IBPS PO Syllabus 2025 and Exam Pattern Revised for Prelims and Mains Exams

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has updated the exam pattern and syllabus for the IBPS PO 2025 exam. Candidates preparing for the Probationary Officer post must take note of the revised structure for both Prelims and Mains stages. With changes in weightage and question trends, understanding the latest IBPS PO Syllabus is essential for focused preparation. This updated pattern aims to test a candidate’s speed, accuracy, and analytical ability in a more balanced manner.

IBPS PO Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2025

The IBPS PO 2025 recruitment process is structured into three main stages as per the latest syllabus and exam pattern: Preliminary Exam, Mains Exam, and Interview. The IBPS PO Prelims is a qualifying stage that tests speed and accuracy in subjects like English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. Candidates who clear this stage move on to the Mains, which has a more detailed structure, including Data Interpretation, General Awareness, Descriptive Writing, and more.

IBPS PO Syllabus 2025

The IBPS PO 2025 Preliminary Exam tests a candidate’s skills in English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. The Mains Exam takes it a step further with a more detailed evaluation, including Data Interpretation & Analysis, Descriptive English, and General, Banking, Economic, and Financial Awareness, along with questions on Digital Trends.

IBPS Probationary Officer Syllabus

The IBPS PO 2025 exam consists of two major written stages, Prelims and Mains, each designed to test different skill sets. Candidates must understand the structure and subjects covered in both stages to prepare efficiently.

IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus 2025

The syllabus is an essential tool for candidates to prepare. Along with the IBPS PO Syllabus, candidates should practice questions through the IBPS PO Previous Year Question Papers, which will provide an insight into the exam pattern. Questions in the IBPS PO Prelims exam will be asked from three sections, which are:

1. English Language
2. Quantitative Aptitude
3. Reasoning Ability

IBPS PO Mains Syllabus 2025

Candidates who will be able to achieve the cutoff marks of the IBPS PO prelims exam will qualify for the Mains exam. The syllabus of the IBPS PO Mains exam is mentioned below.

IBPS PO Interview Process

After clearing the Mains exam, candidates advance to the final stage of the IBPS PO 2025 recruitment process the Interview round. This round focuses on assessing a candidate’s personality, communication skills, confidence, and understanding of the banking sector. The interview carries a total of 100 marks, and to qualify, candidates from the general category need 40%, while those from SC, ST, OBC, or PwD categories must score at least 35%.

The final selection is based on a combined score of the Mains exam and the Interview. The weightage is 80:20, respectively. A merit list is then prepared to decide the final selection of candidates for the Probationary Officer post.

IBPS PO 2025 Preparation Strategy for Prelims & Mains

To crack the IBPS PO 2025 exam, candidates must adopt a focused and smart preparation approach for both Prelims and Mains. While the Prelims exam tests accuracy and speed in English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, the Mains stage demands a deeper understanding with the addition of General Awareness and a Descriptive Writing section. In the final phase of preparation, prioritizing high-weightage topics, regular mock tests, and efficient time management can significantly enhance performance.

IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2025 (Revised)

Candidates who are preparing for the IBPS PO Exam 2025 should check the IBPS PO revised exam pattern, which will help them to know how the exam is structured and the types of questions asked. The tables below show a quick overview of the IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2025 for each stage in detail.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025

The first phase of the IBPS PO 2025 exam is prelims, which serve as a screening round.

• The Prelims stage of the IBPS PO consists of three sections and has a total duration of 1 hour.
• A total of 100 multiple-choice questions in the Prelims exam for a maximum of 100 marks.
• There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.
• Candidates must meet the minimum cut-off marks set by IBPS in all the tests to qualify.

IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2025

Candidates who qualify for the prelims round will become eligible to sit for the mains exam, which is the second phase of the IBPS PO 2025 selection process.

• The IBPS PO Mains Exam consists of four sections and an additional section for the descriptive test, which will be conducted separately on the same exam date.
• In the Mains exam, the question paper will consist of both objective and descriptive types, valuing 200 marks and 25 marks, respectively.
• There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.
• Each section will have a designated time limit, similar to the IBPS PO Prelims Exam.
• Candidates must pass each test/section individually to succeed in the IBPS PO Mains Exam.

Introduction of Descriptive Test: 25 Marks

In the IBPS PO Mains Exam, IBPS has introduced a descriptive test worth 25 marks. This test requires candidates to write an essay and a comprehension, carrying 25 marks. The English Language Paper is designed to evaluate candidates’ writing skills, and it is necessary to pass this paper by getting a minimum cut-off mark.

IBPS PO Interview 2025

Below are some important points about the IBPS PO Interview. Candidates must read them carefully.

• The IBPS PO Interview does not have a fixed syllabus. However, candidates should be well prepared with current affairs general awareness and basic financial knowledge to do well in the interview.
• The interview is scored out of 100 marks. General category candidates must get at least 40 marks to pass, while SC, ST, OBC and PWD category candidates need a minimum of 35 marks.
• Final selection is done by combining the scores of the IBPS PO Mains and the Interview. The Mains exam carries 80 percent weightage while the Interview has 20 percent.
• During the interview, panel members may ask questions about your education, your past work experience, if any and your reason for choosing banking as a career.
• They may also check your understanding of important banking rules, recent economic trends, the financial market and the role of the Reserve Bank of India.
• To score high, candidates must show good communication skills, clear thinking and confidence while answering the questions.
• The panel might also ask situational or behavioural questions to test how well you can make decisions and solve problems.
• It is important to stay updated with recent changes in the banking sector such as digital banking, financial inclusion and government schemes.
• The interview panel usually includes senior officials and banking experts who judge you based on your personality, knowledge and whether you are fit for the role of a Probationary Officer.
• Practicing with mock interviews can help improve how you present yourself and also teach you how to stay calm under pressure.

IBPS PO Syllabus Weightage (Topic-wise)

To prepare for the IBPS PO 2025 exam, candidates must focus on high-weightage topics from each section. Here is a brief overview of the most important topics based on previous exam trends:

IBPS PO Prelims Important Topics

• English Language: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Word Swap, Phrase Replacement
• Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, Quadratic equation, Number/Wrong Series, Data Interpretation, Arithmetic
• Reasoning Ability: Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Direction and distance, Blood Relations

IBPS PO Mains Important Topics

• Reasoning & Computer Aptitude: Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Logical Reasoning, Input-Output, Coding-Decoding, Computer Basics
• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Caselet DI, Table DI, Pie Charts, Bar Graphs, Arithmetic DI, Number Series, Arithmetic, Data Sufficiency
• General/Economic Awareness: Current Affairs, Banking & Financial Awareness, Static GK, Sports, Regulatory Bodies/Banking, Scheme, Science and Technology
• English Language: Reading Comprehension (Different type), Cloze Test, Error, Word Swap, Fillers, Miscellaneous

Preparation Strategy for IBPS PO Prelims 2025

Understand the Sectional Breakup: Focus on all three sections—English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. Identify your strong and weak areas early in the preparation.

Daily Practice with Timed Quizzes: Allocate specific time slots for each section and practice using sectional and full-length mock tests to improve speed and accuracy under pressure.

Target High-Scoring Topics First: In Reasoning, focus on puzzles and seating arrangements; in Quant, give importance to simplification, number series, and data interpretation; in English, practice reading comprehension and error spotting regularly.

Revise Shortcuts and Tricks: For Quant and Reasoning, revise quick calculation methods, Venn diagram shortcuts, and formula-based problems to boost problem-solving efficiency.

Analyze Mock Tests Closely: After each mock test, analyze your mistakes and reattempt weak sections. This will help build a clear exam-day strategy and improve time management.