The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 Notification (CRP SPL-XVI) for the recruitment of Specialist Officers (Scale I) in participating public sector banks for the 2027-28 vacancies. Eligible candidates can submit their online applications from 1 July 2026 to 21 July 2026. The recruitment process consists of Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview.
IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Organization | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | CRP SPL-XVI |
| Post Name | Specialist Officer (Scale-I) |
| Job Location | Across India |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Registration Dates | 01 July 2026 to 21 July 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam | August 2026 |
| Main Exam | November 2026 |
| Interview | November/December 2026 |
| Provisional Allotment | January 2027 |
| Official Website | www.ibps.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | 01 July 2026 |
| Online Application Starts | 01 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 21 July 2026 |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 21 July 2026 |
| Preliminary Admit Card | August 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam | August 2026 |
| Preliminary Result | September/October 2026 |
| Main Admit Card | October 2026 |
| Main Examination | November 2026 |
| Main Result | November 2026 |
| Interview | November/December 2026 |
| Final Allotment | January 2027 |
IBPS SO 2026 Vacancy Posts
Recruitment is being conducted for the following Specialist Officer posts:
- IT Officer (Scale-I)
- Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I)
- Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I)
- Law Officer (Scale-I)
- HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I)
- Marketing Officer (Scale-I)
The detailed category-wise vacancies for each participating bank are provided in Annexure-I of the official notification.
Participating Banks
Candidates will be recruited in:
- 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
Age Limit (As on 01 July 2026)
- Minimum Age: 20 Years
- Maximum Age: 30 Years
Candidates should be born between 02 July 1996 and 01 July 2006 (both inclusive).
Age Relaxation
- SC/ST – 5 Years
- OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) – 3 Years
- PwBD – 10 Years
- Ex-Servicemen – As per Government Rules
Educational Qualification
IT Officer (Scale-I)
- BE/B.Tech in Computer Science, IT, Electronics, Computer Applications, Electronics & Communication, Electronics & Instrumentation
- OR Postgraduate Degree in relevant disciplines
- OR DOEACC ‘B’ Level
Agricultural Field Officer
Four-year Degree in:
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Animal Husbandry
- Veterinary Science
- Dairy Science
- Fishery Science
- Agricultural Engineering
- Food Technology
- Biotechnology
- Agriculture Business Management
- and other notified agricultural disciplines.
Rajbhasha Adhikari
- Postgraduate Degree in Hindi with English at Graduation level
OR
- Postgraduate Degree in Sanskrit with Hindi and English at Graduation level.
Law Officer
- Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B.)
- Enrolled with Bar Council.
HR/Personnel Officer
Graduate with two-year full-time:
- MBA (HR)
- HRD
- Personnel Management
- Industrial Relations
- Labour Law
- Social Work
Marketing Officer
Graduate with:
- MBA (Marketing)
- MMS (Marketing)
- PGDM
- PGPM
- PGDBM
- PGDBA
- Marketing Specialization
Post Details
| Post Name (Scale-I) | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| IT Officer | 301 |
| Agricultural Field Officer | 190 |
| Law Officer | 105 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | 89 |
| HR/Personnel Officer | 60 |
| Marketing Officer | 0 (Nil this cycle) |
| Total | 745 |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD | ₹175 |
| General/OBC/EWS | ₹850 |
Payment should be made online only.
Salary
Basic Pay
₹48,480 – ₹85,920
In addition, selected candidates will receive:
- Dearness Allowance (DA)
- House Rent Allowance (HRA)
- Special Allowance
- Medical Benefits
- Other Bank Allowances
Selection Process
The recruitment process consists of:
- Preliminary Online Examination
- Main Online Examination
- Interview
- Document Verification
- Final Provisional Allotment
Exam Process for IBPS SO 2026?
The IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) Recruitment 2026 (CRP SPL-XVI) selection process consists of three stages:
1. Preliminary Examination
- Conducted in online mode.
- Tests candidates in subjects such as English Language, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude/General Awareness (depending on the post), and Professional Knowledge.
- This stage is qualifying in nature and is used to shortlist candidates for the Main Examination.
2. Main Examination
- Conducted online.
- Focuses mainly on Professional Knowledge related to the post applied for.
- Marks obtained in the Main Examination are considered for the final merit list.
3. Interview
- Candidates who qualify the Main Examination are called for an Interview.
- The interview is conducted by the participating banks and coordinated by IBPS.
- The interview carries 100 marks.
- Minimum qualifying marks:
- 40% for General/EWS candidates.
- 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates.
Final Merit List
The final selection is based on the combined performance in:
- Main Examination – 80% Weightage
- Interview – 20% Weightage
The Preliminary Examination marks are not included in the final merit list. Candidates are provisionally allotted to participating banks based on their final merit, preferences, vacancies, and reservation rules.
Preliminary Exam Pattern
For IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 Minutes |
For Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| General Awareness (Banking) | 25 | 25 | 20 Minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 25 | 50 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 125 | 80 Minutes |
Main Examination Pattern
IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer & Marketing Officer
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 Minutes |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 Minutes |
| Professional Knowledge | 50 | 100 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 200 | 125 Minutes |
Law Officer
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 Minutes |
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 Minutes |
| General Awareness (Banking) | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 50 | 100 | 45 Minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (English) | 2 | 25 | 30 Minutes |
| Total | 152 | 225 | 155 Minutes |
Required Documents
Candidates should keep the following documents ready:
- Recent Passport Size Photograph
- Signature
- Left Thumb Impression
- Handwritten Declaration
- Educational Certificates
- Identity Proof
- Category Certificate (if applicable)
- Disability Certificate (if applicable)
How to Apply for IBPS SO Recruitment 2026
- Visit the official IBPS website.
- Click on CRP SPL-XVI Recruitment.
- Register using your email ID and mobile number.
- Fill in the online application form carefully.
- Upload the required documents.
- Pay the application fee online.
- Submit the application form.
- Download and print the confirmation page for future reference.
Why Apply for IBPS SO?
- Permanent Government Bank Job
- Attractive Salary up to ₹85,920 Basic Pay
- Job Security
- Promotion Opportunities
- Nationwide Posting
- Medical and Retirement Benefits
- Work-Life Balance
| Notification PDF | Click Here |
| Apply Now | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
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IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 FAQs
Q1. What is the last date to apply for IBPS SO Recruitment 2026?
21 July 2026.
Q2. What is the age limit?
20 to 30 years as on 01 July 2026, with applicable age relaxation.
Q3. What is the application fee?
- ₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD
- ₹850 for all other categories.
Q4. What is the selection process?
Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Interview → Document Verification → Final Allotment.
Q5. What is the basic salary?
The starting basic pay is ₹48,480, with the pay scale extending up to ₹85,920, along with applicable allowances.
Source: Official IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 (CRP SPL-XVI) Notification.