Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) · Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in 11 public sector banks
IBPS PO: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Age Limit & Mock Tests
IBPS holds one common recruitment process a year for Probationary Officers and Management Trainees in 11 public sector banks, including Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Punjab National Bank. Everything about the exam on one page, from the official CRP PO/MT-XVI notice.
IBPS PO latest updates
New IBPS PO notifications, admit cards, answer keys and results appear here as soon as they are posted. Browse Govt Jobs →
What's new in CRP PO/MT-XVI
- Indicative vacancies were raised from 6,715 in the notification to 7,565 in the update of 27 August 2026.
- Participating banks: 11 public sector banks; Union Bank of India had not reported vacancies in the update.
Important dates
Dates for the next IBPS PO cycle (notification, last date, admit card, exam and result) appear here when they are announced. See the exam calendar →
Check your eligibility
- ✓Probationary Officer / Management TraineeAge 20–30 +3
IBPS PO vacancies
Total, category-wise and post-wise vacancies appear here when the IBPS PO notification is released.
Eligibility and age limit
| Posts | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Probationary Officer / Management Trainee | Degree in any discipline from a recognised university; result declared on or before the last date of registration | 20–30 |
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with benchmark disabilities | 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen, ECOs / SSCOs with 5 years’ service | 5 years |
Age is counted as on 1 July of the recruitment year.
You must be a graduate on the day you register and enter your graduation percentage.
SC/ST/OBC relaxation can be added to only one other relaxation (PwBD or ex-servicemen).
There is no reservation for ex-servicemen in the officers’ cadre.
Application fee
Selection process
- 1PrelimsOnline · 100 marks · 1 hour · qualify in each test
- 2MainsObjective 200 marks + descriptive 25 marks
- 3Personality testSelf-report · non-qualifying but compulsory
- 4Interview100 marks · Mains : Interview = 80 : 20
IBPS PO exam pattern
Prelims 60 minutes (20 per test) · 100 questions · 100 marks · −1/4 per wrong answer
| Test | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Mains 160 minutes objective + 30 minutes descriptive · −1/4 per wrong answer
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 min |
| General / Economy / Banking / Digital / Financial Awareness (incl. RBI circulars) | 50 | 60 | 35 min |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 min |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 min |
| Descriptive: Essay and Comprehension (English) | 2 | 25 | 30 min |
| Objective total | 170 | 200 | 160 min |
Tests are in English and Hindi, except English Language. Final merit uses Mains and interview marks only, in the ratio 80:20; the interview needs at least 40% (35% for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD). Scores across sessions are normalised.
IBPS PO syllabus
Subject by subject. The number on a topic is how many practice questions we have for it.
Reasoning
Prelims 35 questions · Mains 40 questionsQuantitative Aptitude / Data Analysis
Prelims 35 questions · Mains 40 questionsEnglish Language
Prelims 30 questions · Mains 40 questions + descriptiveGeneral / Banking / Financial Awareness
Mains 50 questions · 60 marksIBPS PO cut-offs
Year-wise official cut-offs for every category appear here once they are published.
IBPS PO salary by post
| Level / group | Posts | Pay scale |
|---|---|---|
| PO / MT | Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in the participating banks | Basic ₹48,480-2,000/7-62,480-2,340/2-67,160-2,680/7-85,920 |
Scale of pay as printed in the CRP PO/MT-XVI notice. Allowances and perquisites follow the rules of the bank you are allotted to.
IBPS PO mock tests and previous year papers
Exams with a similar syllabus
Your IBPS PO preparation already covers most of these exams.
IBPS PO articles
Preparation strategy, syllabus breakdowns and cut-off analysis for IBPS PO are on the way. Read the blog →
IBPS PO frequently asked questions
How many vacancies are there in IBPS PO 2026?
7,565 indicative vacancies as on 27 August 2026 (6,715 at notification). IBPS allots candidates on the actual vacancies reported by the banks, so the number can change.
What is the age limit for IBPS PO?
20 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026: born not earlier than 2 July 1996 and not later than 1 July 2006. SC/ST get 5 more years, OBC 3, PwBD 10 and eligible ex-servicemen 5.
Can final-year students apply for IBPS PO?
No. The notice requires you to be a graduate on the day you register, with the result declared on or before the last date of registration.
Is there negative marking in IBPS PO?
Yes. One fourth of the marks of a question is deducted for each wrong answer in Prelims and in the Mains objective tests. There is no penalty for a question left blank.
Do Prelims marks count in IBPS PO?
No. Only Mains marks are used for the interview shortlist and final merit, where Mains and interview are weighted 80:20.
What is the pay of an IBPS PO?
The notice prints a basic scale of ₹48,480-2,000/7-62,480-2,340/2-67,160-2,680/7-85,920. Allowances and perquisites are as per the rules of the allotted bank.
When is IBPS PO Mains 2026?
The IBPS tentative calendar lists 4 October 2026 for Mains. Prelims was scheduled for 22 and 23 August 2026.
Sources: IBPS CRP PO/MT-XVI notification (01-07-2026) · IBPS CRP PO/MT-XVI updated vacancies (27-08-2026) · IBPS tentative calendar 2026-27 (checked 14 Sept 2026). Always confirm in the official notice before applying.