IBPS SO Selection Process 2026, Prelims, Mains, Interview Complete Details

IBPS SO Selection Process 2026 has three stages and the candidates need to qualify in each stage to get finally selected for applied post. Know all the details of the IBPS SO Selection Process from this article.

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Candidates planning to appear for the IBPS SO 2026 Exam should be well aware of the complete IBPS SO Selection Process 2026 to prepare effectively. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has designed a structured selection process to shortlist eligible candidates for the Specialist Officer post. The recruitment process consists of three stages: the Preliminary Examination, the Mains Examination, and the Interview. Each stage plays a important role in the final selection, and the details of every stage are explained below.

IBPS SO Selection Process 2026

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has designed the selection process, which includes Prelims, Mains, and Interview. If you are going to apply for the recruitment, the candidates must get familiar with the IBPS SO Selection Process. There will be three stages in the selection, where the candidates will have to qualify for the prelims, mains, and interview rounds.

IBPS SO Selection Process: Overview
Organization Name	Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Post	Specialist Officer (SO)
Exam Level	National Level
Application Mode	Online
Exam Mode	Online
Selection Process	Prelims Mains Interview
Exam Language	Hindi/English
Official Website	@ibps.in

IBPS SO Selection Procedure 2026 Details

IBPS SO Selection Process is conducted to select candidates for posts of IBPS SO for different disciplines such as I.T. Officer (Scale-I), Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I), Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I), Law Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) and Marketing Officer (Scale I) posts. As discussed above, there total of 3 stages in the IBPS SO Examination 2026. Check the overview below.

IBPS SO Selection Process 2026
Preliminary Stage 1	Objective Type (Computer-Based Examination)
Main Stage 2	Objective Type (Computer-Based Examination)
Interview	Personality Test

IBPS SO Selection Process: Prelims Exam Pattern

Below we have provided the IBPS SO Exam Pattern for various departments separately so that it could help the candidates boost up their preparation.

IBPS SO Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari Exam Pattern

We have detailed below the IBPS SO Exam Pattern for the Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari.

Name of Test	Number of Questions	Maximum Marks	Medium of Exam	Timing (Minutes)
English Language	50	25	English	40
Reasoning Ability	50	50	English and Hindi	40
General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry	50	50	English and Hindi	40
Total	150	125		120 mins.

IBPS SO IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer Exam Pattern

Name of Test	Number of Questions	Maximum Marks	Medium of Exam	Timing (Minutes)
English Language	50	25	English	40
Reasoning Ability	50	50	English and Hindi	40
Quantitative Aptitude	50	50	English and Hindi	40
Total	150	125		120

For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted

IBPS SO Selection Process: Mains Exam Pattern

The main exam pattern for the IBPS SO is different for every post as mentioned below.

For the Posts of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer:

Name of the Test	No. of Qs.	Max. Marks	Duration
Profession Knowledge	60	60	45 minutes

For the Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari:

Name of the Test	No. of Qs.	Max. Marks	Duration
Professional Knowledge (Objective)	45	60	30 minutes
Professional Knowledge (Descriptive)	2	60	30 minutes

IBPS SO Selection Process: Interview

Candidates who will successfully clear the IBPS SO prelims and mains examination will be called for the interview round based on the marks obtained by them.
The interview round consists of 100 marks in total.
The minimum qualifying marks in the IBPS SO Interviews will not be less than 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWD candidates).

IBPS SO Provisional Allotment

Candidates will be provisionally allotted to one of the participating organisations of IBPS, based on the available vacancies and merit-cum-preference basis.
In case 2 or more candidates obtain the same score in the exam, the merit would be decided based on the date of birth of the candidate.

Important Links:
IBPS SO Recruitment 2026	IBPS SO Syllabus
IBPS SO Salary	IBPS SO Exam Pattern
IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria	IBPS SO Previous Year Question Papers
IBPS SO Cut Off

FAQs

Q1. How many stages are there in IBPS SO Selection Process 2026?

Ans. There are 3 Stages in IBPS SO Selection Process 2026 i.e. Prelims, Mains & Interview.

Q2. Is there any negative marking in IBPS SO Prelims Exam?

Ans. Yes, there is a negative marking of 0.25 in IBPS SO Prelims Exam.

Can I apply for multiple posts under IBPS SO?

Yes, you can apply for multiple posts if you meet the eligibility criteria for each post. However, you need to fill out separate application forms and pay the application fee for each post.

How can I prepare for the IBPS SO exam?

You can start by understanding the exam pattern and syllabus. Create a study plan, practice previous years' question papers, take mock tests, and refer to recommended study materials and books. Time management, accuracy, and consistent practice are key to success.

How are final selections made for IBPS SO positions?

The final selection is based on the candidate's performance in the mains exam and the interview round, with the weightage ratio set by IBPS. The interview panel assesses the candidate's knowledge, skills, and suitability for the specific specialist position.