IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 PDF Download with latest Exam Pattern. Check detailed subject-wise syllabus for Prelims & Mains, important topics, marking scheme & best books for IBPS Probationary Officer 2026 preparation.

Overview :

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will conduct IBPS PO 2026 in three stages – Prelims, Mains and Interview – with a Prelims screening test of 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes, a Mains exam combining 145 objective questions for 200 marks plus a 25‑mark English descriptive paper, and a final Interview round, all carrying 0.25 negative marking for wrong answers in the objective sections as per the latest exam pattern.

Exam Name	IBPS PO Exam 2026
Conducting Body	Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Post Name	Probationary Officer (PO)
Exam Mode	Online (Computer-Based)
Exam Type	Objective (MCQ) + Descriptive (Mains)
Total Questions	Prelims: 100 | Mains: 145 (Objective) + Descriptive
Total Marks	Prelims: 100 | Mains: 200 (Objective) + 25 (Descriptive) + Interview: 100
Exam Duration	Prelims: 1 Hour | Mains: 3 Hours 10 Minutes
Negative Marking	Yes (0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer)
Selection Process	Prelims + Mains + Interview
Exam Language	English and Hindi
Official Website	ibps.in

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Exam Pattern :

1. IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

Prelims is an online objective test with three sections and sectional timing.

Section	No. of Questions	Marks	Time
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35	35	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Total	100	100	60 minutes (1 hour)

• Each question carries 1 mark.
• Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer.
• Prelims is qualifying; cut‑offs are applied section‑wise and overall to shortlist for Mains.

2. IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Mains has an objective part plus a separate descriptive English paper.

Objective Tests (200 Marks)

Sr. No.	Test	No. of Questions	Marks	Medium	Time (separately timed)
1	Reasoning & Computer Aptitude	40	60	English & Hindi	50 minutes
2	General / Economy / Banking / Financial Awareness (incl. digital/RBI, etc.)	35	50	English & Hindi	25 minutes
3	English Language	35	40	English	40 minutes
4	Data Analysis & Interpretation	35	50	English & Hindi	45 minutes
	Total (Objective)	145	200	–	160 minutes

Descriptive Test (25 Marks)

Test	No. of Questions	Marks	Medium	Time
English Language (Letter/E‑mail, Essay/Comprehension – as per latest format)	2	25	English	30 minutes

Key points:

• Negative marking: 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in the objective tests.
• Descriptive answers are typed on screen and may be evaluated through an automated or hybrid scoring mechanism (writing proficiency features).
• Candidates must qualify section‑wise and overall to be shortlisted for the Interview.

3. IBPS PO Interview & Final Merit

• Candidates who clear the Mains cut‑off are called for Interview by participating banks (coordinated by IBPS).
• Weightage in the final merit: Mains 80% and Interview 20%.

Selection Process :

• Prelims + Mains + Interview

Subject Wise Syllabus :

IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 – Prelims

IBPS PO 2026 Prelims syllabus covers English, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning.

English Language

• Reading Comprehension
• Cloze Test
• Error Spotting / Error Detection
• Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement
• Fill in the Blanks
• Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, word usage)

Quantitative Aptitude

• Number Series
• Simplification / Approximation
• Percentage, Ratio & Proportion
• Profit & Loss
• Simple & Compound Interest
• Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns
• Time, Speed & Distance
• Average
• Data Interpretation (tables, bar graphs, line charts, pie charts, caselets)

Reasoning Ability

• Puzzles & Seating Arrangement (linear, circular, box, etc.)
• Inequalities
• Syllogism
• Coding-Decoding
• Blood Relations
• Direction Sense
• Order & Ranking
• Miscellaneous logical reasoning questions

IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 – Mains

Mains builds on Prelims with additional focus on computer awareness, advanced DI and banking awareness.

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

• Puzzles & Seating Arrangement (high‑level)
• Input-Output
• Logical Reasoning (cause-effect, statement-assumption, course of action, conclusions)
• Syllogism, Inequalities
• Data Sufficiency (reasoning‑based)
• Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Coding-Decoding
• Basics of Computers (hardware, software, OS)
• Internet, networking basics
• MS Office, keyboard shortcuts
• Basics of cybersecurity/digital banking concepts (as per bank‑exam style coverage)

Data Analysis & Interpretation

• Table, bar, line and pie‑chart based DI
• Caselet DI
• Missing DI
• Data Sufficiency (quant based)
• Comparison, ratio, percentage and average‑based sets

General / Economy / Banking / Financial Awareness

• Current Affairs (last 4-6 months – national & international)
• Indian Economy & Budget highlights
• Banking awareness (RBI, monetary policy, banking terms, NPA, PSL, etc.)
• Financial awareness (markets, instruments, government schemes)
• Static GK: important days, countries & capitals, etc.

English Language (Mains)

• Advanced Reading Comprehension
• Cloze Test (moderate-high level)
• Para Jumbles
• Error Detection / Sentence Improvement
• Fill in the Blanks (double fillers, phrase replacement)
• Vocabulary (high‑frequency banking exam words)

Descriptive English

• Essay writing on banking/finance, socio‑economic and current‑issues topics
• Letter/E‑mail or similar formal communication tasks (exact format as per IBPS notification)

Check Full Syllabus: Latest Syllabus

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