IBPS SO Prelims 2025 Insights

IBPS SO Prelims 2025: Comprehensive Guide

The IBPS SO Prelims 2025—the first stage in Specialist Officer (SO) recruitment—is a pivotal exam for aspirants seeking scale-I banking roles across Indian public sector banks. Managed by IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection), this exam is a chance to become a Specialist Officer such as IT Officer, Marketing Officer, Law Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, or HR Officer.

Important Dates & Admit Card

• Prelims Exam Date: 30 August 2025 Career PowerTestbook

• Admit Card Release: 22 August 2025. Candidates can download it from the official IBPS portal by logging in with their registration number and password/date of birth The Times of India.

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Exam Pattern & Structure

The Prelims exam serves as a screening stage to shortlist candidates for the Mains.

Prelims Pattern:

• Sections (post-dependent):

  • For AFO, IT, HR, Marketing posts:

    • English Language: 50 Qs, 25 marks, 40 minutes

    • Reasoning: 50 Qs, 50 marks, 40 minutes

    • Quantitative Aptitude: 50 Qs, 50 marks, 40 minutes

  • For Law & Rajbhasha posts:

    • Reasoning: 50 Qs, 50 marks, 40 minutes

    • General Awareness: 50 Qs, 50 marks, 40 minutes

    • English (Law only): 50 Qs, 25 marks, 40 minutes Careers360 Competition Exams+1.

• Marking Scheme:

  • Each correct response = +1 mark.

  • Each incorrect response = –0.25 mark Career PowerCareers360 Competition Exams.

• Language: Bilingual (English & Hindi) Career Power.

Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level & Good Attempts

The prelims on 30 August were conducted in two shifts. Here’s how they shaped up:

Difficulty Level:

• Overall: Easy to Moderate across both shifts

• English: Moderate to Easy

• Reasoning: Moderate

• Quantitative Aptitude/General Awareness: Moderate Jagranjosh.comPracticeMock.

Good Attempts (overall ranges):

• English: 29–31

• Reasoning: 26–28

• Quantitative/GA: 25–27

• Total: Approximately 80–86 out of 150 Jagranjosh.com.

Selection Process Beyond Prelims

• Shortlisted candidates from Prelims qualify for the Mains exam (scheduled for 9 November 2025) Career Power.

• Mains is followed by an Interview round.

• The final score comprises Mains (80%) + Interview (20%) BYJU’S.

How to Prepare: Strategy Suggestions

• Section-wise focus:

  • English: Emphasize reading comprehension, cloze tests, error spotting, and sentence rearrangement.

  • Reasoning: Practice puzzles, seating arrangement, and logical deduction.

  • Quant/GA: Build speed through regular practice of arithmetic, data interpretation, and current affairs.

• Practice mocks & previous papers: Build familiarity with timing, question types, and sectional pressure.

• Revise carefully: Maintain a balance between accuracy and speed—focus especially on areas of weakness.

• Maintain exam discipline: Avoid guesswork to minimize negative marking impact.

About IBPS & the SO Recruitment

IBPS, established in 1975, is a central recruitment agency under the Ministry of Finance for banking sector jobs in India. The SO recruitment (CRP SPL-XV) includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. It fills roles like AFO, IT Officer, Law Officer, Marketing Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Rajbhasha Adhikari across 11 participating banks ﹣ totaling 1007 vacancies this year Career PowerWikipediaTestbook.

At a Glance: Summary Table