The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the official notification for CRP PO/MT-XVI, the recruitment drive for Probationary Officers/Management Trainees (2027-28 vacancies) in Participating Public Sector Banks. Along with the usual eligibility and application details, this year’s notification brings several important changes to the exam pattern, application process, and verification procedures.
If you’re preparing for IBPS PO 2026, here is a complete, easy-to-understand breakdown of everything that has changed compared to IBPS PO 2025.
IBPS PO 2026 Notification: Key Highlights
- Exam Name: CRP PO/MT-XVI
- Vacancy Year: 2027-28
- Total Indicative Vacancies: 6,715 (across 9 reporting banks; 2 banks yet to report)
- Official Website: www.ibps.in
- Online Registration: 01.07.2026 to 21.07.2026
- Notification Release Date: 01.07.2026
Also Read: IBPS PO Notification 2026 Out under CRP PO/MT-XVI, Apply Online for 6,715 Vacancies Starts
1. Mains Exam Pattern: Bigger, Longer, and Restructured
The most talked-about change this year is in the IBPS PO Mains exam pattern. IBPS has increased the number of questions across almost every section.
IBPS PO Mains 2025 Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 50 minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness (Digital/Financial Awareness) | 35 | 50 | 25 minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 145 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (Essay & Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
IBPS PO Mains 2026 Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking Awareness (Digital/Financial Awareness, incl. RBI circulars) | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 170 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (Essay & Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
What This Means for Aspirants
- 25 more questions overall (145 → 170) within the same total time of 160 minutes — meaning candidates now have less time per question on average.
- General Awareness gets a major boost: from 35 questions/50 marks to 50 questions/60 marks, making current affairs, banking awareness, and RBI circulars far more decisive for your final score.
- English Language marks have been slashed: despite 5 more questions (35 → 40), the marks weightage has dropped sharply from 40 to just 20 marks. This effectively reduces the per-question value of English in the Mains score.
- Reasoning and Data Analysis & Interpretation now carry 40 questions each (up from 35), keeping marks the same (60 each) — meaning slightly lower marks per question in these sections too.
- The overall total marks remain unchanged at 200 (plus 25 for the Descriptive Paper), but the redistribution significantly shifts strategic priority toward General/Banking/Digital & Financial Awareness.
Preliminary Exam pattern remains unchanged — 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes, across English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability.
2. Application Form: Edit Window Introduced
For CRP PO/MT-XVI, IBPS has introduced a 2-day Edit Window after the registration closing date, allowing candidates to modify/correct their submitted application form — a feature that wasn’t clearly available in the same form in the previous cycle.
Key points about the Edit Window:
- Available only to candidates who have already submitted a complete application with fee payment.
- Correction can be made only once.
- Fields like Name, Email ID, Mobile Number, State/UT (in address), Post, and Nationality cannot be edited, even during this window.
- Category change is allowed only in specific combinations (e.g., GEN/EWS/OBC can move to SC/ST/PwBD, but not vice versa without restriction).
- A correction fee of Rs. 200/- (inclusive of GST) applies, irrespective of category.
3. Descriptive Paper Evaluation Now Automated
Another notable update: the Descriptive Paper (Essay and Comprehension) may now be evaluated using an automated scoring mechanism that assesses writing proficiency. This is a shift from a purely manual evaluation approach and signals IBPS’s move toward tech-driven assessment.
4. Stricter PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) Verification
IBPS has significantly tightened the verification process for candidates applying under the PwBD category:
- UDID card and disability certificate authentication through the UDID portal or the concerned state authority.
- Possible fresh medical assessment by a bank-appointed medical board to confirm disability type, percentage, and functional job suitability.
- As per Office Memorandum dated 17.12.2025, PwBD candidates with a disability certificate marked “likely to improve” under temporary disability are not eligible for reservation. Only “progressive,” “non-progressive,” or “not likely to improve” conditions qualify.
- Strict action, including prosecution, for fraudulent disability certificates or UDID cards under Sections 89 and 91 of the RPwD Act, 2016.
5. Enhanced Identity and Data Verification
- Online Aadhaar verification of candidates and scribes at multiple stages of the selection process.
- DigiLocker integration with the online application — candidates can voluntarily share Aadhaar, educational documents, and personal details via DigiLocker.
- Continued emphasis on biometric verification (photograph and thumb impression matching) at each stage.
6. Compensation and Vacancy Details
- Pay Scale: Basic ₹48,480–2000/7–62,480–2340/2–67,160–2680/7–85,920.
- Indicative Vacancies: 6,715 across Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Punjab & Sind Bank (Indian Bank, UCO Bank, and Union Bank of India vacancies not yet reported).
- Reserve List: Approximately 20% of vacancies under each category may be kept in the reserve list, valid for up to one year from provisional allotment.
7. Application Fees (Unchanged)
- SC/ST/PwBD candidates: Rs. 175/- (inclusive of GST)
- All other candidates: Rs. 850/- (inclusive of GST)
8. Important Dates for IBPS PO 2026 (Tentative)
| Activity | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Online Registration & Fee Payment | 01.07.2026 – 21.07.2026 |
| Edit Window | 2 days after registration closes |
| Pre-Exam Training | August 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam | August 2026 |
| Preliminary Result | September 2026 |
| Main Exam | October 2026 |
| Main Exam Result | November 2026 |
| Personality Test | November 2026 |
| Interview | November/December 2026 |
| Provisional Allotment | January 2027 |
Key Takeaways for IBPS PO 2026 Aspirants
- Rebalance your prep priorities — General/Banking/Digital & Financial Awareness now carries more weight in Mains, so daily current affairs and RBI circular updates deserve more attention.
- Speed matters more than ever — more questions in the same 160-minute window means faster, more accurate attempts are essential.
- English Language is now lower-value per question — don’t neglect it, but don’t over-invest time relative to its reduced marks share.
- Double-check your application before submission — while an edit window exists, several critical fields still cannot be changed, and correction comes with a fee.
- PwBD candidates should prepare all disability documentation early, given the added UDID and medical board verification layers.
Candidates are strongly advised to regularly check the official IBPS website (www.ibps.in) for updates, as further clarifications or changes to the exam structure may be announced through official channels closer to the exam dates.
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