The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) examination to recruit candidates for specialist positions in participating public sector banks. The IBPS SO Notification 2027, total vacancies, application dates and examination schedule are yet to be announced. The recruitment generally covers six posts: IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer (AFO), Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer.
IBPS SO 2026-27
Meanwhile, the ongoing IBPS SO CRP SPL-XVI recruitment process is at the Main Examination stage. The IBPS SO Mains examination is scheduled for 1 November 2026, followed by the result, interview and provisional allotment stages as per the announced schedule. Candidates preparing for IBPS SO 2027 can refer to the previous recruitment cycle's vacancy details, eligibility criteria, exam pattern and syllabus to begin their preparation. These details are provided for reference and may change in the next notification.
IBPS SO 2026: Latest Update and Remaining Events
IBPS has released the preliminary result status and scores for CRP SPL-XVI. The Main Examination call letter was also listed on 22 October 2026, and the examination is scheduled for 1 November 2026. Candidates who qualified in the Preliminary Examination should download their call letters and prepare for the next stage. The Mains result, interview and provisional allotment are the remaining major events in the current recruitment cycle.
| Event | Date/Status |
|---|
| IBPS SO Preliminary Examination | 29 August 2026 – Conducted |
| Preliminary Result Status | 15 October 2026 – Released |
| Preliminary Examination Scores | 22 October 2026 – Released |
| Mains Call Letter | 22 October 2026 – Released |
| IBPS SO Mains Examination | 1 November 2026 |
| Mains Result | November 2026 – Scheduled |
| Interview | November/December 2026 – Scheduled |
| Provisional Allotment | January 2027 – Scheduled |
IBPS SO Notification 2027
The IBPS SO Notification 2027 has not been released yet. The next recruitment notification is expected to contain the post-wise vacancies, participating banks, eligibility criteria, application fee, registration dates, examination pattern and selection process. The next recruitment cycle is expected to follow the current Specialist Officer recruitment, subject to confirmation by IBPS. Candidates should download the official notification once it becomes available and check the eligibility requirements for their preferred post before applying.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Exam Name | IBPS Specialist Officer 2027 |
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection |
| Recruitment Cycle | Expected CRP SPL-XVII; official confirmation awaited |
| Posts | IT Officer, AFO, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer |
| Scale | Scale-I |
| Total Vacancies | To be announced |
| Notification Date | To be announced |
| Application Dates | To be announced |
| Preliminary Examination | To be announced |
| Main Examination | To be announced |
| Interview | To be announced |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Official Website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS SO Important Dates 2027
The official IBPS SO 2027 examination schedule has not been announced. The following table will be updated when IBPS releases the notification or examination calendar.
| Event | Date |
|---|
| IBPS SO Notification 2027 | To be announced |
| Online Registration Begins | To be announced |
| Last Date to Apply Online | To be announced |
| Application Fee Payment | To be announced |
| Application Correction Window | To be announced |
| Preliminary Admit Card | To be announced |
| Preliminary Examination | To be announced |
| Preliminary Result | To be announced |
| Mains Admit Card | To be announced |
| Main Examination | To be announced |
| Mains Result | To be announced |
| Interview | To be announced |
| Provisional Allotment | To be announced |
IBPS SO Vacancy 2027
The IBPS SO Vacancy 2027 has not been announced. The number of vacancies will depend on the requirements reported by participating banks and may be revised through subsequent notices.
IBPS SO Previous Year Vacancy
For reference, the IBPS SO CRP SPL-XVI recruitment cycle initially had 745 vacancies, which increased to 1,043 in the revised vacancy notice dated 27 August 2026. Candidates can use the previous cycle's figures to understand the distribution of vacancies across Specialist Officer posts, but these numbers should not be treated as the confirmed vacancies for 2027.
| Post Name | Revised Vacancies in 2026 |
| IT Officer (Scale-I) | 376 |
| Agricultural Field Officer (AFO) | 370 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | 102 |
| Law Officer | 125 |
| HR/Personnel Officer | 60 |
| Marketing Officer | 10 |
| Total | 1,043 |
Note: The figures above belong to CRP SPL-XVI. The post-wise vacancies and total may differ in the 2027 recruitment cycle.
IBPS SO Participating Banks
The participating banks for IBPS SO 2027 will be confirmed in the official notification. The availability of Specialist Officer posts may vary across banks. Candidates should check the bank-wise vacancy table in the 2027 notification before making their application choices. The following banks participated in the previous recruitment cycle:
- 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 Apply Online 2027
The IBPS SO Apply Online 2027 link has not been activated. Candidates will be able to apply through the official IBPS website after the registration window opens. The application process is expected to include online registration, entering personal and educational details, uploading the required documents, paying the application fee and submitting the completed form. Candidates should verify all details before final submission.
Steps to Apply Online for IBPS SO 2027
To apply for IBPS SO 2027, follow these steps:
- Visit the official website at www.ibps.in.
- Open the CRP Specialist Officers section.
- Click on the IBPS SO 2027 registration link when available.
- Complete the registration using the required details.
- Log in and fill in the application form.
- Upload the photograph, signature and other documents in the prescribed format.
- Pay the application fee using an available online payment method.
- Review the application and submit the form.
- Download the confirmation page for future reference.
IBPS SO Application Fee 2027
The application fee for IBPS SO 2027 has not been announced. In the previous recruitment cycle, the application fee was ₹175, inclusive of GST, for SC/ST/PwBD candidates and ₹850, inclusive of GST, for all other candidates.
| Category | Previous Cycle Application Fee |
|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD | ₹175 |
| All Other Candidates | ₹850 |
IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria 2027
The eligibility criteria for IBPS SO 2027 will be specified in the official notification. Candidates generally need to satisfy the nationality, age limit and post-specific educational qualification requirements. The following details are based on the previous recruitment cycle and should be treated as reference information until the 2027 notification is released.
IBPS SO Age Limit
In the previous cycle, the age limit for Specialist Officer Scale-I posts was 20 to 30 years, calculated according to the cut-off date specified in the notification. The reference date and age criteria for 2027 are yet to be announced.
| Category | Age Relaxation in the Previous Cycle |
|---|
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As prescribed in the notification |
NOTE: Candidates should check the applicable age cut-off date and category-specific rules before applying.
IBPS SO Educational Qualification
The required qualification differs according to the Specialist Officer post. The previous cycle prescribed the following broad qualification requirements.
| Post | Educational Qualification in the Previous Cycle |
|---|
| IT Officer | A relevant four-year Engineering/Technology degree, eligible postgraduate degree or specified DOEACC B Level qualification with graduation |
| Agricultural Field Officer | Four-year degree in Agriculture or an eligible allied agricultural discipline |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | Postgraduate qualification in Hindi with English at the degree level or another eligible combination specified by IBPS |
| Law Officer | Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B.) and enrolment as an advocate with the Bar Council |
| HR/Personnel Officer | Graduation and an eligible full-time postgraduate degree/diploma in HR, personnel management, industrial relations or a related discipline |
| Marketing Officer | Graduation and an eligible full-time postgraduate qualification in Marketing, such as an MBA/MMS or equivalent diploma |
IBPS SO Selection Process 2027
The selection process for IBPS SO 2027 will be announced in the official notification. The previous recruitment cycle followed a three-stage selection process comprising the Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Interview, followed by provisional allotment. Candidates should prepare for the relevant preliminary subjects and their chosen post's professional knowledge examination. The final selection and allotment rules will be governed by the 2027 notification.
| Stage | Details |
|---|
| Preliminary Examination | Online examination for shortlisting candidates |
| Main Examination | Assessment of professional knowledge and other prescribed subjects |
| Interview | Conducted for candidates shortlisted after the Main Examination |
| Provisional Allotment | Based on merit, eligibility and available vacancies |
IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2027
The IBPS SO 2027 examination pattern has not been announced. Candidates can refer to the CRP SPL-XVI pattern for preparation, but the number of questions, marks, test duration and qualifying requirements must be verified against the official notification for the next cycle.
Prelims Exam Pattern for IT Officer, AFO, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer:
This is a 100-question, 125-mark objective test to be completed in 80 minutes. Unlike earlier recruitment cycles, the preliminary exam now tests candidates on English language, reasoning, quantitative aptitude, and a post-specific professional knowledge section, as detailed below:
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | 20 mins |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 mins |
Prelims Exam Pattern for Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari:
For Law Officers and Rajbhasha Adhikari, the Quantitative Aptitude section is replaced with General Awareness with special reference to the banking industry. The overall structure- 100 questions, 125 marks, and 80 minutes, remains the same as above:
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| General Awareness (Banking) | 25 | 25 | 20 mins |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | 20 mins |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 mins |
Main Exam Pattern for IT Officer, AFO, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer:
Candidates who clear the prelims move on to the online main examination. For these four posts, it is a 150-question, 200-mark test spread across 125 minutes, with professional knowledge carrying the highest weightage in the paper:
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 mins |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 mins |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 mins |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | 40 mins |
| Total | 150 | 200 | 125 mins |
Main Exam Pattern for Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari:
Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari candidates face an additional Descriptive Paper after the objective Main exam, which takes the total exam time to 155 minutes and total marks to 225:
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 mins |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 mins |
| General Awareness (Banking) | 30 | 30 | 20 mins |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | 45 mins |
| Subtotal | 150 | 200 | 125 mins |
| Descriptive Paper (Professional Knowledge for Rajbhasha Adhikari / English for Law Officer) | 2 | 25 | 30 mins |
| Total | 152 | 225 | 155 mins |
Note: There is a penalty of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in the objective tests (both Prelims and Mains). No penalty applies for unattempted questions.
IBPS SO Syllabus 2027
The IBPS SO 2027 syllabus has not been released. Candidates can begin their preparation using the subjects and professional knowledge topics covered in the previous recruitment cycle.
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus
The relevant preliminary subjects depend on the post. Common topics from the previous examination pattern include the following.
| Reasoning Ability | English Language | Quantitative Aptitude | General Awareness |
|---|
| Seating Arrangements | Reading Comprehension | Number Series | Current Affairs |
| Puzzles | Cloze Test | Data Interpretation | Banking Awareness |
| Inequalities | Error Detection | Simplification | Financial Awareness |
| Syllogism | Sentence Improvement | Quadratic Equations | Government Schemes |
| Input-Output | Sentence Correction | Data Sufficiency | Important Days |
| Blood Relations | Para Jumbles | Profit and Loss | Books and Authors |
| Order and Ranking | Fill in the Blanks | Ratio and Proportion | Awards and Honours |
| Alphanumeric Series | Sentence Completion | Time and Work | Important Appointments |
| Distance and Direction | Vocabulary | Time, Speed and Distance | Banking Terms |
IBPS SO Professional Knowledge Syllabus
Professional Knowledge is a key component of Specialist Officer preparation. Candidates should concentrate on the subject associated with their selected post.
| Post | Important Topics |
|---|
| IT Officer | Database Management Systems, Networking, Operating Systems, Software Engineering, Data Structures, Computer Organisation and Object-Oriented Programming |
| Agricultural Field Officer | Crop Production, Agronomy, Horticulture, Seed Science, Soil Resources, Agricultural Economics, Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Schemes |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | Hindi Grammar, Translation, Official Language Policy, Official Language Rules and Constitutional Provisions |
| Law Officer | Banking Regulations, Negotiable Instruments Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act, SARFAESI Act, DRT Act, Consumer Protection and Legal Compliance |
| HR/Personnel Officer | Human Resource Development, Recruitment, Training, Industrial Relations, Performance Appraisal, Compensation and Grievance Management |
| Marketing Officer | Marketing Management, Brand Management, Advertising, Sales, Retail, Market Segmentation, Product Life Cycle, Business Ethics and Marketing Strategies |
IBPS SO Salary 2027
The salary structure for IBPS SO 2027 will depend on the applicable officer pay scale and the terms specified in the recruitment notification. Specialist Officers recruited in Scale-I generally receive basic pay along with applicable allowances and benefits. The actual gross and in-hand salary may vary according to the bank, posting location, allowances and deductions. Candidates can refer to the salary structure applicable to the previous cycle for a preliminary understanding, but the latest applicable pay details should be verified through the official notification and participating bank rules.
IBPS SO Cut Off 2027
The IBPS SO cut-off marks for 2027 will be announced after the relevant examination stages. Cut-offs may vary according to the post, category, number of vacancies, examination difficulty and candidates' performance.
| Stage | Cut-Off Details |
|---|
| Preliminary Examination | Sectional and overall qualifying requirements as prescribed |
| Main Examination | Post-wise and category-wise qualifying requirements |
| Interview | Minimum qualifying marks specified in the notification |
| Final Selection | Combined scores according to the prescribed Main Examination and Interview weightage |
