The IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 covers essential topics in Reasoning, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, General Awareness, and Professional Knowledge. Review the latest exam pattern and post-wise subject breakdowns for IT Officer, Law Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer, HR, and Rajbhasha Adhikari roles.
IBPS SO Syllabus 2026
The IBPS SO Prelims 2026 syllabus is tailored to specific Specialist Officer roles. While English, Reasoning, and Professional Knowledge are mandatory for all, the fourth section varies by post. Candidates for IT, Agriculture, Marketing, and HR/Personnel positions must master Quantitative Aptitude, whereas Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari applicants focus on General Awareness, particularly regarding the banking sector.
IBPS SO Syllabus – Highlights
| Particular | Detailes |
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Selection Process | Prelims- Mains- Interview |
| Duration | Prelims- 80 minutes Mains- 155 minutes |
| Negative Marking | ¼th marks |
| Question type | Prelims: Objective Mains: Objective + Descriptive |
| Exam type | National level |
| Official website | @ibps.in |
Official IBPS SO Notification 2026 – Latest Updates & Details
IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2026 Revised
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the updated exam pattern for the Preliminary and Mains stages. We highly recommend all aspirants review the official IBPS SO Exam Pattern to build a strategic and effective study plan.
- The exam pattern for Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) and Law Officer is the same. Whereas for all other posts is different from these two posts.
- Final selection is based on Mains + Interview in an 80:20 ratio.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern
The online preliminary examination consists of 100 questions distributed across Reasoning, English Language, General Awareness (Banking Focus), and Quantitative Aptitude, totaling 125 marks.
Prelims Exam Pattern for IT, AFO, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officer
| Sr. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| 4 | Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| Total | — | 100 | 125 | — | 80 Minutes |
Prelims Pattern for Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Sr. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| 3 | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 25 | 25 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| 4 | Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| Total | — | 100 | 125 | — | 80 Minutes |
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern
The IBPS SO Mains structure is highly specialized. Distinct exam patterns apply to Law, IT, Agriculture Field, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officers, with a unique format for Rajbhasha Adhikari. Refer to our detailed breakdown of these structures below.
For the Posts of IT, AFO, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officer:
| Sr. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 30 | 30 | English | 25 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | 40 | 40 | English & Hindi | 35 Minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | English & Hindi | 25 Minutes |
| 4 | Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | English & Hindi | 40 Minutes |
| Objective Test Total | 150 | 200 | — | 125 Min. | |
| 5 | Descriptive Paper (English) | 2 | 25 | English | 30 Minutes |
| Grand Total | 152 | 225 | — | 155 Min. | |
For the Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Sr. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 30 | 30 | English | 25 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | 40 | 40 | English & Hindi | 35 Minutes |
| 3 | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 30 | 30 | English & Hindi | 20 Minutes |
| 4 | Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | English & Hindi | 45 Minutes |
| Objective Test Total | 150 | 200 | — | 125 Min. | |
| 5 | Professional Knowledge (Descriptive Paper) | 2 | 25 | English & Hindi | 30 Minutes |
| Grand Total | 152 | 225 | — | 155 Min. | |
For the Post of Law Officer
| Sr. No. | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 30 | 30 | English | 25 Min. |
| 2 | Reasoning | 40 | 40 | English & Hindi | 35 Min. |
| 3 | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 30 | 30 | English & Hindi | 20 Min. |
| 4 | Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | English & Hindi | 45 Min. |
| Objective Test Total | 150 | 200 | — | 125 Min. | |
| 5 | Descriptive Paper (English) | 2 | 25 | English | 30 Min. |
| Grand Total | 152 | 225 | — | 155 Min. | |
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2026
Below, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the post-wise IBPS SO Prelims syllabus for 2026.
- Rajbhasha Adhikari Scale I officer will have to appear for the given subjects: Reasoning Ability, English Language, General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry and Professional Knowledge.
- The Specialist Officers (Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer, IT Officer Scale I will appear for the given subjects: Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language and Professional Knowledge.
Reasoning Syllabus
- Seating Arrangements
- Puzzles
- Inequalities
- Syllogism
- Input-Output
- Data Sufficiency
- Blood Relations
- Order and Ranking
- Alphanumeric Series
- Distance and Direction
- Verbal Reasoning
English Syllabus
- Cloze Test
- Reading Comprehension
- Spotting Errors
- Sentence Improvement
- Sentence Correction
- Para Jumbles
- Fill in the Blanks
- Para/Sentence Completion
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
- Number Series
- Data Interpretation
- Simplification/ Approximation
- Quadratic Equation
- Data Sufficiency
- Mensuration
- Average
- Profit and Loss
- Ratio and Proportion
- Work, Time, and Energy
- Time and Distance
- Probability
- Relations
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Permutation and Combination
General Awareness Syllabus
- Current Affairs
- Banking Awareness
- GK Updates
- Currencies
- Important Places
- Books and Authors
- Awards
- Headquarters
- Prime Minister Schemes
- Important Days
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus 2026
Qualifying for the Preliminary exam is the gateway to the IBPS SO Mains. Find the detailed 2026 syllabus for all roles, including Rajbhasha Adhikari, HR/Personnel, Law, Marketing, Agriculture, and IT Officers, outlined below.
IBPS SO IT Officer Mains Syllabus 2026
- Database Management System
- Data Communication and Networking
- Operating System
- Software Engineering
- Data Structure
- Computer Organisation and Microprocessor
- Object-Oriented Programming
Read in Detail: IBPS SO IT Officer Syllabus 2026
IBPS SO Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) Mains Syllabus 2026
- Basics of Crop Production
- Horticulture
- Seed Science
- Agronomy and Irrigation
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Practices
- Soil resources
- Animal Husbandry
- Agroforestry
- Ecology
- Government Schemes
IBPS SO Marketing Officer Mains Syllabus 2026
- 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
IBPS SO Law Officer Syllabus 2026
- Banking Regulations
- Compliance and Legal Aspects
- Relevant Laws and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange
- Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act
- Consumer Protection Act
- SURFACES
- Banking Ombudsman Scheme
- Laws and Actions with a direct link to Banking Sector
- Bankers Book Evidence Act
- DRT Act
Read More: IBPS SO Law Officer Syllabus 2026
IBPS SO HR/Personnel Officer Syllabus 2026
- 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
IBPS SO Rajbhasha Adhikari Syllabus 2026
While IBPS does not issue a rigid, topic-specific syllabus for Rajbhasha Adhikari, candidates should prepare based on previous years' papers. Focus areas include English and Hindi language proficiency, translation skills, and grammatical accuracy for the Professional Knowledge section.
| Topics |
Sub-Topics
|
| Translation |
English to Hindi Translation, Hindi to English Translation
|
| Hindi Language |
Grammar, Vocabulary, Idioms and Phrases, Sentence Formation, Comprehension
|
| English Language |
Grammar, Vocabulary, Error Detection, Comprehension, Usage
|
| Official Language |
Official Languages Act, Official Languages Rules, Constitutional Provisions Related to Hindi
|
| Writing Skills |
Essay Writing, Precis Writing, Official Letter Writing
|
A thorough review of the official IBPS SO syllabus is essential for every applicant to ensure a methodical and targeted preparation approach.
Best Books for IBPS SO 2026 Preparation
| Subject/Section | Recommended Book |
Author/Publisher
|
| English Language | Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi |
| Reasoning Ability | A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Banking Awareness | Banking Awareness | Arihant Experts |
| Current Affairs & General Awareness | General Knowledge 2026 |
Manohar Pandey
|
| IT Officer Professional Knowledge | Objective Computer Awareness | Arihant Experts |
| Agriculture Field Officer Professional Knowledge | Fundamentals of Agriculture | Arun Katyayan |
| Law Officer Professional Knowledge | Banking and Financial Laws |
IIBF Publications
|
| HR/Personnel Officer Professional Knowledge | Human Resource Management | C.B. Gupta |
| Marketing Officer Professional Knowledge | Marketing Management | Philip Kotler |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari Professional Knowledge | Samanya Hindi | Arihant Experts |
IBPS SO Interview 2026
Candidates who pass both the Prelims and Mains will advance to the final selection stage: the IBPS SO Interview. Preparation should focus on technical proficiency and understanding the specific requirements of the chosen banking role.
Important Tips for Aspirants
- Acquaint yourself properly with the marking scheme, sectional cut-off, and negative marking.
- Give time to each subject and revise regularly at intervals.
- Solve past papers to understand the difficulty level, important topics, and question trends.
- Take Mock Tests Regularly to improve speed, accuracy, and time management skills.
- Build strong fundamentals, especially for the Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning sections.
- Stay Updated with Current Affairs
FAQs
A. The entire IBPS SO examination process is conducted exclusively online.
A. Selection requires qualifying through three distinct stages: IBPS SO Prelims, Mains, and the final Interview.
A. Prelims cover Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, and General Awareness, whereas the Mains test focuses strictly on the specialized knowledge related to the candidate's applied post.
A. The Prelims paper is 125 marks (120 minutes), while the Mains exam lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. Detailed marking schemes are available in our exam pattern section.
Ans. The complete IBPS SO syllabus is provided in the article above.
Ans. Yes, a negative marking penalty of 0.25 marks applies to all incorrect answers in the IBPS SO exam.
Ans. There is no restriction on the number of attempts; candidates may apply repeatedly provided they meet the educational requirements and the upper age limit of 30 years.
Ans. Strategic alignment with the official IBPS SO syllabus is the key to maximizing your score and securing success in your first attempt.
Ans. Candidates with prior experience in competitive exams and a strong command of the syllabus can effectively crack the IBPS SO exam within a 30-day intensive preparation window.