IBPS PO (Probationary Officer)

The IBPS PO refers to the Probationary Officer (PO) recruitment exam conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) for various public sector banks in India. The IBPS PO exam is one of the most competitive exams in the banking sector, designed to recruit Probationary Officers in various public sector banks.

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the IBPS PO:

1. IBPS PO Overview:

• Purpose: To recruit Probationary Officers (POs) for public sector banks in India.
• Conducting Body: IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection).
• Banks: IBPS PO recruits for various public sector banks such as:
  • State Bank of India (SBI)
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB)
  • Bank of Baroda (BOB)
  • Canara Bank
  • Bank of India (BOI)
  • Indian Bank
  • And others.
• Job Profile: A Probationary Officer in public sector banks is involved in a variety of banking activities such as customer service, credit processing, loan management, operations, and other managerial tasks.

2. Eligibility Criteria:

• Nationality: Candidates must be Indian citizens.
• Age Limit: The age for candidates applying for IBPS PO is between 20 to 30 years (as of the cut-off date mentioned in the notification). Relaxations are provided for certain categories:
  • OBC: 3 years
  • SC/ST: 5 years
  • PWD: 10 years
• Educational Qualification: Candidates must have a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalent.
  • Percentage Requirement: Generally, no minimum percentage is specified, but candidates must have a valid degree before applying.
• Computer Literacy: Basic knowledge of computer operations is required, as the exam and job involve computer-based tasks.

3. IBPS PO Selection Process:

The selection process consists of three stages:

• Preliminary Exam (Prelims):
  • Mode: Online
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Sections:
    • English Language: 30 Questions, 30 Marks.
    • Quantitative Aptitude: 35 Questions, 35 Marks.
    • Reasoning Ability: 35 Questions, 35 Marks.
  • Total: 100 Questions, 100 Marks.
• Main Exam (Mains):
  • Mode: Online
  • Duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes (210 minutes).
  • Sections:
    • Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: 45 Questions, 60 Marks.
    • General Awareness, Economy, and Banking Awareness: 40 Questions, 40 Marks.
    • English Language: 35 Questions, 40 Marks.
    • Data Analysis and Interpretation: 35 Questions, 60 Marks.
    • English Language (Descriptive): 2 Questions, 25 Marks (Letter Writing & Essay).
  • Total: 155 Questions, 200 Marks (Objective) + 25 Marks (Descriptive).
• Interview:
  • Marks: 100.
  • Candidates who clear the Mains exam are called for the interview round.
  • The interview typically focuses on testing the candidate’s personality, communication skills, general awareness, and knowledge of banking.
• Final Selection:
  • The final merit list is created based on the combined score of the Mains Exam and Interview. The weightage of the Mains Exam is generally 80%, and the Interview carries 20%.

4. IBPS PO Exam Pattern:

• Prelims Exam Pattern:
  • Reasoning Ability: 35 Questions, 35 Marks.
  • Quantitative Aptitude: 35 Questions, 35 Marks.
  • English Language: 30 Questions, 30 Marks.
  • Total: 100 Questions, 100 Marks.
• Mains Exam Pattern:
  • Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: 45 Questions, 60 Marks.
  • General Awareness: 40 Questions, 40 Marks.
  • English Language: 35 Questions, 40 Marks.
  • Data Analysis and Interpretation: 35 Questions, 60 Marks.
  • Descriptive Paper (English): 2 Questions, 25 Marks.
  • Total: 157 Questions, 225 Marks (Objective and Descriptive Combined).
• Interview: 100 Marks (with the final selection based on Mains and Interview).

5. Syllabus:

• Prelims Syllabus:
  • Reasoning: Number Series, Blood Relations, Puzzles, Input-Output, Syllogism, Direction Sense, Coding-Decoding.
  • Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, Percentage, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Average, Time & Distance, Number Series.
  • English Language: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Fill in the Blanks, Sentence Rearrangement, Vocabulary.
• Mains Syllabus:
  • Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: Puzzles, Syllogism, Input-Output, Data Sufficiency, Machine Input, Coding-Decoding, Logical Reasoning.
  • General Awareness: Current Affairs (National and International), Banking and Financial Awareness, Economic Policies, Government Schemes, Static GK.
  • English Language: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Sentence Completion, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles.
  • Data Analysis and Interpretation: Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Caselets.
  • Descriptive Paper: Letter Writing, Essay Writing, Precis Writing, Argument Analysis.

6. Salary and Benefits:

• Basic Pay: The salary for IBPS PO varies between ₹36,000 – ₹40,000 per month (inclusive of basic pay, allowances, and deductions).
• Allowances:
  • Dearness Allowance (DA).
  • House Rent Allowance (HRA).
  • Special Allowance.
  • City Compensatory Allowance (CCA), if applicable.
• Other Benefits: Medical benefits, pension, provident fund, insurance, and leave benefits.
• Other Perks: The job offers various facilities like a laptop, telephone, and reimbursement of bills, depending on the bank’s policy.

7. Application Process:

• Online Application: Candidates must apply online on the IBPS official website during the notification period.
• Application Fee:
  • General/OBC: ₹850 (including GST).
  • SC/ST/PWD/Ex-Servicemen: ₹175.
• Documents Required: Scanned photograph, signature, category certificate (if applicable), and educational qualification certificates.

8. Important Dates:

• The exact dates vary annually but typically:
  • Notification Release: In August/September.
  • Online Registration: August/September.
  • Prelims Exam: October.
  • Mains Exam: November.
  • Interview: January/February.
  • Final Result: April.

9. Cut-off Marks:

• The cut-off marks vary each year based on the difficulty level of the exam, the number of candidates, and the category of the candidate.
• The cut-off is applied to each section as well as the overall score.
• The Prelims cut-off is generally lower than the Mains cut-off due to the sectional nature of the exam.

10. Preparation Tips:

• Time Management: Practice solving questions within the stipulated time. Regular practice and mock tests will help you improve your speed.
• Current Affairs: Stay updated with daily news, particularly in banking and financial sectors.
• Practice Previous Papers: Solving past year question papers and mock tests will give you a clear idea of the exam pattern and frequently asked questions.
• Focus on Weak Areas: Identify your weak subjects or topics and give them extra attention.

11. Books for IBPS PO Preparation:

• Reasoning: A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal.
• Quantitative Aptitude: Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal.
• English: Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi.
• General Awareness: Banking Awareness by R.K. Gupta, General Knowledge for IBPS PO by Disha Experts.
• Descriptive Paper: Descriptive English by S.C. Gupta.