IBPS SO Exam Pattern
With the release of the IBPS SO Notification 2024, aspirants need to begin their serious preparation for the upcoming exam. They need to grasp all the important aspects of the exam. The exam pattern of IBPS SO 2024 varies for different posts covered under Specialist Officers (SO). To be able to prepare in the best way possible, you should first know the IBPS SO exam pattern, which will help you in making a solid preparation plan. The IBPS SO process is divided into three phases:
- Prelims
- Mains
- Interview
You need to be well prepared for the IBPS Specialist Officer exam, and for that, you should also be well aware of the detailed IBPS SO syllabus, which will give you the right direction to start with the preparation. IBPS SO will have two written examinations: Prelims and Mains, where the questions will be asked from different subjects. What’s more, the IBPS Specialist Officer syllabus is given separately for the Prelims exam and Mains exam. The IBPS SO Mains syllabus significantly varies for the IBPS SO Mains exam for the respective streams. Therefore, by knowing the detailed syllabus of the IBPS SO 2024 exam, you will be in the right direction to achieve it.
Please take a look at the complete IBPS SO exam pattern and syllabus for the Prelims and Mains exams in the sections below.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern for Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari
The IBPS SO Prelims 2024 will be an online examination that will consist of three sections with sectional timings of 40 minutes each. The IBPS SO Prelims exam pattern differs from one post to another. The IBPS SO Prelims 2023 for Rajbhasha Adhikari Scale I & Law Officer will have a common exam pattern and will consist of three sections, as mentioned below.
| S. No. | Name of test | Medium of Exam | No.of questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English Language | English | 50 | 25 | 40 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | English & Hindi | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| 3 | General Awareness with Special reference to Banking Industry | English & Hindi | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 2 Hours | ||
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern for Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer (Scale I)
The IBPS SO Prelims 2024 for the posts of Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer (Scale I), HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer (Scale I) will also consist of three sections but will contain Quantitative Aptitude as a subject in place of General Awareness. The other two sections will be Reasoning and English Language.
IBPS SO exam pattern for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer is given below.
| S. No. | Name of test | Medium of Exam | No.of questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English Language | English | 50 | 25 | 40 Minutes |
| 2 | Reasoning | English & Hindi | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | English & Hindi | 50 | 50 | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 2 Hours |
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus
The IBPS SO 2024 exam can be counted among the most challenging exams as IBPS surprises every time with the level and an ever-changing question pattern. So, to ace the exam, you should be aware of the complete IBPS Specialist Officer syllabus so that you avoid missing any important details. You can go through the entire IBPS SO syllabus for Prelims given below and plan the strategy accordingly. You can also refer to BeePedia for all current updates. The fantastic part is that BeePedia is available in Hindi as well as English.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Time and Work, Mensuration, Average, Average, Mixture and Allegations, Permutation and Combination, Probability, Data Interpretation, Ratio & Proportion, Simplification, Percentages, Set Theory, Approximation, Surds & Indices, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound interest, Partnership, Ages, Quadratic Equations, Number Series |
| General Awareness | Current Affairs – National & International, Budget, Awards and Honours, Important Days, International & National Organizations, Sports, Books and Authors, Science – Inventions & Discoveries, Countries & Capitals |
| English Language | Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Passage Making, Error Spotting, Jumble Words, Sentence Framing, Fill in the Blanks |
| Reasoning | Puzzles, Seating Arrangement - Circular, Square and Linear, Data Sufficiency, Directions and Distance, Coding Decoding, Blood Relations, Inequality, Syllogism, Machine Input Output, Verbal Reasoning, Ordering and Ranking, Arrangement and Pattern, Scheduling, Distance and Direction, Ranking |
IBPS SO Mains Pattern
If you qualify the IBPS SO Prelims 2024, you will be called for the Mains. IBPS SO Mains exam pattern is a bit different than the other IBPS exams. IBPS Specialist Officer 2024 exam pattern for Mains consists of either one or a maximum of two sections depending on the post you are applying for. For the post of Rajbhasha Adhikari, there will be two tests - Objective & Descriptive. Both tests can be given in either Hindi or English Language. The exam pattern for IBPS SO Mains for Rajbhasha Adhikari is as follows.
| 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 | 30 minutes |
IBPS SO Mains for the posts of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer will consist of only one objective test of Professional Knowledge. The test can be given in both English and Hindi. The exam Pattern for IBPS SO Mains for Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer is given below.
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | English & Hindi | 45 minutes |
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus
The IBPS SO Mains syllabus is very different from the IBPS SO Prelims syllabus. As there are various IBPS SO posts covered under the notification, proficiency in the respective field is essential. For example, an exam for a post like AFO or Agriculture Field Officer will test the knowledge in the Agricultural Field. Different topics will be covered under this and will carry a different weightage of marks. The detailed IBPS SO Mains syllabus for different streams is mentioned below.
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus: Professional (Agriculture)
IBPS AFO syllabus 2024 includes knowing the basics of agriculture, its type, its importance, soil fertility etc. Since India is an agrarian land, you must be aware of its Agricultural dynamics and various schemes that the Government has introduced. Further insight into the AFO exam syllabus can be obtained from our IBPS AFO exam dedicated page.
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus: Professional (IT/Marketing/HR-Personnel/Law Officer)
The syllabus for various specialized streams can be inferred from our exclusive pages dedicated to these streams.
Know more details on the IBPS IT Officer syllabus
Know more details on the IBPS SO Marketing Officer syllabus
Know more details on the IBPS Law Officer syllabus
Know more details on the IBPS SO HR/Personnel syllabus
IBPS SO Interview
If you qualify the IBPS SO Mains, you will be shortlisted for the IBPS SO Interview, and the scores obtained in IBPS SO Mains and Interview will be taken into consideration while making the final merit. The total allotted marks for the Interview are 100. The minimum qualifying marks in the Interview should not be less than 40% for the General category (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWD category).
The ratio of weightage given to the online Mains Exam and Interview is 80:20, respectively. The combined final score will be on the basis of the total scores obtained by you in the IBPS SO Mains exam and Interview. You need to qualify both - the IBPS SO 2024 Main Examination and Interview and be adequately high in the merit to be shortlisted for the subsequent provisional allotment process, details of which will be made available subsequently on the IBPS website.
Note: While appearing for the Interview, it is mandatory to bring valid documents, in the absence of which the candidates' candidature may be cancelled.
IBPS SO Interview Syllabus
Once you clear the IBPS SO Mains, you will be called for the final round, which is the Interview. The IBPS SO Interview will be a test of your personality. The final merit will be prepared on the basis of marks scored by you in the IBPS SO Mains and Interview. The questions that can be asked in the IBPS SO interview will be related to your educational qualification, your hometown info, experience, if any, hobbies, strengths and weaknesses, financial terms, current banking issues, etc. Some of the expected questions for your reference are-
- Tell us about your background and educational details.
- Why do you want to join the banking sector when you are already working professionally with a sound package?
- What have you done in your gap years?
- How will your degree be beneficial for the banking sector?
- Tell us one speciality of your hometown
- Banking-related current issues.
IBPS SO Marking Scheme
IBPS follows fixed criteria in all its exams when it comes to the marking scheme. In the IBPS SO exam 2024, all questions carry 1 mark except the section on English Language, where the questions carry 0.5 marks . A penalty of 0.25 marks will be charged for every incorrect answer in both Prelims and Mains.
IBPS SO Marking scheme
| IBPS SO Marking scheme | Considered Marks |
|---|---|
| For correct answers | 1 mark |
| For wrong answers | -0.25 marks |
| For not attempted | 0 (no marks) |
IBPS SO Exam Language
IBPS SO is one of the most sought-after jobs. You can choose the language in which you wish to attempt the IBPS SO 2024 exam. You will have a choice of English and Hindi as the exam language except for the test of English Language. You can also view any particular question in a language other than the one chosen by you initially.
IBPS SO Preparation Tips & Strategies
To excel in the IBPS SO exam, a highly competitive test, a well-thought-out strategy is essential. Diligently and intelligently covering the IBPS SO syllabus within the allotted time frame is crucial. Here are some valuable tips and strategies to greatly aid you in your preparation for the IBPS SO exam.
- Know the IBPS SO Exam Pattern: To begin your preparation for the IBPS SO exam, the first step is to acquaint yourself with the IBPS SO paper pattern, including subjects, marks distribution, and the exam duration. This will enable you to create a study plan and allocate your time effectively for each section of the exam. Understanding the exam pattern will be instrumental in your preparation journey.
- Understand the IBPS SO Syllabus: Begin by thoroughly understanding the IBPS SO exam syllabus, which includes topics related to your specific stream (IT, HR, Marketing, Law, Agriculture, etc.). Divide the syllabus into manageable sections.
- Devise a Study Plan: Design a well-structured study plan, allotting sufficient time to each topic. Be consistent and dedicated in following the plan to cover the entire syllabus effectively.
- Study Resources: Collect reliable study material, including textbooks, online resources, previous year papers, and mock tests. Utilize these resources to gain comprehensive knowledge of the subjects.
- Take Topic-wise Quizzes: Start with topic-wise quizzes to assess your understanding of individual subjects. Identify weak areas and work on improving them.
- Previous Year Question Papers: Practice solving IBPS SO previous year papers to become familiar with the exam pattern, question types, and time management. Analyze your performance to gauge your progress.
- Attempt Mock Tests: Take full-length IBPS SO mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment. This will help you enhance your speed and accuracy and boost your confidence.
- Focus on Time Management: During practice and mock tests, practice time management to ensure you can complete the exam within the allocated time.
- Review & Analyze: After each mock test, review your answers and analyze mistakes. Identify weak areas and revise those topics to improve performance.
- Practice Professional Knowledge: For the Specialist Officer role, thoroughly revise concepts and topics relevant to your stream of expertise. Understand industry trends and developments.
- Improve Communication Skills: As the interview round is bilingual, practice expressing yourself clearly and confidently in both Hindi and English.
- Stay Healthy: Maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly, and get enough rest to stay mentally and physically fit. Stay positive and motivated throughout your preparation journey.
By following these points and remaining consistent in your efforts, you can build a solid foundation for your IBPS SO 2023 exam preparation and increase your chances of success in securing the Specialist Officer position.
Subject-wise Study Techniques & Resources
English Language
- Strengthen Grammar Skills: Review English grammar rules and concepts, including tenses, parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. Understanding these basics will help you tackle various questions with confidence.
- Expand Vocabulary: Regularly read newspapers, magazines, and books to expose yourself to diverse vocabulary. Maintain a vocabulary journal to record new words, their meanings, and sample sentences. Practice using these words in sentences to reinforce your understanding.
- Improve Reading Comprehension: Practice reading comprehension passages from various topics and genres. Focus on understanding the main idea, identifying supporting details, and drawing inferences from the text. Analyze questions carefully before attempting to answer them.
- Work on Language Usage: Practice questions related to spotting errors, sentence improvement, and sentence correction. Familiarize yourself with common grammatical errors and learn how to rectify them.
- Enhance Comprehension Skills: Practice paraphrasing and summarizing passages to improve your comprehension abilities. This skill will help you extract the key points from the text effectively.
- Solve Previous Year Papers: Solve previous year question papers and sample papers to become familiar with the exam pattern and the types of questions asked. This will give you an idea of the difficulty level and help you identify important topics.
- Attempt Mock Tests: Take IBPS SO mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment. Mock tests will help you assess your performance, identify weak areas, and improve your time management skills.
- Analyze Mistakes: Regularly analyze your mistakes and weaknesses in the English section. Focus on improving those areas through targeted practice and revision.
- Read Editorials and Articles: Read editorials and opinion pieces to enhance your critical thinking and analytical skills. This will help you develop a better understanding of complex passages.
- Practice with Timer: While solving practice questions, set a timer to mimic the exam conditions. This will help you manage your time effectively during the actual exam.
Quantitative Aptitude
- Understand the Syllabus: Familiarize yourself with the topics and sub-topics included in the Quantitative Aptitude syllabus. This will help you prioritize and allocate time for each section accordingly.
- Grasp Basic Concepts: Develop a strong foundation by understanding the fundamental concepts and formulas for each topic. Focus on areas like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems, and data interpretation.
- Practice Regularly: Consistent practice is vital to mastering quantitative aptitude. Solve a variety of problems from different difficulty levels to build your problem-solving skills.
- Learn Time-Saving Techniques: Learn shortcuts and tricks to solve quantitative aptitude problems faster. This will help you manage time effectively during the exam.
- Mental Calculation: Improve your mental calculation abilities to save time during solving. Practice multiplication tables, squares, and cubes for quick calculations.
- Work on Speed and Accuracy: Work on increasing your speed while maintaining accuracy. Gradually build your pace by solving more questions in less time.
- Solve Previous Year Papers: Practice solving previous year's question papers and sample papers to get acquainted with the exam pattern and the types of questions asked.
- Take Mock Tests: Attempt IBPS SO mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment. Mock tests will help you assess your performance, identify weak areas, and improve time management.
- Analyze Mistakes: Regularly analyze your mistakes and identify the areas where you are facing difficulties. Focus on improving these weak areas by revisiting concepts and practising more problems.
- Focus on Data Interpretation: Data Interpretation is an essential part of the Quantitative Aptitude section. Practice different types of DI sets to improve your ability to interpret data quickly and accurately.
- Manage Time Effectively: During practice sessions, set time limits for solving each question. This will help you allocate your time wisely during the actual exam.
Reasoning
- Understand the Syllabus: Familiarize yourself with the topics included in the Reasoning syllabus, such as syllogism, logical reasoning, coding-decoding, blood relations, puzzles, and more.
- Grasp the Concepts: Develop a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts and types of reasoning questions. This will form the basis for your preparation.
- Solve Problems from Various Topics: Practice solving problems from various topics and difficulty levels. This will help you become comfortable with different types of reasoning questions.
- Enhance Analytical Skills: To improve your analytical skills, focus on practising puzzles, seating arrangements, and other logical reasoning questions. These types of questions require critical thinking and finding patterns.
- Learn Shortcuts and Tricks: Time management is crucial in the Reasoning section. Learn shortcuts and tricks that can help you save time while solving reasoning questions.
- Analyze Previous Year Papers: Solve previous year's question papers to understand the exam pattern and the types of questions asked. This will give you an idea of the difficulty level and help you identify important topics.
- Practice Mock Tests: Attempt IBPS SO mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment. Mock tests will help you assess your performance, identify weak areas, and improve your time management skills.
- Analyze Mistakes: Regularly analyze your mistakes and identify the areas where you are facing difficulties. Focus on improving these weak areas through targeted practice and revision.
- Time Management: Develop practical time management skills during your practice sessions. Try to solve problems within the prescribed time limits. This will help you allocate your time wisely during the actual exam.
- Be Methodical: Approach each reasoning question methodically, carefully reading and understanding the information provided. Analyze the options logically and eliminate incorrect choices systematically.
- Stay Positive & Patient: Reasoning questions can sometimes be challenging but remain positive and patient in your approach. Practice regularly to build confidence and improve your performance.
General Awareness (with special reference to Banking Industry)
- Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Regularly read newspapers, watch news channels, and follow reputable websites to stay updated with current events, especially those related to the banking industry.
- Focus on Banking Terminologies: Familiarize yourself with banking terminologies, abbreviations, and acronyms commonly used in the industry.
- Understand Banking Concepts: Develop a good understanding of banking concepts, such as types of accounts, banking products, and services offered by banks.
- Study Banking Regulations: Learn about the regulatory bodies and laws governing the banking industry in India, such as RBI, SEBI, Banking Ombudsman Scheme, etc.
- Explore Banking History: Familiarize yourself with the history of banking in India and the evolution of the banking sector over the years.
- Read Banking Reports: Go through annual reports and publications released by RBI and other financial institutions to gain insights into the banking industry's performance and trends.
- Focus on Monetary Policy: Understand the monetary policy and its impact on the economy and the banking sector.
- Learn about Current Banking Initiatives: Keep yourself updated with recent banking initiatives, government schemes related to financial inclusion, and digital banking initiatives.
- Practice Banking Awareness Quizzes: Solve online quizzes and practice questions related to banking awareness. This will help reinforce your knowledge and improve retention.
- Review Previous Year Questions: Analyze the previous year's questions related to banking awareness to understand the exam pattern and the types of questions asked.
- Refer to Study Materials: Use reputable study materials and banking awareness books to supplement your preparation.
- Revise Regularly: Consistent revision is essential to retain information. Allocate time for regular revision of banking-related topics.
IBPS SO Books
Gathering all information about the exam, like the syllabus, the IBPS SO 2024 exam pattern and such, are reasonable steps, but it would not prove helpful if you do not accompany it with good-quality study material. Talking about the study material, books play a critical role even in this online digital era. To have a book by your side to refer to at any point is always beneficial, and you cannot totally do away with books. Therefore, it is better to research well and get hold of some best quality IBPS SO books that guide you in the right direction and provide you with the correct information.
| Name of book | Author |
|---|---|
| A Modern Approach To Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning Revised Edition | R. S. Aggarwal |
| A New Approach to Reasoning Verbal and Non-Verbal 1st Edition | BS Sijwali, Indu Sijwal |
| The Hand on Guide to Analytical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning | Peeyush Bhardwaj |
| Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations 17th Edition | R. S. Aggarwal |
| Magical Book On QuickerMaths 3 Edition | M Tyra |
| Quantitative Aptitude Test | N. K. Singh |
| Objective English for Competitive Examinations | Hari Mohan Prasad, Uma Rani Sinha |
| Objective General English 22nd Edition | R. S. Aggarwal, Vikas Aggarwal |
| Objective English 4 Edition | Edgar Thorpe |
| Computer for Competitive Exams: Fundamental of Computer with MCQs : Fundamentals of Computer with Multiple Choice Questions 1st Edition | RPH Editorial Board |
| Objective Computer Awareness for General Competitive Exams 1st Edition | R Pillai |
| IBPS Specialist Officer CWE LAW Officer Online Exam Practice Work Book | Kiran Prakashan |
| CWE-IBPS Bank-HR Specialist/Personal officer Complete Book | Priyanka Prakashan |
| CWE-IBPS Bank-Marketing Specialist Officer Exam: Complete Book | Priyanka Prakashan |
| CWE-IBPS Bank Agriculture Field Officer Exam Complete Book | Priyanka Prakashan |
IBPS SO Free Mock Tests
Practising mock tests for IBPS SO is one such way through which you can make the most out of your daily practice along with learning more. If this practice comes with mock tests that are totally free, it adds to your advantage in a better way. To get an edge over others ixamBee is providing IBPS SO free mock tests . We provide IBPS SO Prelims mock tests & IBPS SO Mains mock tests, which will improve your performance along with enhancing your accuracy.
IBPS SO Online Coaching
A well-planned strategy, along with the proper guidance, can help you achieve your target. Understanding your need, ixamBee has online courses for various streams covered under the IBPS SO 2024 exam. To start off, you will first have to prepare for the first stage of the IBPS SO 2024 recruitment process, which is the Prelims. If you are feeling perplexed and are in need of proper guidance and direction, you can receive assistance from our IBPS SO Exclusive Online Course. The IBPS SO course has been designed by keeping in mind all the requirements of the aspirants who wish to clear the exam. ixamBee also provides stream-specific online courses which will cater to your needs for whichever post you wish to apply.
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