IBPS PO

The IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Examination is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to recruit POs and Management Trainees for 11 participating public sector banks including Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, and others. It is the primary entry route for most public sector bank PO positions (excluding SBI, which holds its own examination).

IBPS PO follows a three-stage selection process: Preliminary Examination (100 marks, 1 hour), Mains Examination (200 marks + 25-mark Descriptive + 30-minute letter/essay), and Interview (100 marks, though weight in final merit is 20%). The Descriptive test in Mains is a differentiator that many candidates underestimate — it tests letter writing and essay skills and requires a distinctly different preparation approach from the objective sections.

Starting salary for IBPS PO is ₹36,000 basic pay at JMG Scale I, with in-hand salary of approximately ₹52,000–58,000 in metro cities after DA, HRA, and other allowances. Promotion to Scale II (Manager) typically occurs in 3–5 years. Our editorial team reviews IBPS PO notifications annually against the official IBPS portal at ibps.in. The exam pattern, salary structure, and eligibility on this page are verified for the 2026 cycle.