Probationary Officer

IBPS PO / SBI PO Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Complete syllabus guide for Probationary Officer recruitment examinations conducted for public sector banks, including IBPS PO and SBI PO.

Exams Covered

IBPS PO

Probationary Officer / Management Trainee

SBI PO

Probationary Officer

Post Probationary Officer / Management Trainee
Qualification Graduation / Bachelor's Degree
Preliminary Examination Objective Online Examination
Main Examination Objective Examination with additional assessment stages depending on the exam
Final Selection Based on the applicable recruitment process of IBPS PO or SBI PO

PO Selection Process

STAGE 01

Prelims

Online Preliminary Examination

STAGE 02

Mains

Main Examination

STAGE 03

Assessment

Applicable assessment / interaction stage

STAGE 04

Final Selection

Final merit / provisional allotment

PO Preliminary Exam Pattern

Subject Questions Duration
English Language 30 20 Minutes
Quantitative Aptitude 35 20 Minutes
Reasoning Ability 35 20 Minutes
Total 100 60 Minutes

PO Prelims Syllabus

Common core topics for IBPS PO / SBI PO preparation

PRELIMINARY

Quantitative Aptitude

Number Series
Quadratic Equations
Simplification
Approximation
Data Interpretation
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Average
Profit & Loss
Discount
Simple Interest
Compound Interest
Time & Work
Pipes & Cisterns
Time, Speed & Distance
Trains
Boats & Streams
Mixture & Alligation
Partnership
Problems on Ages

Reasoning Ability

Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Inequality
Coding-Decoding
Syllogism
Blood Relations
Direction Sense
Order & Ranking
Alphanumeric Series
Input-Output
Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning

English Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Fill in the Blanks
Sentence Rearrangement
Para Jumbles
Sentence Improvement
Vocabulary
Synonyms & Antonyms
Grammar
Phrase Replacement
Word Usage

PO Mains Syllabus

IBPS PO / SBI PO Mains

Advanced preparation topics for Probationary Officer examinations

MAINS

IBPS PO and SBI PO recruitment structures are not identical. The exact number of questions, marks, sectional timings and additional assessment stages should be checked against the notification for the relevant recruitment cycle. The topics below provide a combined preparation syllabus for the major PO Mains subjects.

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

Advanced Puzzles
Seating Arrangements
Input-Output
Coding-Decoding
Inequality
Syllogism
Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning
Statement & Assumption
Statement & Conclusion
Cause & Effect
Course of Action
Computer Fundamentals
Computer Hardware & Software
Operating Systems
MS Office
Internet & Networking
Computer Security

Data Analysis & Interpretation

Tabular Data Interpretation
Bar Graph
Line Graph
Pie Chart
Caselet DI
Mixed Graph DI
Data Sufficiency
Number Series
Quadratic Equations
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Average
Profit, Loss & Discount
Simple & Compound Interest
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance
Mixture & Alligation
Partnership
Quantity Comparison
Arithmetic Word Problems

General / Economy / Banking Awareness

Current Affairs
Banking Awareness
Indian Banking System
Reserve Bank of India
Monetary Policy
Indian Economy
Union Budget
Economic Survey
Financial Awareness
Digital Banking
Payment Systems
Financial Inclusion
International Financial Institutions
Banking & Financial Institutions
Banking Terminology
Important Banking Events

English Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Sentence Improvement
Para Jumbles
Sentence Rearrangement
Phrase Replacement
Vocabulary
Fill in the Blanks
Word Usage
Grammar
Verbal Ability

Descriptive / Additional Assessment

Depending on the specific PO recruitment examination, candidates may also face descriptive English or other assessment stages. Always follow the applicable official notification for the exact structure.

Essay Writing

Banking, economy, social and current topics

Letter / Communication Writing

Formal communication and professional writing skills

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Clerical Cadre

IBPS Clerk / SBI Clerk Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Complete preparation syllabus for clerical-level banking examinations, covering the major subjects tested in IBPS clerical recruitment and SBI Junior Associate recruitment.

Exams Covered

IBPS Clerical Recruitment

Customer Service Associate / Clerical Cadre

SBI Clerk

Junior Associate

Clerk Selection Process

STAGE 01

Prelims

Online Preliminary Examination

STAGE 02

Mains

Online Main Examination

STAGE 03

Final Selection

Subject to the applicable recruitment rules

Clerk Preliminary Exam Pattern

Subject Questions Duration
English Language 30 20 Minutes
Numerical Ability 35 20 Minutes
Reasoning Ability 35 20 Minutes
Total 100 60 Minutes

Clerk Prelims Syllabus

Core preparation topics for IBPS / SBI clerical exams

PRELIMINARY

Numerical Ability

Number Series
Simplification
Approximation
Data Interpretation
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Average
Profit & Loss
Simple & Compound Interest
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance
Mixture & Alligation

Reasoning Ability

Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Syllogism
Inequality
Coding-Decoding
Blood Relations
Direction Sense
Order & Ranking
Alphanumeric Series
Input-Output

English Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Fill in the Blanks
Para Jumbles
Sentence Improvement
Vocabulary
Grammar

Clerk Mains Syllabus

Main examination preparation areas

MAINS

General / Financial Awareness

Current Affairs
Banking Awareness
RBI
Indian Economy
Financial Awareness
Digital Banking
Payment Systems
Banking Terminology

Quantitative Aptitude

Data Interpretation
Data Sufficiency
Number Series
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Profit & Loss
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

Advanced Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Input-Output
Logical Reasoning
Data Sufficiency
Computer Fundamentals
Internet & Networking
Computer Security

General English

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Para Jumbles
Phrase Replacement
Vocabulary
Grammar
Fill in the Blanks
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Specialist Officer

IBPS SO Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Complete syllabus guide for IBPS Specialist Officer recruitment, covering preliminary examination subjects and post-specific Professional Knowledge areas for major Specialist Officer streams.

Specialist Officer Posts

IT Officer

Scale I

Agricultural Field Officer

Scale I

Rajbhasha Adhikari

Scale I

Law Officer

Scale I

HR / Personnel Officer

Scale I

Marketing Officer

Scale I

Examination IBPS Specialist Officer (SO)
Post Level Specialist Officer – Scale I
Qualification Post-specific educational qualification as prescribed for the respective specialist stream
Preliminary Examination Objective Online Examination
Main Examination Professional Knowledge
Final Stage Interview

IBPS SO Selection Process

STAGE 01

Prelims

Online Preliminary Examination

STAGE 02

Mains

Professional Knowledge Examination

STAGE 03

Interview

Final interview and merit process

IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus

Preliminary examination subjects vary according to the specialist post

PRELIMINARY

Law Officer & Rajbhasha Adhikari

Preliminary preparation generally focuses on English Language, Reasoning and General Awareness with special reference to the banking industry.

Other Specialist Posts

IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR / Personnel Officer and Marketing Officer generally prepare English Language, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude for the preliminary stage.

Reasoning

Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Syllogism
Inequality
Coding-Decoding
Blood Relations
Direction Sense
Order & Ranking
Input-Output
Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning

English Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Para Jumbles
Sentence Improvement
Fill in the Blanks
Vocabulary
Grammar
Phrase Replacement

Quantitative Aptitude

Simplification & Approximation
Number Series
Quadratic Equations
Data Interpretation
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Profit & Loss
Simple & Compound Interest
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance
Mixture & Alligation

General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry

Current Affairs
Banking Awareness
RBI
Indian Economy
Financial Awareness
Monetary Policy
Digital Banking
Payment Systems
Financial Institutions
Banking Terminology
National & International Events
Government Financial Schemes

Professional Knowledge Syllabus

The Professional Knowledge syllabus depends on the Specialist Officer post selected by the candidate. Choose the relevant stream below for preparation.

IT Officer – Professional Knowledge

Information Technology specialist stream

Computer Fundamentals
Computer Architecture
Operating Systems
Database Management Systems
Programming Concepts
Data Structures
Algorithms
Computer Networks
Internet Technologies
Software Engineering
Cyber Security
Information Security
Cryptography Basics
Cloud Computing
Data Communication
Web Technologies
Data Warehousing
Banking Technology

Agricultural Field Officer – Professional Knowledge

Agriculture specialist stream

Agronomy
Soil Science
Horticulture
Crop Production
Plant Protection
Plant Pathology
Animal Husbandry
Fisheries
Forestry
Agricultural Engineering
Irrigation
Agricultural Meteorology
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Marketing
Agricultural Finance
Rural Credit
Rural Development
Government Agriculture Schemes

Law Officer – Professional Knowledge

Legal specialist stream

Indian Constitution
Contract Law
Banking Laws
Banking Regulation
RBI Act
Negotiable Instruments
SARFAESI Act
Companies Act
Consumer Protection
Labour Laws
Law of Torts
Legal Aspects of Banking
Banking Ombudsman / Grievance Framework
Partnership Law
Insolvency & Bankruptcy Basics

HR / Personnel Officer – Professional Knowledge

Human Resource Management specialist stream

Human Resource Management
Recruitment & Selection
Training & Development
Performance Management
Compensation Management
Organizational Behaviour
Industrial Relations
Labour Laws
Employee Engagement
Leadership
Communication
Conflict Management
Organizational Structure
HR Planning
Business Ethics

Marketing Officer – Professional Knowledge

Marketing management specialist stream

Marketing Management
Consumer Behaviour
Product Strategy
Pricing Strategy
Promotion Strategy
Distribution Management
Market Research
Brand Management
Sales Management
Digital Marketing
Banking Products
Financial Services Marketing
Customer Relationship Management
Market Segmentation
Targeting & Positioning

Rajbhasha Adhikari – Professional Knowledge

Hindi language and official language specialist stream

Hindi Language
Hindi Grammar
Hindi Comprehension
Vocabulary
Sentence Correction
Translation
English to Hindi Translation
Hindi to English Translation
Official Language Policy
Official Language Provisions
Administrative Terminology
Official Correspondence

IBPS SO Interview

Candidates shortlisted through the required online examination stages are called for the interview stage. Preparation should include Professional Knowledge, banking awareness, current affairs and questions related to the candidate's specialist field.

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Regional Rural Banks

IBPS RRB Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Complete syllabus guide for IBPS Regional Rural Bank recruitment, covering Office Assistant (Multipurpose), Officer Scale I, Officer Scale II and Officer Scale III posts.

IBPS RRB Posts Covered

Office Assistant

Multipurpose

Officer Scale I

Assistant Manager

Officer Scale II

General Banking / Specialist

Officer Scale III

Senior Manager

IBPS RRB Selection Process

Post Stage 1 Stage 2 Final Stage
Office Assistant Preliminary Exam Main Exam Provisional Allotment
Officer Scale I Preliminary Exam Main Exam Interview
Officer Scale II Single Level Examination Interview Final Selection
Officer Scale III Single Level Examination Interview Final Selection

RRB Preliminary Examination

Office Assistant & Officer Scale I

PRELIMS
Subject Questions Marks
Reasoning 40 40
Numerical Ability / Quantitative Aptitude 40 40
Total 80 80

Reasoning Ability

Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Syllogism
Inequality
Coding-Decoding
Blood Relations
Direction Sense
Order & Ranking
Alphanumeric Series
Input-Output
Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning

Numerical / Quantitative Aptitude

Number Series
Simplification
Approximation
Quadratic Equations
Data Interpretation
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Average
Profit & Loss
Simple & Compound Interest
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance
Mixture & Alligation
Partnership
Problems on Ages
Mensuration

RRB Mains Syllabus

Office Assistant & Officer Scale I preparation areas

MAINS

Reasoning

Advanced Puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Syllogism
Coding-Decoding
Input-Output
Data Sufficiency
Statement & Assumption
Statement & Conclusion
Logical Reasoning
Course of Action

Numerical / Quantitative Aptitude

Data Interpretation
Tabular DI
Line Graph
Pie Chart
Data Sufficiency
Percentage
Ratio & Proportion
Profit & Loss
Time & Work
Time, Speed & Distance
Simple & Compound Interest
Mixture & Alligation

General Awareness

Current Affairs
National Events
International Events
Banking Awareness
RBI
Indian Economy
Government Schemes
Rural Development
Agriculture Awareness
Awards & Honours

Financial Awareness

Indian Banking System
Monetary Policy
Financial Inclusion
Priority Sector Lending
Digital Banking
Payment Systems
Financial Institutions
Banking Terminology
Regional Rural Banks
Rural & Agricultural Finance

Computer Knowledge

Computer Fundamentals
Hardware & Software
Operating Systems
MS Office
Internet
Networking
Database Basics
Cyber Security
Email
Computer Abbreviations

English / Hindi Language

Reading Comprehension
Cloze Test
Error Detection
Fill in the Blanks
Para Jumbles
Sentence Correction
Vocabulary
Grammar

Officer Scale II & III

General Banking and Specialist Officer preparation

OFFICER

General Banking Officer

Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
Financial Awareness
Banking Awareness
Computer Knowledge
English / Hindi Language
Current Affairs
Rural Banking

Specialist Officer

Specialist Officer candidates prepare the common examination areas along with Professional Knowledge related to their selected specialist discipline.

Information Technology
Law
Treasury / Finance
Marketing
Agriculture
Other notified specialist disciplines

RRB Officer Interview

Interview preparation for applicable Officer posts should include banking and financial awareness, rural economy, Regional Rural Banks, current affairs, communication skills and post-specific knowledge.

Important Note

The examination structure may differ by RRB post and recruitment cycle. Candidates should always check the applicable official notification for exact marks, timings, language options, eligibility, professional knowledge requirements and selection stages.

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