The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the Specialist Officer (SO) examination annually to recruit candidates for various specialist positions in public sector banks. Candidates aspiring for IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer (AFO), Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari posts must thoroughly understand the latest IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 before starting their preparation.
The IBPS SO selection process consists of three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Interview
While the Preliminary Exam is qualifying in nature, the Main Examination and Interview play a crucial role in final selection. The Mains examination mainly tests candidates on their professional knowledge related to the post applied for. Therefore, understanding the post-wise syllabus is extremely important.
IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Authority | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Exam Name | IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) 2026 |
| Selection Stages | Prelims, Mains, Interview |
| Prelims Mode | Online |
| Mains Mode | Online |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 Marks |
| Prelims Questions | 150 |
| Prelims Marks | 125 |
| Mains Questions | 60 |
| Mains Marks | 60 |
IBPS SO 2026 Exam Pattern
Preliminary Examination
For IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR Officer & Marketing Officer
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 Minutes |
For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| General Awareness (Banking) | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 Minutes |
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2026
The Preliminary Examination assesses candidates’ aptitude, reasoning, language proficiency, and banking awareness depending on the post selected.
Reasoning Ability Syllabus
Reasoning is one of the most important sections and generally carries moderate to high difficulty.
Important Topics
- Seating Arrangement
- Circular Seating Arrangement
- Linear Arrangement
- Puzzle Based Questions
- Blood Relations
- Direction & Distance
- Coding-Decoding
- Syllogism
- Inequalities
- Order and Ranking
- Input-Output
- Alphanumeric Series
- Data Sufficiency
- Logical Reasoning
- Statement and Assumption
- Cause and Effect
- Statement and Conclusion
- Machine Input Output
High Weightage Topics
- Puzzles
- Seating Arrangement
- Input Output
- Syllogism
- Inequalities
English Language Syllabus
This section evaluates candidates’ grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
Important Topics
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Para Jumbles
- Error Detection
- Sentence Improvement
- Fill in the Blanks
- Phrase Replacement
- Word Swap
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Vocabulary
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Idioms and Phrases
- Connectors
- Match the Columns
- Inference Based Questions
High Weightage Topics
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Error Detection
- Para Jumbles
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
Applicable for:
- IT Officer
- Agricultural Field Officer
- Marketing Officer
- HR/Personnel Officer
Arithmetic Topics
- Percentage
- Profit and Loss
- Simple Interest
- Compound Interest
- Time and Work
- Pipes and Cisterns
- Partnership
- Average
- Ratio and Proportion
- Mixture and Alligation
- Boats and Streams
- Speed, Time & Distance
Advanced Mathematics
- Number Series
- Quadratic Equations
- Simplification
- Approximation
- Data Sufficiency
- Probability
- Permutation & Combination
Data Interpretation
- Tabular DI
- Pie Chart DI
- Line Graph DI
- Bar Graph DI
- Caselet DI
- Missing DI
High Weightage Topics
- Data Interpretation
- Arithmetic
- Number Series
- Approximation
General Awareness Syllabus
Applicable for:
- Law Officer
- Rajbhasha Adhikari
Banking Awareness
- RBI Functions
- Monetary Policy
- Banking Terminology
- Financial Institutions
- Basel Norms
- Banking Reforms
- Digital Banking
- NPCI Products
Current Affairs
- National News
- International News
- Government Schemes
- Budget Highlights
- Economic Survey
- Appointments
- Awards & Honors
- Sports
- Books & Authors
- Important Days
Financial Awareness
- Insurance
- Mutual Funds
- Capital Market
- Stock Exchanges
- Financial Institutions
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus 2026
The Mains Examination consists entirely of Professional Knowledge questions based on the candidate’s chosen post.
IBPS SO IT Officer Syllabus
Database Management Systems (DBMS)
- SQL Queries
- Normalization
- Transactions
- Database Design
Data Structures
- Arrays
- Linked Lists
- Trees
- Graphs
- Stacks
- Queues
Operating Systems
- Process Management
- Memory Management
- Scheduling Algorithms
- Deadlocks
Computer Networks
- OSI Model
- TCP/IP
- Routing
- Switching
- Network Security
Software Engineering
- SDLC
- Agile Methodology
- Testing
- Project Management
Programming Concepts
- C Language
- C++
- Java
- Object-Oriented Programming
Cyber Security
- Cryptography
- Firewalls
- Malware
- Information Security
Agricultural Field Officer (AFO) Syllabus
Agriculture
- Agronomy
- Crop Production
- Irrigation Management
- Agricultural Economics
Soil Science
- Soil Fertility
- Soil Conservation
- Soil Chemistry
Horticulture
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Floriculture
Plant Pathology
- Plant Diseases
- Pest Management
Animal Husbandry
- Livestock Management
- Dairy Science
- Poultry Farming
Government Schemes
- PM-KISAN
- Soil Health Card
- Crop Insurance Schemes
Law Officer Syllabus
Banking Laws
- Banking Regulation Act
- RBI Act
- Negotiable Instruments Act
Corporate Laws
- Companies Act
- Contract Act
- Partnership Act
Financial Laws
- SARFAESI Act
- DRT Act
- FEMA
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act
Consumer Laws
- Consumer Protection Act
Legal Procedures
- Civil Procedure Code
- Criminal Procedure Code
- Evidence Act
HR/Personnel Officer Syllabus
Human Resource Management
- Recruitment
- Selection
- Training
- Compensation
Organizational Behaviour
- Leadership
- Motivation
- Communication
Industrial Relations
- Trade Unions
- Labour Welfare
Labour Laws
- Industrial Disputes Act
- Factories Act
- Minimum Wages Act
- Employee Compensation Act
Performance Management
- Appraisal Systems
- Career Planning
Marketing Officer Syllabus
Marketing Fundamentals
- Marketing Concepts
- Consumer Behaviour
Marketing Management
- Product Strategy
- Pricing Strategy
- Promotion Strategy
- Distribution Strategy
Digital Marketing
- SEO
- SEM
- Social Media Marketing
- Email Marketing
Brand Management
- Brand Equity
- Positioning
Sales Management
- Sales Planning
- Territory Management
Market Research
- Research Methodology
- Demand Forecasting
Rajbhasha Adhikari Syllabus
Hindi Grammar
- संधि
- समास
- विलोम
- पर्यायवाची
- मुहावरे एवं लोकोक्तियाँ
Translation
- Hindi to English
- English to Hindi
Official Language Policy
- Official Languages Act
- Official Language Rules
Literature
- Hindi Literature
- Sanskrit Literature
Linguistics
- Language Development
- Language Usage
Important Preparation Tips for IBPS SO 2026
For Prelims
- Focus on sectional cut-offs.
- Practice puzzles daily.
- Read banking current affairs regularly.
- Improve speed and accuracy.
For Mains
- Focus primarily on Professional Knowledge.
- Study standard textbooks of your specialization.
- Solve previous year papers.
- Prepare topic-wise notes.
Recommended Study Strategy
| Stage | Daily Study Time |
| Prelims Preparation | 3-4 Hours |
| Mains Preparation | 2-3 Hours |
| Mock Tests | 1 Test Every Alternate Day |
| Current Affairs | 30 Minutes Daily |
Best Books for IBPS SO 2026 Preparation
Reasoning
- A Modern Approach to Verbal Reasoning – R.S. Aggarwal
Quantitative Aptitude
- Quantitative Aptitude – R.S. Aggarwal
English
- Objective General English – S.P. Bakshi
Banking Awareness
- Arihant Banking Awareness
Professional Knowledge
- Subject-specific graduation and postgraduate textbooks
FAQs
| Is the IBPS SO Prelims Exam qualifying in nature? |
|---|
| Yes. Marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are generally used for shortlisting candidates for the Main Examination. |
| Which section is most important in IBPS SO Mains? |
| Professional Knowledge is the only section in the Mains Examination and carries the highest importance. |
| Is there negative marking in IBPS SO 2026? |
| Yes. 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer. |
| How many questions are asked in the IBPS SO Mains Exam? |
| A total of 60 Professional Knowledge questions are asked. |
| Which subjects are asked in the IT Officer Mains Exam? |
| DBMS, Networking, Operating Systems, Software Engineering, Programming, Data Structures, Cyber Security, and Computer Organization are the major topics. |