IBPS CRP SPL-XVI Notification: Comprehensive Guide for IBPS SO (Specialist Officers) Recruitment (Vacancies of 2027-28)

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has officially released the detailed notification for the IBPS SO Common Recruitment Process (CRP SPL-XVI) to recruit Specialist Officers (Scale I) in participating public sector banks. This recruitment drive will fill vacancies for the financial year 2027-28.

Aspiring candidates can find all critical details regarding important dates, post profiles, educational qualifications, exam structures, and application guidelines below.

Important Dates & Tentative Schedule IBPS SO

Activity	Tentative Schedule
Online Registration (including Edit/Modification)	01.07.2026 to 21.07.2026
Online Payment of Application Fees/Intimation Charges	01.07.2026 to 21.07.2026
Edit Window for Application Modification	For 2 days after closing of Registration
Download of Call Letters for Preliminary Exam	August, 2026
Online Examination – Preliminary	August, 2026
Result of Online Preliminary Examination	September/October, 2026
Download of Call Letters for Main Exam	October, 2026
Online Examination – Main	November, 2026
Declaration of Main Exam Result	November, 2026
Conduct of Interview	November/December, 2026
Provisional Allotment	January, 2027

Participating Banks & Core Vacancies for IBPS PO

The following 11 Public Sector Banks are participating in the IBPS SO CRP SPL-XVI process:

• Bank of Baroda
• Bank of India
• Bank of Maharashtra
• Canara Bank
• Central Bank of India
• Indian Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Punjab National Bank
• Punjab & Sind Bank
• UCO Bank
• Union Bank of India

Indicative Post-Wise Vacancies For IBPS SO

The reported vacancies are dynamic and tentative. Banks marked with NR mean Vacancy Not Reported.

• IT Officer (Scale I): 301 Total Vacancies (Participating: Bank of India – 110, Central Bank of India – 50, Indian Overseas Bank – 25, Punjab & Sind Bank – 16, Punjab National Bank – 100).
• Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I): 190 Total Vacancies (Participating: Bank of Baroda – 100, Bank of Maharashtra – 90).
• Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I): 89 Total Vacancies (Participating: Bank of Baroda – 7, Bank of India – 10, Canara Bank – 20, Central Bank of India – 31, Punjab & Sind Bank – 11, Punjab National Bank – 10).
• Law Officer (Scale I): 105 Total Vacancies (Participating: Bank of Baroda – 10, Canara Bank – 30, Central Bank of India – 30, Indian Overseas Bank – 10, Punjab National Bank – 25).
• HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I): 60 Total Vacancies (Participating: Bank of Baroda – 50, Bank of Maharashtra – 10).
• Marketing Officer (Scale I): 0 Vacancies reported tentatively by any bank at this stage.

Post Profiles, Pay Scale & Compensation For IBPS SO

Scale of Pay

• Post: Specialist Officers (SO) – Scale I
• Basic Salary Structure: 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920
• Perquisites: Officials are eligible for allowances and perquisites as per the active rules of the respective allotted Participating Bank.

Eligibility Criteria For IBPS SO (As of Stipulated Dates)

I. Nationality / Citizenship

A candidate must be either a Citizen of India, a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan Refugee who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, or a person of Indian origin migrated from designated nations intending to permanently settle in India (subject to GoI eligibility certification).

II. Age Limit (As on 01.07.2026)

• Minimum: 20 years | Maximum: 30 years
• Candidate must be born between 02.07.1996 and 01.07.2006 (both dates inclusive).

Upper Age Relaxation:

• SC / ST: 5 years
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years (valid certificate issued on/after 01.04.2026 required).
• PwBD (Benchmark Disabilities): 10 years
• Ex-Servicemen / Commissioned Officers: 5 years

III. Minimum Educational Qualifications (As on 21.07.2026)

Candidates can apply for only one post. Equivalence of degrees will not be entertained. All final results must be officially declared on or before 21.07.2026.

• IT Officer (Scale I): 4-year Engineering/Technology degree in Computer Science/ Computer Applications/ Information Technology/ Telecommunications/ Electronics/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation OR Post Graduate Degree in the same fields OR Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level.
• Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I): 4-year Graduation Degree in Agriculture/ Horticulture/ Animal Husbandry/ Veterinary Science/ Dairy Science/ Fishery Science/ Pisciculture/ Agri. Marketing & Cooperation/ Co-operation & Banking/ Agro-Forestry/ Forestry/ Agricultural Biotechnology/ B.Tech Biotechnology/ Food Science/ Agriculture Business Management/ Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Agricultural Engineering/ Sericulture / Fisheries Engineering.
• Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I): Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the graduation level OR Post Graduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the graduation level.
• Law Officer (Scale I): Bachelor Degree in Law (LL.B) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council.
• HR / Personnel Officer (Scale I): Graduate with a 2-year Full-time Post Graduate degree or 2-year Full-time Post Graduate diploma in Personnel Management / Industrial Relations / HR / HRD / Social Work / Labour Law.
• Marketing Officer (Scale I): Graduate with a 2-year Full-time MMS (Marketing) / 2-year Full-time MBA (Marketing) / 2-year Full-time PGDBA / PGDBM / PGPM / PGDM with specialization in Marketing.

Note on Computer Literacy: For posts other than IT Officer, candidates must possess a Certificate/Diploma/Degree in computer operations/language or have studied Computer/IT as a subject in High School/College.

Structure of Online Examinations For IBPS SO

The recruitment process follows a two-tier exam framework followed by a common interview.

Phase 1: Online Preliminary Examination (Duration: 80 Minutes)

For IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer:

• English Language: 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (English medium)
• Reasoning: 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• Quantitative Aptitude: 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• Professional Knowledge: 25 Questions / 50 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• Total: 100 Questions / 125 Max Marks / 80 Minutes Total

For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari:

• English Language: 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (English medium)
• Reasoning: 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• General Awareness (Banking Industry Focus): 25 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• Professional Knowledge: 25 Questions / 50 Max Marks / 20 Mins (Bilingual)
• Total: 100 Questions / 125 Max Marks / 80 Minutes Total

Phase 2: Online Main Examination (Duration: 155 Minutes)

In the Main exam, tests excluding Professional Knowledge are qualifying. Merit listing relies solely on the score obtained in the Professional Knowledge test.

For IT, Agriculture, HR, and Marketing Officers:

• Objective Tests (English, Reasoning, Quant, Professional Knowledge): 150 Questions / 200 Max Marks / 125 Mins
• Descriptive Paper (English): 2 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 30 Mins
• Total Scheme: 225 Max Marks / 155 Minutes Total

For Rajbhasha Adhikari & Law Officer:

• Objective Tests (English, Reasoning, Banking GA, Professional Knowledge Objective): 150 Questions / 200 Max Marks / 125 Mins
• Professional Knowledge Descriptive (or Descriptive English Paper for Law): 2 Questions / 25 Max Marks / 30 Mins
• Total Scheme: 225 Max Marks / 155 Minutes Total

Negative Marking & Equi-Percentile Normalization

• Penalty for Wrong Answers: A penalty of one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to an objective question is deducted for wrong answers. Unanswered questions face no penalty.
• Normalization: Score correction across multiple sessions uses the equi-percentile method.

Common Interview & Final Selection For IBPS SO

• Weightage Ratio: The combined weightage ratio of the Online Main Exam to the Interview is 80:20.
• Interview Marks: Allotted 100 marks. The minimum qualifying marks are 40% for General/EWS and 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD.
• Final Merit: Based entirely on the cumulative performance in the Online Main Examination and the Interview. Preliminary scores are not counted for final selection.

Application Fees & Intimation Charges For IBPS SO

Payable online from 01.07.2026 to 21.07.2026:

• SC / ST / PwBD Candidates: Rs. 175/- (inclusive of GST)
• All Others: Rs. 850/- (inclusive of GST)
• Note: Bank transaction charges for online payments must be borne by the candidate.

Step-by-Step Guideline: How to Apply Online For IBPS SO

1. Visit the official portal: www.ibps.in.
2. Click on the link “CRP SPL” and select “CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE FOR CRP-SPECIALIST OFFICERS (CRP SPL-XVI)”.
3. Choose “CLICK HERE FOR NEW REGISTRATION” and input basic details to generate a provisional Registration Number and Password.
4. Capture and upload a live photo through a webcam or mobile phone alongside scanning required documents.
5. Pay application fees using integrated online channels (Debit/Credit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, Wallets).
6. Submit the application and retain copies of the system-generated printout and e-receipt.

Digital Document Specifications for Upload

• Photograph Image (4.5cm × 3.5cm): File size 20kb–50kb (200 x 230 pixels preferred) against a light/white background.
• Signature: White paper with Black Ink pen. File size 10kb–20kb. Do not use CAPITAL LETTERS.
• Left Thumb Impression: Black or blue ink on white paper. File size 20kb–50kb.
• Handwritten Declaration: Must be written in English by the candidate with black ink on white paper. File size 50kb–100kb. Do not write in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Text for Handwritten Declaration:
“I, _______ (Name of the candidate), hereby declare that all the information submitted by me in the application form is correct, true and valid. I will present the supporting documents as and when required.”

• Certificates (SSC/10th Standard/Disability Cert): Must be in PDF format, A4 page size, and under 500 KB.

‘Edit Window’ Provision

Candidates will receive a 2-day edit window after registration closes to rectify details by paying a standard correction fee of Rs. 200/-. Critical fields like Name, Email ID, Contact Number, Address State, Post, and Nationality cannot be modified.

Important General Rules & Exam Day Code For IBPS SO

• Call Letters: Preliminary Call Letters will not be collected at the venue; they will be stamped and returned. Main Exam applicants must bring both the stamped Preliminary call letter and the Main call letter.
• Banned Items: Mobile phones, calculators, smart/wrist watches, Bluetooth devices, bags, ornaments, belts, wallets, and packed/opened food items are strictly prohibited inside the exam hall.
• Identity Proof: Bring a valid original photo ID proof (PAN Card, Passport, Driving License, Voter ID, Bank Passbook, or Aadhaar) with an identical name match to avoid disqualification. Ration Cards and Learner’s Licenses are invalid.
• Legal Action: Any candidate found using unfair means will be subject to criminal prosecution under The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which treats offences as cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable.

IBPS SO Recruitment 2026

Parameter	Official Details
Recruitment Drive Name	Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers (CRP SPL-XVI)
Conducting Authority	Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Total Vacancies	745 Posts (Tentative)
Scale / Post Tier	Specialist Officer (Scale I)
Recruitment Cycle	Vacancies for the Financial Year 2027–28
Online Application Start Date	July 1, 2026
Last Date to Apply Online	July 21, 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment	July 21, 2026
Application Mode	Online Only
Selection Process	Preliminary Exam ➔ Main Exam ➔ Interview
Official Notification PDF	Download Official Notification
Official Website Portal	www.ibps.in

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