IBPS PO 2026 Syllabus & Exam Pattern (CRP PO/MT-XVI)
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS PO exam for recruitment of Probationary Officers in 11 participating public sector banks. This page covers the complete syllabus and exam pattern for both Prelims and Mains examinations.
IBPS PO 2026 Selection Process
| Stage | Type | Marks | Nature |
|---|
| Stage 1 | Preliminary Exam (Online) | 100 | Qualifying only — not counted in final merit |
| Stage 2 | Main Exam (Objective + Descriptive) | 200 + 25 | Counted in final merit (80% weightage) |
| Stage 3 | Personality Test + Interview | 100 | Counted in final merit (20% weightage) |
Final merit is prepared using only the Main Exam score + Interview score. Prelims score is used only to shortlist for Mains.
Preliminary Exam Pattern (Objective)
| Section | Questions | Max Marks | Duration |
|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer. No penalty for unanswered questions.
Prelims Syllabus – Subject-wise Topics
English Language
- Reading Comprehension (RC)
- Cloze Test
- Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement
- Error Detection / Spotting Errors
- Fillers (Double Fillers, Single Fillers)
- Word Swap / Sentence Improvement
- Phrase Replacement
- Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases)
Quantitative Aptitude
- Simplification / Approximation
- Number Series (Missing & Wrong)
- Data Interpretation (Tabular, Line Graph, Bar Graph, Pie Chart, Caselet)
- Quadratic Equations
- Arithmetic Topics:
- Percentage
- Profit & Loss
- Discount & Marked Price
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Time & Work
- Time, Speed & Distance
- Ratio & Proportion
- Mixture & Alligation
- Average
- Boats & Streams
- Pipe & Cistern
- Probability
- Permutation & Combination
Reasoning Ability
- Seating Arrangement (Linear, Circular, Square, Row-based)
- Puzzles (Floor-based, Day/Month/Year-based, Comparison, Classification)
- Syllogism
- Blood Relations
- Direction & Distance
- Inequality (Coded & Direct)
- Coding-Decoding
- Order & Ranking
- Alphanumeric Series
- Data Sufficiency
- Logical Reasoning (Statement-Assumption, Statement-Argument, Statement-Conclusion)
Main Exam Pattern (Objective 200 marks + Descriptive 25 marks)
| Section | Questions | Max Marks | Duration |
|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking/Digital/Financial Awareness (incl. RBI circulars) | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total (Objective) | 170 | 200 | 160 minutes |
Descriptive Paper (30 minutes, separate)
| Test | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| Essay & Comprehension | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
The Descriptive Paper is based on economic/social issues, banking & technology trends, current events, and ethics.
Mains Syllabus – Section-wise Breakdown
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
- Reasoning: Puzzles (Floor, Box, Day/Month, Comparison, Scheduling), Seating Arrangement (Circular, Linear, Square, Rectangular), Syllogism (New Pattern), Data Sufficiency, Inequalities, Input-Output, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Order & Ranking
- Computer Aptitude: Computer Fundamentals, Hardware & Software, Operating Systems, Networking, Internet, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Database Concepts, Cyber Security, Input/Output Devices, Memory, Number Systems
General/Economy/Banking/Digital/Financial Awareness
- Current Affairs (National & International) – last 6-8 months
- Indian Economy – GDP, Budget, Inflation, Monetary Policy, Fiscal Policy
- Banking Awareness – RBI functions & policies, Banking Regulations, Basel Norms
- Financial Awareness – SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, Mutual Funds, Insurance, Capital Market
- Digital Banking – UPI, e-Wallets, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, FinTech
- Government Schemes – PMJDY, PMAY, MUDRA, Stand-Up India, Start-Up India
- Important RBI Circulars & Guidelines
- International Organizations – IMF, World Bank, ADB, WTO
- Important Days, Awards & Honours, Sports, Science & Technology
English Language
- Reading Comprehension (Long & Short passages)
- Error Detection (Grammar-based)
- Sentence Improvement / Sentence Correction
- Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement
- Cloze Test
- Fillers (Single & Double)
- Word Swap / Phrase Replacement
- Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms, One Word Substitution)
- Paragraph Completion / Paragraph Fillers
Data Analysis & Interpretation
- Data Interpretation – Tabular, Line Graph, Bar Graph, Pie Chart, Radar, Missing DI, Caselet DI
- Data Sufficiency
- Number Series (Missing & Wrong)
- Quadratic Equations
- Simplification / Approximation
- Arithmetic Word Problems (Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Time & Work, Speed & Distance, Ratio, Mixture & Alligation, Average, Probability, Permutation & Combination)
IBPS PO Exam Analysis – Difficulty Trend (2023–2025)
| Year | Prelims Level | Good Attempts (Prelims) | Mains Level |
|---|
| 2023 | Easy–Moderate | 64–70 | Moderate |
| 2024 | Easy–Moderate | 65–72 | Moderate–Difficult |
| 2025 | Easy–Moderate | 60–75 | Moderate–Difficult |
Major Changes in IBPS PO 2026 Syllabus
- Revised Mains Pattern: Mains now has 170 objective questions (up from 145).
- Section Re-weightage: General/Economy/Banking Awareness and Data Analysis sections have increased weightage; English Language has reduced marks and shorter duration.
- Descriptive Paper: May be evaluated by automated scoring system for writing proficiency.
- Computer Aptitude: Now combined with Reasoning section in Mains.
Recommended Study Strategy
- Understand the syllabus thoroughly and create a topic-wise study plan.
- Practice sectional mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.
- Solve previous year papers (2022–2025) to understand question trends.
- Focus on Data Interpretation and Arithmetic for Quant – these carry maximum weight.
- Read newspaper daily (The Hindu / Indian Express) for General Awareness and English.
- Avoid negative marks – attempt only confident questions.
- Take full-length mock tests regularly and analyze mistakes.
Important Links