IBPS SO Exam Pattern: Every year, the Institute of Banking Personnel (IBPS) invites applications for Specialist Officers in Scale 1 positions at various public sector banks. The exam is divided into two parts: prelims and mains, followed by a face-to-face interview round. The official notification for the 2023 recruitment process has been released, so let’s take a look at the IBPS SO 2023 syllabus information.
- Those who pass the mains are eligible to participate in the interview round.
- When you want to pass an exam, you need to know everything there is to know about it. As a result, we’ve created this article to help you along the way.
- Here you will find the section-by-section syllabus, the time allotted to each section, and the detailed pattern of the prelims and mains exams.
IBPS SO 2023 Exam Pattern Highlights
Key highlights related to IBPS SO exam are mentioned below:
| Exam Pattern Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Question Paper Type | Objective type MCQs |
| Number of Papers | 2 (Prelims and Mains) |
| Number of Sections | Prelims – 3 sections, Mains – 2 sections |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours each |
| IBPS SO Total marks | Prelims- 125 marks Mains- 60 Marks |
| Exam language | Hindi and English |
IBPS SO 2023 Exam Pattern in Detail
For IBPS SO, there will be two selection tiers: Prelims and Mains. Both tests are primarily computer-based and contain objective-type questions. The distribution of questions in the IBPS SO Prelims and Mains by section is shown below.
Section-Wise Distribution of Questions in IBPS SO 2023 Prelims
| Name of Tests | No. of Questions | Medium of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 50 | English |
| Reasoning | 50 | English and Hindi |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry/ Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | English and Hindi |
- The question paper is divided into three sections: English Language, General Awareness, and Logical Reasoning.
- The exam will last 120 minutes.
- The maximum mark available for the exam is 125.
- Logical reasoning is worth 50 points, General Awareness is worth 25 points, and Logical reasoning is worth 50 points.
- Logical Reasoning, English Language, and Quantitative Aptitude are the three sections of this paper.
- Parts A and C each have 50 points, while Part B only has 25 points.
- Candidates have two hours to complete the exam, with a maximum score of 125 points available.
- Both of the IBPS SO Prelims papers have 150 questions.
- In the case of a wrong answer, a 0.25 point deduction is applied. Questions that are not attempted will not be penalised.
Note: Applicants for Rajbhasha Adhikari and Law Officer positions must complete the General Awareness section.
Section-Wise Distribution of Questions in IBPS SO 2023 Mains
Scale 1: Law Officer, Marketing Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Human Resources/Personnel Officer, and Information Technology Officer (Mains)
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Medium of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | English & Hindi |
For Rajbhasha Adhikari
| Name of the Test(Professional Knowledge) | No. of Questions | Medium of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | 45 | English & Hindi |
| Descriptive | 2 | English & Hindi |
IBPS SO 2023 Marking Scheme
Because the IBPS SO 2023 exam is divided into two parts, the marking scheme for each paper is different.
Marking Scheme for IBPS SO Prelims
| Paper Number- | Sections | Number of Questions | For Correct Response | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 Post of Rajbhasha Adhikari and Law Officer |
Reasoning | 50 Questions each | 1 mark | 0.25 marks |
| English Language | 0.5 mark | |||
| General Awareness with special reference to Banking Industry | 1 mark | |||
| Paper-2 post of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer Scale 1 |
Reasoning | 50 Questions each | 1 mark | |
| English Language | 0.5 mark | |||
| Quantitative Aptitude | 1 mark |
Marking Scheme for IBPS SO Mains
The following is the IBPS SO 2023 Mains marking scheme.
| Paper Number | Number of Questions | Marks Allotted | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 (post of Law Officer, IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer HR/Personnel Officer, and IT Officer Scale 1) | 60 | 60 Marks | 0.25 Marks |
| Paper -2 (post of Rajbhasha Adhikari) | 45 |
- Part A and Part B of the question paper contain Objective and Descriptive type questions, respectively.
- There are 45 questions in Part A, Professional Knowledge (Objective Type Question).
- There are two questions in Part B, Professional Knowledge (Descriptive type Questions).
- The paper is worth a maximum of 60 points.
- Each section has a time limit of 30 minutes.
- The question paper is divided into two parts: Professional Knowledge and Objective Type Questions.
- Negative marking is also used when students answer questions incorrectly. There will be a 0.25 point deduction.
- Questions that are not attempted will not be penalised.
- Rajbhasha Adhikari receives 1 point for each MCQ and 15 points for the two descriptive questions.
- 1 point for each MCQ in the other posts.
IBPS SO Interview 2023
Candidates who pass the main exam will be invited to participate in the final face-to-face interview round. It is critical for them to perform well in this round, as it will play a significant role in the selection process.
IBPS SO 2023 Preparation Tips
It is past time for candidates to begin preparing for IBPS SO 2023. Here are a few pointers to help them prepare better:
- Simultaneously prepare for both stages of the exam. Candidates frequently put off studying for the main exam, which is incorrect.
- Solve a sufficient number of practise sets, mock tests, and test series. You will come across many excellent questions this way.
- Examine the IBPS SO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2023 in depth.
- Establish a daily schedule for studying and other activities.
- Examine previous years’ papers because questions may be repeated. Additionally, this will increase your self-assurance and decrease your exam anxiety. Solve papers that have a time limit. This will improve your speed in answering questions.
FAQs
Yes, only questions from the IBPS SO syllabus will be asked.
Yes, the IBPS SO Prelims Exam contains only objective questions.
Candidates who pass the Mains exam’s cut-offs are invited to the Personal Interview.