IBPS PO · आईबीपीएस पीओ सिलेबस

IBPS PO Syllabus 2026: Prelims, Mains & Interview Breakdown

IBPS PO syllabus with Prelims and Mains pattern, sectional timing, descriptive paper, interview weightage, negative marking and a section-wise preparation plan.

Conducted by: Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Eligibility: Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university; age 20–30 years.
Attempts: No attempt limit inside the age window.
Negative marking: 0.25 mark deducted per wrong answer in Prelims and Mains objective papers.
Question paper language: English and Hindi (English Language section in English only).
Last reviewed: 2026

Exam pattern & stages

Stage	Questions	Marks	Duration	Mode
Prelims	100	100	60 minutes (sectional)	Computer-based
Mains (objective)	155	200	180 minutes	Computer-based
Mains (descriptive)	Essay + letter	25	30 minutes	Typed
Interview	—	100	—	In person

Subject-wise syllabus

Quantitative Aptitude · संख्यात्मक अभियोग्यता

35 questions (Prelims) · 35 questions (Mains)

Simplification, approximation and number series
Quadratic equations and quantity comparison
Percentage, ratio, average, age problems
Profit–loss, interest, mixture and alligation
Time–work, speed–distance, boats and trains
Data interpretation: table, line, bar, caselet, pie
Data sufficiency and permutation, combination, probability

Reasoning Ability · तर्क क्षमता

35 questions (Prelims) · 45 questions with Computer Aptitude (Mains)

Puzzles: floor, box, month and category based
Seating arrangement: linear, circular and uncertain
Inequality, syllogism and coding–decoding
Blood relations, direction sense and order–ranking
Input–output and machine coding
Data sufficiency and critical reasoning

English Language · अंग्रेज़ी भाषा

30 questions (Prelims) · 40 questions (Mains)

Reading comprehension and vocabulary in context
Cloze test and fillers, single and double
Error spotting, sentence improvement and connectors
Para jumbles and paragraph completion
Word usage and word swap questions

General & Banking Awareness · सामान्य एवं बैंकिंग जागरूकता

40 questions (Mains)

Banking terms, RBI functions and monetary policy
Financial institutions, NPAs, Basel norms and money market
Government schemes and financial inclusion
Static awareness: capitals, currencies, headquarters
Current affairs of the last 6 months with a banking focus

How to cover this syllabus

1Clear sectional cut-offs first — a strong overall score with one weak section still fails Prelims.
2Speed matters more than depth in Prelims: 20 minutes per section forces you to pick the easy sets first.
3Master 12–15 puzzle types; puzzles and arrangements alone carry half the reasoning paper.
4Read one business newspaper daily for banking awareness and for the descriptive essay at the same time.
5Practise typing the descriptive paper on a keyboard — handwriting practice does not help here.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there sectional timing in IBPS PO Prelims?

Yes. Each of the three sections has a fixed 20-minute window, and you cannot return to a section once its time is over.

How much does the interview count in the final merit?

The final score is a weighted 80:20 combination of the Mains examination and the interview.

Does IBPS PO have a descriptive paper?

Yes. The Mains includes a 30-minute typed descriptive test of 25 marks with a letter and an essay.

Other exam syllabus pages

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