IBPS SO Syllabus: Prelims Plus Your Post's Paper
One common prelims, five different Professional Knowledge papers. Your syllabus depends on the post you pick.
The IBPS SO syllabus has two layers. The prelims layer is common banking-exam territory: Reasoning, English, and Quantitative Aptitude for most posts. The mains layer is a single Professional Knowledge paper whose syllabus depends entirely on the post you applied for: IT, Law, HR, Marketing, or Agriculture Field Officer.
That structure means "the IBPS SO syllabus" is really five syllabi sharing one prelims. Find your post below; studying another stream's list is wasted time.
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The Common Prelims Subjects
Prelims covers English Language, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude for most posts, in the standard banking-exam style: the format is close to IBPS PO prelims, so any general banking-prelims preparation carries over directly. Reasoning carries the heaviest weight of the three sections.
IT Officer: Professional Knowledge Topics
- check_circleData structures and algorithms
- check_circleDBMS
- check_circleComputer networks
- check_circleOperating systems
- check_circleCyber security basics
- check_circleCloud computing
- check_circleSoftware engineering
- check_circleOOP concepts
- check_circleWeb technology
Law Officer: Professional Knowledge Topics
- check_circleBanking laws: NI Act, SARFAESI Act, RDDBFI Act
- check_circleCompanies Act
- check_circleContract Act
- check_circleCPC and CrPC basics
- check_circleIncome Tax and GST basics
- check_circleConsumer protection
- check_circleRBI Act
- check_circleFEMA and PMLA
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Agriculture Field Officer (AFO): Professional Knowledge Topics
- check_circleCrop production and horticulture
- check_circleAnimal husbandry
- check_circleAgriculture finance and marketing
- check_circleSoil science
- check_circlePlant protection
- check_circleAgriculture engineering
- check_circleGovernment agriculture schemes
- check_circleRural development
HR / Personnel Officer: Professional Knowledge Topics
- check_circleHR management
- check_circleIndustrial relations
- check_circleLabour laws
- check_circleWage and salary administration
- check_circleRecruitment and selection
- check_circlePerformance management
- check_circleTraining and development
Marketing Officer
The Marketing Officer stream sits alongside the four above, with its own MBA-gated eligibility and its own Professional Knowledge paper on marketing subjects. Check the current official notification for that cycle's detailed topic list before building a study plan for it.
Where the Marks Concentrate
The Professional Knowledge paper is 60 questions for 60 marks in 45 minutes, and it is the hardest part of the exam. For Law Officers, banking laws, the NI Act, SARFAESI, RDDBFI, form the core of the paper. For IT Officers, operating systems, networks, and DBMS deserve first priority. Starting with your stream's core subjects, rather than revising prelims material you already know, is the single highest-leverage syllabus decision.
FAQs
Is the IBPS SO syllabus the same for all posts?expand_more
The prelims subjects are common, English, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude for most posts, but the mains Professional Knowledge syllabus is entirely post-specific: IT, Law, HR, Marketing, and AFO each have their own paper.
What is the Professional Knowledge paper in IBPS SO?expand_more
A 45-minute, 60-question, 60-mark mains paper testing the subject of your chosen post, banking laws for Law Officers, DBMS and networks for IT Officers, agriculture subjects for AFO, and so on.
Which topics matter most for the IBPS SO Law Officer paper?expand_more
Banking laws dominate: the NI Act, SARFAESI Act, and RDDBFI Act form the core, alongside the Companies Act, Contract Act, RBI Act, and FEMA/PMLA.
Does IBPS SO prelims differ from IBPS PO prelims?expand_more
The subjects are familiar, English, Reasoning, and Quant for most posts, and the format is close to IBPS PO prelims, so general banking-prelims preparation transfers directly.
Next steps
Take a full IBPS SO mock testPrelims plus your stream's Professional Knowledge paper.