About the Recruitment
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), an autonomous body established by the Reserve Bank of India, central financial institutions, and public sector banks, has released a notification for the Common Recruitment Process (CRP) for Probationary Officers (PO) and Management Trainees (MT) for the financial year 2027-28. This recruitment drive, designated CRP PO/MT-XVI, aims to fill 6,715 positions in various participating public sector banks. The selection process involves a two-tier online examination, followed by a personality test and a common interview. IBPS manages the examination process, while the final provisional allotment is made by the participating banks based on merit and preference.
Post-wise and Category-wise Vacancy Details
The IBPS PO/MT-XVI recruitment drive has announced a total of 6,715 vacancies across several participating public sector banks. These vacancies are indicative and subject to change based on the actual requirements reported by the banks. The distribution of these positions across different categories and banks is detailed below:
| SR. No. |
Participating Bank |
SC |
ST |
OBC |
EWS |
UR |
TOTAL |
Out of Which (PwBD) HI |
Out of Which (PwBD) OC |
Out of Which (PwBD) VI |
Out of Which (PwBD) ID |
| 1 |
BANK OF BARODA |
285 |
142 |
513 |
190 |
770 |
1900 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
| 2 |
BANK OF INDIA |
75 |
37 |
135 |
50 |
203 |
500 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| 3 |
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA |
165 |
82 |
297 |
110 |
446 |
1100 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
| 4 |
CANARA BANK |
225 |
112 |
405 |
150 |
608 |
1500 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
| 5 |
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA |
75 |
37 |
135 |
50 |
203 |
500 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| 6 |
INDIAN BANK |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
| 7 |
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK |
84 |
41 |
148 |
54 |
223 |
550 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
8 |
| 8 |
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK |
76 |
38 |
136 |
50 |
204 |
504 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| 9 |
PUNJAB & SIND BANK |
24 |
13 |
47 |
15 |
62 |
161 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
| 10 |
UCO BANK |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
| 11 |
UNION BANK OF INDIA |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
| TOTAL |
|
1009 |
502 |
1816 |
669 |
2719 |
6715 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
77 |
Note: "NR" indicates that vacancies were Not Reported by the bank for that category, and may include backlog vacancies for some banks.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates applying for the CRP-PO/MT-XVI must meet specific eligibility criteria as of July 21, 2026. These include nationality, age, and educational qualifications. It is crucial for applicants to carefully review the detailed notification to ensure they fulfill all requirements before submitting their online application. Merely qualifying in the CRP does not guarantee employment, as the ultimate recruitment authority rests with the individual Participating Banks.
Nationality / Citizenship
Applicants must be one of the following:
- A Citizen of India.
- A subject of Nepal.
- A subject of Bhutan.
- A Tibetan Refugee who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanent settlement.
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, Vietnam) with the intention of permanent settlement in India.
For categories (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v), a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India is required.
Educational Qualifications (as on 21.07.2026)
To be eligible for the Probationary Officer/Management Trainee post, candidates must possess:
- A Degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a University recognized by the Government of India or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government.
- The candidate must hold a valid Mark-sheet or Degree Certificate confirming their graduation on the day of online registration.
- The percentage of marks obtained in Graduation must be indicated accurately during online registration.
- The final result of the qualifying examination must have been declared on or before July 21, 2026.
For candidates with CGPA/OGPA, the equivalent percentage must be calculated as per university norms and a certificate from the appropriate authority stating the conversion criteria must be produced if called for an interview. The percentage calculation involves dividing total marks obtained by aggregate maximum marks and multiplying by 100. Fractions of percentages are ignored (e.g., 59.99% is treated as less than 60%).
Age Limit and Relaxation
The age limits for candidates applying for IBPS PO/MT-XVI are calculated as of July 1, 2026.
| Category |
Age Limit |
| Minimum Age |
20 years (as on 01.07.2026) |
| Maximum Age |
30 years (as on 01.07.2026) |
This means a candidate must have been born not earlier than July 2, 1996, and not later than July 1, 2006 (both dates inclusive).
Age Relaxation
Relaxations in the upper age limit are provided for specific categories as follows:
| Category |
Age Relaxation |
| Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) |
5 years |
| Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) |
3 years |
| Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) |
10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen, Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least 5 years military service |
5 years |
Candidates seeking age relaxation must submit the necessary original certificates along with photocopies during the interview and at any subsequent stage of the recruitment process. The maximum age limit specified applies to General Category and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates.
Application Fee and Payment Method
The application fees and intimation charges for the IBPS PO/MT-XVI recruitment must be paid online between July 1, 2026, and July 21, 2026.
| Category |
Fee |
| SC/ST/PwBD candidates |
₹ 175/- (inclusive of GST) |
| All others |
₹ 850/- (inclusive of GST) |
Candidates are also responsible for bearing any bank transaction charges incurred during the online payment process. Payment can be made using Debit Cards (RuPay/Visa/MasterCard/Maestro), Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards, Mobile Wallets, or UPI.
Selection Process
The selection process for IBPS PO/MT-XVI is a multi-stage procedure designed to assess candidates' aptitude and suitability for the role.
- Online Preliminary Examination — This is the first stage, an objective test designed to screen candidates for the main examination.
- Online Main Examination — Candidates who qualify in the preliminary exam proceed to this stage, which includes both objective and descriptive tests.
- Personality Test — Shortlisted candidates from the main examination undergo a personality test. While non-qualifying, participation is mandatory to be eligible for the interview.
- Common Interview — Conducted by the Participating Banks and coordinated by a Nodal Bank, this stage assesses candidates' communication skills, general awareness, and suitability for a banking career.
- Provisional Allotment — Based on the combined scores from the Online Main Examination and Interview, and considering merit-cum-preference and reservation policies, candidates are provisionally allotted to one of the Participating Banks.
The validity of the CRP-PO/MT-XVI provisional allotment expires one year after the allotment date or upon a fresh provisional allotment, whichever comes first.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus
The IBPS PO/MT-XVI examination consists of two online phases: Preliminary and Main. Both phases include objective tests, and the Main Examination also features a descriptive paper.
Preliminary Examination (Objective Test)
The Preliminary Examination is an objective test with a total duration of 60 minutes. Candidates must qualify in each of the three tests by securing minimum cut-off marks determined by IBPS.
| Sr. No. |
Name of Tests |
No. of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Medium of Exam |
Time allotted for each test (Separately timed) |
| 1 |
English Language |
30 |
30 |
English |
20 minutes |
| 2 |
Quantitative Aptitude |
35 |
30 |
English and Hindi |
20 minutes |
| 3 |
Reasoning Ability |
35 |
40 |
English and Hindi |
20 minutes |
| Total |
|
100 |
100 |
|
60 Minutes |
Main Examination (Objective and Descriptive)
The Main Examination comprises an Objective Test and a Descriptive Paper. The total duration for the objective test is 160 minutes, and for the descriptive paper, it is 30 minutes.
Objective Test
| Sr. No. |
Name of Tests (NOT BY SEQUENCE) |
No. of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Medium of Exam |
Time allotted for each test (Separately timed) |
| 1 |
Reasoning |
40 |
60 |
English & Hindi |
45 minutes |
| 2 |
General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness / Digital/ Financial Awareness including RBI circulars |
50 |
60 |
English & Hindi |
35 minutes |
| 3 |
English Language |
40 |
20 |
English |
35 minutes |
| 4 |
Data Analysis & Interpretation |
40 |
60 |
English & Hindi |
45 minutes |
| TOTAL |
|
170 |
200 |
|
160 minutes |
Descriptive Paper
| Sr. No. |
Name of Tests |
No. of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Medium of Exam |
Time allotted for each test |
| 5 |
Descriptive Paper (Essay and Comprehension) |
02 |
25 |
English |
30 minutes |
The Descriptive Paper will broadly cover Economic and Social issues, emerging trends in Banking and Technology, Current events, and Ethics. It will be evaluated using an automated scoring mechanism to assess writing proficiency.
Penalty for Wrong Answers
For both the Online Preliminary and Online Main Examinations, a penalty will be applied for incorrect answers in the Objective Tests. One-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each wrong answer. No penalty will be applied for questions left blank.
Cut-Off Score and Scores
Candidates must achieve a minimum score in each test of the Online Main Examination, as well as a minimum total score, to be considered for shortlisting for the personality test and interview. The cut-offs will be determined by IBPS based on the number of available vacancies. Scores obtained in the Online Main Examination will be normalized using the equi-percentile method and will be considered for shortlisting for the personality test, interview, and final merit listing.
Pay Scale and Benefits
The Probationary Officer/Management Trainee position offers an attractive pay scale along with various allowances and perquisites.
| Post Name |
Pay Level |
Gross Salary |
| Probationary Officer/Management Trainee |
Basic: ₹ 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920 |
Allowances & perquisites as per rules of the Participating Bank in force from time to time. |
The basic pay starts at ₹ 48,480, with incremental increases over time. In addition to the basic salary, selected officers will be eligible for various allowances and benefits as per the rules of the respective Participating Bank, which may include Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), City Compensatory Allowance (CCA), and other perks.
How to Apply — Step by Step
Candidates interested in applying for CRP PO/MT-XVI must complete the online application process through the official IBPS website. No other mode of application will be accepted.
- Visit the Official Website: Go to https://www.ibps.in.
- Navigate to CRP PO/MT-XVI: On the homepage, click on the link "CRP PO/MT" and then select "CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE FOR CRP- PROBATIONARY OFFICERS/ MANAGEMENT TRAINEES (CRP-PO/MT-XVI)".
- New Registration: Click on "CLICK HERE FOR NEW REGISTRATION" to begin the application process. Provide basic information to generate a provisional registration number and password. Note these down, as they will also be sent via email and SMS.
- Upload Documents: Upload scanned images of your photograph, signature, left thumb impression, handwritten declaration, SSC/SSLC/10th standard or equivalent certificate, and any certificate mentioned in Clause J (ix) if applicable. Ensure all documents meet the specified size and format requirements (details in Annexure III of the notification).
- Live Photo Capture: Candidates will also need to capture and upload a live photograph using a webcam or mobile phone during the registration process.
- Fill Application Form: Complete the online application form with all required details. Candidates are advised to use the "SAVE AND NEXT" facility to review and modify details before final submission. No changes will be permitted after clicking "COMPLETE REGISTRATION".
- Digi Locker Integration: The application form is integrated with Digi Locker, allowing candidates to voluntarily provide access to issued credentials/documents like Aadhaar and educational qualifications.
- Pay Application Fee: Proceed to pay the application fees and intimation charges online using available payment methods (Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards, Mobile Wallets, UPI).
- Print E-Receipt and Application Form: After successful payment, an e-receipt will be generated. Candidates must take a printout of both the e-receipt and the complete online application form for future reference.
Handwritten Declaration Text: The declaration must be written by the candidate in English only, in their own handwriting, and NOT IN CAPITAL LETTERS. The text is: “I, (Name of the candidate), hereby declare that all the information submitted by me in the application form is correct, true and valid. I will present the supporting documents as and when required.”
Edit Window for Application Form
After the online registration closes, a 2-day edit window will be provided for candidates to correct or modify their application forms. A correction fee of ₹ 200/- (inclusive of GST) will be uniformly applicable to all candidates. Certain fields, such as Name, Email ID, Mobile Number, Correspondence Address, Permanent Address, Post, and Nationality, cannot be edited. However, category changes (e.g., from GEN/EWS/OBC to SC/ST/PwBD) are permitted, but no fee refund will be issued if the new category has a lower fee.
Documents Required
Candidates must produce specific documents in original and self-attested photocopies during the interview and document verification stages. Failure to provide the requisite documents will lead to the cancellation of candidature.
- Printout of the valid Interview Call Letter.
- Valid system-generated printout of the online application form registered for CRP-PO/MT-XVI.
- Proof of Date of Birth (Birth Certificate or SSLC/Std. X Certificate with DOB).
- Photo Identity Proof as specified in the notification (e.g., PAN Card, Passport, Driving License, Voter's Card, Bank Passbook with photograph, Aadhaar card, Employee ID, Bar Council Identity card). Ration Card and Learner's Driving License are NOT accepted.
- Mark-sheets or certificates for Graduation or equivalent qualification, confirming the result was declared on or before 21.07.2026.
- Caste Certificate (SC/ST/OBC) in the prescribed Government of India format. OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificates must be issued on or after 01.04.2026.
- Income and Asset Certificate for EWS candidates, valid for the financial year 2025-26 (assessment year 2026-27).
- Disability Certificate (PwBD) in the prescribed format, issued by the District Medical Board.
- Details of the scribe used during the online exam (if applicable).
- Ex-serviceman documents: Service or Discharge book, pension payment order, documentary proof of rank, and a certificate of relief from defence services on or before 20.07.2027.
- "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) in original from the employer for candidates serving in Government/quasi-government offices/Public Sector Undertakings.
- Experience certificates, if applicable.
- Certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India for candidates of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan Refugee, or Indian origin migrants.
- Any other relevant documents supporting eligibility.
Candidates are required to upload soft copies of these documents in PDF format through a link provided on the official IBPS website.
Important Dates
The timeline for the IBPS PO/MT-XVI recruitment process spans from July 2026 to January 2027, covering application, examinations, and final allotment.
| Event |
Date |
| Online Registration including Edit/Modification of Application |
01-07-2026 to 21-07-2026 |
| Payment of Application Fees/Intimation Charges (Online) |
01-07-2026 to 21-07-2026 |
| Edit window for Modification of Application by Candidates |
For 2 days after closing of Registration (will be notified on Official IBPS website) |
| Conduct of Pre-Examination Training (PET) |
August, 2026 |
| Download of call letters for Online examination – Preliminary |
August, 2026 |
| Online Examination – Preliminary |
August, 2026 |
| Result of Online examination – Preliminary |
September, 2026 |
| Download of Call letter for Online examination – Main |
September, 2026 |
| Online Examination – Main |
October, 2026 |
| Declaration of Result – Main Examination |
November, 2026 |
| Personality Test |
November, 2026 |
| Conduct of Interview |
November/ December, 2026 |
| Provisional Allotment |
January, 2027 |
Important Links