The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the latest IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 along with the official notification for the Probationary Officer/Management Trainee (PO/MT) recruitment. The selection process will consist of three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Interview. Candidates can check the latest syllabus and exam pattern to understand the structure of the examination.
The IBPS PO Written Examination 2026 will be divided into two stages: Preliminary Examination and Main Examination. The Preliminary Examination will include questions from English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, while the Main Examination will include questions from Reasoning, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness, English Language, and a Descriptive Test. Candidates who qualify the Preliminary and Main examinations will be shortlisted for the Interview round.
In this article, candidates can check the complete IBPS PO/MT Syllabus 2026, latest exam pattern, subject-wise topics, selection process, marking scheme, descriptive test details, and other important information related to the IBPS PO/MT Exam 2026.
IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026
The IBPS PO Exam 2026 will consist of three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Interview. The Preliminary and Main examinations will be conducted in online mode. Candidates who qualify in the Preliminary Examination will be shortlisted for the Main Examination, while the final selection will be based on the marks obtained in the Main Examination and Interview. The latest exam pattern for both stages is given below.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Maximum 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 |
Important Points
- The Preliminary Examination will be conducted in online mode.
- The paper will consist of 100 objective-type multiple-choice questions.
- Candidates will be given 60 minutes to complete the examination.
- Sectional timing of 20 minutes will be allotted for each section.
- 0.25 marks (one-fourth) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer.
- The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature, and its marks are not considered while preparing the final merit list.
IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
The IBPS PO Main Examination will consist of an Objective Test followed by a Descriptive Test. Candidates will be required to complete each section within the prescribed sectional time. The detailed exam pattern is provided below.
| Name of Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness including RBI circulars | 50 | 60 | 35 Minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 Minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| Total (Objective Test) | 170 | 200 | 160 Minutes |
Descriptive Test
| Test | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive Paper (Essay and Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 Minutes |
Important Points
- The Main Examination will be conducted in online mode.
- It will include an Objective Test and a Descriptive Test.
- The Objective Test will carry 200 marks, while the Descriptive Test will carry 25 marks.
- The Descriptive Test will be conducted immediately after the Objective Test.
- Every section of the Objective Test will have a separate sectional time limit.
- 0.25 marks (one-fourth) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer in the Objective Test.
- The final merit list will be prepared on the basis of the marks obtained in the Main Examination and Interview.
IBPS PO Syllabus 2026
The IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 will be divided into Preliminary and Main examinations. The Preliminary Examination will include English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, while the Main Examination will include Reasoning, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness, English Language, and a Descriptive Test. The detailed subject-wise syllabus for both stages is provided below.
IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus 2026
Questions in the Preliminary Examination will be asked from Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, and English Language. The detailed syllabus for these subjects is given below.
English Language
| Topics |
|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
| Cloze Test |
| Spotting Errors |
| Sentence Improvement |
| Fill in the Blanks |
| Para Jumbles |
| Sentence Rearrangement |
| Word Rearrangement |
| Word Swap |
| Word Usage |
| Idioms & Phrases |
| Column-Based Questions |
| Find Correct/Incorrect Sentence |
| Starters / Connectors |
Quantitative Aptitude
| Topics |
|---|
| Approximation |
| Simplification (BODMAS) |
| Surds & Indices |
| Decimal & Fractions |
| Percentage |
| Number Series |
| Quadratic Equations |
| Linear Equations |
| Quantity I & II |
| Ratio & Proportion |
| Mixture & Alligation |
| Simple Interest & Compound Interest |
| Profit, Loss & Discount |
| Time & Work |
| Pipes & Cisterns |
| Time, Speed & Distance |
| Boats & Streams |
| Data Interpretation (DI) |
| Mensuration (2D & 3D) |
| Probability |
Reasoning Ability
| Topics |
|---|
| Puzzles |
| Seating Arrangement |
| Syllogism |
| Blood Relation |
| Direction Sense |
| Coding-Decoding |
| Inequality |
| Ranking |
| Alphabet Test |
| Order & Ranking |
| Logical Reasoning |
IBPS PO Mains Syllabus 2026
In the IBPS PO Main Examination, questions will be asked from Reasoning, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness including RBI Circulars, English Language, and the Descriptive Test. The detailed syllabus for these subjects is given below.
Data Analysis & Interpretation
| Topics |
|---|
| Caselet Data Interpretation |
| Tabular Data Interpretation |
| Pie Chart |
| Line Graph |
| Bar Graph |
| Missing Data Interpretation |
| Arithmetic-Based Data Interpretation |
| Funnel Chart |
| Scatter Plot |
| Radar / Web Data Interpretation |
| Bubble Chart |
| Ogive (Cumulative Frequency Graph) |
| Data Sufficiency |
| Quantity Comparison |
| Probability |
| Permutation & Combination |
English Language
| Topics |
|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
| Cloze Test |
| Error Detection (Spotting Errors) |
| Sentence Improvement / Correction |
| Fill in the Blanks |
| Sentence Completion |
| Para Jumbles |
| Paragraph Completion |
| Word Rearrangement |
| Find Odd Sentence |
| Column-Based Questions |
| Word Usage |
| Spelling Errors |
General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness
| Topics |
|---|
| Banking Awareness |
| Financial Awareness |
| Economy & Economic Developments |
| Digital Banking |
| Digital Payments (UPI, NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, etc.) |
| RBI Circulars & Guidelines |
| Reserve Bank of India (RBI) |
| Monetary Policy |
| Banking Terms & Terminology |
| Financial Institutions |
| Government Banking & Financial Schemes |
| Budget & Economic Survey |
| Current Affairs (National & International) |
| Static General Knowledge |
| Books and Authors |
| Banking Reforms & Banking Acts |
| Financial Markets |
| Capital Market & Money Market |
| Insurance & Financial Inclusion |
| Important Reports & Indices |
| International Financial Organizations (IMF, World Bank, ADB, etc.) |
Reasoning
| Topics |
|---|
| Seating Arrangements |
| Puzzles |
| Inequalities |
| Syllogism |
| Input-Output |
| Data Sufficiency |
| Blood Relations |
| Coding-Decoding |
| Distance and Direction |
| Logical Reasoning |
| Alphanumeric Series |
IBPS PO Personality Test 2026
Candidates who qualify the Main Examination will be required to appear for the IBPS PO Personality Test 2026 before the Interview. The test will assess the candidate’s personality through a self-report assessment, and the personality profile will be shared with the Interview panel. Although the Personality Test will not be qualifying in nature, appearing in it will be mandatory for candidates to become eligible for the Interview process. The test may be conducted in proctored online mode or at designated examination centres, as decided by IBPS.
IBPS PO Interview 2026
Candidates who qualify the Main Examination and complete the Personality Test will be called for the IBPS PO Interview 2026. The interview will assess a candidate’s communication skills, personality, confidence, leadership qualities, decision-making ability, banking awareness, and overall suitability for the post of Probationary Officer.
IBPS PO Selection Process 2026
The IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 will consist of the following stages. Candidates will be required to qualify each stage to become eligible for the final selection.
- Stage 1: Preliminary Examination
- Stage 2: Main Examination
- Stage 3: Personality Test
- Stage 4: Interview
- Stage 5: Provisional Allotment
Important Links
| Sarkari Syllabus | Click Here |
| Notification PDF | Click Here |
| IBPS Official Website | Click Here |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the IBPS PO Syllabus 2026?
Ans. The IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 is divided into Preliminary and Main examinations. The Prelims will include English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, while the Mains will cover Reasoning, Data Analysis & Interpretation, General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness, English Language, and a Descriptive Test.
Q2. What is the selection process for IBPS PO 2026?
Ans. The IBPS PO Selection Process 2026 will consist of four stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, Personality Test, and Interview.
Q3. Is there negative marking in the IBPS PO Exam 2026?
Ans. Yes. A negative marking of 0.25 marks (one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question) will be applicable for every incorrect answer in both the Preliminary and Main objective examinations.
Q4. Is the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination qualifying in nature?
Ans. Yes. The IBPS PO Preliminary Examination will be qualifying in nature. Its marks will not be considered while preparing the final merit list, but candidates must qualify it to appear for the Main Examination.
Q5. Is there a Personality Test in the IBPS PO Selection Process 2026?
Ans. Yes. Candidates who qualify the Main Examination will be required to appear for the Personality Test before the Interview. Although it will not be qualifying in nature, appearing in it will be mandatory to become eligible for the Interview round.