IBPS SO Notification 2026, Exam Date (Out), Check Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern

IBPS SO 2026 Exam Date Out

The IBPS SO 2026 exam dates are officially out in the IBPS Calendar, with Prelims scheduled for August 29, 2026 and Mains on November 1, 2026. These follow the preliminary online test focusing on Reasoning, English, Quantitative Aptitude, and professional knowledge screening for specialist roles. Candidates should note the application window in September-October 2026, with interviews post-mains for final selection across public sector banks. Download the calendar PDF from ibps.in for complete timelines and preparation planning.

Check: IBPS Calendar 2026

IBPS SO 2026 Overview 

The IBPS SO 2026 presents a fantastic opportunity for those seeking a good job in a public sector bank. If you are interested in applying, it is essential to be well-informed about the notification and exam details.

Make sure to visit the official IBPS website and go through the complete notification to stay updated with the latest information and to ensure you meet all the necessary criteria before applying for the IBPS SO Exam. Here is a comprehensive overview of the IBPS SO Examination: 

IBPS SO 2026 Overview
Organisation	Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Post	Specialist Officer (SO)
Exam Level	National
Vacancy	TBA
Application Mode	Online
Registration Dates	TBA
IBPS SO Recruitment Process	Prelims, Main Exams, Interview
Education Qualification	Graduates or relevant degree
Age Limit	20 years to 28 years
Application Fee	SC/ST/PWD- Rs.175 General and Others- Rs. 850
IBPS Official Website	www.ibps.in

IBPS SO 2026 Important Dates

The IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) will announce the IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 soon. Aspiring candidates can now check the significant dates related to IBPS SO 2026 which have been released along with the IBPS Calendar 2026 on 16 Jan 2026.

IBPS SO 2026 Important Dates
Events	Dates
IBPS SO Notification 2026	TBA
Online Registration Starts	TBA
Last Date to Apply Online	TBA
IBPS SO Prelims Admit Card 2026	TBA
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Date 2026	29th August 2025
IBPS SO Mains Exam Date 2026	1st November 2025

IBPS SO Vacancy 2026

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will announce the IBPS SO vacancy 2026 details for Specialist Officer posts along with the IBPS SO notification 2026. Till then, candidates can get an idea about the vacancies from previous year  that are given in the table below: 

 

IBPS SO Vacancy Previous Year
Posts	SC	ST	OBC	EWS	UR	Vacancies
Agriculture Field Officer (AFO)	46	23	82	13	128	310
HR/Personnel	01	00	02	01	06	10
IT Officer	30	14	53	20	86	203
Law Officer	07	03	14	05	27	56
Marketing	52	26	94	35	143	350
Rajbhasha	10	03	19	07	39	78
Total	146	69	264	81	429	1007

IBPS SO 2026 Application Form 

The IBPS SO 2026 Application Form will be available online at ibps.in during the official notification period. Candidates must complete online registration, upload scanned photo/signature, and pay fees (Rs. 850 for General/OBC, Rs. 175 for SC/ST/PWD) via debit/credit/net banking. Ensure accurate details matching eligibility documents, as no corrections allowed post-submission; multiple applications lead to disqualification. Print the form post-payment for future reference during Prelims on August 29, 2026.

IBPS SO 2026 Application Fees

The application fee for the IBPS SO (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Specialist Officer) exam is released with the notification. However, based on the previous year's notification, the fee structure is expected to be similar. Aspirants are advised to stay updated with the official IBPS website or the latest exam notification for the exact details regarding the application fee for IBPS SO 2026.

IBPS SO Application Fees
Category	Fees
SC/ ST/ PWD	Rs. 175
All Others	Rs. 850

IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria 2026

The eligibility criteria for IBPS SO 2026 will be specified in the official notification. IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) Eligibility criteria generally stay consistent but may vary slightly depending on the specific post within the Specialist Cadre or wing of the Bank, such as Information Technology, Marketing, HR, Law, and others. The eligibility requirements for IBPS SO are determined by factors like age limit, educational qualifications, and relevant work experience. Below, we have provided a detailed overview of the eligibility criteria for IBPS SO 2026.

IBPS SO Educational Qualification

The following are the educational requirements for IBPS SO 2026, given in the table below.

IBPS SO Educational Qualification
Scale-I Officer	Educational Qualifications
I.T. Officer	a) 4-year Engineering/Technology Degree in Computer Science/ Computer Applications/ Information Technology/ Electronics/ Electronics & Telecommunications/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation, OR b) Post Graduate Degree in Electronics/ Electronics & Tele Communication/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation/ Computer Science/ Information Technology/ Computer Applications, OR c) Graduate having passed DOEACC 'B' level.
Agricultural Field Officer	4-year Degree (graduation) in Agriculture/ Horticulture/Animal Husbandry/ Veterinary Science/ Dairy Science/ Fishery Science/ Pisciculture/ Agri. Marketing & Cooperation/ Co-operation & Banking/ Agro-Forestry/ Forestry/ Agricultural Biotechnology/ Food Science/ Agriculture Business Management/ Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Agricultural Engineering/ Sericulture.
Rajbhasha Adhikari	(a) Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the degree (graduation) level, OR (b) Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (graduation) level.
Law Officer	A Bachelor Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with Bar Council.
HR/Personnel Officer	Graduate and Two Years Full-time Post Graduate degree or Two Years Full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/HR/HRD/Social Work/Labor Law.
Marketing Officer	Graduate and Two Years Full-time MMS (Marketing)/ Two Years Full-time MBA (Marketing)/ Two Years Full-time PGDBA/ PGDBM/ PGPM/ PGDM with specialization in Marketing.

If you have dual specializations, one of them must be in the specified field. For major/minor specializations, your major specialization should be in the prescribed stream. If you hold a PG Degree (MMS or MBA) or a PG Diploma with more than two specializations, you are not eligible to apply. Please note that for positions other than IT Officer Scale I, candidates should possess a Certificate/Diploma/Degree in computer operations/language, or should have studied Computer/Information Technology as one of their subjects during High School/College/Institute.

IBPS SO Age Limit

The age of a candidate applying for the IBPS SO exam will be determined based on the months mentioned in the official notification. The minimum age requirement is 20 years, and the maximum age allowed is 30 years. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC/PwBD categories and other specified categories have age relaxation as per the guidelines set by the authorities. The IBPS SO Age relaxation is given below in the table.

IBPS SO Age relaxation
Category	Upper Age Limit
ST/SC	35 Years
OBC (Non-creamy layer)	33 Years
PWBD	40 Years
Ex-Servicemen, Commissioned Officers, ECOs/SSCOs	35 Years
Persons affected by 1984 riots	35 Years

IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2026

The IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) exam follows a three-tier structure, consisting of the preliminary exam, main exam, and a Personal Interview. Here's the IBPS SO exam pattern:

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The preliminary exam of IBPS SO (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection - Specialist Officer) consists of 150 questions, carrying a total of 125 marks. Candidates have 120 minutes (2 hours) to complete the exam. It is essential to note that while the timings and maximum marks are the same for all candidates, the exam pattern may differ based on the specific post applied for. Additionally, there is a sectional cut off in the IBPS SO 2026 Exam, meaning candidates need to score above a certain minimum mark in each section to qualify for further rounds. The post-wise IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2026 for the prelims exam is given in the table below.

IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
Posts	Name of Tests	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Medium of Exam	Duration
Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari	English Language	50	25	English	40 minutes
	Reasoning	50	50	English and Hindi	40 minutes
	General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry	50	50	English and Hindi	40 minutes
	Total	150	125		120 minutes
IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer	English Language	50	25	English	40 minutes
	Reasoning	50	50	English and Hindi	40 minutes
	Quantitative Aptitude	50	50	English and Hindi	40 minutes
	Total	150	125		120 minutes

IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The main examination of IBPS SO 2026 requires candidates to possess a strong understanding of their respective professional fields. Below is an outline of the pattern for the exam:

IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
Posts	Name of Tests	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Medium of Exam	Duration
Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer	Professional Knowledge	60	60	English and Hindi	45 minutes
Rajbhasha Adhikari	Professional Knowledge (Objective)	45	60	English and Hindi	30 minutes
	Professional Knowledge (Descriptive)	2		English and Hindi	30 minutes

In the IBPS SO (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Specialist Officer) exams, there will be a penalty of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer in both the preliminary and main exams. However, there won't be any deduction of marks for questions left unattempted. You can find more detailed information about the examination in the Information Handout that will be provided along with the IBPS SO Admit Card.

IBPS SO Syllabus 2026

The IBPS SO Syllabus 2026 remains unchanged for the common subjects typically asked in banking examinations, except for the Professional Knowledge section, which will be tailored to the specific stream of the candidate. The recruitment process will consist of three steps:

1. Preliminary Exam
2. Main Exam - This will include a test of professional knowledge related to the candidate's particular field.
3. Interview Round

IBPS SO 2026 Admit Card

The IBPS SO 2026 Admit Card will be released approximately 10-15 days before the Prelims exam on August 29, 2026, available for download at ibps.in using registration number and password/DOB. Candidates must verify details like photo, exam centre, and shift timings before printing a hard copy, as digital versions won't be accepted at exam halls. Carry the admit card with a valid photo ID (Aadhaar, Voter ID, etc.) for entry; without these, candidates will be debarred. Download links activate post-Prelims call letter date announced in the official notification.

IBPS SO Cut Off 2026

The IBPS SO Cut Off 2026 will be published after the result is declared. To gauge the competition level of the exam, candidates can refer to the previous year's cut-off. The IBPS SO Cut Off is determined by several factors, including the difficulty level of the examination, the number of available vacancies, and the average attempts made by candidates, considering their accuracy in answering the questions. Checking the previous year's cut-off can give candidates an idea of what to expect in terms of qualifying scores for the current year's exam.

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