IBPS SO 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Check Age Limit & Qualifications

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) Exam annually to recruit candidates for various specialist roles in public sector banks. IBPS SO 2026 recruitment process will select officers for key specialist positions such as IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, and Marketing Officer across 11 participating banks. Before filling IBPS SO 2026 Application Form, candidates must thoroughly understand the eligibility criteria laid down by IBPS to avoid disqualification at any stage of the recruitment process. The eligibility conditions are strictly enforced and cover multiple aspects, including nationality, age limits, educational qualifications, experience (if required), and category-specific relaxations.

IBPS SO 2026 Nationality Criteria

IBPS SO 2026 aspirants must fulfill one of the following nationality conditions. Only individuals who meet any of the following categories are eligible to apply:

A candidate must be either:

1. A citizen of India, or
2. A subject of Nepal or
3. A subject of Bhutan or
4. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962, intending to settle here permanently or
5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Candidates who do not have Indian citizenship must produce a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India at the time of document verification or interview.

IBPS SO 2026 Age Limit and Relaxation

IBPS SO 2026 aspirants must fall within the prescribed age range as on 1st July 2026.

• Minimum Age: 20 years
• Maximum Age: 30 years

This means a candidate must have been born not earlier than 02.07.1995 and not later than 01.07.2005, both dates inclusive.

IBPS SO 2026 Category-wise Age Relaxation

IBPS allows relaxation in the upper age limit for certain reserved and special categories as per government norms:

Note:

• The maximum age limit is applicable to General/EWS category candidates.
• Age relaxation for SC/ST/OBC can be combined with PwBD relaxation, but only one additional category relaxation is permitted as per the rules.
• To claim any relaxation, candidates must produce valid certificates in the prescribed format during the interview/document verification stage.
• Candidates applying under the OBC category must ensure they fall under the non-creamy layer and must have a certificate issued on or after 1st April 2026.

IBPS SO 2026 Educational Qualification (Post-Wise)

IBPS SO 2026 aspirants must meet the minimum educational qualifications mentioned in IBPS SO 2026 Notification specific to the post they are applying for. The qualifications must be from a government-recognised university or institution, and the final result should be declared on or before 21st July 2026.

Below is the post-wise educational eligibility in a clear tabular format:

Post-wise Qualification Table

Note:

• The result must be declared on or before 21st July 2026. Candidates awaiting results are not eligible.
• If the degree is awarded in CGPA/OGPA, candidates must submit an official conversion certificate from their university at the time of interview.
• The specialisation in the required subject must be explicitly mentioned in the degree certificate or marksheets.
• Distance learning degrees are accepted only if the program is approved by UGC/AICTE and meets the full-time equivalency standards.
• Candidates failing to produce valid documents supporting their qualification at the interview stage will be disqualified, even if they clear the online exams.