The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is a central recruitment agency owned by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It was established with the primary objective of promoting the recruitment and placement of young individuals with various educational backgrounds, including undergraduates, postgraduates, and doctorates, into roles such as Group ‘A’ officers, Group ‘B’ officers, Group ‘C’ employees, and Group ‘D’ employees in nationalized banks and regional rural banks across India. Additionally, IBPS offers standardized assessment and result-processing services to organizations.
The online examinations (Preliminary and Main) for the upcoming Common Recruitment Process (CRP) to select personnel for Specialist Officers’ cadre positions in Participating Banks are expected to be held in December 2023 or January 2024.
Available Positions of Various Categories:
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) organizes the annual IBPS SO Recruitment to choose suitable candidates for the following positions:
- Agriculture Field Officer
- Marketing Officer (Scale I)
- HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I)
- IT Officer (Scale I)
- Law Officer (Scale I)
- Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I)
Participating Banks:
| S/No | Participating Banks |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bank of Baroda |
| 2 | Bank of India |
| 3 | Bank of Maharashtra |
| 4 | Canara Bank |
| 5 | Central Bank of India |
| 6 | Indian Bank |
| 7 | Indian Overseas Bank |
| 8 | Punjab National Bank |
| 9 | Punjab & Sind Bank |
| 10 | UCO Bank |
| 11 | Union Bank of India |
Tentative Event Schedule:
| Event | Tentative Dates |
|---|---|
| On-line registration including Edit/Modification of Application by candidates | 01.08.2023 – 21.08.2023 |
| Payment of Application Fees/Intimation Charges (Online) | 01.08.2023 – 21.08.2023 |
| Download of call letters for Online examination – Preliminary | December 2023 |
| Online Examination – Preliminary | 30.12.2023 / 31.12.2023 |
| Result of Online exam – Preliminary | January 2024 |
| Download of Call letter for Online exam – Main | January 2024 |
| Online Examination – Main | 28.01.2024 |
| Declaration of Result of Online Main Examination | February 2024 |
| Download of call letters for interview | February / March 2024 |
| Conduct of interview | February / March 2024 |
| Provisional Allotment | April 2024 |
IBPS SO 2023 Vacancies:
The vacancy details for the IBPS SO 2023-24 exam have been officially released alongside the comprehensive notification. In the current recruitment cycle, there are a total of 1402 Specialist Officers (SO) vacancies. It’s worth noting that since this recruitment is specific to Specialist Officers, the number of vacancies is comparatively lower than those in general banking exams and even less than the previous year’s figures.
- AFO (Agriculture Field Officer): 500 Vacancies
- HR/Personnel Officer: 31 Vacancies
- IT (Information Technology) Officer: 120 Vacancies
- Law Officer: 10 Vacancies
- Marketing Officer: 700 Vacancies
- Rajbhasha Adhikari: 41 Vacancies
- Total Vacancies: 1402
IBPS Specialist Officer Educational Qualifications and Age Relaxation:
| Post Code | Name of the Post | Age | Educational Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | I.T. Officer (Scale-I) | 20-30 | 4-year degree in Computer Science or related fields OR Postgraduate degree in Electronics or Computer Science OR Graduation with DOEACC ‘B’ level certification |
| 02 | Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I) | 20-30 | 4-year degree in Agriculture or related fields |
| 03 | Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I) | 20-30 | Postgraduate degree in Hindi with English at graduation level OR Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi at graduation level |
| 04 | Law Officer (Scale I) | 20-30 | Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) and Bar Council enrollment |
| 05 | HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I) | 20-30 | Graduate and two years full-time postgraduate degree or diploma in HR or related fields |
| 06 | Marketing Officer (Scale I) | 20-30 | Graduate and two years full-time postgraduate specialization in Marketing |
IBPS SO Age Criteria (as of 01/08/2023):
To be eligible for the IBPS SO exam, candidates must meet the following age requirements:
- Minimum age: 20 years
- Maximum age: 30 years
Candidates must have been born between 02.08.1993 and 01.08.2003 (inclusive). The Government of India provides age relaxation to candidates from reserved categories. Below, you’ll find the category-wise age relaxation for IBPS SO posts:
- Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST): 5 years
- Other Backward Class (OBC): 3 years
- Person with Disability (PWD): 10 years
- Ex-Servicemen/Commissioned Officers (min. 5 years of military service) released on assignment completion (or due to complete within a year, except for misconduct/discharge): 5 years
- A person ordinarily domiciled in the Jammu and Kashmir province during the period 1.01.1980 and 31.12.1989: 5 years
- Person affected by the 1984 riots: 5 years
Online Application Procedure:
- Visit the official website at www.ibps.in and navigate to the “CRP Specialist Officers” link.
- Click on “CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE FOR CRP- Specialist Officers (CRP-SPL-XIII)” to open the Online Application Form.
- Register your application by providing basic information. The system will generate a provisional registration number and password, which will also be sent via email and SMS.
- Upload required documents such as a photograph, signature, left thumb impression, a handwritten declaration, and specific certificates (if applicable), following the provided guidelines for scanning and document upload (Annexure III).
- Carefully fill in the online application form, as changes after submission are not allowed. Use the “COMPLETE REGISTRATION” facility to review and modify details, if necessary, before final submission. Visually impaired candidates should ensure accuracy before submission, as changes won’t be possible afterwards.
Application Fees and Intimation Charges:
- SC/ST/PwBD candidates: Rs. 175/- (inclusive of GST)
- All other candidates: Rs. 850/- (inclusive of GST)
Bank transaction charges for online payment are to be borne by the candidate. Payment is accepted from 01.08.2023 to 21.08.2023, exclusively online.
IBPS PO Recruitment 2023 in Simple Terms:
Every year, the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the Common Recruitment Process (CRP) for the selection of Probationary Officers (PO) and Management Trainees (MT). This year, it’s the 13th edition, officially known as IBPS PO/MT CRP XIII 2023. The selection process consists of three main phases:
- Online Preliminary Examination: Candidates take this initial test, and a specific number of candidates from each category move on to the next stage.
- Online Mains Examination: Those who qualify for the preliminary exam need to meet the sectional and overall cutoff marks to be eligible for an interview.
- Interview: The final interview is conducted by Participating Organizations, with IBPS assistance.
Final result based on Mains and Interview performance. Selected candidates are provisionally allotted to preferred banks. Banks responsible for joining procedures.
Public sector banking offers competitive salaries, perks, job security, c
IBPS Specialist Officer Examination Structure:
Preliminary Examination for Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari:
| Test | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes | English |
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English & Hindi |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English & Hindi |
| Total | 150 | 125 |
Preliminary Examination for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer:
| Test | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes | English |
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English & Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English & Hindi |
| Total | 150 | 125 |
Main Examination:
For Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer:
| Test | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes | English & Hindi |
For Rajbhasha Adhikari:
| Test | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
| Professional Knowledge (Objective) | 45 | 60 | 30 minutes | English & Hindi |
| Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | 30 | 30 minutes | English & Hindi |
