Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Common Written Examination for Specialist Officers opens doors for 6 different work profiles in various departments. The exam is held in three phases: Prelims, Mains and Personal Interview. The Prelims examination is an online objective which consists of 150 questions. Every incorrect answer will cost you one-fourth of the marks.
You have to qualify in each of the three tests by securing minimum cut-off marks to be decided by IBPS. Also, time is a crucial factor now that IBPS has introduced sectional timing of 40 Minutes for each section.
The exam syllabus is vast, and the negative marking makes it difficult.
As you get ready for IBPS SO examination, here are a few tips that might help:
Take the time out to understand the pattern and the syllabus
A. Preliminary Examination
> For the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Sr. No. | Name of Tests | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1. | English Language | 50 | 25 | English | 40 minutes |
| 2. | Reasoning | 50 | 50 | English and Hindi | 40 minutes |
| 3. | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | English and Hindi | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 |
> For the Post of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer
| Sr. No. | Name of Tests | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| 1. | English Language | 50 | 25 | English | 40 minutes |
| 2. | Reasoning | 50 | 50 | English and Hindi | 40 minutes |
| 3. | Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | English and Hindi | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 |
B. Main Examination
The Pattern for Mains Exam includes the Professional Knowledge for various Posts.
> For the Post of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer,
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | English & Hindi | 45 minutes |
> For the Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 45 | 60 | English & Hindi | 30 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | 60 | English and Hindi | 30 minutes |
Mock Tests
- Spending as much time as possible on solving various test papers and previous years’ question papers makes sure that you are able to concentrate for a longer duration. Often, while studying we tend to slack as soon as we get a couple of answers right. This should be avoided and can be done by solving papers in a time-bound, exam-like setting.
- Taking mock tests is just the first step. The most important part is to analyze. Check which topic took most of your time, figure out where and why you made a mistake. With negative marking, you cannot afford to guess the answers. Which should be avoided at all costs.
- Take the help of online learning applications to solve your doubts and attempt multiple papers.
Key Topics
IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For the English Language | Important Topics For English Language Section
| IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For English Language Section |
| 1. Reading Comprehension |
| 2. Para/Sentence Completion |
| 3. Error Spotting |
| 4. Cloze Test |
| 5. Para Jumbles |
| 6. Sentence Improvement/Correction |
| 7. Fill in the blanks |
IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For Reasoning | Important Topics For Reasoning Section
| IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For Reasoning Section |
| 1. Syllogism |
| 2. Seating Arrangements |
| 3. Direction and Distance |
| 4. Blood Relations |
| 5. Input-Output |
| 6. Coding and Decoding |
| 7. Inequalities |
| 8. Data Sufficiency |
| 9. Order and Ranking |
| 10. Puzzles |
| 11. Verbal Reasoning |
| 12. Alphanumeric Series |
IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For General Awareness | Important Topics For General Awareness Section
| IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For General Awareness Section |
| 1. History |
| 2. Geography |
| 3. Culture |
| 4. Polity |
| 5. Sports |
| 6. Defense |
| 7. Science and Technology |
| 8. Indian Constitution |
| 9. Awards |
| 10. Books and Authors |
| 11. Countries and Currencies/Capitals |
| 12. Important National and International Events |
| 13. Railway and Union Budget |
| 14. Government Policies |
| 15. Business |
| 16. Economic Surveys |
| 17. History of Banking |
| 18. Banking Terminologies |
| 19. Indian Financial and Banking Institutes and their Roles |
| 20. RBI Guidelines |
| 21. Banking Abbreviations |
| 22. Current Bank Rates |
IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For Quantitative Aptitude | Important Topics For Quantitative Aptitude Section
| IBPS Specialist Officer Syllabus For Quantitative Aptitude Section |
| 1. Number Series |
| 2. Simplification |
| 3. Profit and Loss |
| 4. Percentage |
| 5. Average |
| 6. Simple and Compound Interests |
| 7. Ratio and Proportion |
| 8. Quadratic Equation |
| 9. Mensuration |
| 10. Boats and Streams |
| 11. Time, Speed, and Distance |
| 12. Time and Work |
| 13. Mixtures and Alligations |
| 14. Probability |
| 15. Permutation and Combination |
| 16. Data Analysis and Interpretation |
On the day of the exam
- Get a good night’s sleep and be well-rested.
- Keep your admit card and any other documents ready.
- Reach the exam
center well in advance to avoid any last-minute delays.
