What are the stages of the IBPS SO Law Officer exam?

The exam consists of three stages: Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview.

What subjects are covered in the Prelims for Law Officers?

The Prelims cover English Language, Reasoning Ability, and General Awareness with special reference to the banking industry.

What topics are included in the Main Exam syllabus?

The Main Exam covers Banking Regulation & Compliance, Corporate Law, Legal Aspects of Banking Operations, Commercial Laws, and Legal Drafting.

Is there a negative marking in the IBPS SO Law Officer exam?

Yes, there is a negative marking of one-fourth (1/4) marks for each incorrect answer in both the Preliminary and Main exams.

IBPS SO Law Officer Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern

Q: Which section decides the final merit in the IBPS SO Law Officer Exam?

The Professional Knowledge section plays the most important role in the final selection. In the Main Examination, English Language, Reasoning, and General Awareness are qualifying in nature, while the final merit is prepared based on the Professional Knowledge score and Interview performance.

The IBPS SO Law Officer Syllabus 2026 helps candidates understand the latest exam pattern, subject-wise syllabus, and marking scheme for both the Preliminary and Main examinations. As the IBPS SO 2026 application process has been started, candidates should begin their preparation early. This article provides the updated syllabus, revised exam pattern, important topics, and preparation tips based on the latest official notification.

IBPS SO Law Officer Syllabus 2026

The IBPS SO Law Officer syllabus is structured to evaluate a candidate’s strong understanding of legal concepts and their application within the banking and financial sector. Aspirants preparing for the upcoming IBPS SO recruitment should focus on building conceptual clarity and consistent practice to perform well in the exam.

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IBPS SO Law Officer Selection Process 2026

The IBPS SO Law Officer exam is conducted in three stages. Candidates must qualify each stage to proceed to the next round. The final selection is based on the combined performance in the Main Examination and Interview.

Preliminary
Mains
Interview

IBPS SO Law Officer Exam Pattern 2026

IBPS has revised the Law Officer exam pattern for 2026 by introducing Professional Knowledge in the Preliminary Examination. In the Main Examination, English Language, Reasoning, and General Awareness are qualifying in nature, while the Professional Knowledge paper plays the most important role in the final merit list.

IBPS SO Law Officer Prelims Exam

For the Law Officer, quantitative aptitude is not part of the preliminary exam. The Prelims exam is the first stage of the selection process. It consists of three sections:

English Language: 25 Questions | 25 Marks | 20 Minutes
Reasoning: 25 Questions | 25 Marks | 20 Minutes
General Awareness (Special Reference to Banking Industry): 25 Questions | 25 Marks | 20 Minutes
Professional Knowledge: 25 Questions | 50 Marks | 20 Minutes

Total: 100 Questions | 125 Marks | 80 Minutes

Note: A penalty of 0.25 marks (one-fourth) will be deducted for every incorrect answer.

IBPS SO Law Officer Mains Exam

The Mains exam is the second stage, focusing specifically on professional knowledge related to law. For each wrong-marked answer, one-fourth (1/4) shall be deducted as a penalty. The pattern for the Main exam is as follows:

English Language: 30 Questions | 30 Marks | 25 Minutes (Qualifying)
Reasoning: 40 Questions | 40 Marks | 35 Minutes (Qualifying)
General Awareness (Special Reference to Banking Industry): 30 Questions | 30 Marks | 20 Minutes (Qualifying)
Professional Knowledge (Objective): 50 Questions | 100 Marks | 45 Minutes
Professional Knowledge (Descriptive): 2 Questions | 25 Marks | 30 Minutes

Total: 152 Questions | 225 Marks | 155 Minutes

There is a 0.25-mark negative marking for every incorrect answer in the objective tests. In the Main Examination, English Language, Reasoning, and General Awareness are qualifying in nature, while the Professional Knowledge section is considered for preparing the final merit list.

Candidates must qualify each section of the Main Examination by securing the minimum cut-off marks decided by IBPS. However, the final merit list is prepared based on the Professional Knowledge section and Interview performance.

IBPS SO Law Officer Interview 2026

Candidates who qualify the Main Examination will be called for the Interview round, which carries 100 marks. To qualify, candidates must secure at least 40% marks, while the minimum qualifying marks for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates are 35%. The final selection is based on the combined performance in the Main Examination and the Interview.

IBPS SO Law Officer Final Merit

The final merit list is prepared by giving the following weightage:

Online Main Examination: 80%
Interview: 20%

Note: Candidates must qualify both the Main Examination and the Interview. The final selection is made based on the combined weighted score of these two stages.

Law Officer Syllabus for the IBPS SO 2026

The Preliminary Examination covers four sections: English Language, Reasoning, General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry, and Professional Knowledge. The Main Examination focuses on Professional Knowledge through both objective and descriptive papers, while the other sections are qualifying in nature. Candidates should prepare each section strategically, with special emphasis on Professional Knowledge, as it plays a key role in the final merit list.

IBPS SO Law Officer Prelims Syllabus 2026

The Preliminary Examination consists of four sections: English Language, Reasoning, General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry, and Professional Knowledge. Candidates must prepare all sections thoroughly to qualify for the Main Examination.

English Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Para Jumbles
Fill in the Blanks
Sentence Improvement
Sentence Correction
Error Detection
Word Swap
Sentence Rearrangement
Connectors
Vocabulary
Spelling Errors

Reasoning Ability

Puzzles & Seating Arrangement
Syllogism
Inequalities
Blood Relations
Coding-Decoding
Direction Sense
Order & Ranking
Alphanumeric Series
Data Sufficiency
Input-Output
Logical & Verbal Reasoning

General Awareness (Special Reference to Banking Industry)

Current Affairs
Banking Awareness
RBI and Monetary Policy
Banking & Financial Institutions
Basel Norms
NPCI and Digital Banking
Government Schemes
Banking Committees
RBI Circulars
Important Days
Awards & Honours
Books & Authors
Capitals, Currencies & Headquarters

Professional Knowledge (Prelims)

Banking Regulation Act
RBI Act
Indian Contract Act
Negotiable Instruments Act
SARFAESI Act
Consumer Protection Act
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
FEMA
Banking Ombudsman
Basic Banking Laws & Legal Terminology

IBPS SO Law Officer Professional Knowledge Syllabus 2026 (Mains)

The Professional Knowledge section is the most important part of the IBPS SO Law Officer Main Examination. It assesses candidates’ understanding of banking laws, commercial laws, financial regulations, and legal compliance. Since the final merit is based primarily on the Professional Knowledge paper and Interview, candidates should give special attention to these topics.