IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026: Check Prelims & Mains Exam Pattern
IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026 is prescribed by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). The selection process is structured into three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The Prelims is an objective test having 3 sections of English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability to be completed in 20 mins each. The Mains includes Reasoning and Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis, English, General/Economic Awareness, and Descriptive English writing, which totals to 225 marks. Shortlisted candidates are called for 100 marks Interview.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
The exam pattern of IBPS PO Prelims 2026 is given in the below table:
| Subjects | Maximum Marks | Number of Questions | Medium of Exam | Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | English | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | English and Hindi | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | - | 60 minutes or 1 hour |
IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
IBPS PO Mains Exam comprises 2 Sections: Objective Test and Descriptive Test, which is described below in detail:
| Subjects | Maximum Marks | Number of Questions | Language of Exam | Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 35 | English | 40 minutes |
| Reasoning | 60 | 40 | English and Hindi | 50 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 50 | 35 | English and Hindi | 45 minutes |
| General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness/ Digital/ Financial Awareness including RBI circulars | 50 | 35 | English and Hindi | 35 minutes |
| Total | 200 | 145 | - | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper* (Essay and Comprehension) | 25 | 02 | English | 30 minutes |
IBPS PO 2026 Interview
Aspirants who will qualify for the Prelims and Mains exam will be called for the Interview Process. The interview round comprises questions from various topics like banking and finance-related. The maximum mark given to the interview round is 100. To proceed to the further round, aspirants need to obtain 40 marks for the Unreserved category and 35 marks for the reserved categories.
The final selection of the candidate for the post of Probationary Officer will be made by taking into consideration the cumulative score of Mains Exam and the interview process. The weightage of the Mains and interview rounds will be divided into a ratio of 80:20. A merit list will be generated after the Interview Process of the IBPS PO 2026 Exam has been conducted. Candidates who make it to the list will be thus offered the joining letter by the Bank of their choice.
IBPS PO exam is one of India's most prestigious and competitive exams for candidates who want to make their career in the banking sector. To clear the exam, the candidates must go through the exam pattern and syllabus. It is advised to stick to the exam pattern and syllabus while preparing for the IBPS PO exam. The candidates must study from the recommended books only to clear the exam.
IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026 FAQs
Ques: What are the important topics for the English syllabus in IBPS PO 2026 exams?
Ans: The important topics for the English syllabus in IBPS PO 2026 exams are reading comprehension, fill-in-the-blanks, sentence improvements, spotting errors, para jumbles, cloze test, sentence connectors, etc.
Ques: Will there be any negative markings in IBPS PO 2026 exams?
Ans: Yes, there will be negative marking in IBPS PO 2026 exam. For every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted. There will be no deduction of marks for unattempted answers.
Ques: How many parts will be there for the descriptive test in IBPS PO 2026 exams?
Ans: There will be two parts for the descriptive test in IBPS PO 2026 exams letter writing and essay writing. Aspirants should practice both formal and informal letters, whereas, for essay writing, candidates should practice writing essays on current topics.
Ques: What will be the time duration for the IBPS PO 2026 Mains objective and descriptive exam?
Ans: The time duration for IBPS PO 2026 Mains objective exam will be 3 hours.The time duration for the IBPS PO 2026 descriptive exam will be 30 minutes. In total, candidates will get 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete both the objective and descriptive exams.
Ques: Will there be separate papers for Computer Applications in IBPS PO 2026 exams?
Ans: No, there will be no separate paper for Computer Applications in IBPS PO 2026 exams. The reasoning section will be merged with the Computer Aptitude section and this whole section will consist of 45 questions.
Ques: What are the sections for IBPS PO Prelims and Mains 2026 exam?
Ans: The sections for IBPS PO Prelims 2026 exam consist of English Language, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude, whereas the sections for IBPS PO Mains 2026 exam comprises of English Language, Reasoning and Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis, and Interpretation, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness, English Language (Letter Writing and Essay).
Ques: What will be the syllabus of IBPS PO 2026 for the interview round?
Ans: The syllabus of IBPS PO 2026 for the interview round consists of questions from Current Affairs, Personal Questions, and Finance or Bank-related Questions.
Ques: Will there be sectional timing in IBPS PO prelims 2026 exam?
Ans: Yes, there will be sectional timing in the IBPS PO prelims 2026 exam. For each section in the preliminary exam, 20 minutes will be allotted.
Ques: What will be the syllabus for Reasoning in IBPS PO 2026 syllabus?
Ans: The syllabus for Reasoning in IBPS PO syllabus 2026 consists of Data Sufficiency Tests, Seating Arrangements, inequality, sitting arrangement/ puzzles, coding-decoding, syllogism, Coded Inequalities, Tabulation, etc.
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