
Professional Knowledge
25
50
20 Minutes
For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari
Subject
No. of Questions
Maximum Marks
Duration
English Language
25
25
20 Minutes
Reasoning
25
25
20 Minutes
General Awareness (with Special Reference to Banking Industry)
25
25
20 Minutes
Professional Knowledge
25
50
20 Minutes
IBPS SO 2026 Memory-Based Question Papers
IBPS SO 2026 Memory-Based Question Paper
PDF Links
IBPS SO Question Paper 29 Aug 2026 MBT – English
Available
IBPS SO Question Paper 29 Aug 2026 MBT – Quantitative Aptitude
Available
IBPS SO Question Paper 29 Aug 2026 MBT – Reasoning
Available
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The IBPS SO Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on 29 August 2026.
Yes. One-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every incorrect answer.
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# IBPS SO 2026# IBPS Specialist Officer Prelims# CRP SPL-XVI# Memory Based Question Paper# IBPS Exam Pattern