The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the official IBPS SO notification PDF 2021 on 2nd November 2021. The exam authority releases this notification around a month before the preliminary exam date. As per the IBPS SO notification 2021-22, the exam will be conducted to fill up 1828 Specialist Officer vacancies. With the release of the official IBPS SO notification 2021, the application window has opened on 3rd November 2021.
To make things easier for candidates to understand, Buddy4Study has summarised the IBPS SO notification containing information related to vacancies, posts, salaries, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, how to apply, stages of exam and more in this article.
IBPS SO Notification – Highlights
According to the trend, the IBPS SO 2021-22 application process and exam is expected carry forward as per the exam notification. Candidates must pay attention to the highlights related IBPS SO notification 2021-22, as stated below:
IBPS SO Notification Highlights
| Name of Examination | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) Specialist Officer (SO) (CRP SPL-XI 2021-22) |
| Exam Conducting body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| IBPS SO Recruitment Official Website | http://www.ibps.in/ |
| IBPS SO Total Vacancies | 1828 |
| Participating Banks | 11 |
| IBPS SO Exam Date – Prelims | 26th December 2021 |
| IBPS SO Exam Date – Mains | 30th January 2022 |
| Mode of Exam | Online (computer-based test) |
| Credentials required to download IBPS SO Admit Card | Registration Number
Date of Birth or Password |
| Compulsory documents to carry on exam day | Admit Card
Valid Photo ID Proof Photocopy of Photo ID Proof |
| Duration of IBPS SO Exam – Prelims | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
| Duration of IBPS SO Exam – Mains | IT Officer Scale 1, Marketing Officer (Scale 1), Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer – 45 minutes
Rajsabha Adhikari Scale 1 Officer and Law Officer – 60 minutes |
IBPS SO Notification – Exam Calendar 2021-22
Aside from the official IBPS SO notification (pdf), The Institute of Banking & Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the exam calendar for this year. With the help of the exam calendar, candidates can not only find the important dates related to the exam but also document specifications related to the application process.
Click for IBPS Exam Calendar 2021-22 PDF
IBPS SO Notification – Important Dates
A majority of important dates have been released and the rest will be announced by IBPS in due time. Candidates will find the important events and their respected dates in the table below:
IBPS SO Notification Schedule
| Events | Important Dates |
| IBPS SO notification release date | 2nd November 2021 |
| Starting of IBPS SO online application | 3rd November 2021 |
| Last date to apply online | 23rd November 2021 |
| IBPS SO Prelims admit card | 10th December 2021 |
| IBPS SO exam date – Prelims | 26th December 2021 |
| IBPS SO exam date – Mains | 30th January 2021 |
| IBPS SO Mains result date | February 2022 |
| Interview | Frbruary/March 2022 |
| Provisional Allotment | April 2022 |
Participating Banks for IBPS SO 2021-2022
This year (2021), 11 banks will be participating in the IBPS SO exam 2021-22.
- Canara Bank
- UCO Bank
- Bank of Maharashtra
- Punjab National Bank
- Bank of India
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Bank of Baroda
- Central Bank of India
- Union Bank of India
- Indian Bank
- Punjab & Sind Bank
IBPS SO Notification – Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must fulfil all the eligibility criteria mentioned in the IBPS SO notification before applying for the recruitment exam. There are 3 sections related to the eligibility criteria and are highlighted below:
Age Limit
- The age of the candidate must be between 20 to 30 years as on November 26, 2021.
- Age relaxation for candidates from different categories will be applicable.
IBPS SO Age Relaxation
| Category | Age Limit Relaxation |
Persons with Disabilities (PwD):
|
10 years |
| Applicants affected by 1984’s riots | 5 years |
|
5 years |
| Other Backward Classes (Non- creamy layer) | 5 years |
| Person Domiciled in Jammu and Kashmir Between 1980-1989 (January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1989) | 5 years |
|
3 years |
Nationality
As per IBPS SO eligibility criteria, a candidate should either be an Indian citizen or citizen of the countries highlighted below.
The applying candidate must be either a:
- Citizen of India
- OR Subject of Bhutan
- OR Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently
- OR Subject of Nepal
- OR Person of Indian origin who has migrated from:
- Sri Lanka
- East African Countries (Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania ((formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), and Zaire (to settle permanently in India))
- Burma
- Pakistan
- Vietnam
Note: Non-Indian citizen candidates have to produce a certificate of eligibility duly approved and signed from the Government of India during the IBPS SO Interview.
Educational Qualification
Candidates applying for the IBPS SO exam 2021-22 must have the minimum educational qualifications from a recognized university board as indicated in the table below.
IBPS SO Educational Qualifications for Different Posts (As on 23.11.2021)
| Post Code | Name of the Post | Educational Qualifications * (from a University/ Institution/ Board recognised by Govt. Of India/ approved by Govt. Regulatory Bodies) |
| 06 | Marketing Officer Scale I | Graduate and Full-Time MBA (Marketing) / Full time 2 years PGDBA/ PGDBM with specialization in Marketing. |
| 05 | HR/Personnel Officer Scale I | Graduate along with 2 years full-time Postgraduate degree/ Postgraduate diploma in Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/HR/HRD/Social Work/Labour Law. |
| 04 | Law Officer Scale I | A Bachelor Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with Bar Council. |
| 03 | Rajbhasha Adhikari Scale I | Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (Graduation) level
OR Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at Graduation level. |
| 02 | Agricultural Field Officer Scale I | 4-year Degree (graduation) 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/ Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Agricultural Engineering/ Sericulture |
| 01 | I.T. Officer Scale I | Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level
OR Post Graduate Degree in Electronics/ Electronics & Telecommunication/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation/ Computer Science/ Information Technology/ Computer Applications. OR 4-year Engineering Degree in Computer Science/ Computer Applications/ Information Technology/ Electronics/ Electronics & Telecommunications/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation. |
Note: *Candidates must ensure that their educational qualifications should be as per the prescribed educational qualifications mentioned in the notification/advertisement. They must fulfil the above eligibility criteria. No equivalent educational qualification shall be considered as eligible by IBPS or participating organisations.
IBPS SO Notification – Posts/Vacancies and Salary
IBPS has introduced 1828 IBPS SO vacancies in the current year 2021. Compared to this number, last year IBPS had disclosed a total of 647 vacancies for various posts. In the below table, candidates will find below the exact number of vacancies released this year by IBPS in the IBPS SO notification for different profiles.
IBPS SO Vacancies 2021-22
| Post | Vacancy (Expected) |
| Agricultural Field Officer Scale 1 | 884 |
| Marketing Officer Scale 1 | 535 |
| Law Officer Scale 1 | 44 |
| Rajbhasha Adhikari Scale 1 | 84 |
| I.T. Officer Scale 1 | 220 |
| HR/Personnel Officer Scale 1 | 61 |
| Total |
1828 |
Salary
Candidates selected in the IBPS SO Mains exam will undergo proper training as per the post. After completing the training, they will be posted to different allotted banks. The salary of the selected candidates (later appointed officer) is based on different scales (Grades) and will vary as per the post.
IBPS SO Salary
| Grade | Salary |
| Officer Scale I
Junior Management |
Pay Scale– Rs. 14500 + (600×7) – 18700 + (700×2) – 20100 + (800×7) – 25700/-Monthly salary– Rs. 24000 – Rs. 32000 /- |
| Officer Scale-II
Middle Management |
Pay Scale- Rs. 19400 + (700×1) – 20100 + (800×10) – 28100/-
Monthly salary- Rs. 34,000 – 40,00/- |
| Officer Scale III
IBPS IT Officer |
Pay Scale- Rs. 42020 – (1310×5) – 48570 – (1460×2) – 51490/-
Monthly salary- Rs. 64,600/- |
IBPS SO Notification – Application/Registration Process
IBPS SO application form has released on 2nd November 2021. The online registration process is expected to be a lengthy process as the number of vacancies is 1828 and application submission for the same will be more than lakhs (predictable).
Candidates have to pay their application fee via online mode [Debit Cards (RuPay/ Visa/ Master Card/ Maestro), Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards/ Mobile Wallets]. Candidates can submit their application forms via online mode by accessing the official IBPS website. They have to follow four major steps to complete the application form submission process –
- Registration
- Uploading Scanned Documents
- Fill IBPS SO Application Form
- Pay IBPS SO Application Fees
IBPS SO Notification – Application Fee Structure
Candidates need to pay the registration/application fee for IBPS SO to apply for the examination. Before making a payment, the candidates should carefully read all the eligibility criteria. Candidates must note that the application fee amount will not be refunded under any circumstance.
Before filling up the form, the candidate is advised to make a duplicate copy and fill it up first. Any mistakes or fields left out accidentally may lead to the rejection of the application form.
The fee structure for IBPS SO as per candidate categories is as follows:
IBPS SO Application Fee Structure
| Category | Application Fees |
| SC, ST, PWBD | Rs. 175/- (Intimation Charges only) |
| General, OBC, EWS And Others | Rs. 850 /- (App. Fee including intimation charges) |
IBPS SO Notification – Exam Pattern
The upcoming IBPS SO 2021 will be a 3-tier exam. It will comprise Prelims, Mains and Interview round. The preliminary exam will be an objective online test and will be held on 2 consecutive days.
Candidates with the help of IBPS SO exam pattern can get a clear idea regarding the sectional distribution of questions and marks.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Pattern
For the Post of IT Officer Scale 1, Marketing Officer (Scale 1), Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer
| Serial No | Section | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| 1. | Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 min |
| 2. | English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 min |
| 3. | Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 min |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 min |
For the Post of Rajsabha Adhikari Scale 1 Officer and Law Officer
| Serial No | Section | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| 1. | Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 min |
| 2. | English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 min |
| 3. | General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry | 50 | 50 | 40 min |
| Total | 150 | 125 | 120 min |
IBPS SO Mains Exam Pattern
For the Post of Rajsabha Adhikari Scale 1 Officer
| Test Name | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| Professional Knowledge(Objective) | 45 | 60 | English & Hindi | 30 min |
| Professional Knowledge(Descriptive) | 2 | English & Hindi | 30 min |
For the Post of IT Officer Scale 1, Marketing Officer (Scale 1), Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Law Officer
| Test Name | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Medium of Exam | Duration |
| Professional Knowledge | 60 | 60 | English & Hindi | 45 min |
Candidates will get 4 options for every question. For every correct answer, they will be awarded 1 mark. However, ¼ (0.25) mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.
IBPS SO Marking Scheme
| Type of Answers | Marks Allotted |
| Correct Answer | +1 |
| Wrong Answer | 1/4 mark deducted for every wrong answer (-0.25) |
| Unattempted | NIL |
IBPS SO Notification – Syllabus
As per the IBPS SO notification, IBPS SO syllabus (Prelims) is divided into 4 sections:
- Reasoning Ability
- Quantitative Aptitude
- English
- General Awareness
Candidates require to study from the topics highlighted below to crack the Prelims exam.
IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Syllabus
| Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | English Language | General Awareness |
| Analytical Decision Making | Percentage & Ratio Proportion | Cloze Test | General Knowledge |
| Coding & Decoding | Simplification | Fill in the Blanks | Current Affairs |
| Directions & Distances | Linear Equations | Error Spotting | Financial Awareness |
| Data Sufficiency | Average | Reading Comprehension | |
| Scheduling | Data Interpretation | Phrase Replacement | |
| Syllogisms | Interest | Sentence completion | |
| Coded Inequalities | Profit & Loss | Para Jumbles | |
| Ordering & Ranking | Speed, Time & Distance | ||
| Blood Relations | Time & Work | ||
| Input Output | Data Sufficiency | ||
| Seating Arrangements | Probability | ||
| Verbal Reasoning | Quadratic Equations | ||
| Mensuration & Geometry | |||
| Number Series | |||
| Permutation & Combination | |||
| Number Systems |
IBPS SO 2021 Main Syllabus
The standard of IBPS SO syllabus will be of graduation level. Candidates will be judged based on their professional knowledge in their respective fields.
| HR/Personnel Officer (Scale-I) | Business policy and strategic analysis
Transnational Analysis Recruitment and Selection Business Policy and Strategic Analysis Performance Management and Appraisal Human Resource Development Training and Development Grievance and Conflict Management Rewards and Recognition Industrial Relations |
| Law Officer (Scale-I) | Compliance and Legal Aspects
SARFAES Consumer Protection Act Laws and Actions with a direct link to Banking Sector DRT Act Banking Regulations Prevention of Money laundering, Limitation Act Bankers Book Evidence Act Banking Ombudsman Scheme Relevant Law and Orders related to negotiable instruments, securities, foreign exchange |
| Marketing Officer (Scale-I) | Basics of Marketing Management
Sales Business Ethics Advertising Market research and forecasting demand Corporate Social Responsibility Marketing Strategies Retail Market Segmentation Service Marketing Product Life Cycle Brand Management PR |
| Agricultural Field Officer (Scale-I) | Basics of Crop production
Seed Science Agronomy and Irrigation Agricultural Practices Agroforestry Government Schemes Horticulture Agricultural Economics Ecology Animal Husbandry Soil resources |
| IT Officer (Scale-I) | Operating System
Database Management System Object-Oriented Programming Software Engineering Data Structure Computer Organization and Microprocessor Data Communication and Networking |
IBPS SO Notification – FAQs
When will the IBPS SO notification be published?
The IBPS SO notification has released on 2nd November 2021.
How many vacancies are open for IBPS SO?
As per the previous trend, it is expected that a total of 647 vacancies will be open for IBPS SO posts.
What is the age limit for IBPS SO recruitment?
The lower age limit for IBPS SO is 20 years and the upper limit is 30 years.
What are the stages of IBPS SO candidate selection?
The selection process in IBPS SO exam comprises 4 stages -
- IBPS SO Prelims
- IBPS SO Mains
- Interview round
How much time is allotted for IBPS SO exam?
Candidates will be given 120 minutes to complete the IBPS SO Prelims exam.
In case of IBPS SO Mains exam, the time limit will be 60 minutes for the exam of Rajsabha Adhikari Scale 1 Officer and 45 minutes for IT Officer Scale 1, Marketing Officer (Scale 1), Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Law Officer.
