The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has officially released the recruitment advertisement for 1,402 Specialist Officer (CRP SPL-XIV) Scale-I posts across 11 participating public sector banks for the 2026–27 fiscal period. This cadre represents specialized professional career openings in banking for graduates in Information Technology, Agriculture, Law, Marketing, Human Resources, and Official Language (Rajbhasha Adhikari).
Below is the detailed examination blueprint, discipline-wise vacancy tables, eligibility requirements, prelims and mains sectional scoring patterns, and application directions.
IBPS SO 2026: Recruitment Highlights
| Recruitment Feature | Official Criteria & Specifications |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers (CRP SPL-XIV) |
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Total Posts Advertised | 1,402 Specialist Officer Scale-I Vacancies |
| Participating Banks | Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, PNB, Union Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of India, etc. |
| Starting Basic Pay & CTC | Scale-I Basic ₹48,480/- (Gross approx. ₹75,000 – ₹82,000/month + Leased Accommodation) |
| Selection Flow | Preliminary CBT ➔ Mains CBT (Professional Knowledge) ➔ Common Interview |
| Official Portal | ibps.in |
Discipline-Wise Vacancy Breakup (Scale-I)
| Specialist Officer Cadre | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Agriculture Field Officer (AFO Scale-I) | 896 |
| IT Officer (Scale-I) | 170 |
| Marketing Officer (Scale-I) | 130 |
| Law Officer (Scale-I) | 125 |
| HR / Personnel Officer (Scale-I) | 56 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I) | 25 |
| Grand Total Openings | 1,402 |
Eligibility & Educational Qualifications
- IT Officer (Scale-I): 4-year Engineering/Technology Degree in Computer Science / Computer Applications / IT / Electronics OR Post Graduate Degree in Electronics / CS / IT OR Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level.
- Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I): 4-year Degree (Graduation) in Agriculture / Horticulture / Animal Husbandry / Veterinary Science / Dairy Science / Fishery Science / Agri-Marketing / Food Technology.
- Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I): Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at degree level OR Post Graduate Degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at degree level.
- Law Officer (Scale-I): Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council.
- HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I): Graduate and Two Years Full-Time Post Graduate Degree or Diploma in Personnel Management / Industrial Relations / HR / Social Work / Labour Law.
- Marketing Officer (Scale-I): Graduate and Two Years Full-Time MMS (Marketing) / MBA (Marketing) / PGDBA / PGDBM with specialization in Marketing.
- Age Limit: 20 to 30 years. Statutory age relaxations apply: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC(NCL), and 10 years for PwBD.
IBPS SO Examination Scheme (Prelims & Mains)
Phase-I Preliminary Exam (For IT, Agriculture, HR & Marketing Posts)
| Section / Test | No. of Questions | Max Marks | Time Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 Minutes |
*Note: For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari, General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry replaces the Quantitative Aptitude section.
Phase-II Mains Exam (Professional Knowledge)
- For IT, Agriculture, HR, Marketing & Law Posts: 60 Objective Questions on Professional Knowledge (60 Marks, 45 Minutes).
- For Rajbhasha Adhikari: Objective Test (45 Questions, 30 Minutes) + Descriptive Test (2 Translation Questions, 30 Minutes) totaling 60 Marks.
How to Apply Online for IBPS SO 2026
- Go to the IBPS portal at ibps.in.
- Click on CRP Specialist Officers -> Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers XIV.
- Click New Registration, enter personal details, valid email, and active mobile number.
- Upload clear passport photograph, signature, left thumb impression, and hand-written declaration.
- Select your post cadre, academic qualifications, and bank preferences order.
- Pay the application fee of ₹850 (₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD) and print the e-receipt and registered application form.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Are Prelims marks counted in final merit ranking for IBPS SO?
No. Prelims marks are purely for screening to qualify for the Mains examination. The final merit list is compiled with 80:20 weightage between Mains Examination and Interview scores.
Q2: Can I apply for multiple posts under IBPS SO?
No, a candidate can apply for only one post cadre among IT, AFO, Rajbhasha, Law, HR, or Marketing.
Q3: Is there sectional timing and sectional cutoff in IBPS SO?
Yes, each section in both Prelims and Mains has a separate sectional timing window and individual sectional cutoff score.
Q4: What is the penalty for incorrect answers in IBPS SO?
One-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to the question is deducted for every incorrect response.
Ram Avtar is the Founder and Lead Career Analyst at Govt Results Alert. With over 6 years of experience analyzing Government Recruitment Notifications, SSC, Banking, and Railway examination patterns, he leads our fact-checking team to deliver authentic, timely, and verified job alerts directly from official government gazettes.
