The IBPS SO 2025 ( Specialist Officer) test is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to recruit qualified candidates for specialist posts similar as IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/ Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari in public sector banks. The selection process consists of primary test, Main test, and Interview. The prelims test general aptitude, while the mains concentrate on professional knowledge related to the applied post. With a structured syllabus and competitive position, IBPS SO 2025 offers an excellent occasion for campaigners seeking a technical career in the banking sector.
The IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) exam is conducted in 3 stages:
-
Preliminary Exam – Screening test (objective).
-
Main Exam – Post-specific Professional Knowledge (objective/ descriptive for some).
-
Interview / Personality Test – Final selection stage.
Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer in Prelims and Mains.
Latest Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026
1) IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2026
Preliminary Exam is online and objective for all posts.
IBPS SO 2026 Exam Pattern – Prelims
| Post | Sections | Qs | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari | Reasoning (50), English (50), General Awareness w/ Banking (50) | 150 | 125 | 120 min |
| IT Officer, AFO, Marketing, HR/Personnel Officer | Reasoning (50), English (50), Quantitative Aptitude (50) | 150 | 125 | 120 min |
IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 – Prelims Topics
Reasoning Ability
- Puzzles
- Coding-Decoding
- Syllogism
- Data Sufficiency
- Blood Relations
- Input-Output
- Order & Ranking
- Alphanumeric/Directions & Distance
- Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Seating Arrangement
- Inequalities
English Language
- Cloze Test
- Reading Comprehension
- Connectors
- Sentence Improvement
- Sentence Correction
- Para Jumbles
- Spotting Errors
- Para/Sentence Completion
- Column Based
- Word Swap
- Sentence Based Error
- Spelling Errors
- Fill in the Blanks
- Sentence Rearrangement
Quantitative Aptitude
- Mixture and Alligation
- Number Series (Missing and Wrong)
- Data Interpretation and Caselet
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Permutation and Combination
- Quadratic Equation and Quantity Comparison
- Data Sufficiency (Two statements)
- Time and Distance, Boat and stream, Train
- Average, Percentage, Age, Profit & Loss and Discount
- Ratio and Proportion
- Mensuration (2D and 3D)
- Number system
- Time and Work, Time work and wage, Pipe and Cistern
- Probability
- Simplification and Approximation
General Awareness (with Banking Industry focus)
(Law & Rajbhasha only)
- Current Affairs
- Banking Terms & Concepts
- Government Policies & Schemes
- Static GK (Awards, Capitals, Currencies)
- Important National/International Events
- Currencies
- Important Places
- Books and Authors Awards
- Headquarters
- Central Government Schemes
- Important Days
- RBI Circulars
- Static Banking
2) IBPS SO Syllabus – Mains
Only candidates who qualify Prelims appear for Mains.
Exam Pattern – Mains
| Post | Section | Qs | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT, AFO, Marketing, HR/Personnel Officer & Law Officer | Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 min |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 45 | 60 | 30 min |
| Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | — | 30 min |
3) IBPS SO 2026 — Interview / Personality Test
-
Qualified candidates from mains are called for interview.
-
Weightage: Mains + Interview decide final selection.
IBPS SO – Professional Knowledge Syllabus
IT Officer (Scale-I)
- Database Management Systems
- Data Communication & Networking
- Computer Organization & Microprocessor
- Software Engineering
- Data Structures & Algorithms
- Object-Oriented Programming Concepts
- Operating System Fundamentals
Agricultural Field Officer (AFO)
- Horticulture
- Soil resources
- Basics of Crop Production
- Agronomy and Irrigation
- Agricultural Economies
- Agricultural Practices
- Government Schemes
- Animal Husbandry
- Agroforestry
- Ecology
- Seed Science
Marketing Officer
- Basics of Marketing Management
- Brand Management
- Advertising & Sales
- Market Research & Forecasting
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Service Marketing
- Product Life Cycle
- Retail & Service Marketing
- Marketing Strategies & CSR
- PR
- Sales
- Retail
- Business Ethics
- Market Segmentation
Law Officer
- Compliance and Legal Aspects
- Relevant Law and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange
- Laws and Actions with the direct link to Banking Sector
- Consumer Protection Act
- Banking Regulations
- Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act
- Banking Ombudsman Scheme
- Bankers Book Evidence Act
- DRT Act
- SARFAES
HR/Personnel Officer
- Human Resource Development
- Grievance and Conflict Management
- Transnational Analysis
- Business policy and strategic analysis
- Recruitment and Selection
- Rewards and Recognition
- Training and Development
- Business Policy and Strategic Analysis
- Performance Management and Appraisal
- Industrial Relations
Rajbhasha Adhikari
- Translation (English ↔ Hindi)
- Hindi & English Grammar
- Vocabulary Skills (Synonyms, Antonyms)
- Passage-based Questions
- Descriptive Writing (Hindi/English)
IBPS SO 2026 Weightage (Prelims, Mains & Final Selection)
IBPS SO 2026 Prelims Weightage
For IT / AFO / HR / Marketing Officer
- Reasoning Ability: 50 marks
- Quantitative Aptitude: 50 marks
- English Language: 25 marks
Total: 125 marks
For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari
- Reasoning Ability: 50 marks
- General Awareness (Banking): 50 marks
- English Language: 25 marks
Total: 125 marks
IBPS SO 2026 Mains Weightage
(Most important stage)
- Professional Knowledge: 60 marks
(Rajbhasha: Objective + Descriptive combined = 60) - Interview Weightage
- Interview: 100 marks
Final Merit Weightage
- Mains Exam: 80%
- Interview: 20%
Final selection = Mains + Interview marks only
Prelims marks are only for qualification, not ranking.
Topic-Wise Importance (General Guide)
| Section | Typical Focus |
|---|---|
| Reasoning | High – Puzzles/Seating/Logical topics |
| English | Medium – RC, Grammar, Usage |
| Quantitative Aptitude | High for non-law posts |
| General Awareness | Important for Law & Rajbhasha |
| Professional Knowledge | Core for Mains – Post-specific |
Preparation Tips
- Study the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly.
- Focus more on high-weightage topics like Reasoning puzzles, Banking Awareness, Data Interpretation, and Professional Knowledge subjects.
- Practice previous years’ papers and mock tests.
- Keep current affairs updated (especially for GA section).
- Allocate study time based on individual strengths and weaknesses.
IBPS SO 2026-FAQs
Q. What’s IBPS SO and why is it conducted?
Ans: The IBPS SO( Specialist Officer) test is organized by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection( IBPS) to retain professed professionals for specialist places like IT Officer, Law Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari in public sector banks across India.
Q. How is the IBPS SO test conducted?
Ans: The IBPS SO selection process consists of three stages — primary test, Main test, and Interview. The prelims act as a webbing test, while the mains assess professional knowledge of the chosen specialization. The final merit list is prepared using mains and interview scores.
Q. Does IBPS SO have negative marking?
Ans: Yes, the IBPS SO test includes negative marking. For each incorrect answer in both the Prelims and Mains, one- fourth( 0.25) of the distributed marks are subtracted.
To crack the IBPS SO exam, comprehensive knowledge of the syllabus, exam pattern, and topic-wise weightage is essential. This structured guide — along with the official PDF — can help you prepare smartly and improve your chances of selection.