IBPS PO Syllabus 2025 The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the syllabus for 5208 Probationary Officer (PO)/ Management Trainee (MT) posts. This syllabus is divided into two parts – Preliminary Exam and Main Exam. If you want to know more about this exam, please keep reading this blog – it gives you complete information related to the exam.
Important Information
Download Syllabus PDF
You can download the syllabus PDF by visiting the official website of IBPS – it is the same as previous years (2023–24), so studying previous question papers will be helpful for you.
IBPS PO Syllabus:
The IBPS PO Prelims exam will be conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) on August 23 and 24 at various exam centers. The officials have also released the latest syllabus and exam pattern along with the official notification PDF. This syllabus is very important for the candidates who are preparing to become a Probationary Officer (PO) in public sector banks.
The IBPS PO Syllabus is divided into two parts:
- Prelims
- Mains
Candidates are required to clear both these exams to appear for the final stage i.e. Personality Test. As per the latest exam schedule: Prelims exam date: 23rd and 24th August Mains exam date: 12th October
The IBPS PO prelims syllabus consists of three main subjects:
- Reasoning Ability
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude
By studying each topic in depth, candidates will have a better idea of the questions asked in the exam and can start their preparation in the right direction.
In this article, we have discussed the detailed syllabus of IBPS PO prelims and mains exam and the recent changes in the exam pattern so that you can prepare effectively. Also, the direct link to download the IBPS PO syllabus PDF is also available below.
IBPS PO Syllabus 2025
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has announced 5208 vacancies for Probationary Officer/ Management Trainee (PO/MT) posts in public sector banks. All the interested and eligible candidates were allowed to submit their IBPS PO application form till July 21.
The selection process is divided into three stages:
- Prelims
- Mains
- Personality Test
It is mandatory for the candidates to clear every stage to get appointed to the post of Probationary Officer. Therefore, they must make an effective preparation strategy by understanding the exam pattern carefully.
As per the official notification released recently, some changes have been made in the exam pattern. The preliminary exam will be of a total of 100 marks. The main exam will have 200 marks (objective) and 25 marks (descriptive).
Scroll down and get to know the IBPS PO New Exam Pattern & Syllabus for all stages and start your preparation now!
IBPS PO Syllabus PDF
It is very important to download the PDF of the syllabus before starting the preparation. This will give you information about the subject wise topics asked in the exam.
The officials have released the IBPS PO Syllabus PDF on its official website ibps.in.
If you want, you can download it by visiting the IBPS website or you can also download the PDF directly by clicking on the direct link given below.
IBPS PO Syllabus 2025: Brief Description
The key details of IBPS PO Syllabus and Exam Pattern are given in the table below, have a look:
|
Exam Conducting Body |
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
|
Post Name |
Probationary Officer/ Management Trainee (PO/MT) |
|
Vacancies |
5208 |
|
Selection Process |
Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test |
|
Number of Questions |
Prelims: 100 Mains: 145 (Objective) + 02 (Descriptive) |
|
Negative Marking |
Yes |
IBPS PO Exam Pattern 2025
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has made changes in the IBPS PO Prelims and Mains exam pattern and released them in its official notification PDF.
It is very important for the candidates to understand the latest exam pattern as it gives the details of the exam structure, number of questions asked in each section, marking system, total marks and other important information. This will help you to take your preparation in the right direction.
Here below we have shared the key details of the IBPS PO exam pattern which you can use as a reference.
Also, check:
IBPS PO New Exam Pattern
Some important changes have been made in the IBPS PO exam pattern in the latest official notification PDF released by IBPS. Following are the details of these changes:
- The maximum marks for the Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) section in the prelims exam have been reduced from 35 to 30. At the same time, the maximum marks for the Reasoning Ability section have been increased from 35 to 40.
- The Computer Aptitude section is not mentioned in the IBPS PO Mains Exam Pattern 2025.
- The number of questions in the Reasoning section in the Mains exam has been reduced from 45 to 40 and the time limit for this section has also been reduced from 60 minutes to 50 minutes.
- The number of questions in the General/Economy/Banking Awareness section has also been reduced from 40 to 35 and the time limit for this has been reduced from 35 minutes to 25 minutes.
- The maximum marks in the Data Analysis and Interpretation section have been reduced from 60 to 50. However, the number of questions in this section and the exam duration will remain the same.
Sectional time limit has been set for each section in both the prelims and mains stages.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
The first stage of the IBPS PO selection process is the prelims exam. A total of 100 questions are asked from English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
- Maximum Marks: 100
- Exam Duration: 60 minutes
- Negative Marking: 0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.
The updated pattern of the prelims exam is given in the table below (you can add it if you want )
|
Subjects |
No. of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Medium of Exam |
Time allotted for each test (Separately timed) |
|
English Language |
30 |
30 |
English |
20 minutes |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
35 |
30 |
English and Hindi |
20 minutes |
|
Reasoning Ability |
35 |
40 |
English and Hindi |
20 minutes |
|
Total |
100 |
100 |
– |
60 Minutes |
IBPS PO Main Exam Pattern 2025
The Main exam is the second stage of the IBPS PO selection process. Several changes have been made in the pattern of the PO Main exam, including revision in the number of questions, exam duration, maximum marks and other key aspects. As per the latest notification, the IBPS PO Main exam will consist of a total of 145 objective and 2 descriptive type questions.
- The total exam duration for the objective paper is 160 minutes, while the descriptive paper is allotted 30 minutes.
- There will be negative marking of one-fourth (0.25) marks for every wrong answer.
The revised IBPS PO Main exam pattern is given below for reference.
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | English & Hindi | 50 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness / Digital / Financial Awareness (including RBI circulars) | 35 | 50 | English & Hindi | 25 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | English | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 50 | English & Hindi | 45 minutes |
| Total (Objective Paper) | 145 | 200 | – | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (Essay & Letter Writing) | 2 | 25 | English | 30 minutes |
IBPS PO Syllabus 2025
The selection process of IBPS Probationary Officer (PO) is divided into three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Personality Test / Interview
Only those candidates who will successfully clear all these three stages will be finally appointed to the post.Candidates can perform better in the exam by having a good grip on all the topics given in the syllabus.
IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus 2025
The syllabus of IBPS PO Prelims exam is divided into three subjects:
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude
- Reasoning Ability
Candidates must master the basic concepts of these subjects as well as higher level questions so that they can solve any type of questions in the exam.
IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude
This section evaluates the candidate’s numerical ability, number sense and ability to solve questions in a limited time.
Important Topics:
- Number System
- Simplification/Approximation
- Number Series
- Percentage
- Profit and Loss
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Average
- Ratio & Proportion
- Time, Work & Distance
- Boats & Streams
- Mixture & Alligation
- Data Interpretation
- Statement and Assumption Based Questions (Caselet DI, Missing DI)
- Quantity Comparison/Inequalities
Simplification Permutation and Combination Sequence & Series Mixtures & Allegations Profit & Loss Mensuration Ratio & Proportion Data Interpretation Simple Interest & Compound Interest Time & Distance Probability Percentage Surds & Indices Number Systems, etc
IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus: Reasoning
The Reasoning section evaluates the candidate’s logical thinking, analytical ability, and ability to spot hidden patterns in questions in a limited time. The list of important topics of this section is given below:
- Logical Reasoning
- Direction
- Alphabet Test
- Data Sufficiency
- Syllogism
- Analogy
- Alphanumeric Series
- Ranking
- Puzzle
- Tabulation
- Inequalities
- Coding-Decoding
- Seating Arrangement
- Input-Output etc.
IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus: English Language
The English Language section aims to test your grammar comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension skills.
Important Topics:
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Sentence Improvement
- Error Detection
- Para Jumbles
- Fill in the Blanks
- Synonyms & Antonyms ,Sentence Connector/Completion
| Reading Comprehension | One word Substitution |
| Word-Swap | Para jumbles |
| Fill in the blanks | Word Usage |
| Cloze Test | Error Spotting |
| Paragraph Completion | Synonyms Antonyms |
IBPS PO Syllabus 2025 (for Mains)
The IBPS PO Mains syllabus is divided into 4 objective and 1 descriptive paper.
The objective papers include the following topics:
- Reasoning Ability
- General/Economic/Banking/Digital/Financial Awareness (including RBI circulars)
- English Language
- Data Analysis & Interpretation
- The descriptive paper consists of Essay Writing and Comprehension.
- The subject-wise Mains syllabus is given below:
- IBPS PO Mains Syllabus: Reasoning
This section assesses the candidate’s ability to think logically, interpret patterns, and draw conclusions based on information.
Important Topics:
- Deduction
- Syllogism
- Verbal Reasoning
- Seating Arrangement
- Inequalities
- Blood Relations
- Order and Ranking
- Distances and Directions
- Coding and Decoding
- Data Sufficiency etc.
- IBPS PO Main Syllabus: General Awareness
This section tests the candidate’s knowledge of current events, banking awareness and related terminology.
Important Topics:
- Financial Awareness (including RBI circulars)
- Economic Awareness
- Banking Awareness
- Digital Awareness
- Banking Reforms
- General Knowledge
- National and International events etc.
- IBPS PO Main Syllabus: English Language
- This section tests the candidate’s grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Important Topics:
- Reading Comprehension
- One Word Substitution
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Verbal Ability etc.
- IBPS PO Main Syllabus: Data Analysis & Interpretation
- This section is usually challenging and time consuming.
It includes the following topics:
Subject Topics
Average Profit and Loss
Simplification Data Interpretation
Mixture & Allegations Mensuration
Percentage Number Series
Ratio & Proportion Time and Work
Speed, Time & Distance Data Sufficiency
Probability Permutation & Combination
Tips to Prepare for IBPS PO Syllabus
A well-planned strategy, proper study material, and perseverance are required to crack the IBPS PO 2025 exam. Below are some useful tips:
Analyze the entire syllabus and identify the important chapters.Make an exam-focused timetable according to your study style and daily schedule.
Solve mock tests, quizzes and previous years question papers to find out your strengths and weaknesses. Make short notes for quick revision. Best Books for IBPS PO SyllabusMake sure to refer some of the best books to cover the syllabus well. (I can provide the list of books if you want.
Best Books for IBPS PO Syllabus
| Subjects | Book | Author |
| English Language | High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren and Martin |
| Reasoning | Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning | R.S. Agarwal |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude | R.S. Agarwal |
These books are extremely useful for candidates who are preparing for IBPS PO. They not only clarify the basic concepts but also provide a lot of questions for practice.
Additional Tips:
If you are preparing for the Mains exam, then also include books focusing on Data Interpretation, Banking Awareness, and Descriptive Writing.





