IBPS PO 2026 Recruitment — Overview
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) Probationary Officer exam (CRP PO/MT-XVI) is the gateway to officer-level positions in 11 major public sector banks simultaneously. The IBPS PO 2026 notification was officially released on July 1, 2026, with preliminary exams scheduled for August 22–23, 2026. This is the most efficient banking exam for aspirants aiming to join multiple banks with a single exam attempt.
Banks Covered by IBPS PO: 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, and Union Bank of India.
IBPS PO Eligibility Criteria 2026
Age Limit (as on August 1, 2026)
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 20 Years | 30 Years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 20 Years | 33 Years (+3) |
| SC / ST | 20 Years | 35 Years (+5) |
| PwBD (General) | 20 Years | 40 Years (+10) |
Educational Qualification
- Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Basic computer literacy mandatory.
IBPS PO 2026 — Selection Process
- Preliminary Examination (Qualifying — 80:20 weightage with Interview)
- Main Examination (Objective + Descriptive)
- Personality Test (New for 2026) (Introduced before Interview)
- Interview
Final Merit: Based on 80:20 ratio of Mains + Interview marks.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
| Section / Subject | Questions | Marks | Time (Sectional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 Minutes |
⚠️ Note: IBPS PO Prelims Reasoning section carries 40 marks (not 35), while Quant carries 30 marks — different weightage from SBI PO.
IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
Total: 200 Marks (Objective) + Descriptive Paper
| Section / Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 | 60 Minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 Minutes |
| Total Objective | 170 | 200 | 3 Hours |
Descriptive Paper — English (25 Marks, 30 Minutes)
Essay Writing + Letter/Precis Writing
IBPS PO Previous Year Cut-off
Prelims Cut-off (Out of 100)
| Year | General | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58.25 | 54.75 | 50.50 | 44.00 |
| 2023 | 61.00 | 57.25 | 53.00 | 46.50 |
IBPS PO Detailed Syllabus 2026
Quantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis & Interpretation
Simplification, Number Series, Quadratic Equations, DI (Tabular, Bar Graph, Pie Chart, Caselet), Time & Work, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Mensuration, Data Sufficiency.
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
Puzzles & Seating Arrangement (Linear, Circular, Floor, Box), Syllogism, Inequalities, Machine Input/Output, Blood Relations, Direction Test, Computer Aptitude (Hardware, Software, Network, MS Office).
English Language
Reading Comprehension (Economy/Finance focus), Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Word Usage.
General/Economy/Banking Awareness
Current Affairs (last 6 months), RBI Policies, Banking Terminology, Government Economic Schemes, Static GK, Fiscal/Monetary Policy basics.
IBPS PO Salary 2026 — In-Hand Pay
IBPS PO officers are placed in JMGS-I scale (same as SBI PO structure under 12th Bipartite).
| Component | Amount (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹48,480 |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | ~₹20,000 – ₹22,000 |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | ₹7,000 – ₹11,000 |
| Special Allowance & Other Perks | ~₹4,000 – ₹6,000 |
| Gross Salary (Approx.) | ₹90,000 – ₹91,000 / month |
| In-Hand Salary (After Deductions) | ₹74,000 – ₹77,000 / month |
Benefits: Medical, PF, Home/Car loan at subsidized rates, LFC, Performance incentives.
IBPS PO Preparation Strategy 2026
IBPS PO follows a very similar pattern to SBI PO. Aspirants who prepare for one automatically cover most of the other.
Key Differentiators from SBI PO:
- Reasoning section carries 40 marks in Prelims (vs. 35 in SBI PO) — give extra time here.
- Mains has a Personality Test before Interview — be interview-ready from Day 1.
- Final merit is 80% Mains + 20% Interview — don't ignore the interview stage.
90-Day Strategy:
- Days 1–30: Build fundamentals. 5 Puzzles/day, 50 DI questions/week, daily current affairs.
- Days 31–60: Speed practice. Full Mock Tests every alternate day on Ikkish Prep.
- Days 61–90: Consolidation. Daily Mock Tests + Deep Analysis + Interview preparation.
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Start Free Mock TestFrequently Asked Questions
When is IBPS PO 2026 exam date?
IBPS PO 2026 (CRP PO/MT-XVI) Preliminary Exam is scheduled for August 22–23, 2026. Main Exam is on October 4, 2026. The official notification was released on July 1, 2026.
What is the IBPS PO Prelims pattern in 2026?
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 has English (30 Qs/30 Marks/20 Min), Reasoning Ability (35 Qs/40 Marks/20 Min), Quantitative Aptitude (35 Qs/30 Marks/20 Min). Total: 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes.
What is the IBPS PO in-hand salary?
IBPS PO in-hand salary is approximately ₹74,000–₹77,000 per month after standard deductions. Gross salary is around ₹90,000–₹91,000. Basic pay is ₹48,480 under the 12th Bipartite Settlement.