The IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026 has been revised for the CRP PO/MT-XVI recruitment cycle. The Preliminary Examination continues to have 100 questions for 100 marks, but major changes have been introduced in the IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern. The revised Mains examination now contains 170 objective questions, updated sectional weightage, an Essay and Comprehension-based Descriptive Test, and a mandatory Personality Test before the Interview.
Candidates preparing with the previous 145-question Mains pattern must update their study plan and mock-test strategy. The revised structure places greater weight on Reasoning, Data Analysis and Interpretation, and General, Economy, Banking, Digital and Financial Awareness, including RBI circulars.
The latest IBPS PO exam pattern includes separate structures for Prelims, Mains, the Personality Test and the Interview. The important points candidates should know are:
The following table provides a quick overview of the revised IBPS PO exam structure.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | IBPS Probationary Officer/Management Trainee |
| Recruitment Cycle | CRP PO/MT-XVI |
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Selection Stages | Prelims, Mains, Personality Test and Interview |
| Prelims Questions | 100 |
| Prelims Marks | 100 |
| Mains Objective Questions | 170 |
| Mains Objective Marks | 200 |
| Descriptive Questions | 2 |
| Descriptive Marks | 25 |
| Total Mains Marks | 225 |
| Interview Marks | 100 |
| Negative Marking | One-fourth of the marks assigned to the question |
| Final Selection | Mains and Interview in an 80:20 ratio |
CTA: Attempt the Latest Pattern IBPS PO Mock Test
Yes, IBPS has revised the PO exam pattern for the 2026 recruitment cycle. Most of the changes have been made in the Mains Examination.
The major changes include:
The table below compares the previous Mains pattern with the revised 2026 structure.
| Exam Component | Previous Pattern | Revised Pattern 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Mains objective questions | 145 | 170 |
| Mains objective marks | 200 | 200 |
| Reasoning questions | 40 | 40 |
| Awareness questions | 35 | 50 |
| English Language questions | 35 | 40 |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation questions | 35 | 40 |
| Descriptive Test | Essay and Letter Writing | Essay and Comprehension |
| Stage before Interview | No separate Personality Test | Mandatory Personality Test |
The number of objective questions has increased without an increase in the total objective marks or duration. Therefore, candidates will have to attempt more questions within the same 160-minute objective-test duration.
The IBPS PO selection process includes four assessment stages followed by provisional allotment. Candidates must qualify at each applicable stage to move forward.
| Stage | Selection Phase | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Preliminary Examination | Screening candidates for Mains |
| Stage 2 | Main Examination | Merit-based assessment |
| Stage 3 | Personality Test | Qualifying personality assessment |
| Stage 4 | Interview | Assessing professional suitability and banking knowledge |
| Final Stage | Provisional Allotment | Allotment based on final merit and preferences |
The Preliminary Examination is qualifying and its marks are not included in the final merit list. The Personality Test is also qualifying and does not directly contribute marks to the final selection score.
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 contains three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. The online examination has 100 objective questions carrying 100 marks.
Each section has a separate duration of 20 minutes. Candidates cannot transfer unused time from one section to another.
| Name of Test | Questions | Maximum Marks | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
The broad Prelims structure remains unchanged. However, candidates should notice that Reasoning Ability carries 40 marks, while Quantitative Aptitude carries 30 marks despite both sections containing 35 questions.
Candidates should keep the following rules in mind while preparing for the Preliminary Examination:
Also Practise: IBPS PO Previous Year Question Papers
The revised IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026 consists of four objective sections followed by an English Descriptive Test.
The objective examination contains 170 questions for 200 marks and has a duration of 160 minutes. The Descriptive Test contains two questions for 25 marks and must be completed in 30 minutes.
| Name of Test | Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | English and Hindi | 45 minutes |
| General, Economy, Banking, Digital and Financial Awareness, including RBI Circulars | 50 | 60 | English and Hindi | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | English | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 40 | 60 | English and Hindi | 45 minutes |
| Objective Test Total | 170 | 200 | — | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Test: Essay and Comprehension | 2 | 25 | English | 30 minutes |
| Grand Total | 172 | 225 | — | 190 minutes |
The complete Mains Examination lasts 190 minutes, or 3 hours and 10 minutes. Reasoning, Awareness, and Data Analysis and Interpretation carry 60 marks each and collectively account for 180 of the 200 objective marks.
Also Read: IBPS PO Syllabus 2026 for Prelims and Mains
The Reasoning section now contains 40 questions for 60 marks and has a duration of 45 minutes.
Earlier, the section was commonly listed as Reasoning and Computer Aptitude. In the revised notification, it is listed as Reasoning. Candidates should therefore prepare according to the latest official structure instead of depending entirely on older mock tests or preparation material.
Important areas may include:
Since the section carries 60 marks, it can significantly affect a candidate’s overall Mains score.
The revised Awareness section has been expanded considerably. It now includes:
The section contains 50 questions for 60 marks and must be completed in 35 minutes.
Candidates should not restrict their preparation to conventional current affairs. They should also cover RBI notifications, monetary policy, banking reforms, digital payments, financial inclusion, government schemes, banking technology and major economic developments.
The revised English Language section contains 40 questions for 20 marks and has a duration of 35 minutes.
The number of questions has increased, while the total marks assigned to the section have decreased. Candidates may therefore encounter questions with different mark values.
Preparation should cover:
Candidates should evaluate their mock-test performance according to marks secured, accuracy and time spent instead of looking only at the number of attempted questions.
Data Analysis and Interpretation now contains 40 questions for 60 marks and must be completed in 45 minutes.
Candidates should prepare a mixture of calculation-heavy and analytical questions, including:
Set selection will be important because attempting one lengthy or calculation-heavy set can consume a substantial part of the sectional time.
The IBPS PO Descriptive Test 2026 contains one Essay and one Comprehension-based question. The paper carries 25 marks and has a duration of 30 minutes.
| Descriptive Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay and Comprehension | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
The Descriptive Test is conducted in English immediately after the objective examination. Letter Writing has been removed from the revised pattern and replaced with a Comprehension-based question.
Candidates should practise typing structured responses within the 30-minute time limit. Preparation should focus on:
Essay topics may relate to banking, finance, technology, the economy, ethics, social issues and current affairs.
The Personality Test is a mandatory qualifying stage conducted after the Mains Examination and before the Interview.
Candidates shortlisted through Mains must appear for the Personality Test to remain eligible for the Interview.
Important points include:
The assessment may examine behavioural traits, decision-making style, professional suitability, communication approach and personality characteristics relevant to the role of a Probationary Officer.
Candidates should understand the difference between Prelims and Mains before planning their preparation.
| Particulars | Prelims | Mains |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Screening examination | Merit-based examination |
| Objective Questions | 100 | 170 |
| Descriptive Questions | Not applicable | 2 |
| Total Marks | 100 | 225 |
| Duration | 60 minutes | 190 minutes |
| Sections | 3 | 4 objective sections and Descriptive Test |
| Included in Final Merit | No | Yes |
| Difficulty Level | Basic to moderate | Moderate to high |
Prelims preparation should focus on speed and accuracy. Mains preparation requires advanced problem-solving, analytical ability, current affairs knowledge and descriptive-writing skills.
Candidates who qualify in Mains and complete the mandatory Personality Test will be called for the Interview.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks for General/EWS | 40% |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD | 35% |
| Contribution to Final Merit | 20% |
The Interview may assess:
Candidates should prepare RBI updates, banking concepts, economic developments, current affairs and questions related to their academic or professional profile.
The Preliminary Examination is conducted only to shortlist candidates for Mains. Its marks are not considered while preparing the final merit list.
The final selection is based on the combined performance in:
| Selection Stage | Final Weightage |
|---|---|
| Main Examination | 80% |
| Interview | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
The Personality Test is qualifying and does not add marks to the final merit score. Candidates must, however, appear for it to become eligible for the Interview.
Yes, negative marking applies to the objective examinations.
For every incorrect objective answer, one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted. No penalty applies when a question is left unanswered.
Negative marking is applicable in:
The Descriptive Test is evaluated separately and does not follow the objective-test negative-marking rule.
Candidates should avoid random guessing, particularly because the revised Mains pattern may include questions carrying different marks.
Yes, both Prelims and Mains have sectional timing. Candidates cannot use the unused time from one section to attempt another section.
| Section | Time |
|---|---|
| English Language | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 20 minutes |
| Total | 60 minutes |
| Section | Time |
|---|---|
| Reasoning | 45 minutes |
| General, Economy, Banking, Digital and Financial Awareness | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 45 minutes |
| Descriptive Test | 30 minutes |
| Total | 190 minutes |
Candidates should practise sectional tests with the same time restrictions instead of relying only on untimed topic practice.
Understanding the revised exam pattern helps candidates select the correct study material, mock tests and preparation strategy.
Candidates following the previous pattern may:
Therefore, candidates should attempt mock tests designed specifically according to the CRP PO/MT-XVI exam pattern.
Candidates can adapt their preparation through the following steps:
Start by attempting a mock test containing 170 objective questions. Use the analysis to identify weak sections, slow topics and accuracy-related problems.
Reasoning, Awareness, and Data Analysis and Interpretation carry 60 marks each. Candidates should allocate sufficient preparation and revision time to these sections.
Include banking updates, RBI circulars, financial awareness, digital banking, government schemes and economic current affairs in the daily study plan.
Replace old Letter Writing practice with timed Essay and Comprehension exercises.
Attempt each section within the exact time prescribed by IBPS. This will improve question selection and reduce exam-day pressure.
Since the revised sections have different marks-to-question ratios, candidates should track marks secured, accuracy, time per question and negative marks.
CTA: Take a Free IBPS PO Mock Test Based on the Revised Exam Pattern
| IBPS PO Exam Pattern | IBPS PO Salary |
| IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper | IBPS PO Cut Off |
| IBPS PO Study Plan | IBPS PO Preparation Strategy |
Yes. IBPS has revised the Mains Examination by increasing the number of objective questions to 170, changing sectional weightage, replacing Letter Writing with Comprehension and introducing a mandatory Personality Test.
The IBPS PO Prelims Examination contains 100 questions for 100 marks. Candidates receive 60 minutes, with 20 minutes allotted to each section.
The Mains Examination contains 170 objective questions and two Descriptive Test questions. The complete Mains paper therefore has 172 questions for 225 marks.
The objective examination lasts 160 minutes and the Descriptive Test lasts 30 minutes. The total Mains duration is 190 minutes, or 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Yes. Letter Writing has been removed from the revised Descriptive Test. Candidates must now answer one Essay and one Comprehension-based question.
The Personality Test is a mandatory qualifying assessment conducted after Mains and before the Interview. Its marks are not included in the final merit list.
Yes. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each incorrect objective answer. No penalty applies to unanswered questions.
No. The Preliminary Examination is used only for shortlisting candidates for Mains.
The Main Examination carries 80% weightage and the Interview carries 20% weightage in the final merit calculation.
Yes. Both Prelims and Mains have separate sectional timings. Candidates cannot transfer time between sections.
| IBPS PO Exam Pattern | IBPS PO Salary |
| IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper | IBPS PO Cut Off |
| IBPS PO Study Plan | IBPS PO Preparation Strategy |
The revised IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2026 introduces important changes in the Mains Examination and selection process. The objective paper now contains 170 questions, Letter Writing has been replaced by Comprehension, the Awareness section has been expanded, and a mandatory Personality Test has been introduced before the Interview.
Candidates should update their preparation material, follow the new sectional timings and attempt mock tests based on the CRP PO/MT-XVI pattern. Preparing according to the previous exam structure may create a significant gap between mock-test practice and the actual examination.
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