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IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) mock test
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IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Syllabus 2026

The complete IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) syllabus for 2026 — 6 sections and 64 topics in all, organised exactly as the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) prescribes. Use it as your revision checklist, then test yourself with a free IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) mock below.

Quantitative Aptitude (Prelims + Mains as Data Analysis & Interpretation)13 topics

  • Simplification and Approximation (BODMAS, decimals, fractions, square roots, cube roots)
  • Number Series (missing number, wrong number, completion patterns)
  • Quadratic equations comparison (two-variable x and y, find relation)
  • Percentages, Profit-Loss-Discount (single and successive)
  • Simple Interest, Compound Interest (annual and half-yearly compounding), Mixed CI/SI
  • Ratio and Proportion, Partnership (with time-weighted capital), Ages
  • Time and Work (combined, alternate-day, efficiency), Pipes and Cisterns
  • Time, Speed and Distance — Boats and Streams, Trains, Relative speed
  • Averages, Mixtures and Alligation
  • Mensuration 2D (triangles, circles, parallelograms, trapeziums) and basic 3D (cuboid, cylinder, cone, sphere)
  • Probability and Permutation-Combination (Mains)
  • Data Interpretation — Tabular, Bar graph, Line graph, Pie chart, Caselet, Mixed DI, Missing DI, Radar/Spider (Mains-style)
  • Data Sufficiency (single and two-statement)

Reasoning Ability (Prelims + Mains as Reasoning & Computer Aptitude)12 topics

  • Puzzles — Linear seating (single row, two rows facing each other), Circular seating (facing centre/outward), Square/Rectangular, Floor-based, Box-based, Day/Month/Year scheduling
  • Syllogism (statement-conclusion, possibility syllogisms)
  • Inequalities (direct and coded)
  • Coding-Decoding (alphabetic, numeric, chinese/symbol coding)
  • Blood Relations (direct, coded, family-tree puzzles)
  • Direction Sense (with distance calculation)
  • Order and Ranking
  • Alphanumeric Series, Number Series Reasoning
  • Input-Output (machine reasoning — for Mains)
  • Data Sufficiency in reasoning context
  • Logical Reasoning — Statement-Assumption, Statement-Course of Action, Cause-Effect, Strengthen/Weaken arguments (Mains)
  • Critical Reasoning passages (Mains-level)

English Language (Prelims + Mains)11 topics

  • Reading Comprehension (long passages — banking/economy/social themes)
  • Cloze Test (single and double-blank fillers)
  • Para Jumbles (sentence rearrangement)
  • Sentence Improvement and Phrase Replacement
  • Error Spotting (grammar and usage)
  • Fill in the Blanks (single, double, sentence-completion)
  • Synonyms and Antonyms in context
  • Word Usage / Word Swap (Mains-style, multi-sentence)
  • Sentence Connectors and Match-the-column
  • Idioms and Phrases
  • Vocabulary in context (high overlap with Norman Lewis word list)

Descriptive English (Mains)7 topics

  • Letter Writing — Formal letters (to bank manager, government department, editor)
  • Letter Writing — Informal letters (to friend/family on financial planning, career)
  • Business/Complaint letters with proper format and tone
  • Essay Writing — Current affairs themes (digital banking, financial inclusion, monetary policy)
  • Essay structure — introduction, body (3-4 supporting paragraphs), balanced conclusion
  • Word-limit discipline (Letter ~150 words, Essay ~300 words)
  • Grammar, syntax and paragraph cohesion under time pressure

General / Economy / Banking Awareness (Mains)13 topics

  • Banking history — RBI Act 1934, Banking Regulation Act 1949, nationalisation 1969/1980, recent bank mergers (10 PSBs into 4 in 2020)
  • RBI structure, functions, monetary policy — repo, reverse repo, MSF, CRR, SLR, Bank Rate, MPC framework
  • Money market vs Capital market instruments — T-bills, CPs, CDs, repo/reverse repo, government securities
  • Banking products — savings/current/term deposits, demand loans, cash credit, overdraft, MSME loans, agriculture credit
  • Priority Sector Lending norms (40% of ANBC for SCBs), categories and sub-targets
  • Financial inclusion — Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA, Stand-Up India, PSL certificates, Lead Bank Scheme
  • Digital payments — UPI, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS, BHIM, Bharat Bill Pay, e-RUPI, CBDC (Digital Rupee)
  • NPA framework — SARFAESI 2002, IBC 2016, Asset Reconstruction Companies, NCLT, PCA framework
  • Capital adequacy — Basel III norms, CET1, Tier 1, Tier 2, CRAR minimum 9% (RBI prescribes 11.5% with CCB)
  • Government schemes — PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, PM-KISAN, PMFBY, PM Vishwakarma, PM Surya Ghar
  • Union Budget highlights and Economic Survey themes (latest cycle)
  • International institutions — IMF, World Bank, ADB, AIIB, NDB, BIS, FATF
  • Awards, sports, books, persons in news, defence, science (general awareness portion)

Computer Aptitude (Mains — within Reasoning section)8 topics

  • Computer fundamentals — generations of computers, hardware components, input/output devices
  • Operating systems — Windows, Linux, basic file management
  • Networking — LAN/WAN/MAN, topologies, OSI layers basics, TCP/IP, IP addressing
  • Internet basics — web browsers, search engines, email protocols (SMTP, POP3, IMAP)
  • MS Office — Word, Excel (formulas, shortcuts), PowerPoint
  • Database basics — DBMS vs RDBMS, primary key, foreign key
  • Cyber security — phishing, malware, antivirus, firewalls, two-factor authentication
  • Computer abbreviations and shortcuts

Know the syllabus — now see where you stand.

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