IBPS SO Notification 2023 (Out): The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection released the IBPS SO 2023 Notification PDF on its official website on July 31, 2023. Through this recruitment, a total of 1042 vacancies are to be filled for specialist officers.
Get IBPS SO 2023 Latest News & Updates
The IBPS SO Exam Dates 2023 are also out. As per the schedule, the prelims exam will be conducted on December 30th and 31st, 2023, while the main exam is scheduled for January 28, 2024. The IBPS SO Prelims Admit Card 2023 will be out in the 3rd week of December 2023.
The IBPS SO Exam is conducted annually to recruit candidates for the post of specialist officer in the fields of IT, HR, law, agriculture, etc. Get complete details on the IBPS SO notification, vacancy, exam dates, selection process, exam pattern, syllabus, and the latest update in the given article.
IBPS SO 2023 Latest Update
| 1-August-2023 | IBPS SO 2023 Application Form Out |
| 31- July-2023 | IBPS SO 2023 Notification Out |
| 16- Jan- 2023 | IBPS Calendar 2023 Official Calendar Released |
| 24- Jan- 2023 | Bank Exams 2023 Latest Notification |
IBPS SO 2023 Notification PDF
The IBSP SO Notification 2023 was out on July 31, 2023, on the official website of the IBPS, ibps.in, for a total of 1042 Specialist Officer Vacancies.
The notification will include all the crucial details, such as important dates, vacancy details, age limit, education qualification, application, selection procedure, salary, and more.
The direct link to download the IBPS SO Notification 2023 PDF is provided below.
About the IBPS SO 2023 Exam
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection conducts the IBPS SO recruitment exam for the post of specialist officer in various public sector banks.
The role of the specialist officer is to manage the background activities and operations of the bank in their specialised areas. The appointment of the SO is based on their qualifications, including their experience, training, and professional history.
The IBPS SO exam is listed among the top banking exams in India. The IBPS Specialist Officer 2023 Selection Process is based on a 3-phase examination process that includes prelims, mains, and interviews. The specialised field under SO includes
- IT Officer
- AFO Agriculture Field Officer
- Law Officer
- HR
- Rajbhasha Adhikari
- Marketing Officer
Candidates who are interested in applying for the post can check the given article to get complete details about the IBPS SO 2023 recruitment drive.
IBPS SO 2023 Exam Date (Out)
The IBPS SO 2023–2024 schedule was released by the IBPS. The notification was out on July 31, 2023, and the online application is active from August 1 to August 28, 2023.
The IBPS SO Prelims exam will be conducted on December 30th and 31st, 2023, and the admit card will be out in the 3rd week of December 2023.
Candidates can bookmark this page to get a precise IBPS exam schedule. Aspirants can check the IBPS Specialist Officer 2023 important dates provided in the table below.
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| BPS SO Notification 2023 | 31 July 2023 |
| Online Registration | 1 August 2023 |
| IBPS SO Last Date to Apply | 21 August 2023 |
| IBPS SO Prelims Admit Card 2023 | December 2023(3rd Week) |
| Commencement of IBPS SO Preliminary Exam | 30th & 31st December 2023 |
| IBPS SO Mains Exam Date 2023 | 28 January 2024 |
IBPS SO 2023 Vacancy
As per the notification, a total of 1402 vacancies are available for specialist officers. IBPS Marketing and IBPS AFO have the highest number of openings, i.e., 700 and 500, respectively. These vacancies are provided to IBPS separately by 11 participating banks.
Candidates can review the post-wise IBPS SO vacancy 2023 in the table below. Let’s look at the number of SO openings that IBPS has announced in recent years.
| Posts | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| AFO | 500 |
| Marketing | 700 |
| IT | 120 |
| Rajbhasha | 41 |
| HR/Personnel | 31 |
| Law | 10 |
| Total | 1402 |
IBPS SO Apply Online 2023
The IBPS Specialist Officer 2023 application link will be active on the official website of IBPS. The IBPS SO Apply online link was active until August 28, 2023. Interested candidates can follow the given steps to complete their online application.
- Visit IBPS’s official website (ibps.in).
- Search and select the “CRP specialist officer” tab.
- Find and click on “Apply online for the common recruitment process for the special officer, CRP-SPL XIII.”
- Complete your online registration using a valid email ID and number.
- Existing users can directly log in with their credentials.
- Fill out the application form’s fields for basic information, educational background, work history, and preferences, and upload the required documents.
- Once you apply, pay the applicable charges.
- Take printouts if required.
The IBPS SO 2023 Apply online direct link is provided below.
IBPS SO Application Fee
The IBSP specialist officer application fee varies depending on the category of candidates. The application fee for general, OBC, and EWS is INR 850, while for SC and ST it is INR 100. Candidates have to pay an IBPS SO application fee while filling out the application form via online mode.
Category-wise fee details are provided below in the given table.
| Catagery | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| GEN/OBC/EWS | Rs.850/- |
| SC/ST | Rs.100/- |
IBPS SO 2023 Quick Links
| IBPS SO 2023 Selection Process | IBPS SO 2023 Exam Pattern |
| IBPS SO 2023 Best Preparation Books for Prelims & Mains | IBPS SO 2023 Best Preparation Strategy & Tips |
IBPS SO 2023 Eligibility Criteria
The candidates who will appear for the SO exam must meet the IBPS SO eligibility criteria, which include nationality, education qualification, age limit, and reservation. Candidates should note that they have to present the documentation for their eligibility at the time of the document verification round.
Nationality
- To be eligible for the examination, candidates must be citizens of India or
- A subject of Nepal or
- A subject of Bhutan or
- A Tibetan refugee who settled in India before January 1, 1962, or
- A person of Indian origin who migrated to India for permanent settlement from East African countries such as Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zaire, or countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Vietnam
IBPS SO Educational Qualification
| Post | Education Qualification |
|---|---|
| IT Office | Engineering degree in computer science, information technology, electrical, computer application, telecommunication, electronic, and communication, or post-graduate work in the same field, or graduation with DOEACC “B” Level. |
| Agriculture Field Officer | 4-year graduation degree in agriculture, veterinary science, horticulture, agriculture engineering, dairy science, fishery science, food technology, agriculture marketing and corporation, sericulture, forestry, agriculture biotechnology, agriculture business management, and dairy technology. |
| Personnel Officer or HR | Post-graduation with a full-time degree or two-year full-time diploma in HR, personal management, social work, and labour law. |
| Marketing Office | Postgraduate with MMS Marketing, MBA, PGDBA, PGDBM, PGPM, or PGDM (specialization in marketing ) |
| Law Officer | graduation in law and enrolled as an advocate in the Bar Council of India |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari | Postgraduate degree in English, Hindi, or Sanskrit |
IBPS SO 2023 Age Limit
The IBS SO age limit is between 20 and 30 years. Age relaxation of 3 to 5 years will be given to reserved categories. Candidates with disabilities will also get relaxation as per the rules of the GoI.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe | 5 years |
| Person with a Disability (PWD) | 3 years |
| Person with Disability (PWD) | 10 years |
| A person ordinarily domiciled in the Jammu and Kashmir province during the period 1.01.1980 and 31.12.1989 | 5 years |
| The person affected by the 1984 riots | 5 years |
| The person affected by the 1984 riots | 5 years |
IBPS SO 2023 Selection Process
The IBPS SO 2023 selection process is based on a 3-stage examination procedure: preliminary, main, and interview. The first two stages are conducted online via CBT, while the interview is conducted offline.
| Stage | Marks |
|---|---|
| IBPS SO Prelims | 125 Marks |
| IBPS SO Mains | 60 Marks |
| IBPS SO Interview | 100 Marks |
Preliminary marks are not included in the final selection. Based on the IBPS SO main exam and IBPS SO interview, the candidates will be selected, and the ratio for IBPS SO selection will be 80:20.
Those who pass the main examination will appear for the final round, which is the IBPS SO interview. The interview consists of 100 marks, and the qualifying mark for general is 40%, while for the reserved category, it is 35%.
IBPS SO 2023 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern is divided into 2 parts – prelims and mains examination. Candidates can check the post-wise IBPS SO Exam Pattern provided below.
IBPS SO Exam Pattern For Prelims
The preliminary exam is the first stage of the IBPS Specialist Officer, which is conducted to shortlist candidates for the main examination. The IBPS SO exam consists of 150 questions worth 125 marks. There are three sections in the prelims: English, reasoning ability, and quantitative aptitude. There will be separate papers for all posts.
Note that for law officers and Rajbhasa Adhikari posts, there will be a section on general awareness with special reference to the banking industry in place of quantitative aptitude. There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern for I.T., Agricultural, Personnel/HR & Marketing Officer:
| Section | Total Questions | Total Mark | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern for Law Officer and Rajbhasa Adhikari:
| Section | Total Questions | Total Mark | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 minutes |
IBPS SO Exam Pattern For Mains
Those who meet the cutoff for the preliminary exam will appear for the main exam. The IBPS SO exam consists of 60 questions based on professional knowledge of the respective field. There will be two parts to the paper for Rajbhasa Adhikari: the objective part will contain 45 questions, and the descriptive part will have 2.
As the main exam has a weightage of 80%, the marks obtained in the main exam will be added to the final selection.
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern for I.T., Agricultural, Personnel/HR, Law Officer & Marketing Officer:
| Section | Total Questions | Total Mark | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern for Rajbhasa Adhikari:
| Section | Total Questions | Total Mark | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Knowledge(Objective) | 45 | 60 | 30 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge (Descriptive) | 2 | 30 minutes |
IBPS SO 2023 Syllabus
Before starting the preparation, candidates must check the IBP SO syllabus, as it will enable them to know the topics included in the exam.
To score well on the exam, candidates must grasp the IBPS SO Syllabus which includes general sections, which are English, reasoning, and quantitative aptitude, in addition to the professional knowledge subjects.
The syllabus for the IBPS Specialist Officer 2023 Mains Exam consists of subject proficiency. Candidates can check the subject-wise syllabus for the exam below:
(1) English Language: Reading comprehension, close test, error spotting, fill in the blanks, sentence completions, Sentence corrections, para jumbles and sentence improvement.
(2) Reasoning Ability: Puzzles, seating arrangements, blood relations, syllogism, input-output, alphanumeric series, verbal reasoning, inequalities, data sufficiency, order and ranking, distance and direction.
(3) Quantitative Aptitude: Data interpretation, number series, average, time and energy, simplification, approximation, mensuration, quadratic equation, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and distance, permutation and combination, proportion work, probability and relations.
(4) General Awareness: Banking awareness, current affairs, books and authors, currencies, Prime minister schemes, financial headquarters, important places, awards and important days.
IBPS SO 2023 Preparation Books
Candidates should refer to the best IBPS SO books for their IBPS SO preparation. Referring to the right book will help them understand the nature of the examination.
Specialist officers should have a specific level of expertise in their fields, such as IT, HR, agriculture, Rajbhasha, marketing, and law, for which candidates are required to read the subject-specific books.
To speed up their preparation, students should also go through the exam papers from the previous year and take as many mock exams as they can.
| Subject | Book Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| English | English Grammar & Composition | Wren and Martin |
| Reasoning | Fast Track Objective Arithmetic | Rajesh Verma |
| Quantitative Aptitude | A New Approach to Reasoning: Verbal and Non-Verbal | B.S Sijwali and Indu Sijwali |
| General Awareness | Guide to Banking General Awareness | R Gupta |
| IT | Data Communications and Networking | Behrouz. A Forouzan |
| Marketing | Marketing Specialist Exam book | Upkar Prakashan |
| Law | IBPS Specialist Officer CWE LAW Officer Online Exam Practice Workbook | Kiran Prakashan |
| Agriculture | Agriculture Field Officer | R.Gupta |
| HR | Human Resource Management | K Aswathappa |
| Rajbhasa | Hindi Vyakaran Aur Rachna | Upkar Prakashan |
IBPS SO Admit Card 2023
The IBPS SO Admit Card 2023 for the prelims exam will be out in the 3rd week of December 2023 on the official website of IBPS at ibps.in. Candidates can download their admit card using their registration number and password.
For verification at the exam centre, candidates must bring a hard copy of their admit card and a photo ID. The steps to download the admit card are provided below.
- Visit the official website of IBPS at (www.ibps.in)
- On the latest announcement section of the homepage, find the link for “IBPS Specialist Officer Prelims Admit Card 2023” and click on it.
- A login window will appear on your screen. Enter the login credentials to access the admit card.
- The admit card will open in a new window for downloading and printing purposes.
IBPS SO 2023 Result
The authorities will release the IBPS SO 2023 results on their official website after conducting each phase. The marks obtained in the preliminary section are qualifying and will not be included in the final section. Candidates who meet the required IBPS SO cutoff in the main examination will proceed to the interview round.
In the interview, candidates need to score a minimum of 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWD) to be marked as qualified. The final selection will be based on the mains and interviews in the ratio of 80:20.
The merit list will be prepared, and candidates will be assigned to one of the participating PSBs. The provisional allotment will be made based on the candidates’ marks and choices.
IBPS SO 2023 Cut-off
The authorities will release the cut-off along with the scorecard after conducting each phase of the exam. Candidates must meet the IBPS SO cut-off (minimum qualification marks) to be qualified for subsequent rounds.
Check the previous year’s cut-off marks to set a target. It will help candidates know the difficulty level and competitiveness of the IBPS Specialist Officer 2023 recruitment exam.
Bank Exam 2023
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IBPS SO 2023 FAQs
Ans- The IBPS SO 2023 notification is out on 31 July 2023.
Ans- The IBPS SO Exam date for prelims is 30th & 31st December 2023.
Ans- A total of 1042 posts are released under the IBPS SO Vacancy 2023–24.
Ans-Candidate must be between 20 to 30 years of age for the SO post. Age relaxation for OBC is 3 years while for SC/ST/ESM it is 5 years
Ans- The IBPS SO syllabus includes general sections, which are English, reasoning, and quantitative aptitude, in addition to the professional knowledge subjects.
Ans-The monthly salary of IBPS SO Scale-I is Rs. 36400/-
Ans- Yes, for each incorrect answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted.
Ans- Yes, candidates who are in the final year of their graduation can appear, but they have to provide the graduation result at the time of document verification.
Ans- As per the IBPS SO 2023 eligibility criteria, candidates’ ages should be between 20 and 30 years, while the minimum qualification for the SO post is graduation or post-graduation in the required discipline.
Ans: The IBPS SO 2023 exam date is December 30th and 31st, 2023, for prelims, while the main exam is scheduled for January 28, 2024.
Ques. How many questions will there be in total on the IBPS SO Exam?
This test has three portions with a combined total of 150 questions each, with a maximum score of 125 marks. A detailed examination schedule is provided in the aforementioned article.
What is the deadline to submit an online application for the IBPS SO position?
The deadline for completing and submitting an online application will soon be made public and will be soon updated in this article as well.
What books are suggested for the 2023 IBPS SO Exam preparation?
Important Books for your preparation check the below –
English: English Grammar & Composition – Wren and Martin
Reasoning : Fast Track Objective Arithmetic – Rajesh Verma
Quantitative Aptitude : A New Approach to Reasoning: Verbal and Non-Verbal – B.S. Sijwali & Indu Sijwali
General Awareness : Guide to Banking General Awareness – R. Gupta
IT : Data communication and Networking – Behrouz. A Forouzan
Marketing : Marketing specialist exam book – Upkar Prakashan
Law : IBPS Specialist Officer CWE LAW Officer Online Exam Practice Workbook – Kiran Prakashan
Agriculture : Agriculture Field Officer – R.Gupta.
What are the chances that your home state would be posted in the IBPS SO?
Because the IBPS SO exam is taken on a national scale, successful applicants may be assigned to any location in the nation.
What distinguishes the IBPS SO and IBPS PO exams?
The IBPS SO is held to fill Specialist Officer positions in a variety of industries, including law, IT, and agriculture. On the other side, IBPS PO is held to hire Probationary Officers at various public sector banks.
What is the highest level of position that an IBPS SO may be promoted to?
A person who starts the position at a young age has the opportunity to advance to the General Manager Scale 7 position.