The IBPS PO Notification 2026 has been released on 30th June 2026 for the recruitment of 7,365 Probationary Officer (PO) and Management Trainee (MT) vacancies under CRP PO/MT-XVI. The online application process is open until July to 21 July 2026, while the Prelims and Mains examinations are scheduled for 22 & 23 August and 4 October 2026, respectively.
In this article, you’ll find the complete IBPS PO Notification 2026, including the official PDF, vacancies, exam dates, eligibility, age limit, application process, syllabus, exam pattern, salary, selection process, and all the latest changes announced by IBPS.
According to the latest IBPS PO Notification 2026, the vacancies have been increased to 7,365. These vacancies are distributed across participating public sector banks and may further change based on the final requirements submitted by the banks.
The IBPS PO exam is a national-level banking recruitment examination conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. It recruits Probationary Officers and Management Trainees for participating public sector banks.
The 2026 recruitment is the 16th edition of the Common Recruitment Process for Probationary Officers and Management Trainees.
| Particular | IBPS PO 2026 Details |
| Organisation | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection |
| Examination | IBPS PO 2026 |
| Recruitment Cycle | CRP PO/MT-XVI |
| Post | Probationary Officer/Management Trainee |
| Notification Status | Official Notification Released |
| Official Notification Date | 30 June 2026 |
| Application Dates | 1 July to 21 July 2026 |
| Expected Vacancies | 7,365 Posts |
| Participating Banks | 11 public sector banks |
| Qualification | Graduation in any discipline |
| Age Limit | 20 to 30 years |
| Selection Process | Prelims, Mains and Interview |
| Prelims Exam Date | 22 and 23 August 2026 |
| Mains Exam Date | 4 October 2026 |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Authority | IBPS |
According to the detailed IBPS PO Notification 2026, the Preliminary Examination will be conducted in August 2026, while the Main Examination is scheduled for October 2026. The notification does not mention the exact dates of 22 and 23 August for Prelims or 4 October for Mains. Candidates should therefore follow the official IBPS website for the final date-wise examination schedule and call-letter updates.
| IBPS PO 2026 Event | Official Schedule |
|---|---|
| Detailed Notification Release | 30 June 2026 |
| Online Registration Starts | 1 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 21 July 2026 |
| Application Fee Payment | 1 July to 21 July 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | For 2 days after registration closes; exact dates to be announced |
| Pre-Examination Training | August 2026 |
| Prelims Admit Card | August 2026 |
| IBPS PO Prelims Exam | 22 and 23 August 2026 |
| Prelims Result | September 2026 |
| Mains Admit Card | September 2026 |
| IBPS PO Mains Exam | 4 October 2026 |
| Mains Result | November 2026 |
| Personality Test | November 2026 |
| Interview | November or December 2026 |
| Provisional Allotment | January 2027 |
Note: The exact IBPS PO Prelims and Mains exam dates will be announced separately by IBPS. Candidates should regularly check the official website for the latest updates.
The IBPS PO Notification 2026 introduces several important changes that candidates must understand before starting their preparation. From a revised Mains exam pattern to the introduction of a Personality Test, these updates directly impact the recruitment process and exam strategy.
The detailed IBPS PO Notification 2026 schedules the Preliminary Examination for 22 and 23 August 2026 and the Main Examination for 4 October 2026. The exact date-wise schedule will be communicated separately through the official IBPS website and the respective call letters.
Important: Candidates should regularly check the official IBPS website for the exact Prelims and Mains exam dates, admit-card updates, corrigenda, or any changes made during the CRP PO/MT-XVI recruitment process.
The detailed IBPS PO Notification 2026 has announced 6715 initially then on 20 July vacanicies increased to 7,365 vacancies for Probationary Officer and Management Trainee posts under CRP PO/MT-XVI. These vacancies are for the 2027–28 recruitment cycle and may include backlog vacancies reported by some participating banks.
The category-wise IBPS PO vacancy distribution is:
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 1,131 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 562 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 2,015 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 721 |
| Unreserved (UR) | 2,936 |
| Total | 7,365 |
Bank of Baroda has reported the highest number of vacancies at 1,900, followed by Canara Bank with 1,500 and Bank of Maharashtra with 1,100 vacancies. Indian Bank, UCO Bank and Union Bank of India have not reported their vacancies in the notification.
Updated vacancies – as of 20th July, 2026 vacancies has increased from 6715 to 7365.
The number of IBPS PO vacancies depends on:
Candidates should note that the announced vacancies are indicative. The final number of posts and provisional allotment may change depending on the actual vacancies reported by participating banks during the recruitment process.
| Recruitment Year | Reported Vacancies |
| 2022 | 8,432 |
| 2023 | 3,049 initially; subsequently revised |
| 2024 | Vacancies revised during the recruitment cycle |
| 2025 | 6,189 |
| 2026 | 6715 – > 7365 ( officially released ) |
Download IBPS PO Previous Year Question Papers
| IBPS PO 2024 Question Paper | Download Paper with Detailed Solution |
| IBPS PO 2023 Question Paper | Download Paper with Detailed Solution |
| IBPS PO 2022 Question Paper | Download Paper with Detailed Solution |
| IBPS PO 2021 Question Paper | Download Paper with a Detailed Solution |
| IBPS PO 2020 Question Paper | Download Paper with Detailed Solution |
| IBPS PO 2019 Question Paper | Download Paper with Detailed Solution |
The IBPS PO 2026 recruitment process under CRP PO/MT-XVI is being conducted for the following 11 participating public sector banks:
Candidates will be provisionally allotted to a participating bank based on their final merit, category, preferences submitted during the recruitment process, administrative requirements and the actual vacancies reported by the banks. The vacancies mentioned in the notification are indicative and may change depending on the requirements of the participating organisations.
The IBPS PO eligibility criteria 2026 include nationality, age, educational qualification and category-related conditions. Candidates must satisfy the prescribed eligibility requirements by the cut-off dates mentioned in the detailed CRP PO/MT-XVI notification.
Merely submitting the application or qualifying in the examination does not guarantee appointment. IBPS and the participating bank can verify the candidate’s eligibility, category and supporting documents at different stages of the recruitment process. A candidature may be cancelled if the applicant fails to fulfil the prescribed conditions.
A candidate must possess a graduation degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government. The educational qualification is considered as on 21 July 2026.
Candidates must:
Final-year students can apply only when their graduation result has been officially declared on or before 21 July 2026.
No minimum graduation percentage has been prescribed in the IBPS PO Notification 2026. Candidates only need to have passed graduation from a recognised university or possess an equivalent qualification.
However, applicants must correctly calculate and enter their graduation percentage in the application form. Where CGPA or OGPA is awarded, it must be converted into percentage according to the rules followed by the university or institution.
The IBPS PO age limit is 20 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026.
Candidates must have been born:
Both dates are inclusive. Reserved-category candidates can claim relaxation in the upper age limit according to the conditions specified in the notification.
| Category | Upper-Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe | 5 years |
| Other Backward Classes, Non-Creamy Layer | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 10 years |
| Eligible Ex-Servicemen, Emergency Commissioned Officers and Short Service Commissioned Officers | 5 years |
Candidates claiming age relaxation must produce valid category or eligibility certificates in the prescribed format during the Interview or any subsequent stage of the recruitment process. The official CRP PO/MT-XVI notification does not list a separate five-year relaxation for persons affected by the 1984 riots.
Candidates can submit the IBPS PO 2026 application form online through the official IBPS recruitment portal.
Follow these steps:
Candidates should keep scanned copies of the following documents ready before completing the IBPS PO application form:
Candidates must upload the photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration according to the dimensions, file format and file-size specifications prescribed in the detailed notification. The signature must not be written in capital letters, and the handwritten declaration must be written by the candidate in English.
A newly introduced requirement is the submission of a live photograph during the application process. Candidates may capture it through a webcam or use the application provided by IBPS. The uploaded photograph and live photograph must match the candidate’s appearance during subsequent recruitment stages.
The IBPS PO application fee has now been officially confirmed for the CRP PO/MT-XVI recruitment cycle.
| Candidate Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General, OBC and EWS | ₹850 |
| SC, ST and PwBD | ₹175 |
The fee includes GST and must be paid online between 1 July and 21 July 2026. Bank transaction charges, where applicable, must be paid separately by the candidate.
Once submitted, the application fee or intimation charge will not normally be refunded or adjusted against another examination.
The IBPS PO selection process under CRP PO/MT-XVI consists of the following stages:
The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature. Marks obtained in Prelims are not included in the final merit list.
Candidates who qualify in the Main Examination will be called for a Personality Test. This test is non-qualifying, but appearing in it is mandatory to become eligible for the Interview. The candidate’s personality profile will be placed before the Interview panel.
Candidates must qualify separately in the Main Examination and Interview. The final combined score is calculated by assigning:
The Personality Test is a newly specified stage in the 2026 recruitment process, although its marks will not be added directly to the final merit score.
The IBPS PO Prelims examination is an online objective test containing 100 questions for 100 marks. Candidates receive 60 minutes, with a separate sectional time limit of 20 minutes for each test.
| Section | Questions | Maximum Marks | Sectional Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Key points:
The official notification confirms that Reasoning Ability carries 40 marks, Quantitative Aptitude carries 30 marks, and English Language carries 30 marks.
The IBPS PO Mains examination includes an objective test and a descriptive paper. The objective test carries 200 marks, while the descriptive paper carries 25 marks.
| Mains Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General, Economy, Banking Awareness, Digital and Financial Awareness, including RBI circulars | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Objective Test Total | 170 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
A major change in the IBPS PO Mains pattern is that the objective paper now contains 170 questions, compared with the earlier 145-question structure.
The General Awareness section has been expanded to 50 questions for 60 marks, while Reasoning and Data Analysis and Interpretation each carry 60 marks.
The descriptive paper now includes Essay and Comprehension, instead of the previously followed Essay and Letter Writing format. It may broadly cover economic and social issues, emerging trends in banking and technology, current events and ethics.
The IBPS PO syllabus covers English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, Data Analysis and Interpretation, Banking and Financial Awareness, Digital Awareness and descriptive writing.
Important topics include:
Important topics include:
Important topics include:
Candidates should note that the official 2026 notification specifies Essay and Comprehension in the descriptive paper. Formal and informal letter writing is no longer listed in the notified Mains pattern.
Candidates should prepare:
The notification specifically includes RBI circulars under General, Economy, Banking, Digital and Financial Awareness.
The official starting basic pay for an IBPS Probationary Officer or Management Trainee is ₹48,480.
The notified pay scale is:
₹48,480–2,000/7–62,480–2,340/2–67,160–2,680/7–85,920
In addition to basic pay, selected officers will receive allowances and perquisites according to the rules of the allotted participating bank.
The estimated in-hand salary may range from approximately ₹74,000 to ₹76,000 per month. However, the actual amount depends on the posting location, applicable allowances, deductions and the policies of the allotted bank.
An IBPS PO may receive:
The gross and in-hand salary may change because DA rates, deductions and location-based allowances are revised periodically.
An IBPS PO joins at the Junior Management Grade Scale I level. Promotions depend on work experience, performance, internal examinations, available positions and the promotion policy followed by the allotted bank.
The general career hierarchy is:
Probationary Officer → Manager → Senior Manager → Chief Manager → Assistant General Manager → Deputy General Manager → General Manager → Executive Director → Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
The time required to reach each level differs across participating banks. Therefore, promotion to senior management within a fixed number of years cannot be guaranteed.
The previous-year cut-off can help candidates set a preparation benchmark, but it does not predict the exact IBPS PO cut-off for 2026.
The reported overall IBPS PO Prelims cut-offs for 2025 included:
| Category | Reported Cut-Off |
|---|---|
| General | 49.21 |
| OBC-NCL | 49.21 |
| EWS | 49.21 |
| SC | 45.96 |
| ST | 40.96 |
The cut-off changes depending on:
With 7,365 indicative vacancies announced for CRP PO/MT-XVI, the vacancy count is one factor that may influence the cut-off. However, candidates should aim significantly above the previous-year cut-off rather than treating it as a safe target.
The detailed notification has confirmed substantial changes in the Mains examination, including the number of questions, section-wise marks and descriptive-paper format. Candidates should therefore revise their preparation plan according to the latest notified pattern rather than relying entirely on the previous-year structure.
Preparation CTA: Attempt a free IBPS PO Prelims mock test to check your current score, accuracy, sectional speed and question-selection strategy before preparing your daily timetable.
The detailed IBPS PO Notification 2026 for CRP PO/MT-XVI was released on 30 June 2026. The online application process begins on 1 July 2026.
Candidates can submit the IBPS PO application form and pay the application fee from 1 July to 21 July 2026.
The detailed notification states that the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination will be conducted in 22 and 23 August 2026. The exact date-wise schedule should be checked through the official IBPS website and call letter.
The IBPS PO Mains examination is scheduled to be conducted in October 2026. The exact examination date will be communicated separately by IBPS.
Final-year students can apply only when their graduation result has been officially declared on or before 21 July 2026. They must possess valid proof of passing graduation by the eligibility cut-off date.
Candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age as on 1 July 2026. They should have been born between 2 July 1996 and 1 July 2006, with both dates included. Category-wise upper-age relaxation applies according to the official rules.
Yes. One-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to an objective question will be deducted for an incorrect answer. No penalty applies when a question is left unanswered.
No. Prelims is a qualifying stage. The final score is calculated using the Main Examination and Interview marks in an 80:20 ratio.
Yes. Candidates shortlisted after Mains must appear for the Personality Test before the Interview. It is non-qualifying, but attendance is mandatory.
The objective Mains examination now contains 170 questions for 200 marks. The descriptive paper consists of Essay and Comprehension, replacing the earlier Essay and Letter Writing structure. The General Awareness section has also increased to 50 questions for 60 marks.
The official starting basic pay is ₹48,480 under the pay scale of ₹48,480–2,000/7–62,480–2,340/2–67,160–2,680/7–85,920.
Candidates can download the detailed notification from the CRP PO/MT section of the official IBPS website.
| 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 IBPS PO Notification 2026 has officially announced 7,365 indicative vacancies under CRP PO/MT-XVI. Online registration will remain open from 1 July to 21 July 2026, while the Preliminary and Main examinations are scheduled for August and October 2026, respectively.
Candidates should prepare according to the newly revised Mains pattern, which includes 170 objective questions and a descriptive paper based on Essay and Comprehension. Start with the latest exam pattern, take a diagnostic mock test, analyse sectional weaknesses and follow a revision-focused schedule.
All eligibility, category, document-upload and application details should be carefully checked against the detailed official notification before submitting the IBPS PO application form.
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