NEELGYAN EXAM GUIDE
IBPS PO Exam Guide
CRP for Probationary Officers / MT
2026–27 examination cycle · IBPS
Written and source-checked by NeelGyan Team · Last verified 2 August 2026
Checked against the official sources linked below
Current cycle
CRP PO/MT XVI
Current status
Applications closed; prelims upcoming
Next key date
22 August 2026
Updated vacancies
7,365 indicative
Age
20–30 years on 1 July 2026
Selection route
Prelims → mains → personality profile → interview
2026–27 cycle tracker
- Detailed notice1 July 2026
- ApplicationsClosed July 2026
- Preliminary exam22–23 AugustYou are here
- Main exam4 October
- Personality and interviewAfter mains
- Provisional allotmentAfter final merit
On This Page
Exam Resources
About IBPS PO
What is IBPS PO?
IBPS CRP PO/MT XVI is the common recruitment process for Probationary Officer and Management Trainee vacancies in participating public-sector banks for the 2027–28 vacancy year.
IBPS opened applications in July 2026 and published an updated indicative total of 7,365 vacancies as on 20 July. The preliminary examination is officially calendared for 22 and 23 August 2026, followed by the main examination on 4 October.
Prelims are screening only. Final combined merit weights the main-examination score at 80 percent and interview at 20 percent after the mandatory personality profile and required qualifications.
Latest IBPS PO / Management Trainee Updates
Verified updates, newest first
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Highlights
Key verified exam details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Prelims | 100 questions · 100 marks · 60 minutes |
| Main objective | 170 questions · 200 marks · 160 minutes |
| Main descriptive | 2 tasks · 25 marks · 30 minutes |
| Interview | 100 marks; final weight 20% |
| Negative marking | One-fourth of assigned marks |
| Vacancy count | 7,365 indicative as on 20 July |
IBPS PO / Management Trainee 2026–27 Important Dates
Official notification and exam timeline
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Detailed notification | Published | |
| Extended application closure | Closed | |
| Preliminary examination begins | Upcoming | |
| Second preliminary date | Upcoming | |
| Main examination | Upcoming |
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Application Process and Fees
Official application route and fee details
The CRP PO/MT XVI application portal is closed. Use the official IBPS cycle page for call letters and result links.
Candidates had to upload and verify the documents specified in the notice and declare participating-bank preferences at the relevant stage.
Updated bank-wise vacancies are indicative; application does not guarantee a vacancy in a preferred bank or category.
| Candidate category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC, ST and PwBD candidates | ₹175 |
| All other candidates | ₹850 |
- Bank transaction charges, if any, are borne by the candidate.
- The application window is closed.
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Eligibility Criteria
Qualification, age and other requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
- Degree in any discipline from a recognised institution.
- The result had to be declared by the application cut-off.
Age
20–30 years
- Measured on 1 July 2026.
- Category-specific relaxations follow the notice.
Selection
Main 80 : Interview 20
- Prelims are screening only.
- Personality profile is mandatory but not separately scored in final merit.
Documents
Original proof
- Degree, category and identity claims are verified.
- A provisional allotment remains subject to the participating bank's checks.
IBPS PO Prelims Call Letter
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: The official cycle page is the source for the CRP PO/MT XVI call-letter link; do not use an emailed third-party login.
Check the exam date, shift, venue, reporting time, identity requirements and candidate instructions after downloading from the official route.
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Exam Pattern and Selection Process
Stages, papers and qualifying rules
- 01Preliminary examination
- 02Main objective and descriptive examination
- 03Mandatory personality profile
- 04Interview and provisional allotment
IBPS PO XVI Preliminary Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks / time |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 marks · 20 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 marks · 20 min |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 marks · 20 min |
- Total: 100 questions, 100 marks and 60 minutes.
- A wrong answer loses one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question.
IBPS PO XVI Main Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks / time |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 marks · 45 min |
| General, Economy, Banking, Digital and Financial Awareness including RBI circulars | 50 | 60 marks · 35 min |
| English Language | 40 | 20 marks · 35 min |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 40 | 60 marks · 45 min |
| English descriptive | 2 tasks | 25 marks · 30 min |
- Objective total: 170 questions, 200 marks and 160 minutes.
- The descriptive test follows online and is evaluated under the notice's qualifying rules.
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Syllabus Overview
Subjects and stages in the official syllabus
- Prelims: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
- Mains: Reasoning, Data Analysis and Interpretation, English, and broad banking, economy, digital and financial awareness including specified RBI circulars.
- Descriptive English tests the tasks named in the current notice; preparation should be based on its exact format.
Reasoning
Puzzles, seating, inequalities, syllogism, coding, data sufficiency and analytical reasoning at stage-appropriate difficulty.
Quant and data
Arithmetic, approximation, series and data interpretation, with greater main-stage analysis emphasis.
English
Reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and the notified descriptive communication tasks.
Banking and economy
Banking, economy, financial and digital awareness, including the official notice's RBI-circular scope.
IBPS PO Answer Key
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: IBPS does not normally provide a public official answer-key archive for this recruitment exam.
Memory-based coaching questions should not be labelled official or used as a substitute for the scorecard.
IBPS PO Result Status
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No CRP PO/MT XVI preliminary result existed before the 22–23 August examination.
Preliminary qualification leads to mains; final provisional allotment uses main and interview performance under the notice.
IBPS PO Cut-off
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No official CRP PO/MT XVI stage cut-off was available before the examinations.
IBPS may apply section and total thresholds based on performance and requirements. Previous-cycle cut-offs do not predict the current threshold.
IBPS PO Participating-Bank Process
Common examination, bank-specific appointment
CRP PO/MT is a common process. Participating banks report indicative vacancies and make appointments after IBPS provisional allotment.
- Probationary Officer / Management Trainee in participating public-sector banks
- Bank-specific posting, probation, pay and service conditions after allotment
CRP PO XVI Selection Weight
| Stage | Role in selection |
|---|---|
| Preliminary exam | Qualifying shortlisting stage |
| Main examination | 80% of final combined score |
| Personality profile | Mandatory profile before interview |
| Interview | 20% of final combined score |
- A bank can apply additional appointment checks allowed by the notice.
- Vacancies are indicative and can be revised.
Official sources for this table
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Preparation Strategy
A syllabus-first preparation route
- Use the 20-minute prelim sectional timers from the first mock; an aggregate-only strategy is not realistic.
- Treat the main exam as a different test, especially the 60-mark awareness and data sections.
- Build a source-controlled banking and economy revision log that includes the official notice's RBI-circular scope.
- Practise the current descriptive tasks and interview explanation of education, work and banking motivation without memorised scripts.
Official-first IBPS PO Preparation Stack
- Keep the CRP PO/MT XVI notification and calendar as the source of truth.
- Use IBPS's official mock-test route when activated.
- Use one quantitative and one reasoning foundation source, then prioritise timed sets.
- Use RBI and public-sector bank official material for current banking concepts rather than anonymous notes.
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Previous Question Papers
Official question-paper resources
IBPS does not maintain a stable public archive of past question papers. Use its official mock-test route and treat memory-based reconstructions as unofficial.
IBPS PO / Management Trainee Frequently Asked Questions
When is IBPS PO XVI prelims?
The official calendar lists 22 and 23 August 2026.
How many IBPS PO XVI vacancies are there?
IBPS published 7,365 updated indicative vacancies as on 20 July 2026.
What qualification is required?
A recognised bachelor's degree in any discipline, with the result declared by the detailed notice's cut-off.
What is the IBPS PO age limit?
20–30 years as on 1 July 2026, with prescribed relaxations.
Does prelims count in final merit?
No. Prelims are for shortlisting; final combined merit weights mains 80 percent and interview 20 percent.
Is there negative marking?
Yes. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for a wrong answer in objective tests.
What is the application fee?
₹175 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates and ₹850 for all others, including GST.
Does IBPS publish official previous papers?
IBPS does not maintain a stable public past-paper archive. Use its official mock-test route and clearly label memory-based material as unofficial.
Official Information and Sources
Primary notice and authority links
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Verify Before You Apply
Eligibility, dates, fees, vacancies, pattern and status can change. Read the latest notice on the official authority’s website before applying. NeelGyan does not collect application fees or guarantee admission or selection.