IBPS SO is one of the most competitive exams in India. More than 8 lakh government job aspirants sit for the IBPS SO exam every year. IBPS has set the prelims exam date on 30th & 31st December 2023 and mains exam date on 28th January 2024 for the aspiring candidates. There are three stages for a Bank SO selection - Prelims, Mains, and Interview. In order to get selected for the IBPS SO post, these stages must be cleared one by one by the candidates. When preparing for the exam, candidates must know the IBPS SO exam syllabus and pattern. The syllabus helps the candidate to understand the types of topics better. Subjects like IBPS SO Data Interpretation, reasoning ability might take most of your time during preparation but candidates must focus on those topics first that they are weak in. The preparation for the exam is only successful when the candidates are clear with the syllabus. A proper planning and preparations will distinguish candidates away from the crowd. Below IBPS SO syllabus and pattern are given for the government job candidates to prepare.
IBPS will be following the below-detailed exam pattern for shortlisting eligible candidates for IBPS SO 2023 Exam. The preliminary exam will be a qualifying phase for the mains and candidates will have to meet the cut-offs of prelims to be eligible to appear for the Mains exam.
The exam pattern for IBPS preliminary examination is different from that of the main examination.
Note: Candidates applying for Rajbhasha Adhikari and Law Officers need to attempt the General Awareness section.
The exam pattern is given below:
| Name of the Tests | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| English Language | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
The exam pattern is given below:
| Name of the Tests | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| English Language | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
The exam pattern is given below:
The exam pattern is given below:
| Name of the Tests | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
The exam pattern is given below:
| Name of the Tests | Number of Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 45 | 30 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | 30 minutes |
The final merit list is prepared on the basis of total scores obtained in the written test + Interview. The weightage of the online test and interview will be 80:20. For being selected as a Specialist Officer in the public sector bank you have to qualify in both exams – A written online exam as well as an Interview and must score high on the merit list.
As the exam for IBPS SO 2023 is conducted in 2 parts, the marking scheme for both of their papers is also different.
| Paper Number- | Sections | Number of Questions | For Correct Response | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari and Law Officer |
Reasoning | 50 Questions each | 1 mark |
0.25 marks |
| English Language | 0.5 mark | |||
| General Awareness with special reference to Banking Industry | 1 mark | |||
| Paper-2 post of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer Scale 1 |
Reasoning | 50 Questions each | 1 mark | |
| English Language | 0.5 mark | |||
| Quantitative Aptitude | 1 mark |
The marking scheme for IBPS SO 2023 Mains is mentioned below.
| Paper Number | Number of Questions | Marks Allotted | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 (post of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer Scale 1) | 60 |
60 Marks |
0.25 Marks |
| Paper -2 (post of Rajbhasha Adhikari) | 45 |
IBPS SO Syllabus is based on the general graduation level curriculum. Listed below are some of the important topics to be studied for IBPS SO 2023 Exam under each section for both Prelims and Mains. Keeping in mind the exam pattern of IBPS SO, one should go through the syllabus to derive a smart strategy.
The syllabus is given below:
The syllabus is given below:
Database Management System, Data Communication and Networking, Operating System, Software Engineering, Data Structure, Computer Organization, Microprocessor, Object-Oriented Programming.
Basics of Crop production, Horticulture, Seed Science, Agronomy and Irrigation, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Practices, Soil resources, Animal Husbandry, Agroforestry, Ecology, Government Schemes.
Basics of Marketing Management, Brand Management, Advertising, PR, Sales, Retail, Business Ethics, Market Segmentation, Market research and forecasting demand, Product Life Cycle, Corporate Social Responsibility, Service Marketing, Marketing Strategies
Banking Regulations, Compliance, and Legal Aspects, Relevant, Law and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange, Prevention of Money laundering, Limitation Act, Consumer Protection Act, SARFAES, Banking Ombudsman Scheme, Laws and Actions with a direct link to Banking Sector, Bankers Book Evidence Act, DRT Act.
Human Resource Development, Business policy and strategic analysis, Transnational Analysis, Training and Development, Recruitment and Selection, Rewards and Recognition, Industrial Relations, Business Policy, and Strategic Analysis, Grievance and Conflict Management, Performance Management and Appraisal.
There are 3 stages in total for IBPS SO 2023- Prelims, Mains and Personal Interview.
Yes, there is a sectional timing of 30 minutes each for IBPS SO 2023 Prelims.
Yes, the syllabus for Prelims is the same for all the posts.
Yes, the Mains paper differs according to the knowledge relevant for each post.
Yes, the vocabulary is very important for the English Language section of IBPS SO Prelims.
