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IBPS SO IT Officer · CRP SPL-XVI

IT Officer exam pattern

Prelims, Mains with a typed descriptive paper, then interview. Every number on this page is from the official IBPS documents for CRP SPL-XVI, with a link to the source under each table.

  • Prelims: 100 Q · 125 marks · 80 min
  • Mains: 150 Q · 200 marks + descriptive
  • Interview: 100 marks

Last verified 28 October 2026 against the PDFs on ibps.in.

Stage 1

Prelims pattern

Four tests, each with its own time limit and its own cut-off. Professional Knowledge questions carry 2 marks each.

Prelims exam pattern
TestQuestionsMarksMinutes
English Language252520
Reasoning252520
Quantitative Aptitude252520
Professional Knowledge255020
Total10012580

Source: IBPS official notification CRP SPL-XVI (1 Jul 2026)

  • Each test has its own cut-off.
  • Wrong answer: minus one-fourth of that question's marks (−0.25; −0.50 in Professional Knowledge).
Stage 2

Mains pattern

Four objective tests, then a descriptive paper typed on the computer. Only Professional Knowledge counts for merit.

Mains exam pattern (objective)
TestQuestionsMarksMinutes
English Language303025
Reasoning404035
Quantitative Aptitude303025
Professional Knowledge5010040
Total150200125

Source: IBPS official notification CRP SPL-XVI (1 Jul 2026)

Mains descriptive paper
TestQuestionsMarksMinutes
Descriptive (Essay + Comprehension, typed, no spellcheck)22530

Source: IBPS Information Handout, Online Main Exam CRP SPL-XVI

  • Only Professional Knowledge counts for merit; the other tests are qualifying.
  • Final merit: Mains 80 : Interview 20.
  • You need a minimum score in each Mains test and a sufficiently high Professional Knowledge score to be shortlisted for interview.
Marking scheme

Negative marking

A wrong answer in any objective test, Prelims or Mains, costs one-fourth of that question’s marks. A blank answer costs nothing.

Penalty for wrong answers
QuestionCorrectWrongBlank
English, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude+1−0.250
Professional Knowledge+2−0.500

Rule: IBPS official notification CRP SPL-XVI (1 Jul 2026), “Penalty for wrong answers”. Per-question values are worked out from that rule and the marks in the tables above.

If the exam is held in more than one session, scores are normalised using the equi-percentile method; scores are taken up to two decimal places.

Source: IBPS official notification CRP SPL-XVI (1 Jul 2026)

Selection

From Prelims to final merit

  1. Prelims

    Clear the cut-off in each of the four tests to be shortlisted for the Mains.

  2. Mains

    Reach the minimum in each test and score high enough in Professional Knowledge to be called for interview.

  3. Interview

    100 marks. Minimum 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates).

  4. Final merit

    Mains and interview combined 80 : 20, then provisional allotment.

Source: IBPS official notification CRP SPL-XVI (1 Jul 2026)

FAQ

Exam pattern FAQ

How many sections are there in the IBPS SO IT Officer Prelims?

Four: English Language, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and Professional Knowledge, each 20 minutes. Together they make 100 questions and 125 marks in 80 minutes, and you must clear the cut-off in every test.

Is there negative marking in the IT Officer exam?

Yes, in the objective tests of both Prelims and Mains. A wrong answer loses one-fourth of that question's marks: −0.25 for a 1-mark question and −0.50 for a 2-mark Professional Knowledge question. A blank answer loses nothing.

Which Mains test decides the merit list?

Only Professional Knowledge (50 questions, 100 marks). English, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude are qualifying. You need a minimum score in each Mains test and a sufficiently high Professional Knowledge score to be shortlisted for interview.

What is the descriptive paper in the Mains?

2 questions (Essay and Comprehension), 25 marks, 30 minutes, in English. It comes right after the objective tests and you type it on the computer; there is no spellcheck.

How is the final merit list made?

Mains and interview are combined in the ratio 80 : 20. The interview carries 100 marks; the minimum to qualify is 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates).

Will the pattern be the same for the next IBPS SO exam?

This page shows the latest official pattern, CRP SPL-XVI. The next cycle (CRP SPL-XVII) has not been notified yet, and IBPS says any change in the structure will be announced on ibps.in. We will update this page from the new notification.

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