The IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) Exam 2025 is your gateway to a respected position in public sector banks across India. Whether you’re aiming to become an IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Law Officer, HR Officer, Marketing Officer, or Rajbhasha Adhikari, understanding the syllabus and exam structure is crucial for success.
IBPS SO 2025 Exam Overview
Exam Feature
Details
Exam Name
IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) 2025
Conducting Body
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Posts Available
IT Officer, Agriculture Officer, Law Officer, HR Officer, Marketing Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari
Stages
Prelims, Mains, Interview
Exam Mode
Online (CBT)
Official Website
ibps.in
IBPS SO Exam Pattern 2025
Prelims Exam Pattern
Post
Sections
Questions
Marks
Duration
IT, HR, Agriculture, Marketing Officers
Reasoning, English, Quantitative Aptitude
150
125
120 min
Law Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari
Reasoning, English, General Awareness (Banking Focus)
150
125
120 min
Mains Exam Pattern
Post
Test
Questions
Marks
Duration
All except Rajbhasha
Professional Knowledge (Objective)
60
60
45 minutes
Rajbhasha Adhikari
Professional Knowledge (Objective + Descriptive)
45 + 2
60
60 minutes
IBPS SO Prelims Syllabus 2025 – Common for All Posts
English Language
Topic
Details
Reading Comprehension
Based on themes like banking, economy, education; questions on theme, tone, inference, vocabulary
Cloze Test
Passage with blanks to be filled using contextual vocabulary
Error Detection
Grammar-based error spotting in sentences
Sentence Improvement
Identify and correct the wrong part of the sentence
Para Jumbles
Rearranging jumbled sentences to form a meaningful paragraph
Fill in the Blanks
Single/Double blanks with focus on vocabulary and grammar
Synonyms/Antonyms
Vocabulary usage in context; identify similar or opposite words
Reasoning Ability
Topic
Details
Puzzles
Floor-based, box-based, scheduling puzzles
Seating Arrangement
Linear, circular, rectangular (with inward/outward directions)
Syllogism
Based on Venn diagrams, conclusions from statements
Inequality
Coded and direct inequalities
Blood Relations
Family-based problems (coded & descriptive)
Direction & Distance
Short puzzles on directions and distances covered
Coding-Decoding
Old and new pattern coding, symbol-based decoding
Input-Output
Machine language arrangement-based questions
Quantitative Aptitude
Topic
Details
Simplification
BODMAS rule, approximations
Number Series
Missing/Wrong number series (arithmetic, geometric, prime)
Data Interpretation
Bar, line, pie, table, caselets
Quadratic Equations
Comparing roots, solving quadratic expressions
Ratio & Proportion
Partnership, problems on ages
Profit & Loss
CP, SP, discount, marked price
Time, Speed & Distance
Boats, trains, average speed, relative speed
Time & Work
Efficiency, wages, pipes and cisterns
Averages & Ages
Basic and weighted averages
Mixtures & Alligation
Two or more quantities mixtures, profit-based problems
General Awareness (For Law & Rajbhasha)
Topic
Details
Current Affairs
National & international (last 6 months)
Banking Awareness
RBI policies, UPI, NEFT, KYC, financial systems
Static GK
Capitals, currencies, books & authors, important days
Economic News
Budget, economic surveys, repo/reverse repo rate, inflation trends
Government Schemes
PMAY, Jan Dhan, Digital India, Beti Bachao, Skill India
IBPS SO Mains Syllabus 2025 – Post-Wise Topics
IT Officer
Topic
Details
DBMS
SQL queries, RDBMS structure, normalization, keys, constraints
Operating Systems
Processes, memory management, scheduling, OS types
Computer Networks
OSI layers, TCP/IP, protocols (HTTP, FTP), IP addressing
Programming
Basics of C, C++, Java, Python syntax and logic
Data Structures
Arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists, trees, graphs
Software Engineering
SDLC phases, Agile & Waterfall, testing techniques
Web Technology
HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics
Cyber Security
Threats (malware, phishing), firewalls, encryption techniques
Agricultural Field Officer
Topic
Details
Agronomy
Crop production, soil preparation, irrigation techniques
Horticulture
Cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers
Seed Science
Types of seeds, storage, dormancy, certification
Soil Science
Soil types, fertility, erosion, nutrients
Animal Husbandry
Dairy, poultry, livestock management
Agricultural Economics
MSP, WTO, pricing, subsidies
Crop Protection
Pest management, pesticides, crop diseases
Agroforestry
Intercropping, sustainable land use, ecological balance
Law Officer
Topic
Details
Indian Constitution
Fundamental Rights, DPSP, key amendments
Contract Law
Offer, acceptance, types of contracts, breach
Company Law
Companies Act 2013, LLP, corporate governance
Banking Laws
RBI Act, Negotiable Instruments Act, Banking Regulation Act
Civil & Criminal Law
IPC, CrPC, torts, criminal procedures
RTI & SARFAESI
RTI Act 2005, SARFAESI Act 2002, NPAs
Legal Drafting
Drafting of notices, affidavits, agreements
HR/Personnel Officer
Topic
Details
HRD
Training, development, motivation theories
Organizational Behaviour
Leadership styles, communication, team behavior
Industrial Relations
Trade unions, disputes, conflict resolution
Labor Laws
EPF Act, Bonus Act, Industrial Disputes Act
Recruitment & Selection
Process, interviews, group discussions
Performance Management
KPI, MBO, appraisals, feedback
Compensation
Salary structure, perks, incentives
Employee Welfare
Grievance handling, counseling, safety measures
Marketing Officer
Topic
Details
Marketing Concepts
4Ps of marketing, STP model, B2B vs B2C
Branding
Brand equity, awareness, strategy
Market Research
Surveys, focus groups, primary/secondary data
Product Management
Product lifecycle, new product design
Digital Marketing
SEO, SEM, email marketing, social media
Advertising
ATL, BTL, TTL methods, media planning
Sales Management
Sales channels, distribution, retail, B2B selling
Bank Marketing
Cross-selling, customer relationship management, lead generation
Rajbhasha Adhikari
Topic
Details
Hindi Grammar
Sandhi, Samas, Tatsam-Tadbhav, Muhavare
English Grammar
Voice, narration, tense, articles, prepositions
Translation
English to Hindi and vice-versa translation
Essay Writing
Topics on banking, social issues, government schemes
Official Language Act
Constitutional provisions, use of Hindi in official work
Terminology
Administrative terms, vocabulary from Rajbhasha Vibhag
IBPS SO Selection Process 2025
Stage
Purpose
Format
Prelims
Screening based on aptitude + subject awareness
Objective
Mains
In-depth evaluation of professional knowledge
Objective/Descriptive
Interview
Personality and role-fit assessment
Personal Interaction
IBPS SO Syllabus 2025 PDF Download
Download IBPS SO 2025 Syllabus PDF
Recommended Books for IBPS SO 2025
Section/Post
Book Name
Publisher/Author
English
Objective General English
S.P. Bakshi
Reasoning
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
R.S. Aggarwal
Quant
Fast Track Arithmetic
Rajesh Verma
GA
Banking Awareness
Arihant Experts
IT Officer
Professional Knowledge for IBPS IT
Disha/Kiran
Agriculture
Agriculture at a Glance
R.K. Sharma
Law Officer
Legal Aptitude & Awareness
A.P. Bhardwaj
HR Officer
Human Resource Management
K. Aswathappa
Marketing
Principles of Marketing
Philip Kotler
Rajbhasha
Hindi Grammar & Essay Writing
Arihant Experts
Preparation Tips for IBPS SO 2025
Understand Exam Structure: Know Prelims vs. Mains focusFocus on Professional Knowledge: It’s the game changerCreate a Time Table: Weekly subject-wise planUse PYQs: Learn patterns and difficultyMock Tests: Weekly full-length + analysisFlashcards: For vocab & conceptsStay Updated: Read RBI updates & banking magazines
Specialization Eligibility for IBPS SO 2025
Post
Educational Specialization
IT Officer
B.Tech/BE in CS/IT/ECE/MCA
Agriculture Officer
B.Sc. in Agriculture/Horticulture/Veterinary
Law Officer
LLB (Enrolled with Bar Council)
HR Officer
MBA/PG in HR/IR/Personnel Management
Marketing Officer
MBA in Marketing/PGDM
Rajbhasha
PG in Hindi + English at graduation level
Conclusion
The IBPS SO Syllabus 2025 is vast but structured, with specialized content for each post. From Prelims aptitude sections to Mains professional knowledge, each phase needs a well-defined strategy. Download the official PDF, focus on topic-wise preparation, and choose the right books to streamline your efforts.
Stay consistent, stay focused — and success will follow.
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