The IBPS PO syllabus covers English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning for Prelims. The IBPS PO Mains syllabus consists of Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Data Analysis & Interpretation, English, General/Economy/Banking/Financial Awareness, and a Descriptive English paper. The interview tests clarity, confidence, and understanding of the banking role.
Understanding the IBPS PO syllabus helps candidates plan section-wise study and score better. This article covers the IBPS PO syllabus in detail for Prelims, Mains, and Interview, along with preparation timelines and important topics.
What is the IBPS PO Syllabus of Prelims?
The IBPS PO Prelims Syllabus is divided into three sections:
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude
- Reasoning Ability
- PYQs of 2025
- PYQs of 2024
- PYQs of 2023
- PYQs of 2022
IBPS PO English Language Syllabus
Here are the topics that you need to cover from the IBPS PO English syllabus for Prelims:
- Reading Comprehension
- Cloze Test
- Para Jumbles
- Word Usage & Word-Swap
- Fill in the Blanks
- Error Detection / Error Spotting
- Paragraph Completion
- One-Word Substitution
- Miscellaneous vocabulary-based questions
You must focus on the below areas from the IBPS PO English syllabus:
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
Here is the full IBPS PO Prelims syllabus of Quantitative Aptitude:
- Simplification & Approximation
- Profit & Loss
- Mixtures & Allegations
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Surds & Indices
- Time & Work
- Time, Speed & Distance
- Mensuration (Cylinder, Cone, Sphere)
- Data Interpretation (Table, Pie, Bar, Line)
- Ratio & Proportion
- Quadratic Equation
- Percentage
- Number Series
- Sequence & Series
- Permutation & Combination
- Probability
The table below lists the most important topics that you must cover in the IBPS PO syllabus of Quantitative Aptitude:
| IBPS PO 2026 Prelims Important Quant Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Simplification and Approximation | BODMAS, Square & Cube, Square & Cube Root, Indices, Fraction, and Basic percentage |
| Number Series | Missing Number Series & Wrong Number Series |
| Comparison Based | Quadratic Equation & Quantity Comparison (I and II) |
| Data Interpretation | Table DI, Missing Table DI, Pie Chart DI (single and multiple pie charts), Line Chart DI (Single and multiple lines), Bar Chart DI, Mixed DI, Caselet (Simple table-based caselet, Venn Diagram-based Caselet, and Arithmetic-based caselet) |
| Data Sufficiency | 2/3 Statement-based Data Sufficiency |
| Arithmetic | Ratio and Proportion, Percentage, Average, Age, Partnership, Mixture and Alligation, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Time and Work, Pipe and Cistern, Profit and Loss, Discount, Speed, Time & Distance, Boat And Stream, and Train. |
IBPS PO Reasoning Syllabus
Here is the full topics list you need to cover in the IBPS PO Reasoning syllabus for Prelims:
- Logical Reasoning
- Alphanumeric Series
- Ranking, Direction & Alphabet Tests
- Data Sufficiency
- Inequalities
- Seating Arrangement
- Puzzles
- Tabulation
- Syllogism
- Critical Reasoning
- Blood Relations
- Input-Output
- Coding-Decoding
Here are the most important topics that you must cover in the IBPS PO syllabus of Reasoning:
| IBPS PO 2026 Prelims Important Reasoning Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Coding & Decoding | Logic & Conditional |
| Machine Input Output | Mixed and Same Logic-based Question |
| Syllogism | Reverse & Coded |
| Inequality | Reverse and Coded Inequality |
| Direction Sense | Coded and Puzzles on Direction |
| Blood Relation | Family Tree + Puzzles & Coded Blood Relations |
| Seating Arrangement | Circle, Square, Triangle, Linear, Uncertain Number of Persons, and Distance + Direction |
| Puzzles | Category, Comparison, Designation, Box, Box, Day, Month, Year, and Floor & Flat |
| Critical Reasoning | Course of Action, Statement and Assumption, Statement and Conclusion, Statement and Inference, Strength of Argument, and Cause & Effect |
- PYQs of 2025
- PYQs of 2024
- PYQs of 2023
- PYQs of 2022
What is the IBPS PO Syllabus of Mains?
The IBPS PO Mains Syllabus is data-heavy and analysis-oriented. The IBPS PO syllabus for mains consists of 5 sections:
- Quantitative Aptitude (including Data Interpretation)
- General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness / Digital/ Financial Awareness including RBI circulars
- Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
- English Language
- English Descriptive Paper
IBPS PO Mains Syllabus: Data Interpretation & Quantitative Aptitude
Here is the full DI and Quant syllabus for IBPS PO Mains:
- Simplification
- Average
- Percentage
- Mixture & Allegations
- Ratio & Percentage
- Data Interpretation (all formats)
- Mensuration & Geometry
- Quadratic Equations
- Interest (SI/CI)
- Problems on Ages
- Profit & Loss
- Number Series
- Speed, Distance & Time
- Time & Work
- Number Systems
- Data Sufficiency
- Linear Equations
- Permutation & Combination
- Probability
| IBPS PO 2026 Mains Important Quant+DI Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Data Interpretation | Table DI (2–3 tables), Line Graph DI, Bar Graph DI, Pie Chart DI, Radar DI, Mixed DI sets, Caselet DI (paragraph, graphless, logical DI), Arithmetic DI |
| Data Sufficiency | 2/3 statement Data Sufficiency Question based on Other Quant Topics |
| Quadratic Equation | Quadratic Equation comparisons |
| Number Series | Missing series, Wrong series, Logic-heavy series |
| Probability & Permutation– Combination | Basic to moderate P&C, Probability-based DI |
| Arithmetic | Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI–CI, Time & Work, TSD, Mensuration, Ratio–Proportion, Averages, Mixture-Alligation, Partnership |
IBPS PO Mains Syllabus: General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness / Digital/ Financial Awareness, including RBI circulars
Here is the complete General Awareness syllabus for IBPS PO Mains:
- Current Affairs (Last 6 months)
- Banking Awareness
- Static GK such as Books and Authors, National Parks & Sanctuaries, Currencies & Capitals, etc.
- Economic & Financial Terms
- Budget & Economic Survey
- RBI Circulars
- Government Schemes & Committees
- Awards, Sports, and Important Days
| IBPS PO 2026 Mains Important General Awareness Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Banking Awareness | RBI functions, Monetary Policy, Banking terms, NPA, Basel Norms, Priority Sector Lending, Financial markets |
| Current Affairs (6 Months) | National + International CA, Economy CA, Banking CA, Government schemes, RBI Circulars |
| Static Awareness | Countries–Capitals, Important days, National parks, Geography, Polity basics |
| Economy & Finance | Budget, Economic Survey, Inflation, GDP, Reports, Committees, Indexes |
| Banking Regulations | Payment systems, Digital banking, Financial inclusion |
IBPS PO Mains Syllabus: Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
Here is the combined Reasoning + Computer Aptitude syllabus for IBPS PO Mains:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Syllogism
- Coding-Decoding
- Circular & Linear Seating Arrangements
- Double Lineup
- Scheduling
- Input-Output
- Blood Relations
- Directions & Distances
- Ordering & Ranking
- Data Sufficiency
- Statement-Based Questions
- Internet Basics
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Computer Abbreviations
- Hardware & Software Fundamentals
- Operating Systems
- Networking
- Computer Terminologies
| IBPS PO 2026 Mains Important Reasoning+Computer Awareness Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangement | Circular SA (uni/bi-directional), Linear SA (single/double row), Floor-based puzzles, Box puzzles, Day–Date–Month puzzles, Scheduling puzzles, Mixed-variable puzzles |
| Data Sufficiency | 2/3 statement-based DS on Reasoning + Mixed DS with Quant logic |
| Logical Reasoning | Statement–Assumption, Statement–Conclusion, Cause–Effect, Course of Action, Inference-based reasoning |
| Input–Output | Machine-based IO, Pattern-based IO, Word–Number transformation |
| Syllogism | Reverse syllogism, Coded syllogism, Possibility cases |
| Inequalities | Coded inequalities + Direct inequality sets |
| Blood Relation & Direction Sense | Complex family trees, Multiple-generation relations, Direction puzzles |
| Order & Ranking | Multi-variable ranking, Position-based ranking |
| Coding–Decoding | New pattern / Coded letter-series / Arithmetic coding |
| Computer Awareness | Operating Systems, Memory types, Networking basics, Internet, MS Office, Shortcuts, Input–Output devices, Computer Abbreviations |
IBPS PO Mains Syllabus: English Language
Here are the English Language topics asked in IBPS PO Mains:
- Reading Comprehension (Economy & Banking-based passages)
- Vocabulary (High-level Synonyms, Antonyms, Phrases)
- Grammar & Sentence Correction
- Para Jumbles
- Cloze Test
- Fill in the Blanks
- Word Replacement
- One Word Substitution
| IBPS PO 2026 Mains Important English Language Topics | |
| Topic Name | Important Keys |
| Reading Comprehension | Economy/Banking passages, Inference-based RC, Vocabulary-in-context, Fact/Opinion, Tone-based questions |
| Cloze Test | Contextual grammar, Vocabulary-based fillers |
| Para Jumbles & Para Completion | Logical sequencing, Connector words, Theme detection |
| Error Detection | Tense, Subject-Verb agreement, Modifiers, Articles, Prepositions |
| Word/Give-One-Word Substitution | Advanced vocabulary, Usage-based questions |
| Phrase Replacement | Grammar + Contextual usage |
| Match-the-Column | Multi-sentence connectors, Phrase linking |
| Critical Reasoning | Assumption, Strengthen/Weaken, Inferences, Argument evaluation |
IBPS PO Mains: Descriptive English Syllabus
After the Mains objective exam of the above-mentioned subjects, there is a Descriptive English Test worth 25 marks, which is conducted for 30 minutes.
In this section, you are required to write:
- One Essay on topics related to banking, finance, economy, or current affairs
- One Letter, which can be either formal or informal
- PYQs of 2025
- PYQs of 2024
- PYQs of 2023
- PYQs of 2022
What is the IBPS PO Syllabus for Interview?
The IBPS PO Interview Syllabus tests awareness, thought, decision-making, confidence, and communication skills, not textbook knowledge.
Key areas include:
- Current Affairs (National + Economy)
- Banking Awareness
- Basic Financial Concepts
- Personal Background
- Work Experience (if any)
- Situational Judgement
- Understanding of the role of a PO
How Long Does It Take to Cover the IBPS PO Syllabus?
Most of the IBPS PO Syllabus overlaps between Prelims and Mains, so you don’t study everything separately.
Only two sections are unique in IBPS PO Mains:
- General Awareness
- English Descriptive Paper
Because of this overlap, the total preparation time becomes easier to manage.
Here is the realistic IBPS PO syllabus coverage time requirement:
- Total Preparation Time(Prelims+Mains): 4-6 months with steady daily study
- General Awareness: Needs daily 30-40 minutes for 3-4 months
- Descriptive Paper: Can be covered in 10-12 days with practice of essays and letters
- Revision + Mock Tests: Continuous till the exam for both stages
- Interview Preparation: 15-20 days after Mains result
How Much of the IBPS PO Syllabus Overlaps with Other Bank Exams?
A large part of the IBPS PO Syllabus matches exams like IBPS Clerk, SBI Clerk, SBI PO, RRB PO, and RRB Clerk.
The core subjects, Quant, Reasoning, and English, and General Awareness in other PO exams, consist of the same foundational topics.
It means that 70–80% of your preparation is done for IBPS PO if you have prepared for other banking exams.
- PYQs of 2025
- PYQs of 2024
- PYQs of 2023
- PYQs of 2022
Final Take on IBPS PO Syllabus
The IBPS PO syllabus is wide, but it becomes much simpler once you see the overlap. Most of the Prelims and Mains subjects as well as topics overlap, and the core subjects: Quant, Reasoning, English, and DI keep repeating in different forms. Only the Financial Awareness and the Descriptive Test add new work in the Mains.
If you focus on the high-weight chapters, build speed early, and keep GA and mocks running every week, the syllabus can be completed in a steady 4-6 month plan.
Master the basics, sharpen the scoring areas, and stay consistent. That’s all you need to clear IBPS PO 2026.
