IBPS PO
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Probationary Officer / Management Trainee Examination
IBPS is the Common Recruitment Process conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to hire Probationary Officers and Management Trainees for eleven participating public sector banks, including Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, and Punjab National Bank. IBPS runs the prelims and mains centrally, while interviews are coordinated by a nodal bank before final allotment to a specific bank.
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IBPS PO at a glance
- Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Probationary Officer / Management Trainee Examination, conducted by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection.
- Open at graduate level.
- Age band 20–30 years (relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for non-creamy-layer OBC, and 10 years for persons with benchmark disabilities).
- Selection runs through 3 stages: Preliminary Examination → Main Examination → Interview.
Who is eligible for IBPS PO?
IBPS requires a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, with no minimum percentage specified in the notification. Final-year students cannot apply since the degree must be completed and the result declared before the specified cutoff date. Nationality is restricted to Indian citizens, along with a few Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibetan-refugee categories.
What is the age limit for IBPS PO?
IBPS applicants must be between 20 and 30 years old as on the notified reference date, calculated on both born-after and born-before cutoffs. The upper limit relaxes by 5 years for SC/ST candidates, 3 years for non-creamy-layer OBC, and 10 years for persons with benchmark disabilities, with further relaxation for ex-servicemen and other eligible categories under government rules.
What is the IBPS PO salary?
IBPS recruits are appointed as Probationary Officers or Management Trainees on Junior Management Grade Scale-I, with a basic pay of Rs 48,480 per month rising through the scale to Rs 85,920 as confirmed in the official recruitment notification. Total in-hand pay also includes dearness, house rent, and city compensatory allowances set by the appointing bank.
What is the IBPS PO selection process?
IBPS selection runs through three stages: a one-hour Preliminary Examination, a longer objective-and-descriptive Main Examination, and a Personality Test followed by a Common Interview conducted by the allotted bank. Only candidates who clear the Main Examination cutoff advance to the personality assessment and interview, and final ranking blends main-exam and interview scores for provisional allotment.
Selection stages in order
- 1 Preliminary Examination
- 2 Main Examination
- 3 Interview
What is the IBPS PO pay scale by post?
| Post | Pay level | Pay band (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Probationary Officer / Management Trainee | JMGS-I | 48,480 – 85,920 |
As of 5 August 2026, per the official IBPS notification linked above.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a limit on the number of attempts for IBPS PO?
IBPS does not enforce a lifetime cap on attempts in its notification; eligible candidates can reapply every recruitment cycle as long as they meet the age and qualification criteria on the specified reference date. Age relaxation for reserved categories effectively extends the number of cycles a candidate remains eligible to attempt the exam.
Does IBPS PO have sectional time limits in the exam?
IBPS applies strict sectional timing at every stage: each section of the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination carries its own fixed duration, so candidates cannot shift extra time from one section to another. The Main Examination's descriptive paper on essay and comprehension is timed separately from the four objective sections.
Is there negative marking in IBPS PO?
IBPS deducts marks for wrong answers in both the Preliminary and Main objective tests, with a penalty applied for every incorrect response while unattempted questions carry no penalty. The descriptive paper in the Main Examination is separately evaluated and is not covered by the negative marking rule applied to objective sections.
Can IBPS PO candidates choose which participating bank they join?
IBPS lets candidates indicate an order of preference among the participating banks at the time of application, and provisional allotment is then made on a merit-cum-preference basis. A candidate cannot request a change after allotment, so the initial ranking of preferences directly shapes which bank makes the final offer.
What is the Personality Test in IBPS PO selection?
IBPS requires every Main Examination qualifier to complete a self-report Personality Test before the interview stage. It is non-qualifying and does not carry a pass or fail score, but the resulting personality profile is shared with the interview panel and attendance is mandatory to remain eligible for the subsequent Common Interview.
Where does this information come from?
- https://www.ibps.in/wp-content/uploads/Detailed-Notification_CRP-PO-XVI_Final_V1_30.06.2026.pdf — checked 5 August 2026
- https://www.ibps.in — checked 5 August 2026
- https://www.ibps.in/index.php/crp-updates — checked 5 August 2026
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