Syllabus for IBPS SO (Specialist Officer)

IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) Syllabus

This is an overview of the syllabus, so please refer to the official link of the notification and syllabus for this job post released by IBPS SO on its official website.

The IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) exam is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to recruit specialist officers in various fields such as IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, Law Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari. The syllabus for the IBPS SO exam is divided into three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Interview. Below is a detailed syllabus for each stage:

1. Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Exam has three sections, with slight variations depending on the post applied for:

Common Sections for All Posts:

a) English Language

• Reading Comprehension: Passages with questions based on content.
• Cloze Test: A passage with missing words that must be filled in.
• Spotting Errors: Identifying grammatical errors in sentences.
• Sentence Improvement: Rewriting sentences with errors to make them grammatically correct.
• Fill in the Blanks: Completing sentences with appropriate words.
• Para Jumbles: Rearranging jumbled sentences to form a coherent passage.
• Synonyms & Antonyms: Vocabulary-based questions on words and their meanings.
• Phrase Replacement: Replacing a phrase in a sentence with a more appropriate one.
• Idioms & Phrases: Understanding and using idioms and phrases correctly.

b) Reasoning Ability

• Puzzles: Complex problem-solving scenarios involving arrangements, rankings, etc.
• Syllogism: Logical reasoning questions based on statements and conclusions.
• Inequalities: Problems involving mathematical inequalities.
• Coding-Decoding: Deciphering codes from given patterns.
• Blood Relations: Questions based on family relationships.
• Order & Ranking: Arranging people or objects based on given criteria.
• Alphanumeric Series: Series of alphabets and numbers to find patterns.
• Direction Sense: Problems requiring knowledge of directions.
• Seating Arrangements: Linear and circular seating arrangements.
• Logical Reasoning: Assumptions, conclusions, and arguments.

c) Quantitative Aptitude (For IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer)

• Simplification: Basic arithmetic calculations and simplification.
• Number Series: Finding the missing number in a series.
• Data Interpretation: Interpreting data from tables, graphs, and charts (Pie, Bar, Line, Tabular).
• Quadratic Equations: Solving quadratic equations.
• Data Sufficiency: Determining if the provided data is sufficient to answer a question.
• Percentage, Ratio & Proportion: Basic arithmetic problems involving percentages, ratios, and proportions.
• Profit and Loss: Problems based on profit, loss, and discounts.
• Simple & Compound Interest: Calculating interest in various scenarios.
• Work & Time: Problems on work efficiency and time management.
• Time & Distance: Problems on speed, time, and distance.
• Mixture & Allegations: Problems involving mixtures and solutions.
• Mensuration: Problems on area, volume, and surface area.

d) General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry (For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari)

• Current Affairs: Important national and international news.
• Banking Awareness: Knowledge of the Indian banking system, banking terms, and concepts.
• Financial Awareness: Financial news, policies, and updates.
• Static GK: Important dates, events, books, and authors.
• Indian Economy: Basics of the Indian economy, economic policies, and budget.
• Government Schemes: Knowledge of various government schemes and initiatives.
• Banking History: History and evolution of banking in India.
• Important Summits: Summits and conferences related to economics and banking.

2. Main Examination

The Main Exam is specific to the post applied for. It tests the professional knowledge relevant to each specialist officer’s role.

a) IT Officer (Scale I)

• Database Management: Basics of databases, SQL, and data retrieval.
• Data Warehousing: Concepts, architecture, and data mining.
• Networking: Basics of networking, protocols, OSI model, and security.
• Web Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and web servers.
• Operating Systems: Basics of OS, memory management, file systems.
• Software Engineering: SDLC, software models, testing, and maintenance.
• Information Security: Security protocols, cryptography, firewalls, and VPNs.
• Programming Languages: Basics of programming in C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

b) Agriculture Field Officer (Scale I)

• Agriculture Practices: Crop production, soil health, and seed technology.
• Horticulture: Basics of horticulture, fruit and vegetable production.
• Animal Husbandry: Livestock management, dairy farming, and poultry.
• Agroforestry: Concepts of agroforestry and forest management.
• Agricultural Economics: Farm management, agricultural marketing, and pricing.
• Agricultural Engineering: Farm machinery, irrigation techniques, and storage.
• Agricultural Extensions: Rural development, farm planning, and agricultural communication.
• Plantation & Horticulture: Techniques of plantation and horticulture management.
• Sericulture: Basics of sericulture and silk production.
• Fisheries: Fish farming, aquaculture, and fish breeding.

c) HR/Personnel Officer (Scale I)

• Human Resource Development: Basics of HRD, roles, and responsibilities.
• HR Planning & Development: Recruitment, selection, and manpower planning.
• Performance Management: Appraisals, performance management systems.
• Compensation & Benefits: Salary structures, benefits, and perks.
• Industrial Relations: Trade unions, labor laws, and dispute resolution.
• Business Policy: Organizational policies, ethics, and compliance.
• Training & Development: Employee training methods and development programs.
• Employee Welfare: Welfare schemes, health and safety at the workplace.
• Labor Laws: Basics of labor laws, workmen compensation, and industrial disputes.

d) Marketing Officer (Scale I)

• Basics of Marketing: Fundamentals of marketing, marketing mix.
• Market Segmentation: Targeting, positioning, and segmentation.
• Brand Management: Building and managing brands, brand equity.
• Product Life Cycle: Stages of product development and life cycle management.
• Sales Management: Sales strategies, techniques, and forecasting.
• Consumer Behavior: Understanding consumer behavior and buying patterns.
• Market Research: Research methods, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Digital Marketing: Online marketing, social media marketing, SEO, SEM.
• Advertising & Promotion: Advertising strategies, media planning, and PR.
• Retail Management: Retail strategies, store management, and merchandising.

e) Law Officer (Scale I)

• Banking & Insurance Laws: Regulations and laws governing banking and insurance sectors.
• Banking Regulation Act: Provisions related to banking operations.
• Companies Act: Legal aspects of company formation, management, and compliance.
• Consumer Protection Act: Rights of consumers, protection laws.
• SARFAESI Act: Provisions related to asset securitization and reconstruction.
• Contract Act: Basics of contract formation, breach, and remedies.
• Negotiable Instruments Act: Legal provisions related to cheques, promissory notes.
• Transfer of Property Act: Laws governing property transfers and ownership.
• RTI Act: Right to Information Act and its implications.
• Constitutional Law: Basic provisions of the Indian Constitution.
• Civil Procedure Code: Civil proceedings and legal processes.
• Criminal Procedure Code: Criminal proceedings, trials, and appeals.

f) Rajbhasha Adhikari (Scale I)

• Hindi Language Proficiency: Grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• Translation: Translating documents from English to Hindi and vice versa.
• Official Language Act: Implementation of Hindi in government offices.
• Hindi Grammar: Syntax, sentence structure, idioms, and phrases.
• Hindi Literature: Basics of Hindi literature, prominent authors, and works.
• Terminology: Banking and financial terminology in Hindi.
• Constitutional Provisions: Legal aspects related to the use of Hindi in official communication.
• Report Writing: Writing reports and official documents in Hindi.

3. Interview

The interview is the final stage of the IBPS SO recruitment process. It assesses the candidate’s overall personality, communication skills, knowledge of the specific field, and problem-solving abilities.

Important Points:

• Negative Marking: There is a penalty of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in both Preliminary and Main examinations.
• Sectional Cut-offs: Candidates must clear the sectional cut-offs along with the overall cut-offs in both exams to qualify.
• Final Selection: The final selection is based on the cumulative marks of the Main Examination and Interview.

Please refer to the official syllabus using the link provided below: