IBPS SO Syllabus 2026, Post-wise Prelims and Mains Syllabus

The Institute of Banking Personnel and Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS SO Examination for the Specialist post in Public Sector Banks. The selection process consists of Prelims, Mains, and Interview, which has a defined syllabus and exam pattern.

Every year, IBPS provides the exam pattern details for both stages, so to begin the preparation, candidates should first know the IBPS SO Syllabus 2026. The Prelims exam basically tests candidates’ aptitude and Mains is for testing Professional knowledge in the respective field.

IBPS SO Syllabus 2026

IBPS is expected to release the IBPS SO 2026 Notification soon for Specialist Post and the Prelims exam will be held on 20th August 2026. This stage is only qualifying in nature, but it is the first step towards the candidate’s selection. The subjects included in the Prelims and Mains exam are Reasoning, English language, Quantitative Aptitude, GA, and Professional Knowledge.

The subject and topics in Professional knowledge section varies as per IT Officer, AFO, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/ Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer posts.

IBPS SO Syllabus – Highlights

Candidates should be well aware of the detailed IBPS SO Syllabus for all the posts so that they can make up their minds to prepare enthusiastically and strategically. Candidates can go through the overview table given below.

IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates can check the important points of the IBPS SO Exam Pattern of Prelims & Mains for IBPS SO.

• The exam pattern for Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) and Law Officer is the same. Whereas for all other posts is different from these two posts.
• Final selection is based on Mains + Interview in an 80:20 ratio.

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The preliminary examination includes three subjects: Reasoning, English Language, and General Awareness and the total number of questions asked is 150. The examination is conducted online for 125 marks.

IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The main exam pattern is divided into the posts of Law, IT, Agriculture Field, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officer and the Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari. The details of the examination have been mentioned below for the candidates.

IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus

The post-wise IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2024 has been discussed here for the candidates.

• Rajbhasha Adhikari Scale I officer will have to appear for the given subjects: Reasoning Ability, English Language, and General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry.
• The Specialist Officers (Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer, IT Officer Scale I will appear for the given subjects: Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language.

Reasoning Syllabus

• Seating Arrangements
• Puzzles
• Inequalities
• Syllogism
• Input-Output
• Data Sufficiency
• Blood Relations
• Order and Ranking
• Alphanumeric Series
• Distance and Direction
• Verbal Reasoning

English Syllabus

• Cloze Test
• Reading Comprehension
• Spotting Errors
• Sentence Improvement
• Sentence Correction
• Para Jumbles
• Fill in the Blanks
• Para/Sentence Completion

Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

• Number Series
• Data Interpretation
• Simplification/ Approximation
• Quadratic Equation
• Data Sufficiency
• Mensuration
• Average
• Profit and Loss
• Ratio and Proportion
• Work, Time, and Energy
• Time and Distance
• Probability
• Relations
• Simple and Compound Interest
• Permutation and Combination

General Awareness Syllabus

• Current Affairs
• Banking Awareness
• GK Updates
• Currencies
• Important Places
• Books and Authors
• Awards
• Headquarters
• Prime Minister Schemes
• Important Days

IBPS SO Mains Syllabus 2026

The candidates who clear the prelims stage will be able to appear in the mains section. The IBPS SO Post Wise Syllabus for Rajbhasha Adhikari, HR/Personnel Officer, Law Officer, Marketing Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, and IT Officer has been discussed here.

Syllabus for IBPS SO IT Officer (Scale 1)

• Database Management System
• Data Communication and Networking
• Operating System
• Software Engineering
• Data Structure
• Computer Organisation and Microprocessor
• Object-Oriented Programming

Syllabus for IBPS SO Agriculture Field Officer (Scale 1)

• Basics of Crop Production
• Horticulture
• Seed Science
• Agronomy and Irrigation
• Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural Practices
• Soil resources
• Animal Husbandry
• Agroforestry
• Ecology
• Government Schemes

Syllabus for IBPS SO Marketing Officer (Scale 1)

• Basics of Marketing Management
• Brand Management
• Advertising
• PR
• Sales
• Retail
• Business Ethics
• Market Segmentation
• Market research and forecasting demand
• Product Life Cycle
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Service Marketing
• Marketing Strategies

Syllabus for IBPS SO Law Officer (Scale 1)

• Banking Regulations
• Compliance and Legal Aspects
• Relevant Laws and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange
• Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act
• Consumer Protection Act
• SURFACES
• Banking Ombudsman Scheme
• Laws and Actions with a direct link to Banking Sector
• Bankers Book Evidence Act
• DRT Act

Syllabus for IBPS SO HR/Personnel Officer (Scale 1)

• Human Resource Development
• Business policy and strategic analysis
• Transnational Analysis
• Training and Development
• Recruitment and Selection
• Rewards and Recognition
• Industrial Relations
• Business Policy and Strategic Analysis
• Grievance and Conflict Management
• Performance Management and Appraisal

Syllabus for IBPS SO Rajbhasha Adhikari

• Banking Regulations Passages
• Synonyms-Antonyms
• Cloze Test
• Fill in the Blanks
• Practical Translation
• Hindi/English Grammar

IBPS SO Interview 2026

The candidates who successfully qualify the prelims and mains stage will be called for the IBPS SO Interview process. The candidates must perform well in the examination as it is the final selection stage. In the interview process, the candidates will be screened according to the post they have applied for and will be asked questions related to the roles and horizon.

IBPS SO Selection Process 2026

IBPS SO Exam will be conducted in the following three phases, the candidates need to qualify all the stages of the IBPS SO Selection Process 2026.

• Preliminary Exam
• Mains Exam
• Interview Process

Every applicant must clear all levels of examination to get selected for the post of Specialist Officer in multiple Public Sector Banks participating in IBPS SO.