IBPS SO 2026 Notification Out for 745 Specialist Officer Posts, Apply Online Begins
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The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS SO Exam every year to select eligible candidates for the post of Specialist Officer (SO) in 11 participating public sector banks across India. Candidates must complete the 3 stages of the selection process—Prelims, Mains, and Interview—to be recruited for SO posts. This is a good opportunity for candidates who want to have a career in the banking sector.
IBPS SO 2026 Notification Out
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the detailed IBPS SO Notification 2026 PDF (CRP SPL-XVI) for 745 vacancies on 1st July 2026, along with the complete exam schedule. These vacancies are for the financial year 2027-28. Banking aspirants should carefully read the notification before applying to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for their chosen post.
IBPS SO Notification 2026 PDF (Official)- Click to Download
The posts under the Specialist Officer cadre are mentioned below:
- Agriculture Field Officer (AFO)
- Marketing Officer
- HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I)
- IT Officer (Scale I)
- Law Officer (Scale I)
- Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I)
IBPS SO 2026 Exam- Overview
Graduate and professionally qualified candidates who are willing to join the banking sector as Specialist Officers can check the highlights regarding the exam in the table below.
| IBPS SO Recruitment 2026- Overview | |
| Organisation | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Cadre | Specialist Officer (SO) |
| Posts | Agriculture Field Officer (AFO), HR/Personnel, IT Officer, Law Officer, Marketing, Rajbhasha |
| Exam Level | National |
| Vacancy | 745 |
| Participating Banks | 11 |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Registration Dates | 1st to 21st July 2026 |
| IBPS SO Recruitment Process | Prelims, Main Exams, Interview |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation with a relevant degree |
| Age Limit | 20 to 30 years (as on 01.07.2026) |
| Application Fee | SC/ST/PWD- Rs.175 General and Others- Rs. 850 |
| Pay Scale | Rs. 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920 |
| IBPS Official Website | www.ibps.in |
What's New?
- IBPS SO Detailed Notification Out on 1st July 2026 with registration link, pre-exam training, admit cards, exam, and result dates.
- Prelims Exam Pattern revised — Professional Knowledge (50 marks) added; total 100 questions, 125 marks, 80 minutes.
- Marketing Officer: 0 vacancies in CRP SPL-XVI cycle.
IBPS SO 2026 Important Dates
The online registration schedule for IBPS SO 2026 has been released by IBPS along with the official notification. Candidates can submit their duly filled application from 1st to 21st July 2026. Candidates must keep important dates in mind to avoid missing any deadlines.
| Activity | Dates |
| Window Notification | 30th June 2026 |
| Detailed Notification | 1st July 2026 |
| Online Registration Starts | 1st July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 21st July 2026 |
| Last Date to Pay Fee | 21st July 2026 |
| Edit Window for Application Correction | 2 days after registration closes |
| Download Prelims Call Letter | August 2026 |
| Prelims Exam Date | 29th August 2026 |
| Prelims Result Dates | September/October 2026 |
| Download Mains Call Letter | October 2026 |
| Mains Exam Date | 1st November 2026 |
| IBPS SO Interview Dates | November/December 2026 |
| Final Result | January 2027 |
IBPS SO Exam Date 2026
The officials have released the annual IBPS Exam Calendar 2026 along with the prelim and mains exam dates for IBPS SO Recruitment 2026. The prelims exam will be held on 29th August 2026 and the mains on 1st November 2026.
IBPS SO 2026 Vacancy Details
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has announced 745 vacancies for Specialist Officer posts along with the detailed notification. Under the SO posts, candidates are recruited for Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I), IT Officer (Scale I), Law Officer (Scale I), and Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) posts.
| Posts | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | Vacancies |
| Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) | 28 | 13 | 51 | 19 | 79 | 190 |
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | 08 | 03 | 15 | 06 | 28 | 60 |
| IT Officer (Scale I) | 46 | 23 | 82 | 28 | 122 | 301 |
| Law Officer (Scale I) | 14 | 06 | 26 | 10 | 49 | 105 |
| Marketing Officer (Scale I) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | 11 | 06 | 21 | 08 | 43 | 89 |
| Total | 107 | 51 | 195 | 71 | 321 | 745 |
IBPS SO 2026 Bank-wise Vacancy
| Bank Name | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | Total |
| Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) | ||||||
| Bank of Baroda | 15 | 7 | 27 | 10 | 41 | 100 |
| Bank of Maharashtra | 13 | 6 | 24 | 9 | 38 | 90 |
| Indian Bank/UCO Bank/Union Bank | NR | |||||
| All Other Banks | 0 | |||||
| Total | 28 | 13 | 51 | 19 | 79 | 190 |
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | ||||||
| Bank of Baroda | 7 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 22 | 50 |
| Bank of Maharashtra | 1 | -- | 2 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| Indian Bank/UCO Bank/Union Bank | NR | |||||
| All Other Banks | 0 | |||||
| Total | 8 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 28 | 60 |
| IT Officer (Scale I) | ||||||
| Bank of India | 16 | 8 | 29 | 11 | 46 | 110 |
| Central Bank of India | 8 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 50 |
| Indian Overseas Bank | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 25 |
| Punjab & Sind Bank | 4 | 3 | 7 | -- | 2 | 16 |
| Punjab National Bank | 15 | 8 | 27 | 10 | 40 | 100 |
| Indian Bank/UCO Bank/Union Bank | NR | |||||
| Bank of Baroda/Bank of Maharashtra/Canara Bank | 0 | |||||
| Total | 46 | 23 | 82 | 28 | 122 | 301 |
Check the year-wise vacancy trend:
| Year | Vacancies |
| 2026 (CRP SPL-XVI) | 745 |
| 2025 (CRP SPL-XV) | 949 |
| 2024 | 2973 |
| 2023 | 1402 |
| 2022 | 710 |
| 2021 | 1828 |
| 2020 | 720 |
| 2019 | 1163 |
| 2018 | 1599 |
| 2017 | 1315 |
Preparing for IBPS SO Exam 2026? Share Your Details With Us
IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria
The IBPS SO eligibility criteria differ for recruiting candidates for different positions. There are three parameters (citizenship, age limit, and educational qualification) that a candidate needs to fulfil to be eligible for IBPS SO Recruitment 2026. The age limit should be between 20 and 30 years for all posts, but the educational qualification varies post-wise.
Citizenship Criteria
A candidate should be
• A resident of India
• A subject of Nepal
• Tibetan refugees who came to India before 1st January 1962 and have planned to settle in India permanently
• A subject of Indian Origin migrated from Burma, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya,
United Republic of Tanzania, Namibia, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Vietnam
Educational Qualification (as on 21/07/2026)
IBPS SO recruits candidates for various posts like that of I.T. Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer etc.
| S No. | Name of the Post | Educational Qualification |
| 1. | I.T. Officer (Scale I) | 1)Four years engineering/Technology degree in Computer Science/IT/Computer Application/Electronics and Communication Engineering/Electronics and Telecommunication/ Electronics and Instrumentation OR 2) Post Graduate Degree in Computer Science/IT/Computer Application/Electronics and Communication Engineering/Electronics and Telecommunication/ Electronics and Instrumentation OR Graduates having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level exam |
| 2. | Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I) | 4 years graduation degree in agriculture/ Horticulture/ Animal Husbandry/ Veterinary Science/ dairy Science/ Agricultural engineering/ Fishery Science/ Pisciculture/ Agri Marketing and cooperation/ Co-Operation and Banking/ Agro-Forestry |
| 3. | Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | Post Graduate in Hindi with English as a subject at the graduation or degree level OR Post Graduate Degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as a subject at graduation level |
| 4. | Law Office (Scale I) | A bachelor’s degree in Law and enrolled as an advocate with Bar Council |
| 5. | HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | Graduate and Full Time Post Graduate Degree or Full time Diploma in Personnel Management/ Industrial Relation/ HR/ HRD/ Social Work/ Labour Law |
| 6. | Marketing Officer (Scale I) | Graduate and Full-Time MMS (Marketing)/ MBA (Marketing)/Full time PGDBA/ PGDBM with specialization in Marketing |
Age Limit (as on 01/07/2026)
A candidate must be at least 20 years old to be eligible for the IBPS SO exam. The maximum age limit is 30 years. The Government of India gives candidates belonging to reserved categories age relaxation. The category-wise age relaxation given to candidates for the post of IBPS SO is discussed below:
- Minimum Age - 20 years
- Maximum Age - 30 years
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) | 5 years |
| Other Backward Class (OBC) | 3 years |
| Person with Disability (PWD) | 10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
Q. Can final-year students apply for IBPS SO 2026?
Ans. No. Candidates must have completed their required educational qualification before the application deadline to be eligible.Q. Is the Prelims exam counted in the final merit list?
Ans. No. The Prelims is only a qualifying stage. The final merit list is based on combined scores from the Mains exam and Interview.
IBPS SO 2026 Application Form
The online application process for the IBPS SO 2026 exam has been started on the official website www.ibps.in from 1st July 2026. Candidates who are interested and eligible can apply for IBPS SO vacancies from the official website of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). Candidates must make sure to complete the online form on or before 21st July 2026 to avoid last-minute technical glitches.
Click to Apply for IBPS SO Exam 2026
IBPS SO Application Fee
A candidate is required to pay Rs. 850/- (General and OBC) as his/her application fee for the IBPS SO 2026 exam. The same amount is reduced to Rs. 175/- for candidates belonging to the SC/ST/PWD category.
| Category | Application Fee |
| SC/ST/PWD | Rs.175/- (Intimation Charges only) |
| General and Others | Rs. 850/- (App. Fee including intimation charges) |
How to Apply for IBPS SO 2026?
- Visit the official website of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) at
www.ibps.in. - Click on "CRP-Specialist Officers" under the Career section and select the new registration link.
- Provide basic details such as name, contact number, email ID, address, etc., and click Save and Next
- Upload your photograph and signature in the prescribed format and size.
- Select your preferred post(s) — IT Officer, Law Officer, AFO, HR, Marketing, or Rajbhasha — and fill in your educational qualification details.
- Pay the required application fee through online mode (Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking).
- Recheck the application preview carefully for any errors before final submission.
- Click on Final Submit
- Your registration ID and password will be sent via email and SMS for future login.
IBPS PO Selection Process
The IBPS SO recruitment process for selecting specialist officers through IBPS SO 2026 consists of three phases:
- Online Preliminary Exam
- Online Mains Exam
- Interview Process
A candidate must qualify for both the preliminary exam and the main exam to proceed to the interview round. The candidates selected after the interview round are given the appointment letter.
Why Choose IBPS SO as a Career?
🏦 Specialised banking career — Direct entry into a Scale-I officer role in your area of expertise (IT, Law, Agriculture, HR, or Marketing).
💼 Faster growth track — Specialist Officers often progress quickly given their domain expertise.
🛡️ Job security — Permanent government-sector job across 11 participating public sector banks.
📈 Wide post options — 6 different specialist streams to choose from based on your qualification.
IBPS SO Exam Pattern & Syllabus (Revised)
The preliminary exam will be a qualifying phase for the mains, and candidates will have to meet the cut-offs of prelims to be eligible to appear for the Mains exam.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern
There are two patterns for the IBPS SO prelims examination for different posts. There is a sectional cut-off, and candidates have to clear all the sections in order to clear the preliminary exam of IBPS SO 2026.
| Name of Tests | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| For the posts of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer: | ||||
| English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 minutes | |
| For the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari: | ||||
| English Language | 25 | 25 | English | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 25 | 25 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| 25 | 50 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes | |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 minutes | |
Exam Syllabus
The IBPS SO 2026 Syllabus is designed separately for Rajsabha Adhikari and Other Specialist Officers. The IBPS Specialist Officer syllabus is designed separately for the Preliminary Exam and Mains Exam. It is necessary for all the candidates applying for the IBPS SO 2026 Exam to go through the syllabus once to prepare judiciously for this exam. Apart from the three major sections of English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning, a candidate is required to be fluent in his/her area of expertise or the Specialization Subjects.
For the detailed syllabus of the IBPS SO 2026 exam, go to our IBPS SO Syllabus Page
IBPS SO Pre-Exam Training
The Banks/Participating Organisations may arrange pre-examination training for SC/ST/Religious Minority Community candidates at certain centres, as per Government of India guidelines. This is an orientation session where candidates are briefed on question types, common mistakes, time-management tips, and best practices by experts from training institutes. The objective is to provide a level playing field to candidates from weaker sections who cannot afford coaching.
Last Year's Cut-Off Marks
The IBPS SO Cut Off 2026 will be released after each phase of the examination has been conducted. The cut-off for the IBPS SO preliminary exam will be released first, followed by the cut-off for the main exam. Candidates can evaluate their selection chances by matching their score with the cut-off marks released by IBPS for the IBPS SO Exam.
Let’s have a look at previous years’ Prelims cut-off for the IBPS SO Exam:
| IBPS SO Prelims Cut-off 2025 | |||||||||
| Posts | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | HI | OC | VI | ID |
| I.T. OFFICER | 58.25 | 48.63 | 58.25 | 55 | 58.25 | 21.63 | 46.38 | 42.63 | 36.13 |
| AGRICULTURAL FIELD OFFICER | 50.13 | 45.63 | 50.13 | 50.13 | 50.13 | 25.88 | 37.75 | 39.63 | 23.88 |
| HR/PERSONNEL | 62.63 | 62.63 | 62.63 | 62.63 | 62.63 | 31.38 | 19.75 | 25.13 | NA |
| MARKETING OFFICER | 21.75 | 17.25 | 18.13 | 27.63 | 27.63 | 21.75 | 20.50 | 23.38 | 35.18 |
| RAJBHASHA ADHIKARI | 16.63 | 11 | 16.63 | 16.63 | 16.63 | 25.75 | 18.88 | 42.25 | 13.75 |
| LAW OFFICER | 42.63 | 34.75 | 43.25 | 44.63 | 46.88 | 20.25 | 25 | 23.13 | 23 |
Click to check IBPS SO Previous Year Cut-Off
IBPS SO 2026 Exam Preparation
IBPS SO preparation must be done systematically, keeping the latest exam pattern in mind. Since the syllabus covers a wide range of topics — including post-specific Professional Knowledge — it is important to choose the right study material and practise a variety of questions for both Prelims and Mains.
Candidates should go through previous year IBPS SO question papers to get an idea of the expected pattern. CareerPower provides study notes, quizzes, and mock tests for the IBPS SO 2026 exam aligned to the latest pattern.
IBPS SO Previous Year Question Papers - Click to Check
IBPS SO 2026 Participating Banks
A total of 11 banks will be participating in the 2026 IBPS SO recruitment process, which are as follows:
- Bank of Baroda
- Bank of India
- Bank of Maharashtra
- Canara Bank
- Central Bank of India
- Indian Bank
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Punjab National Bank
- Punjab & Sind Bank
- UCO Bank
- Union Bank of India