IBPS SO Notification 2026: Apply Online for 1,035 Specialist Officer Posts (CRP SPL-XVI)

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has officially released the detailed recruitment notification for the Common Recruitment Process for Specialist Officers in Participating Banks (CRP SPL-XVI) for the recruitment cycle 2027–28. Following an upward revision, a total of 1,035 vacancies have been announced across multiple professional domains under Scale-I streams.

The active online registration portal is available for eligible candidates to submit their applications.

Recruitment Overview

Feature	Details
Organization Name	Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Recruitment Cycle	Common Recruitment Process — CRP SPL-XVI
Post Names	Specialist Officers (Scale-I)
Total Vacancies	1,035 Posts (Revised)
Job Location	Pan-India (Participating Public Sector Banks)
Application Mode	Online
Online Registration Starts	1st July 2026
Last Date to Apply Online	21st July 2026
Official Website	www.ibps.in

Post-Wise Vacancy Breakdown (Revised)

The 1,035 vacancies are distributed across various specialized disciplines:

Specialist Officer Post	Revised Vacancies
IT Officer (Scale-I)	376
Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I)	370
Law Officer (Scale-I)	125
Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale-I)	94
HR / Personnel Officer (Scale-I)	60
Marketing Officer (Scale-I)	10
Total	1,035

Eligibility Criteria

1. Educational Qualifications (Post-Wise)

• IT Officer (Scale I): 4-year Engineering/Technology Degree in Computer Science, Computer Applications, Information Technology, Electronics, Electronics & Telecommunication, Electronics & Communication, or Electronics & Instrumentation; OR Post Graduate Degree in these fields; OR DOEACC ‘B’ Level.
• Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I): 4-year Degree in Agriculture / Horticulture / Animal Husbandry / Veterinary Science / Dairy Science / Fishery Science / Pisciculture / Agri. Marketing & Cooperation / Co-operation & Banking / Agro-Forestry / Forestry / Agricultural Biotechnology / Food Science / Agriculture Business Management.
• Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I): Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the graduation level; OR Post Graduate Degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the graduation level.
• Law Officer (Scale I): Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council.
• HR / Personnel Officer (Scale I): Graduate with a Full-time Post Graduate Degree or Full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management / Industrial Relations / HR / HRD / Social Work / Labour Law.
• Marketing Officer (Scale I): Graduate with a Full-time MMS (Marketing) / MBA (Marketing) / PGDBA / PGDBM with a specialization in Marketing.

2. Age Limit (As of 1st July 2026)

• Minimum Age: 20 years
• Maximum Age: 30 years
• Note: Candidates must have been born not earlier than 02.07.1996 and not later than 01.07.2006 (both dates inclusive).
• Age Relaxations: Applicable for reserved categories:
  • SC / ST: 5 Years
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 Years
  • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): 10 Years
  • Ex-Servicemen / Commissioned Officers: 5 Years

Salary Structure and Pay Scale

• Pay Scale: ₹48,480 – 2000/7 – 62,480 – 2340/2 – 67,160 – 2680/7 – 85,920 (Scale-I)
• Selected Specialist Officers draw an attractive basic salary starting at ₹48,480/- per month, backed by multiple allowances such as Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), lease accommodations, and medical benefits according to participating bank regulations.

Selection Process & Exam Pattern

The selection path involves a Preliminary Examination, a Main Examination, and a final Interview phase:

1. Online Preliminary Examination: (For Law and Rajbhasha Adhikari posts)
   • English Language: 50 Questions | 25 Marks | 40 Minutes
   • Reasoning Ability: 50 Questions | 50 Marks | 40 Minutes
   • General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry: 50 Questions | 50 Marks | 40 Minutes
   • Total: 150 Questions | 125 Marks | 120 Minutes(For IT, Agriculture Field, HR/Personnel, and Marketing Officers, tests cover English, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude).
2. Online Main Examination: Professional Knowledge paper consisting of objective/descriptive questions carrying 60 marks for technical streams.
3. Interview: Carried out by participating banks coordinated by IBPS, carrying a total weightage of 100 marks.

Application Fee

• SC / ST / PwBD Categories: ₹175/- (inclusive of GST / intimation charges)
• General / OBC / EWS Categories: ₹850/- (inclusive of GST / application fee)
• Payment Mode: Online mode via Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Net Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards, or UPI.

How to Apply Online

1. Official Portal: Go to the official website of IBPS at www.ibps.in.
2. CRP SPL Section: Click on the home page link reading “CRP Specialist Officers” and select “Common Recruitment Process for Specialist XVI”.
3. New Registration: Choose “Click here for New Registration” and provide basic identification parameters, active mobile number, and email address to generate login credentials.
4. Complete Application Form: Re-log in using the generated registration number and password to provide detailed personal background, educational history, and exam center choices.
5. Document Uploads: Upload scanned files of your passport-size photo, signature, left thumb impression, and a handwritten declaration following official size constraints.
6. Fee Submission: Complete the fee payment transaction securely through the integrated gateway.
7. Final Printout: Submit the application form and save/print electronic copies of the confirmation page and fee receipt.

🔗 Apply Online / Official Registration Link

📄 Download Official Notification PDF

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How many vacancies are announced under IBPS SO Recruitment 2026?

A: A total of 1,035 vacancies have been notified under CRP SPL-XVI after recent updates.

Q2: What is the application deadline for IBPS SO 2026?

A: The online application window closes on 21st July 2026.

Q3: What is the age bracket to apply for IBPS Specialist Officer posts?

A: Candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age as of 1st July 2026, with standard category relaxations.

Q4: What is the application fee for General and OBC candidates?

A: The application fee is ₹850/- for General, OBC, and EWS candidates, while SC, ST, and PwBD candidates pay an intimation charge of ₹175/-.

Q5: Are final-year graduation students eligible to apply?

A: Candidates must hold a valid degree certificate or provisional result mark sheet issued on or before the registration closing date.