The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS SO exam annually to recruit Specialist Officers in various public sector banks across India. This includes positions such as IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari. So, candidates who are interested in applying for the IBPS SO Application must also check the IBPS SO Eligibility 2025. To understand the eligibility framework better, candidates must read this article.
IBPS SO Eligibility 2025
Before applying, it is essential for candidates to check whether they meet the IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria 2025. The eligibility is determined based on three primary parameters—Nationality, Age Limit, and Educational Qualification. In this article, you'll find complete post-wise eligibility details, including all related norms and conditions.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Organization | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Post | Specialist Officer (SO) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Selection Process | Prelims, Mains & Interview |
| Education Qualification | Graduation or Post Graduation in relevant fields |
| Age Limit | 20 – 30 years |
| Official Website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS SO Nationality Criteria
The first requirement that candidates need to satisfy is nationality. Only individuals falling under the following categories are eligible to apply for IBPS SO 2025. Candidates must be one of the following:
- A citizen of India
- A subject of Nepal or Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 and has settled permanently
- A person of Indian origin who migrated from countries like Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of settling permanently in India
- Applicants falling under any category apart from Indian citizens must provide a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
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IBPS SO Age Limit
The IBPS SO Age Criteria apply uniformly to all the posts advertised under IBPS SO. However, relaxations are available for candidates from certain categories. The following table gives the minimum and maximum age limit for each post under IBPS SO:
| Post Code | Name of the Post | Age Limit |
|---|
| 01 | I.T. Officer (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
| 02 | Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
| 03 | Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
| 04 | Law Officer (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
| 05 | HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
| 06 | Marketing Officer (Scale I) | 20 to 30 years |
Note: Candidates must not be born earlier than the prescribed dates mentioned in the official notification.
Age Relaxation for Reserved Categories
The Government of India provides age relaxation to candidates belonging to reserved categories. This allows a wider pool of candidates to participate in the recruitment process fairly. Here is the list of category-wise age relaxations permitted for IBPS SO 2025:
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|
| Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) | 5 years |
| Other Backward Class (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen, ECOs, SSCOs with 5+ years of service | 5 years |
| Persons affected by 1984 riots | 5 years |
Note: Candidates claiming relaxation must submit relevant certificates issued by competent authorities at the time of document verification or interview.
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IBPS SO Educational Qualification
Educational qualifications for IBPS SO posts vary depending on the specific role. It is important that the degree or diploma is from a government-recognized university, board, or institution. Candidates must have completed their degree on or before the application deadline. Provisional degrees are generally not accepted unless specifically mentioned in the notification. Below is the post-wise minimum educational qualification required to be eligible for IBPS SO 2025:
| Post Code | Post Name | Educational Qualification |
|---|
| 01 | I.T. Officer (Scale I) | 4-year degree or PG in CS/IT/Computer Applications/ECE/Instrumentation or DOEACC 'B' level certificate |
| 02 | Agricultural Field Officer | 4-year graduation in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Science, Agricultural Engineering, or related fields |
| 03 | Rajbhasha Adhikari | PG in Hindi with English at graduation level OR PG in Sanskrit with English and Hindi at graduation |
| 04 | Law Officer | Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council |
| 05 | HR/Personnel Officer | Graduate + Full-time PG Degree/Diploma in HR/IR/Personnel Management/Labour Law/Social Work |
| 06 | Marketing Officer | Graduate + Full-time MMS/MBA/PGDBA/PGDBM with Marketing specialization |
IBPS SO Work Experience Requirement
Candidates applying for IBPS SO recruitment in 2025 are not required to have any prior work experience. Fresh graduates or postgraduates who meet the age and education criteria are fully eligible to apply. This makes the IBPS SO exam an ideal opportunity for entry into the public banking sector without any prior professional background.
IBPS SO Computer Literacy Requirement
For all posts except I.T. Officer, candidates must demonstrate basic computer literacy. This ensures that the candidates can perform essential banking functions in a digital environment. Acceptable qualifications include:
- A degree, diploma, or certificate in computer operations
- Computer Science/Information Technology as a subject in high school, college, or institute
- This requirement is waived for IT Officer applicants as their educational qualification already covers this area in depth.
Guidelines for EWS Category under IBPS SO Eligibility
The EWS (Economically Weaker Section) reservation applies only to candidates who are not covered under SC, ST, or OBC reservations and meet certain income and asset criteria. Before claiming EWS benefits, ensure you meet the following conditions:
- Gross family annual income must be below ₹8 lakh
Candidates must not own:
- 5 acres or more agricultural land
- Residential flat of 1000 sq. ft. or more
- Residential plot of 100 sq. yards or more in notified municipalities
- Residential plot of 200 sq. yards or more in areas outside notified municipalities
- The term "family" includes the applicant, their parents, spouse, and children below the age of 18. Property and income from all sources are considered when determining eligibility.
- Candidates must produce an Income and Asset Certificate issued by a competent authority as per the format prescribed by the Government of India.
Important Points to Remember for IBPS SO Eligibility
Candidates must keep the following key points in mind:
- No equivalent qualifications will be accepted unless approved by regulatory bodies
- Applicants can apply for only one post under IBPS SO. Multiple applications will be rejected
- Eligibility must be fulfilled as of the date mentioned in the official notification
- The IBPS SO exam is open to freshers, so prior job experience is not mandatory
- Reserved category candidates must have valid documentation to claim age or seat relaxation
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