IBPS PO Selection Process 2026, Get Prelims, Mains & Interview Details
Get complete details of the IBPS PO Selection Process 2026, including Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages. Check exam pattern, qualifying criteria, marking scheme, and final merit process here.
Priyanka Dahima8 Jan, 2026
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IBPS PO Selection Process 2026: The IBPS PO 2026 notification is expected in June-July 2026, marking the start of recruitment for Probationary Officer posts in public sector banks, with details on vacancies, eligibility, and application process to be released officially by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). This annual drive targets graduates aiming for banking careers, featuring a multi-stage selection to ensure skilled candidates. Aspirants should prepare early by reviewing past patterns and syllabi.
IBPS PO Selection Process 2026
The IBPS PO 2026 selection unfolds in three phases: Prelims, Mains, and Interview, designed to evaluate aptitude, knowledge, and personality comprehensively. Prelims is an online objective test covering English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning, serving as a qualifier for the Mains exam. Mains includes objective and descriptive sections on professional knowledge, followed by a psychometric test and personal interview for final merit list preparation. Success demands consistent practice across all stages for time-bound performance.
IBPS PO 2026 Selection Process Overview
Check out the below-mentioned details on IBPS PO 2026 Selection Procedure to understand it in a better way.
| IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 | |
| Organization | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Exam Name | IBPS PO Exam 2026 |
| Post | Probationary Officer (PO) |
| Language Of Exam | English & Hindi |
| IBPS PO Selection Process | Prelims, Mains and Interview |
| Official Website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 Stage Wise
The selection process for IBPS PO 2026 consists of three stages – Prelims Exam, Main Exam, and Interview. The IBPS preliminary stage is qualifying in nature and the marks secured in prelims are not considered for the final merit list. Candidates appearing for the IBPS PO exam are selected based on their scores in the mains exam and interview. The IBPS PO Selection Process consists of the following stages, these are-1. Preliminary Examination :
The first stage is the online IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026, which consists of multiple-choice questions. The exam usually includes three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. Candidates must qualify in each section to move on to the next stage.2. Main Examination :
Candidates who qualify for the preliminary exam are eligible to appear for the IBPS PO Mains Exam 2026. The main exam consists of both objective and descriptive tests. The objective test includes sections such as Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, English Language, and Data Analysis & Interpretation. The descriptive test typically includes an essay and a letter-writing section.3. Interview :
Candidates who qualify in the main examination are called for a personal interview. The interview assesses the candidate's personality, communication skills, and suitability for the role of a Probationary Officer.4. Final Selection :
The final selection is based on the combined scores of the main examination and the interview. A merit list is prepared, and candidates are selected based on their performance.5. Document Verification :
Selected candidates must undergo document verification to confirm their eligibility and qualifications.6. Training :
After selection, candidates may undergo training before being posted to their respective banks. Hence, all the banking aspirants interested in appearing for the IBPS PO exam must be aware of the IBPS PO selection process. So in this post, we are providing you complete IBPS PO Selection Process 2026.IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026
For the year 2026-26, IBPS has revised the Exam Pattern for IBPS PO prelims and mains process. Candidates who are going to appear for the recruitment drive must know the IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026 to prepare in the right direction. We have tabulated below the revised IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
- IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 acts as an examination round to select the candidates for the next stages.
- It consists of 3 parts and the total duration is 1 hour (60 Minutes).
- In this stage, candidates have to answer 100 multiple-choice questions.
- However, they should be careful in their answers as each wrong answer will get 0.25 marks.
- To qualify for the next stage, candidates must score the minimum marks prescribed by IBPS in all the sections of the preliminary exam
| Subjects | Number of Questions | 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 |
IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
- To appear in the IBPS PO Mains exam, candidates have to clear the preliminary round.
- The IBPS PO Mains exam consists of four sections with an additional section especially for English.
- The exam consists of a total of 200 exams. multiple choice questions (MCQ) and the duration is 3 hours.
- Each wrong answer will carry a negative mark of 0.25 marks.
- Each section of the main exam has a time limit similar to the prelims. Candidates have to clear each section one by one to crack the online exam.
- The new addition to the IBPS PO Mains exam is a Descriptive Test which carries 25 marks. This exam assesses candidates' writing skills and requires them to write an essay and a letter. It is important to complete this section by reaching the minimum cut-off point.
| Section | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Time allotted for each test |
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness | 35 | 50 | 25 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 145 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) | 02 | 25 | 30 minutes |
IBPS PO Interview Process 2026
In IBPS PO Interview Process 2026, there is no specific topic that candidates should focus on. However, it is highly recommended to focus on subjects like general knowledge, current affairs, and economics while preparing for the interview. The total weightage of the interview is 100 marks and candidates must score at least 40% (35% SC/ST). /OBC/PWD) to qualify for that stage.The final result is calculated based on the marks obtained in both the interview and the main exam with a weight of 20:80. In other words, the completion of the interview contributes 20% to the final result, while the part of the main exam is 80%.
IBPS PO Pre-Exam Training
Notably, the pre-training to apply for the post of IBPS PO is not a stage of the selection process and mere participation in it does not constitute direct recruitment into the IBPS organization. It is organized by the Nodal Banks/Participating Organizations to train a limited number of SC/ST/Minority candidates. Applicants who wish to attend this training must do so in their online application. Candidates must pay all other travel costs not included in the training costs. Some centers are -- Agartala, Agra, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad
- Balasore, Behrampur (Ganjam), Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar
- Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore
- Dehradun, Dhanbad
- Gorakhpur, Gulbarga, Guwahati
- Hubli, Hyderabad
- Indore
- Jabalpur, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur
- Kanpur, Karnal, Kavaratti, Kochi, Kolkata
- Lucknow, Ludhiana
- Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Muzaffarpur, Mysore
- Nagpur, New Delhi
- Panaji (Goa), Patiala, Patna, Port Blair, Puducherry, Pune
- Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Rohtak
- Sambalpur, Shimla, Shillong, Siliguri
- Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati
- Vadodara, Varanasi, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam
Documents Required During IBPS PO Interview
Candidates must submit the following documents in original and self-attested copies of their eligibility for IBPS PO 2026- IBPS PO Online Application
- Date of Birth
- Photo Identity Proof
- IBPS PO Admit Card
- Graduate Marksheet/Degree dated on or before August 2026 or equivalent qualification result caste certificate issued by the competent authority in the format prescribed by the Government of India. The caste certificate of the OBC category should mention that they belong to the non-creamy layer.
- Income and Asset Certificate issued by the competent authorities of the Government of India to the EWS category applicants in the prescribed format.
- Certificate of disability in the form prescribed by the Regional Medical Board for the category of disabled.
- If the applicant has used the services of a scribe, the details of the scribe, duly filled in, must be sent in the prescribed form.
- Ex-conscription applicants must submit a copy of the service or discharge certificate and proof of pension payment order and position.
- Candidates currently serving in Defense posts are required to submit a certificate from a competent authority that they will be discharged from service on or before August 2026.
- Candidates working in Government / Quasi Government / Public Sector Undertakings / State Banks and Financial Institutions are required to submit a No Objection Certificate from their employer.
- Persons entitled to seniority due to permanent residence in Jammu and Kashmir must produce proof of residence.
- Persons entitled to seniority due to the impact of the 1984 riots must produce a certificate to that effect issued by the District Judge.
- Letters of experience (optional)
- All other relevant documents to prove eligibility.
IBPS PO Recruitment Stages 2026 - Key Points
Here are some important points related to the IBPS PO Recruitment 2026.
- The temporary allocation is made depending on a combination of merit and preferences.
- Allotment is based on the final openings indicated by the participating organizations.
- Candidates from reserved categories who are chosen according to the rules that apply to the general category are treated like general candidates.
- The tie-breaking policy is implemented in order to determine the candidates' merit.
- Candidates must meet the banks' qualifying requirements.
- The participating banks complete the joining formalities.
| Other Related Links of IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 | |
| IBPS PO Eligibility Criteria | IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper |
| IBPS PO Syllabus | IBPS PO Salary |
| IBPS PO Cut Off | |
IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 FAQs
How many stages are there in IBPS PO Selection Process 2026?
Under IBPS PO Selection Process 2026- there are Prelims, Mains and Interview round.
Is there a negative marking in IBPS PO Prelims and Mains Exam?
Yes, there is a negative marking of 0.25 marks in Prelims and Mains phase of the IBPS PO Exam.
How candidates are selected based on the IBPS PO Selection Process 2026?
As per the IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 candidates are selected based on the scores obtained in the Mains and Interview round.
Is it necessary to go through the details of IBPS PO 2026 Selection Process?
Yes, it is very essential and necessary to go through the details of IBPS PO 2026 Selection Process.
Which stage is considered for Final Selection of IBPS PO 2026?
The final merit list is prepared with the marks secured in mains and Interview.
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