The IBPS PO 2025 exam pattern has been officially updated and released with the notification. The selection process will follow three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The prelims exam is qualifying in nature and helps shortlist candidates for the Mains. The Mains exam pattern has seen major changes this year: a reduced number of questions, a revised marking scheme, and updated sections like Digital and Financial Awareness. Both prelims and mains are held online, with sectional timing and negative marking (0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer). The final selection is based on combined Mains and Interview scores.
IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2025
The IBPS PO 2025 exam pattern has been officially revised and shared in the latest notification. While the structure of Prelims and Mains remains the same, some important updates have been made in the number of questions, marks distribution, and focus areas. These changes aim to assess candidates more effectively across reasoning, numerical, and banking knowledge.
- Preliminary Exam: Qualifying in nature
- Mains Exam: Determines merit ranking
- Interview: Final selection round
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Revised IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
The preliminary exam consists of three sections with a total of 100 questions. The exam is objective (MCQ-based) and has a sectional time limit for each part.
- Candidates must qualify in each section to proceed to the Mains.
- Total questions: 100, total marks: 100 (No change)
- Quantitative Aptitude: 35 questions, now only 30 marks (earlier 35)
- Reasoning Ability: 35 questions, now 40 marks (earlier 35)
- Sectional time: 20 minutes per section
- Negative marking: ¼ mark for each wrong answer
Revised IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2025
The IBPS PO Mains Exam includes four objective sections along with a descriptive test for the English language. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- The exam consists of objective (MCQs) and descriptive questions.
- Negative marking: 1/4th, or 0.25, of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
- Candidates must clear both the sectional and overall cutoff to qualify for the interview.
- Total objective questions reduced from 155 to 145
- Reasoning section renamed (from Reasoning & Computer Aptitude to just Reasoning)
- Data Interpretation marks reduced to 50 (earlier 60)
- General Awareness expanded to include Digital, Financial, and RBI topics
- The descriptive test remains the same (2 questions for 25 marks)
| Section | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Time Duration |
|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | English & Hindi | 50 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | English only | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 50 | English & Hindi | 45 minutes |
| General Economy & Banking Awareness | 35 | 50 | English & Hindi | 25 minutes |
| Total (Objective) | 145 | 200 | | 160 minutes |
| English Language (Descriptive) | 2 | 25 | English only | 30 minutes |
| Grand Total | 147 | 225 | | 3 hours 10 minutes |
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IBPS PO Descriptive Test 2025
The IBPS PO Descriptive Test is an essential part of the Mains examination introduced to assess a candidate's written communication skills in English. This section carries 25 marks and is conducted online immediately after the objective test. It includes one essay and one comprehension question, to be completed within 30 minutes. As this is a qualifying paper, candidates must obtain the minimum cut-off marks set by IBPS to move forward to the interview stage. The descriptive test evaluates the candidate's ability to express ideas clearly, use grammar accurately, and comprehend written material effectively.
- Total Marks: 25
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Mode: Online (answers to be typed using keyboard)
- Questions: 1 Essay + 1 Comprehension
- Qualifying Nature: Must secure minimum cut-off to be shortlisted for interview
- Test Focus: Grammar, vocabulary, structure, clarity, and comprehension
IBPS PO Interview Process
Candidates who qualify the Main Exam are shortlisted for the interview, which assesses their personality, communication skills, and suitability for the banking sector.
- Total Marks: 100
- Qualifying Marks: 40% for General category; 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwD candidates
- Assessment Areas: Banking knowledge, current affairs, communication skills, leadership qualities, and problem-solving abilities
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IBPS PO Final Selection Criteria
The final selection of candidates for the Probationary Officer post is based on the combined performance in the Main Exam and Interview.
Mains Exam Weightage: 80%
- Interview Weightage: 20%
- Candidates who rank high in the merit list are selected as Probationary Officers (POs).
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IBPS PO Marking Scheme
The IBPS PO exam follows a strict marking scheme in both Prelims and Mains. Each correct answer awards 1 mark, while 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions. This makes accuracy essential for scoring well.
| Exam Stage | Correct Answer | Wrong Answer | Unattempted Questions |
|---|
| Prelims | Varies | -1/4th of the marks assigned to a question | No penalty |
| Mains (Objective) | Varies | -1/4th of the marks assigned to a question | No penalty |
| Mains (Descriptive) | Evaluated separately | Not applicable | Not applicable |
