IBPS PO Syllabus 2026: Prelims, Revised Mains & Descriptive Test Pattern

Exam Snapshot / परीक्षा अवलोकन

Important Dates & Event Schedule / तिथियां

Selection Stages & Exam Pattern / परीक्षा पैटर्न और विषय

Important Marking Rules & Qualifying Criteria / महत्वपूर्ण नियम

Syllabus Overview & Preparation Guidance / पाठ्यक्रम विवरण

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection has revised the IBPS PO Mains exam pattern for CRP PO/MT-XVI, increasing the objective question count while keeping the descriptive paper unchanged. Check the complete subject-wise syllabus and marking scheme for Prelims and Mains below.

IBPS PO preparation should be sequenced around the two-tier structure of the exam. Prelims is short and sectional-timed at just 20 minutes per subject, so speed and accuracy in Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability matter more than depth, since it exists purely to filter candidates for Mains and carries no weight afterward. Mains is where real preparation should concentrate, and 2026 brings a meaningful shift here: the objective question count has been raised from 145 to 170 while total marks remain distributed across the same four sections, meaning the paper is now slightly more time-pressured per question on average. Data Analysis & Interpretation and Reasoning & Computer Aptitude are typically considered the toughest sections because they combine calculation-heavy data sets with higher-order logical puzzles, so candidates should build strong calculation shortcuts and practice full-length timed Data Interpretation sets rather than isolated questions. General, Economy & Banking Awareness rewards a habit of reading daily financial news, RBI monetary policy updates, and recent banking-sector current affairs over the preceding six to eight months, since static banking terminology alone is rarely sufficient. The Descriptive Test, though only 25 marks, has an independent qualifying threshold in some cycles, so candidates should not treat Letter and Essay Writing as an afterthought — clear structure, relevant banking or economic examples, and clean handwriting or typing speed (the test is taken online) all matter. Finally, since Prelims marks vanish entirely from the final calculation, candidates who narrowly clear Prelims should not be discouraged: the real competition, and the real opportunity to move up the merit list, begins only at Mains.

आईबीपीएस पीओ की तैयारी परीक्षा की दो-चरणीय संरचना के अनुसार करनी चाहिए। प्रीलिम्स प्रति विषय केवल 20 मिनट की सेक्शनल समय-सीमा वाला है, इसलिए गति और सटीकता मायने रखती है, क्योंकि इसके अंक मुख्य परीक्षा में नहीं जुड़ते। 2026 में मुख्य परीक्षा में एक बड़ा बदलाव हुआ है - वस्तुनिष्ठ प्रश्नों की संख्या 145 से बढ़ाकर 170 कर दी गई है, जबकि कुल अंक चार खंडों में समान रूप से वितरित हैं। डेटा एनालिसिस एंड इंटरप्रिटेशन तथा रीजनिंग एंड कंप्यूटर एप्टीट्यूड को सबसे कठिन खंड माना जाता है। वर्णनात्मक परीक्षा (पत्र और निबंध लेखन) को हल्के में नहीं लेना चाहिए क्योंकि कुछ चक्रों में इसकी अपनी न्यूनतम अर्हता सीमा होती है।

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Frequently Asked Questions / मुख्य सवाल