IBPS SO 2026 Notification Out: CRP SPL-XVI Apply Online for 745 Specialist Officer Vacancies

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has officially released the detailed notification for the Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers (CRP SPL-XVI) for vacancies in the year 2027-28. IBPS will conduct this two-tier online examination (Preliminary and Main) to recruit Specialist Officers (Scale I) across 11 Participating Public Sector Banks, including Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Union Bank of India.

Online registration opens on July 1, 2026. Candidates aspiring for roles like IT Officer, Law Officer, HR Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Marketing Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari should read this complete guide before applying.

IBPS SO 2026 Important Dates

Here is the tentative schedule for the CRP SPL-XVI recruitment cycle:

IBPS SO 2026 Posts and Vacancy Details

A total of 745 indicative vacancies have been announced across six Specialist Officer posts. Note that vacancies are subject to change based on actual requirements reported by Participating Banks.

IBPS SO Eligibility Criteria 2026

Age Limit (as on 01.07.2026)

• Minimum: 20 years
• Maximum: 30 years
• Candidates must be born between 02.07.1996 and 01.07.2006 (both dates inclusive).

Educational Qualification (as on 21.07.2026)

• IT Officer: 4-year Engineering/Technology degree in CS, IT, or Electronics streams, OR Post Graduate degree in relevant computer streams, OR Graduate with DOEACC 'B' Level.
• Agricultural Field Officer: 4-year degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Dairy, Fishery Science, or allied fields.
• Rajbhasha Adhikari: PG in Hindi with English at degree level, OR PG in Sanskrit with English and Hindi at degree level.
• Law Officer: Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B) and enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council.
• HR/Personnel Officer: Graduate and a 2-year full-time PG Degree/Diploma in Personnel Management, IR, HR, HRD, Social Work, or Labour Law.
• Marketing Officer: Graduate and a 2-year full-time MMS, MBA, PGDBA, PGDBM, PGPM, or PGDM with Marketing specialization.

IBPS SO 2026 Application Fee

• SC / ST / PwBD Candidates: ₹175/- (Inclusive of GST)
• General / EWS / OBC and All Others: ₹850/- (Inclusive of GST)

Payment is accepted online only (Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, IMPS, UPI, or Mobile Wallets) between 01.07.2026 and 21.07.2026.

IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2026

The selection process consists of three sequential stages: Online Preliminary Exam, Online Main Exam, and the Interview.

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (80 minutes, 125 marks)

For IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer:

Note: For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari posts, the Quantitative Aptitude section is replaced by General Awareness with special reference to the Banking Industry.

Stage 2: Main Examination (155 minutes, 225 marks)

For IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer:

Note: For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari, the Quantitative Aptitude section is replaced with General Awareness (Banking). In the Main exam, only the Professional Knowledge score is used to determine merit listing; other sections are qualifying in nature.

Stage 3: Interview (100 marks)

• Minimum qualifying marks: 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates).
• Final Weightage Ratio: Main Exam to Interview is 80:20.
• Negative Marking: There is a penalty of 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer in the objective tests.

How to Apply Online for IBPS SO 2026

Candidates can follow these steps to apply online:

1. Visit the official IBPS portal.
2. Open the "CRP SPL" link and select "Apply Online for CRP-Specialist Officers (CRP SPL-XVI)".
3. Click on "New Registration" and fill in your basic details to generate a Provisional Registration Number and Password.
4. Upload your scanned photograph, signature (not in capital letters), left thumb impression, a handwritten declaration, and your 10th standard certificate in PDF format.
5. Fill in the detailed application form carefully and select your bank preferences.
6. Pay the registration fee online and download the system-generated application form and e-receipt for your records.

Important Links

If you want to view the official details or submit your application, you can access the portals using the links below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Q1: What is the last date to apply online for IBPS SO 2026?

  • Answer: The registration window is open from July 1 to July 21, 2026. Make sure to complete your fee payment before the deadline.

• Q2: Can I apply for more than one Specialist Officer post?

  • Answer: No. Candidates are permitted to apply for only one post. Multiple registrations will be rejected by the system.

• Q3: What is the age limit for the CRP SPL-XVI exam?

  • Answer: Aspiring candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age as of July 1, 2026.

• Q4: Is there any negative marking in the objective test?

  • Answer: Yes, there is a negative marking penalty of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer in the objective sections. There is no penalty for unattempted questions.

• Q5: What is the basic pay scale for Scale-I Specialist Officers?

  • Answer: The basic pay for Scale-I Specialist Officers starts at ₹48,480, along with other applicable allowances as per the respective bank's policy rules.

Ensure your scanned documents meet the exact specifications to avoid any trouble during submission. Prepare well and review the syllabus carefully.

Good luck to all the banking aspirants!