IBPS PO Syllabus 2025, Exam Pattern for Prelims and Mains, Important Topics


Candidates eager to know the latest IBPS PO Syllabus 2025 for the upcoming IBPS PO Exam must check this page. The syllabus consists of various subjects like Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language, and General or Banking Awareness which are included to assess the knowledge, common sense, and aptitude of the candidates. Candidates need to have conceptual clarity, score and accuracy percentile above 90%, and speed to qualify in IBPS PO exam. So, check all the subject-wise important topics here and start your preparation.

IBPS PO Syllabus 2025

In the year 2025, IBPS introduced some changes in the IBPS PO Exam Pattern, and the marking scheme was changed slightly. However, the overall exam structure is the same as last year, so candidates who were preparing as per last year's syllabus need not fear. Also, we have shared the updated syllabus in this article that candidates can go through and prepare. Take a look at the key highlights of the updated syllabus and exam pattern below.

IBPS PO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025- Highlights
Particular
Details
Exam Conducting Body
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, IBPS
Name of Exam
Post
Probationary Officer (PO)
Total Marks
  1. Prelims: 100 Marks
  2. Mains: 200 Marks + Descriptive Test: 25 Marks
  3. Interview: 100 Marks
Duration of Exam
  1. Prelims: 1 Hour
  2.  Mains: 3 Hours + 10 Min
Marking scheme
1 mark each for every correct answer in the Online Test
Negative marking
1/4th of the marks assigned to the question in the MCQ
Mode of Examination
Online For Prelims & Mains
Language of examination
English OR Hindi
The English Language paper has to be attempted in English.

Attempt Daily IBPS PO Mock Test to Crack the Exam

IBPS PO Mains Result 2025- Click to Check

IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2025 Revised

IBPS has revised the IBPS PO Exam Pattern for Prelims and Mains. The overall/total marks and negative marking remain the same, but changes have been made internally in the exam pattern of both stages. So, check the sections, revised marking scheme, number of questions, and duration of the examination.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025 (Latest)

The Prelims exam is the screening round. Candidates will have to qualify by securing the cut-off marks both sectionally and overall.

  1. The Prelims exam will have three sections of a total duration of 1 Hour.
  2. There will be a total of 100 multiple-choice questions.
  3. The marking scheme Prelims Exam Pattern has been changed, and now, the marks are as follows:
Sr. No.
Name of Tests
No. of Questions
Maximum Marks
Medium of Exam
Time Allotted
1
English Language
30
30
English
20 minutes
2
Quantitative Aptitude
35
30
English and Hindi
20 minutes
3
Reasoning Ability
35
40
English and Hindi
20 minutes
Total
100
100
60 Minutes (1 Hour)

Note:

  1. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.

IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2025 (Latest)

The mains examination is the second stage of the exam. The candidates who pass the Prelims examination are qualified to appear in the mains stage.

  • There are 4 sections such as Reasoning Ability, English Language, and Data Analysis & Interpretation.
  • The total time for the Mains Objective Exam is 160 minutes, with an additional 30 minutes for the descriptive test.
  • Candidates will be assessed on their writing skills through an essay and a letter, totalling 25 marks to be completed within 30 minutes.
  • A penalty of 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer in the Objective Tests.
Sr. No.
Name of Tests
No. of Questions
Maximum Marks
Medium of Exam
Time Allotted
1
Reasoning
40
60
English & Hindi
50 minutes
2
General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness / Digital/ Financial Awareness (incl. RBI)
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

145
200

160 minutes

Descriptive Paper
No. of Questions
Maximum Marks
Medium of Exam
Time Allotted
5
Essay & Comprehension Writing (Economic and Social issues, emerging trends in Banking and Technology, Current events, Ethics etc.)
2
25
English
30 minutes

IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus 2025

The Syllabus for the Prelims Exam is given below for the following sections:

  1. Reasoning Ability: 40 Marks
  2. English Language: 30 Marks
  3. Quantitative Aptitude: 30 Marks

Check the subject-wise Prelims Syllabus below:

Reasoning Syllabus
English Language Syllabus
Quantitative Ability Syllabus
Logical Reasoning
Reading Comprehension
Simplification
Alphanumeric Series
Cloze Test
Profit & Loss
Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test
Para jumbles
Mixtures & Allegations
Data Sufficiency
Word Usage, Word-Swap
Simple Interest & Compound Interest & Surds & Indices
Inequalities
Fill in the blanks
Work & Time
Seating Arrangement
Error Detection, Error Spotting
Time & Distance
Puzzle
Paragraph Completion
Mensuration – Cylinder, Cone, Sphere
Tabulation
One word Substitution
Data Interpretation
Syllogism
Miscellaneous
Ratio & Proportion, Percentage
Blood Relations
 -
Number Systems
Input-Output
 -
Sequence & Series
Coding-Decoding
 -
Permutation, Combination &Probability

IBPS PO Mains Syllabus 2025

Candidates who score equal to or above the minimum cut-off marks will be eligible to appear for the IBPS PO Mains Exam. The detailed syllabus for each section of the Mains Exam is given below.

  • Data Analysis & Interpretation: 50 marks
  • English Language: 40 marks
  • Reasoning Ability: 60 marks
  • General Awareness & Economy/Banking Awareness (including Current Affairs): 50 marks

Data Analysis and Interpretation For Mains

Topic
Description
Simplification
Solve expressions using BODMAS and basic arithmetic rules.
Average
Find the mean value of the given numbers or data sets.
Percentage
Calculate parts per hundred and compare values.
Mixture and Allegations
Solve problems involving mixing two or more entities with different ratios.
Ratio and Proportion
Compare quantities and solve scaling problems.
Data Interpretation
Analyse and solve questions based on charts, tables, or graphs.
Mensuration and Geometry
Calculate area, volume, perimeter, etc., of 2D and 3D shapes.
Quadratic Equation
Solve equations of the form ax² + bx + c = 0.
Interest
Calculate simple and compound interest.
Problems of Ages
Solve age-related word problems using algebra.
Profit and Loss
Compute selling price, cost price, and profit/loss percentage.
Number Series
Identify the missing number or the next number in a sequence.
Speed, Distance, and Time
Solve motion-related problems using formulas and unit conversion.
Time and Work
Calculate work efficiency, combined work, and time taken.
Number System
Solve problems based on divisibility, HCF, LCM, and basic number properties.
Data Sufficiency
Determine whether the given data is enough to answer a question.
Linear Equation
Solve a single or a pair of linear equations in one or two variables.
Permutation and Combination
Count possible arrangements or selections in different scenarios.
Probability
Calculate the chance or likelihood of a particular outcome.

General Awareness and Economy/Banking Awareness Syllabus for Mains

Topic
Description
Financial Awareness
Covers basic concepts of economy, banking, budget, and financial systems.
Banking Reforms
Includes key changes and improvements in the banking sector over the years.
Monetary Policy
Refers to RBI’s policy decisions on interest rates, liquidity, and inflation.
RBI Reports and Indices
Covers RBI’s annual, monthly reports and key indices it publishes.
International Organisation Reports
Important reports released by IMF, World Bank, UN, etc., and their relevance.
Current Affairs of National and International Importance
Includes recent events, govt schemes, summits, appointments, and global news.
General Knowledge
Covers static GK like capitals, currencies, books, awards, and historical facts.

Reasoning Syllabus for Mains

Topic
Description
Verbal Reasoning
Questions that assess logical thinking and language-based reasoning.
Syllogism
Deduce conclusions based on given statements using logic rules.
Circular Seating Arrangement
Arrangement of people/items in a circular order based on given conditions.
Code Inequalities
Solve inequalities coded in symbols to find valid conclusions.
Linear Seating Arrangement
Arrange individuals in a straight line using direction and position clues.
Double Lineup
Match two sets of data, like names and professions, based on complex conditions.
Scheduling
Determine the sequence or timing of events/activities from given data.
Input-Output
Decode the machine-based pattern of input strings to track changes step-by-step.
Blood Relations
Solve puzzles involving family relationships based on statements.
Directions and Distances
Determine direction or distance based on movement-related clues.
Ordering and Ranking
Rank people/things based on height, marks, position, etc.
Data Sufficiency
Judge whether given data is enough to answer a question.
Coding and Decoding
Break patterns where words or numbers are replaced with codes.

English Language Syllabus for Mains

Topic
Description
Reading Comprehension
Passage-based questions to test reading speed, understanding, and inference skills.
Vocabulary
Questions based on word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, and word usage.
Grammar
Tests your understanding of rules related to sentence structure and correctness.
One Word Substitution
Replace a full phrase or sentence with a single, precise word.
Verbal Ability
Covers sentence rearrangement, para jumbles, and identifying sentence errors.

IBPS PO Descriptive Test

IBPS has included the descriptive test of 25 Marks in the PO Mains Exam. The candidates will have to write an essay and a letter of 25 marks. The English Language Paper is to assess the candidates’ writing skills, and it is compulsory to pass this paper by securing a minimum cut-off. Some topics asked in the previous year's essays and letters are listed below for the reference of the candidates.

  1. Economic and Social Issues
  2. Emerging Trends in Banking
  3. Technology,
  4. Current events, Ethics etc

IBPS PO Interview 2025

Candidates who have been shortlisted in the Online Main examination for CRP- PO/MT-XIV will subsequently be
called for an Interview to be conducted by the Participating Organisation and coordinated by the Nodal Bank in each State/ UT with the help of IBPS. Interviews will be conducted at select centres.

  1. The total marks allotted for the IBPS PO Interview are 100.
  2. The minimum qualifying marks in the interview will not be less than 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWBD candidates).
  3. The weightage (ratio) of the IBPS PO Online Main Exam and interview will be 80:20, respectively.
  4. The combined final score of candidates shall be arrived at based on scores obtained by the candidates in the Online Main Examination of CRP-PO/MT-XIV and the Interview.
  5. A candidate should qualify both in the Online Main Exam and interview and be sufficiently high in merit to be shortlisted for the subsequent provisional allotment process.

IBPS PO Selection Process 2025

The Probationary Officer Exam is conducted in three different stages as listed below:

Stage
Exam Pattern
Purpose
Prelims Exam

Objective Test

Total Marks: 100

Mostly a screening test. Marks are not counted in the final merit. Candidates qualifying in this move to the Mains exam.
Mains Exam

Objective + Descriptive Test

Total Marks: 225 (200 Objective + 25 Descriptive)

Marks are counted in the final merit. Requires deep conceptual clarity and practice.
Interview

Candidates shortlisted based on the Mains score

Minimum qualifying marks set by IBPS

Final stage to assess the candidate’s communication, personality, and banking awareness. Final selection based on Mains + Interview scores.

IBPS PO Negative Marking

An incorrect answer in the IBPS PO objective exam results in a penalty of one-fourth or 0.25 marks being deducted for that question. However, if you choose not to answer a question, there is no penalty. This encourages careful consideration of each question, as guessing incorrectly can lower your score.

How to Prepare with the IBPS PO Syllabus?

To prepare for the IBPS PO 2025 prelims examination, the candidates can go through the details of the IBPS PO Preparation Strategy. Here we have mentioned some tips for the reference of the candidates.

  • Start by thoroughly understanding the syllabus, which includes sections like Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, English Language, and General Awareness.
  • Make a schedule, adding all the topics and weekly or daily goals.
  • Create a study plan that allocates time for each section based on your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Join IBPS PO Online Coaching 2025 if you need assistance.
  • Practice with IBPS PO Mock Test and IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper to improve speed and accuracy.
  • Focus on time management and regularly review your progress to ensure comprehensive preparation.
Also Check:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the syllabus of IBPS PO Prelims?
Q: What is IBPS PO prelims exam pattern?