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The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is set to release the official IBPS SO 2025 Notification in September 2025. This recruitment drive will offer opportunities for Specialist Officer (SO) positions across various public sector banks in India. The roles are expected to include IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, and Marketing Officer. The upcoming notification will outline important details such as the number of vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, and exam structure.
IBPS SO 2025 Exam Date
The IBPS SO 2025 recruitment process consists of three key stages: Preliminary, Mains, and the Interview. According to the IBPS Calendar 2025, the official exam schedule has been released on the IBPS portal. The Preliminary Exam is set for 22 and 23 November 2025, while the Mains Exam will be held on 4 January 2026. Candidates preparing for the IBPS SO 2025 exam should plan their study strategies in alignment with these dates to ensure they are well-prepared for each stage of the selection process.
IBPS SO 2025 Exam: Summary
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) organizes the annual recruitment exam for Specialist Officer (SO) roles across public sector banks. The selection procedure consists of three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. To help candidates get ready for the IBPS SO 2025 Exam, detailed information about the recruitment process is provided below.
IBPS SO Notification 2025 | |
Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection |
Exam Name | Specialist Officer |
No. of Vacancies | To be announced |
Category | Recruitment |
Participating Banks | 11 |
Selection Process | Preliminary, Mains & Interview |
IBPS SO Exam Date 2025 | Prelims: 22 and 23 November 2025
Mains: 4 January 2026 |
IBPS SO Final Cut Off 2024-25 | 01 April 2025 |
Medium of Exam | English & Hindi |
Application Mode | Online (Only) |
Official Website | www.ibps.in |
WhatsApp Channel | Join WhatsApp Channel |
IBPS SO 2025: Important Dates
Candidates must note down the IBPS SO Exam Date 2025 for the prelims as well as the mains exam. As the IBPS Calendar 2025 is released, the IBPS SO Exam Date for the prelims and mains exam has also been announced.
IBPS SO 2025: Important Dates | |
Activity | Important Dates |
IBPS SO Notification 2025 PDF | September 2025 |
IBPS SO Online Registration 2025 | September 2025 |
IBPS SO Exam Date 2025 for Prelims Exam | 22 and 23 November 2025 |
IBPS SO Exam Date 2025 for Mains Exam | 4 January 2026 |
IBPS SO Notification 2025
The official IBPS SO Notification 2025 will be released soon, providing full details about the recruitment process. This notification will outline the Common Recruitment Process (CRP SPL-XV) for filling Specialist Officer vacancies in various participating banks for the 2025-26 cycle. It’s an excellent opportunity for individuals aiming to build a successful career in the banking sector as a Specialist Officer. In the meantime, we’ve provided the previous year’s notification to give you an idea of what to expect. Stay tuned for the official release and start preparing for the upcoming exam.
IBPS SO Notification- Click to Download (Previous Year)
IBPS SO 2025 Vacancy
The available vacancies include positions such as IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Rajbhasha Officer and Marketing Officer. These roles offer great opportunities for career growth and skill development, providing high opportunities for advancement within the organization. Those selected for these positions can expect to build a solid foundation for long-term career progression with ample scope for professional growth in their respective fields.
IBPS SO 2025 Application Fees
As the per the IBPS, the application fee is Rs. 850 for General and OBC candidates and Rs. 175 for SC/ST/PWD candidates. Candidates can pay the application fees by online mode. The aspirants can check the application fees category-wise below.
IBPS SO 2025 Application Fee | |
SC/ST/PBS candidates | Rs. 175/- (including GST) |
For all other Candidates | Rs. 850/- (including GST) |
IBPS SO 2025 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates interested in the IBPS SO exam must check the IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria which consists of many factors which are given below. The cut-off date for IBPS SO 2025 Eligibility Criteria depends on the date mentioned in the Notification PDF
IBPS SO Educational Qualification
The minimum Education Qualification required to apply for the IBPS SO Exam are given below. As specified in the PDF educational qualification will be considered as on the last date to apply online for IBPS SO, i.e. 28 August 2025(21.08.2025).
IBPS SO Educational Qualification | |
Name of Post | (From a University/ Institution/ Board recognized by Govt. Of India/ approved by Govt. Regulatory Bodies) |
I.T. Officer (Scale-I) |
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 Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level |
Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I) | 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 / Fisheries Engineering |
Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) |
Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the degree (graduation) level OR Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (graduation) level. |
Law Officer (Scale I) | A Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council |
HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | 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 / Labour Law. |
Marketing Officer (Scale I) | 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 |
Important Note:
For posts other than IT Officer Scale I: Candidates should have a Certificate/Diploma/Degree in computer operations/ Language/ should have studied Computer / Information Technology as one of the subjects in the High School/ College/ Institute.
IBPS SO Age limit
Applicants can refer below to the minimum and maximum age limit that one should possess at the cut-off date.
- Minimum age limit: 20 years
- Maximum age limit: 30 years
Age Relaxation of Upper Age Limit:
IBPS SO Age Relaxation |
|
Category | Age Relaxation |
SCs/STs | 5 years |
OBCs | 3 years |
PwBD | 10 years |
Ex-Serviceman | 5 years |
Persons affected by the 1984 riots | 5 years |
IBPS SO Nationality
A candidate must be either –
- a Citizen of India or
- a subject of Nepal or Bhutan or
- a Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 to permanently settle in India or
- a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam.
IBPS SO 2025 Selection Process
The IBPS SO 2025 selection process is designed to hire Specialist Officers for various posts in banks. It has three main stages. First, candidates must take the Online Preliminary Exam, which tests their skills in subjects like Reasoning, English, and Quantitative Aptitude. Second, those who pass the preliminary exam will appear for the Online Mains Exam, which focuses on specific job-related knowledge, such as IT, Marketing, or HR. Lastly, candidates who perform well in the Mains Exam will be called for an Interview. After the interview, selected candidates will receive an appointment letter to join the bank.
IBPS SO 2025 Exam Pattern
a) Preliminary Exam (Phase I):
For the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari:
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern For Law Officer and Rajbhasa Adhikari |
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Subject | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
English | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
General Awareness with special reference to the Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
Total | 150 | 125 |
For the post of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer:
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025 For IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer |
|||
Subject | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
English | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
Total | 150 | 125 |
b) Mains Examination (Phase II):
For the post of Law Office, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer:
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2025 For Law Office, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer |
|||
Subject | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes
|
Total | 60 | 60 |
For the post of Rajbhasha Adhikari:
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern 2025 For Rajbhasa Adhikari |
|||
Subject | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 45 | 60 | 30 minutes |
Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | 30 minutes |
Note – There will be a negative mark of 0.25 for each question marked wrongly (in both Pre & Mains Examination)
c) Interview:
The total marks allotted for the Interview are 100.
Candidates who will be shortlisted in the Online Main Examination will subsequently be called for an Interview to be conducted by the Participating Banks and coordinated by the Nodal Banks in each State/ UT with the help of IBPS.
IBPS SO 2025 Syllabus
To initiate the preparation in the right direction, candidates need to first know the IBPS SO 2025 Syllabus and Exam Pattern. For the preliminary examination, candidates have to prepare for the subjects of Reasoning Ability, English Language, General Awareness, and Quantitative Aptitude. In the main examination, the professional knowledge of aspirants is tested in their specific stream of specialist officers. The detailed IBPS SO Syllabus 2025 has been discussed in the below table.
IBPS SO Syllabus 2025 |
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English | Reasoning | Quantitative Aptitude | General Awareness |
Cloze Test
Reading Comprehension Spotting Errors Sentence Improvement Sentence Correction Para Jumbles Fill in the Blanks Para/Sentence Completion
|
Seating Arrangements
Puzzles Inequalities Syllogism Input-Output Data Sufficiency Blood Relations Order and Ranking Alphanumeric Series Distance and Direction Verbal Reasoning
|
Number Series
Data Interpretation Simplification/ Approximation Quadratic Equation Data Sufficiency Mensuration Average Profit and Loss Ratio and Proportion Work, Time and Energy Time and Distance Probability Relations Simple and Compound Interest Permutation and Combination
|
Current Affairs
Banking Awareness GK Updates Currencies Important Places Books and Authors Awards Headquarters Prime Minister Schemes Important Days
|
Apart from these subjects, the candidate is required to have professional knowledge in his/her area of expertise as well. The detailed syllabus is discussed below:
IBPS SO Syllabus For Professional Knowledge |
|
Post | Subjects / Topics |
IT officer | Database Management System
Data Communication and Networking Operating System Software Engineering Data Structure Computer Organization and Microprocessor Object-Oriented Programming |
Agriculture Field Officer |
Basics of Crop Production Horticulture Seed Science Agronomy and Irrigation Agricultural Economics Agricultural Practices Soil resources Animal Husbandry Agroforestry Ecology Government Schemes |
Marketing Officer |
Basics of Marketing Management Brand Management Advertising PR Sales Retail Business Ethics Market Segmentation Market research and forecasting demand Product Life Cycle Corporate Social Responsibility Service Marketing Marketing Strategies |
Law Officer | Banking Regulations
Compliance and Legal Aspects Relevant Laws and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange Prevention of Money-laundering, Limitation Act Consumer Protection Act SARFAESI Act Banking Ombudsman Scheme Laws and Actions in the direct link to Banking Sector Bankers Book Evidence Act DRT Act |
HR / Personnel Officer | Human Resource Development
Business policy and strategic analysis Transnational Analysis Training and Development Recruitment and Selection Rewards and Recognition Industrial Relations Business Policy and Strategic Analysis Grievance and Conflict Management Performance Management and Appraisal |
IBPS SO Salary 2025
The Public Sector Banks offer a lucrative salary to the candidates designated for the Specialist Officer position. The overall IBPS SO Salary comprises basic pay, perks, and allowances. The pay scale of IBPS SO is Rs. 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920 with the net salary to be approximately Rs.55,000- Rs.60,000. The position of Specialist Officer is prestigious and employees get several opportunities to advance their careers through promotional exams.]
IBPS SO 2025 Cut Off
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection releases the IBPS SO Cut off after each phase to let candidates sit in the phase phase. Cut Off is the minimum mark to clear the exam. Here, we have provided the previous year’s IBPS SO cut off to analyse and observe your preparation to clear the IBPS SO 2025 Cut Off.
IBPS SO: Prelims Cut Off (Last Year) | |||||||||
POST | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | HI | OC | VI | ID |
IT Officer | 52.75 | 42.25 | 54.38 | 49.75 | 54.38 | 14.63 | 37.88 | 23.88 | 21.38 |
Agricultural Field Officer | 36.88 | 34.13 | 36.88 | 36.88 | 36.88 | 20.13 | 33.88 | 31.75 | 22.38 |
Rajbhasha Adhikari | 12.63 | 8.88 | 12.63 | 12.63 | 12.63 | NA | 12.25 | 11.13 | NA |
Law Officer | 31.63 | 35.63 | 32.5 | 31.88 | 35.63 | 15.5 | 24.75 | 13.88 | NA |
HR/ Personnel Officer | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 39.38 | 24.38 | 26.63 | 22.63 | 47 |
Marketing Officer | 10.13 | 9.88 | 9.38 | 19.75 | 20.13 | 16.75 | 9.13 | 14.88 | 52.75 |
IBPS SO 2025 Participating Banks
The 11 public sector banks have shown their participation in the Common Recruitment Process For Specialist Officers(For Vacancies of 2025-26). Some banks have announced vacancies for various posts while from others vacancies can be reported in the coming time. The list of IBPS SO 2025 Participating Banks is listed in the below table.
IBPS SO Participating Banks | ||
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 |
IBPS SO 2025 Preparation Tips
To ace the IBPS SO exam, understand the exam pattern and syllabus in detail. Create a well-structured study plan, allocating sufficient time for each section. Focus on strengthening the fundamentals in the specialized subject. Practice regularly with mock tests and IBPS SO Previous Year Papers to enhance and maintain speed and accuracy.
Prioritize time management which is the main focus of the banking examination. Also regularly revise the previously covered topics. Pay attention to current affairs and banking awareness. Don’t neglect the English language section. Stay motivated and believe in one’s abilities. Remember, success comes with dedication and perseverance.
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