IBPS SO Recruitment 2026 — 745 Specialist Officer Posts

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the CRP SPL-XVI Recruitment 2026 notification for 745 indicative Specialist Officer (Scale I) vacancies across 11 participating public sector banks. Posts include IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, and HR/Personnel Officer. Eligible candidates can apply online from 01 July 2026 to 21 July 2026 at Click here to visit official website.

Apply online: 01 July 2026 to 21 July 2026 · Fee: ₹175 (SC/ST/PwBD) / ₹850 (General & Others) · Selection: Prelims → Mains → Interview → Bank Allotment

Note: IBPS has also released CRP PO/MT-XVI 2026 for 6,715 Probationary Officer posts with the same last date. See our IBPS PO/SO Recruitment 2026 guide for PO details — PO and SO are separate applications.

Browse more updates on our Banking Jobs page and Latest Job Notifications.

IBPS CRP SPL-XVI 2026 — Quick Overview

Detail Information
Organization Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Recruitment Name CRP SPL-XVI (Common Recruitment Process — Specialist Officers)
Post Name Specialist Officer (Scale I)
Total Vacancies 745 (Indicative)
Vacancy Year 2027-28
Notice Date 01 July 2026
Application Mode Online only
Official Website Click here to visit official website
Document Official Link
Download Notification PDF Click here to download notification PDF
Apply Online Click here to apply online
IBPS Careers Page Click here to visit official website
Official Website Click here to visit official website

The detailed notification titled Detailed-Notification-CRP-SPL-XVI is dated 01 July 2026. Always download and read the official notification PDF and vacancy annexures before applying.

Important Dates

Event Tentative Schedule
Online registration & edit/modification 01 July 2026 to 21 July 2026
Payment of application fee / intimation charges 01 July 2026 to 21 July 2026
Edit window for application correction 2 days after closing of registration
Call letter download — Preliminary August 2026
Online preliminary examination August 2026
Preliminary exam result September / October 2026
Call letter download — Main October 2026
Online main examination November 2026
Main examination result November 2026
Interview November / December 2026
Provisional allotment January 2027

Vacancy Breakdown — 745 Indicative Posts

Post (Scale I) Indicative Vacancies
IT Officer 301
Agricultural Field Officer 190
Law Officer 105
Rajbhasha Adhikari 89
HR/Personnel Officer 60
Marketing Officer 0 (not reported currently)
Total 745

Vacancies are indicative figures reported by participating banks for financial year 2027-28. Final allotment depends on actual vacancies confirmed closer to the recruitment cycle.

Participating Banks (11 PSBs)

Bank of Baroda · Bank of India · Bank of Maharashtra · Canara Bank · Central Bank of India · Indian Bank · Indian Overseas Bank · Punjab National Bank · Punjab & Sind Bank · UCO Bank · Union Bank of India

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility depends on the specific post applied for. Candidates can apply for only one post — multiple applications are rejected.

Age Limit (as on 01 July 2026)

Parameter Requirement
Minimum age 20 years
Maximum age 30 years
Date of birth range Not earlier than 02.07.1996 and not later than 01.07.2006

Age relaxation:

Category Relaxation
Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe 5 years
Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) 3 years
Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) 10 years
Ex-Servicemen / Commissioned Officers 5 years

Educational Qualification (as on 21 July 2026)

Post Qualification Required
IT Officer 4-year Engineering/Technology degree in Computer Science / IT / Electronics or related field; OR Postgraduate degree in relevant field; OR Graduate with DOEACC ‘B’ level
Agricultural Field Officer 4-year degree in Agriculture / Horticulture / Animal Husbandry / Veterinary Science / Dairy Science / Fishery Science or allied subjects
Rajbhasha Adhikari Postgraduate degree in Hindi with English at graduation; OR PG in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects
Law Officer Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) and enrolled as advocate with Bar Council
HR/Personnel Officer Graduate + 2-year full-time PG degree/diploma in Personnel Management / HR / Industrial Relations / Social Work / Labour Law
Marketing Officer Graduate + 2-year full-time MBA / MMS / PGDBA / PGDM with Marketing specialization

Computer knowledge (posts other than IT Officer): Candidates must have studied Computer/IT as a subject in school/college or hold a certificate/diploma/degree in computer operations.

Application Fee

Category Fee (inclusive of GST)
SC / ST / PwBD ₹175
General / EWS / OBC and all others ₹850

Payment modes: Debit Cards (RuPay / Visa / MasterCard / Maestro), Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards, Mobile Wallets, or UPI. Bank transaction charges, if any, are borne by the candidate.

Salary & Pay Scale

Post Basic Pay Scale
Specialist Officer — Scale I (all posts) ₹48,480 – 2000(7) – 62,480 – 2340(2) – 67,160 – 2680(7) – 85,920

Selected candidates also receive DA, HRA, and other allowances as per the allotted participating bank’s rules.

Selection Process

IBPS CRP SPL-XVI follows a three-stage selection process:

  1. Online Preliminary Examination (qualifying)
  2. Online Main Examination (marks used for interview shortlisting & final merit)
  3. Common Interview (100 marks)

Final merit: 80:20 weightage (Main Examination : Interview). Provisional allotment expected in January 2027.

Stage 1: Online Preliminary Examination (August 2026)

Candidates must clear individual cut-offs in each test to qualify for the Main examination.

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

Test Questions Marks Duration
English Language
Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude
Professional Knowledge
Total 100 125 80 minutes

For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari: Same structure, but General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry replaces Quantitative Aptitude.

Stage 2: Online Main Examination (November 2026)

For IT Officer, AFO, HR, and Marketing Officer:

Component Details
Objective questions 150 questions · 200 marks
Descriptive paper 25 marks
Total 225 marks in 155 minutes

Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari follow a similar Main exam structure with banking-awareness content in place of quantitative aptitude.

Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer in objective tests. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.

Stage 3: Common Interview

Parameter Details
Maximum marks 100
Minimum qualifying marks 40% (35% for SC / ST / OBC / PwBD)
Conducted by Participating banks (coordinated by Nodal Banks)

How to Apply Online

  1. Visit Click here to visit official website and click the CRP SPL link on the homepage
  2. Select Click Here to Apply Online for CRP-Specialist Officers (CRP SPL-XVI)
  3. Click Click Here for New Registration and enter basic details to generate a provisional registration number and password
  4. Log in and complete the application form for one post only
  5. Upload photograph, signature, left thumb impression, handwritten declaration, and 10th standard certificate as per specifications
  6. Capture and upload a live photograph via webcam or mobile phone
  7. Verify all details — no changes after Complete Registration (except during the 2-day edit window)
  8. Pay the applicable fee online
  9. Download and print the system-generated application form and e-receipt

Direct apply link: Click here to apply online

Document Requirements

Prepare scanned copies before registration and keep originals ready for interview:

Document Purpose
Photograph Recent colour passport-size (per notification specs)
Signature Black ink on white paper
Left thumb impression Clear impression on white paper
Hand-written declaration In candidate’s handwriting in English
10th standard certificate Date of birth verification
Live photograph Webcam/mobile capture during application

At interview: Call letter, application printout, DOB proof, photo ID, educational certificates, and category certificates (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwBD) in prescribed formats. OBC candidates need Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued on or after 01 April 2026.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying for more than one Specialist Officer post (only one application allowed)
  • Confusing IBPS SO application with IBPS PO/MT application (separate portals)
  • Selecting a post without meeting post-specific educational qualification
  • Missing computer knowledge requirement for non-IT Officer posts
  • Uploading documents outside prescribed dimensions or file size
  • Submitting multiple registrations (earlier fees forfeited; only last complete application retained)
  • Keeping registered email or mobile inactive during the process

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the last date to apply for IBPS CRP SPL-XVI 2026?

21 July 2026. Registration opens 01 July 2026.

How many vacancies are there?

745 indicative vacancies — IT Officer (301), AFO (190), Law Officer (105), Rajbhasha Adhikari (89), HR/Personnel Officer (60).

What is the age limit?

20 to 30 years as on 01 July 2026, with standard relaxations for reserved categories.

What is the application fee?

₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD and ₹850 for General, EWS, and OBC candidates.

What is the selection process?

Preliminary exam → Main exam → Interview → Provisional bank allotment (80:20 Main:Interview).

What is the salary?

Basic pay scale ₹48,480 to ₹85,920 for Specialist Officer Scale I, plus allowances.

Can I apply for multiple SO posts?

No — only one post per candidate. Multiple applications are rejected.

When is the Preliminary Examination?

Tentatively August 2026; Main exam in November 2026.

What are interview qualifying marks?

40% for general candidates; 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD (out of 100 marks).

Where is the official notification?

Download from Click here to visit official website or use the official PDF link.


Based on IBPS CRP SPL-XVI Recruitment 2026 notification (01 July 2026). Verify all details in the official PDF before applying.

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