IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) exam

The IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) exam is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit candidates for various specialist officer positions in participating banks. The positions for which IBPS conducts the exam include roles in fields like IT, Law, HR, Marketing, and more.

Here is detailed information about the IBPS SO exam:

1. Exam Overview:

• Conducting Body: Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
• Frequency: Annually
• Purpose: To recruit Specialist Officers (SO) for participating public sector banks in India.
• Posts Offered:
  • IT Officer
  • Agricultural Field Officer (AFO)
  • Rajbhasha Adhikari
  • Law Officer
  • HR/Personnel Officer
  • Marketing Officer
  • Others (depending on the bank’s requirements)

2. Eligibility Criteria:

• Nationality: Candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• Age Limit:
  • Typically, the age range is 20 to 30 years for most posts, with relaxation for reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD).
• Educational Qualification:
  • Varies depending on the post. Some examples include:
    • IT Officer: B.Tech/B.E. in IT/CS, or similar.
    • Agricultural Field Officer: Degree in Agriculture or related fields.
    • Law Officer: Law degree (LLB).
    • HR/Personnel Officer: Postgraduate degree or diploma in Personnel Management or HR.
    • Marketing Officer: MBA/PGDBM with specialization in Marketing.
  • For some posts, relevant experience may be required (e.g., Law Officer requires experience in legal matters).

3. Exam Pattern:

The IBPS SO exam consists of two main stages:

a) Preliminary Exam:

• Mode: Online
• Duration: 2 hours
• Sections:
  1. Reasoning Ability – 50 questions, 50 marks
  2. English Language – 50 questions, 25 marks
  3. Professional Knowledge – 50 questions, 75 marks
• Total: 150 questions, 125 marks
• Negative Marking: 0.25 marks for each wrong answer

b) Main Exam:

• Mode: Online
• Duration: 3 hours
• Sections:
  1. Reasoning & Computer Aptitude – 50 questions, 60 marks
  2. English Language – 50 questions, 25 marks
  3. Quantitative Aptitude – 50 questions, 50 marks
  4. Professional Knowledge – 50 questions, 75 marks
• Total: 200 questions, 225 marks
• Negative Marking: 0.25 marks for each wrong answer

c) Interview:

• After the main exam, candidates who qualify are called for the interview.
• The interview is typically worth 100 marks.
• The weightage for the final selection is typically:
  • Main Exam: 80%
  • Interview: 20%
• Final Selection: The final merit list is based on the combined scores from the main exam and interview.

4. Important Dates:

The dates for the exam typically follow a general pattern, but they are subject to change each year:

• Notification Release: Usually in November/December
• Online Application: Typically starts in December
• Prelims Exam: January/February
• Mains Exam: February/March
• Interview: April/May
• Result Declaration: May/June

5. Application Process:

• Online Application: The application process is entirely online through the IBPS website.
• Fee:
  • For General/OBC/EWS: Around ₹850
  • For SC/ST/PWD: Around ₹175
• Steps:
  1. Register on the IBPS website.
  2. Fill out the application form with personal, educational, and other details.
  3. Pay the application fee.
  4. Upload scanned photographs and signatures.
  5. Submit the application form.

6. Syllabus:

• Reasoning Ability: Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Direction Sense, Blood Relations, Logical Reasoning, etc.
• English Language: Reading Comprehension, Sentence Error Correction, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Fill in the blanks, etc.
• Quantitative Aptitude: Data Interpretation, Number Series, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Percentages, etc.
• Professional Knowledge: This section tests the candidate’s knowledge in their respective field (e.g., IT, Law, Marketing, etc.).

7. Salary and Benefits:

The salary for an IBPS SO varies depending on the post and the bank but typically includes:

• Basic Pay: Around ₹37,000 to ₹39,000 per month (depends on the bank and location).
• Other Allowances: House Rent Allowance (HRA), Dearness Allowance (DA), Special Allowance, Medical Allowance, etc.

• Annual CTC: Generally, the total CTC for a newly appointed SO is between ₹6 to ₹8 Lakhs.

8. Participating Banks:

IBPS conducts the SO exam for recruitment in the following banks:

• Allahabad Bank
• Bank of Baroda
• Bank of India
• Canara Bank
• Central Bank of India
• Indian Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Oriental Bank of Commerce
• Punjab National Bank
• Syndicate Bank
• UCO Bank
• Union Bank of India
• And many more.

9. How to Prepare for IBPS SO?

• Understand the Syllabus: First, thoroughly understand the syllabus for both prelims and mains.
• Time Management: Practice time management techniques for each section of the exam.
• Mock Tests: Take regular mock tests to understand the exam pattern and improve your speed.
• Read Newspapers & Books: For the English section, general reading helps improve comprehension.
• Professional Knowledge: Focus on your respective field’s subjects for the Professional Knowledge section.
• Revision: Regular revision is crucial to retain concepts.