IBPS AFO Exam Pattern: With the IBPS AFO 2025 exam dates officially announced, understanding the exam pattern is a crucial step in your preparation strategy. The IBPS AFO Exam Pattern 2025 outlines the structure of the selection process, which is conducted under the Specialist Officer (SO) cadre by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). The recruitment process consists of three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview, each designed to assess different skill sets required for the role of Agriculture Field Officer in public sector banks.
IBPS AFO Selection Process 2025
The recruitment process for IBPS Agriculture Field Officers takes place in three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Interview
Only those candidates who clear the Preliminary exam can appear for the Main exam. Final selection is based on performance in the Mains and Interview rounds.
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IBPS AFO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
The Preliminary exam is the first screening stage. It includes three sections and is conducted online.
- All questions are objective type.
- Exam duration is 120 minutes.
- There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
- Exam is conducted online.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
IBPS AFO Mains Exam Pattern 2025
Candidates who clear the prelims move on to the Mains exam, which tests their professional knowledge related to agriculture.
- Only questions based on Professional Knowledge
- Exam duration is 45 minutes
- 0.25 mark negative marking for each incorrect answer
- Conducted online
| Test | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
IBPS AFO Interview Round 2025
Candidates who clear the Mains exam will be shortlisted for the interview round. The interview checks communication skills, subject knowledge, and personality traits.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Weightage (Mains + Interview) | 80:20 |
| Qualifying Marks (General) | 40% |
| Qualifying Marks (SC/ST/OBC/PwBD) | 35% |
Candidates must carry original documents and certificates for verification at the time of the interview.
Marking Scheme for IBPS AFO Exam 2025
Understanding the marking scheme helps candidates plan their attempts more wisely. Both the Prelims and Mains exams follow a structured marking pattern with negative marking. The Interview stage also carries a specific weightage in the final selection.
- Each question in Prelims and Mains carries 1 mark.
- For every incorrect answer in Prelims or Mains, 0.25 marks will be deducted.
- No penalty for unanswered questions.
- Final merit list is prepared based on Mains + Interview scores only (Prelims is qualifying in nature).
| Stage | Maximum Marks | Weightage in Final Merit | Negative Marking |
|---|
| Prelims | 125 | Qualifying Only | Yes (–0.25 per wrong answer) |
| Mains | 60 | 80% | Yes (–0.25 per wrong answer) |
| Interview | 100 | 20% | No |
Minimum Qualifying Marks for Interview Round:
| Category | Minimum Qualifying % |
|---|
| General | 40% |
| SC/ST/OBC/PwBD | 35% |
Candidates are advised to attempt only those questions they are confident about to avoid negative marking and secure a high score in the Mains exam, which holds the highest weight in the final selection.
