IBPS RRB PO Syllabus 2026: Quick Answer
The IBPS RRB PO syllabus 2026 (Officer Scale I / Assistant Manager, CRP RRBs-XV) has two subjects in Prelims, Reasoning (40 questions) and Quantitative Aptitude (40), for 80 marks in 45 minutes, and five subjects in Mains: Reasoning, Computer Knowledge, General Awareness, English or Hindi Language, and Quantitative Aptitude, for 200 questions and 200 marks in 120 minutes. Shortlisted candidates then face a 100-mark interview; final merit is Mains : Interview = 80 : 20.
Key takeaway (official IBPS notification dated 01.09.2026): RRB PO Prelims has no English section, and each test now has its own timer (Reasoning 25 minutes, Quant 20 minutes). In Mains, Computer Knowledge has 40 questions but only 20 marks, while Reasoning and Quant carry 50 marks each. Scale I has 4,256 indicative vacancies in 28 RRBs (one per State/UT after the "one state, one RRB" merger).
For the clerical post in the same recruitment, see our IBPS RRB Clerk syllabus. For PSB officer exams, see the IBPS PO syllabus.
IBPS RRB PO Exam Pattern 2026 at a Glance
| Stage | Questions / Marks | Time | Cut-off | Counts in final merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims (objective) | 80 Q / 80 marks | 45 min (25 + 20) | Must clear both tests | No |
| Mains (objective) | 200 Q / 200 marks | 120 min (sectional timing) | As decided by IBPS | Yes (80%) |
| Interview | 100 marks | — | 40% (35% SC/ST/OBC/PwBD) | Yes (20%) |
Negative marking: 0.25 of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer in Prelims and Mains. Scores of different sessions are normalised by the equi-percentile method.
IBPS RRB PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 25 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 40 | 20 min |
| Total | 80 | 80 | 45 min |
- Older RRB cycles gave a composite 45 minutes for both tests. The 2026 notification lists a separate time for each test, so you can no longer borrow minutes from Reasoning to finish Quant.
- You must clear the cut-off in both tests.
- Medium: English, Hindi and the regional language(s) listed for your State/UT (for example, Himachal Pradesh: English and Hindi; Tamil Nadu: English, Hindi and Tamil).
IBPS RRB PO Prelims Syllabus 2026: Reasoning
| Topic | Usual questions |
|---|---|
| Puzzles and Seating Arrangement (linear, circular, floor, box, month/day) | 15–20 |
| Inequality (direct / coded) | 3–5 |
| Syllogism | 3–5 |
| Coding-Decoding | 3–5 |
| Blood Relation, Direction Sense, Order & Ranking | 4–6 |
| Alphanumeric series, word/number pair | 2–5 |
IBPS RRB PO Prelims Syllabus 2026: Quantitative Aptitude
| Topic | Usual questions |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation (table, bar, line, pie, caselet) | 10–15 |
| Arithmetic (percentage, profit and loss, SI & CI, ratio, ages, average, mixture, partnership, time and work, speed-distance, boats and streams, mensuration, probability) | 10–15 |
| Number Series (missing / wrong) | 5 |
| Quadratic Equations | 5 |
| Simplification / Approximation | 0–5 |
The question counts are a planning guide based on candidate feedback from recent RRB papers; IBPS publishes subjects, not topic weightage.
IBPS RRB PO Mains Exam Pattern 2026
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 50 | 30 min |
| Computer Knowledge | 40 | 20 | 15 min |
| General Awareness | 40 | 40 | 15 min |
| English Language or Hindi Language (choose one) | 40 | 40 | 30 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 50 | 30 min |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 120 min |
Marks per question in RRB PO Mains
| Test | Marks per question | Penalty per wrong answer | Seconds per question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 1.25 | 0.3125 | 45 |
| Computer Knowledge | 0.50 | 0.125 | 22.5 |
| General Awareness | 1.00 | 0.25 | 22.5 |
| English / Hindi | 1.00 | 0.25 | 45 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 1.25 | 0.3125 | 45 |
GA and Computer give you only 15 minutes for 40 questions each, so they reward recall, not calculation. Reasoning and Quant together are worth half of the paper (100 of 200 marks).
Solved example (final score): Mains 128/200 and interview 62/100. Final = 128 ÷ 200 × 80 + 62 ÷ 100 × 20 = 51.2 + 12.4 = 63.6 out of 100.
IBPS RRB PO Mains Syllabus 2026: Reasoning
- High-level puzzles and seating, input–output, data sufficiency, coded inequality, syllogism, blood relation, direction, logical reasoning (assumption, conclusion, course of action)
IBPS RRB PO Mains Syllabus 2026: Quantitative Aptitude
- Mixed and caselet DI, missing DI, arithmetic, quantity comparison, data sufficiency, series, quadratic equations, approximation
IBPS RRB PO Mains Syllabus 2026: General Awareness
- Rural and agricultural banking: RRBs, NABARD, priority sector lending, Kisan Credit Card, SHG-bank linkage, cooperative banks, microfinance
- Banking and RBI: policy rates, CRR/SLR, NPA norms, payment systems, financial inclusion schemes
- Current affairs of the last 4–6 months and economy basics (budget, inflation, government schemes)
IBPS RRB PO Mains Syllabus 2026: Computer Knowledge
- Computer fundamentals, hardware and software, memory units, operating systems, MS Office, internet and networking, cyber security, shortcut keys, computer abbreviations
IBPS RRB PO Mains Syllabus 2026: English or Hindi Language
- English: RC, cloze test, error detection, fillers, para jumbles, sentence improvement
- Hindi: अपठित गद्यांश, रिक्त स्थान, त्रुटि पहचान, वाक्य सुधार, पर्यायवाची-विलोम, मुहावरे
IBPS RRB PO Eligibility 2026
| Item | Official rule (CRP RRBs-XV) |
|---|---|
| Age (Officer Scale I) | Above 18 and below 30 years as on 01.09.2026 (born between 02.09.1996 and 01.09.2008) |
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree in any discipline; local-language proficiency as prescribed by the RRB; working knowledge of computers desirable |
| Local language | Studied the State's language in Class VIII or above = proficient; otherwise 6 months after joining to acquire it |
| Fee | ₹850 (others); ₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD (GST included) |
| Posts per candidate | One officer post only (Scale I, II or III), but you may also apply for Office Assistant |
| Vacancies (Scale I) | 4,256 indicative (unchanged in every 2026 vacancy update) |
| 2026 schedule | Prelims 21–22 November 2026; Mains 20 December 2026; interviews January/February 2027 (tentative) |
List of Participating RRBs 2026 (28 RRBs, One per State/UT)
| State/UT | RRB | Head office | Local language(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank | Amaravati | Telugu |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh Rural Bank | Naharlagun | English |
| Assam | Assam Gramin Bank | Guwahati | Assamese, Bengali, Bodo |
| Bihar | Bihar Gramin Bank | Patna | Hindi |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank | Raipur | Hindi |
| Gujarat | Gujarat Gramin Bank | Vadodara | Gujarati |
| Haryana | Haryana Gramin Bank | Rohtak | Hindi |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank | Mandi | Hindi |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank | Jammu | Dogri, Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi and others |
| Jharkhand | Jharkhand Gramin Bank | Ranchi | Hindi |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Grameena Bank | Ballari | Kannada |
| Kerala | Kerala Grameena Bank | Malappuram | Malayalam |
| Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank | Indore | Hindi |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra Gramin Bank | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Marathi |
| Manipur | Manipur Rural Bank | Imphal | Manipuri |
| Meghalaya | Meghalaya Rural Bank | Shillong | Khasi, Garo |
| Mizoram | Mizoram Rural Bank | Aizawl | Mizo |
| Nagaland | Nagaland Rural Bank | Kohima | English |
| Odisha | Odisha Grameen Bank | Bhubaneswar | Odia |
| Puducherry | Puducherry Grama Bank | Puducherry | Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu |
| Punjab | Punjab Gramin Bank | Kapurthala | Punjabi |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan Gramin Bank | Jaipur | Hindi |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu Grama Bank | Salem | Tamil |
| Telangana | Telangana Grameena Bank | Hyderabad | Telugu, Urdu |
| Tripura | Tripura Gramin Bank | Agartala | Bengali, Kokborok |
| Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank | Lucknow | Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit |
| Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand Gramin Bank | Dehradun | Hindi, Sanskrit |
| West Bengal | West Bengal Gramin Bank | Kolkata | Bengali, Nepali |
Source: Table A of the CRP RRBs-XV notification. This list is also a ready-made GA topic, because RRB names and head offices changed after the amalgamations.
IBPS RRB PO vs IBPS PO: Key Differences
| Point | IBPS RRB PO (Scale I) 2026 | IBPS PO 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims | Reasoning + Quant only, 80 Q, 45 min | English + Quant + Reasoning, 100 Q, 60 min |
| Mains | 200 Q, 120 min, English or Hindi | 170 Q + descriptive, 190 min |
| Descriptive paper | None | 25 marks |
| Interview weightage | 80 : 20 | 80 : 20 |
| Upper age | Below 30 (as on 01.09.2026) | 30 (as on 01.07.2026) |
| Posting | RRB in your chosen State/UT | Any of 11 PSBs |
How to Prepare for the IBPS RRB PO Syllabus 2026
- Puzzles decide Prelims. With up to 20 puzzle questions in 25 minutes, practise 3 sets a day; start with our floor puzzle and circular seating methods.
- Train for the 20-minute Quant timer. Do DI and quadratic sets with a stopwatch; skip lengthy caselets on the first pass.
- Read rural banking. NABARD, KCC, PSL and RRB facts recur in GA; revise priority sector lending targets and financial inclusion schemes.
- Do not neglect Computer Knowledge. Only 0.5 mark a question, but 40 questions in 15 minutes is easy to score with one week of revision.
- Choose Hindi or English early and practise only that language test for Mains.
IBPS RRB PO Syllabus Practice Questions with Answers
Q1. (Percentage) A farmer's wheat yield rose from 2,500 kg to 2,900 kg. What is the percentage increase? (a) 14% (b) 15% (c) 16% (d) 18% Answer: (c). 400 ÷ 2,500 × 100 = 16%.
Q2. (Compound Interest) Compound interest on ₹20,000 at 10% per annum for 2 years (compounded annually) is: (a) ₹4,000 (b) ₹4,100 (c) ₹4,200 (d) ₹4,410 Answer: (c). 20,000 × (1.21 − 1) = ₹4,200.
Q3. (Quadratic) I. x² − 9x + 20 = 0, II. y² − 6y + 8 = 0. (a) x > y (b) x ≥ y (c) x < y (d) No relation Answer: (b). x = 4, 5 and y = 2, 4; the only tie is 4 = 4, so x ≥ y.
Q4. (Series) 120, 60, 60, 90, 180, ? (a) 360 (b) 400 (c) 450 (d) 540 Answer: (c). Multipliers ×0.5, ×1, ×1.5, ×2, ×2.5; 180 × 2.5 = 450.
Q5. (Boats and Streams) A boat goes 18 km/h downstream and 12 km/h upstream. Find the speed of the stream. (a) 2 km/h (b) 3 km/h (c) 4 km/h (d) 6 km/h Answer: (b). Stream = (18 − 12) ÷ 2 = 3 km/h (boat in still water = 15 km/h).
Q6. (Linear Seating) P, Q, R, S and T sit in a row facing north. R sits in the middle. P sits second to the right of R. T sits immediately left of R. Q does not sit at the left end. Who sits at the left end? (a) Q (b) T (c) S (d) P Answer: (c). Order from left: S, T, R, Q, P (the only arrangement that fits all conditions).
Q7. (Syllogism) Statements: Some villages are towns. All towns are cities. Conclusions: I. Some villages are cities. II. All cities are towns. (a) Only I (b) Only II (c) Both (d) Neither Answer: (a). The villages that are towns are also cities. "All towns are cities" does not reverse into "all cities are towns".
Q8. (Computer Knowledge) In binary measurement, 1 kilobyte equals: (a) 1,000 bytes (b) 1,024 bytes (c) 1,048 bytes (d) 512 bytes Answer: (b). 1 KB = 2¹⁰ = 1,024 bytes.
Q9. (GA, RRBs) What is the sponsor bank's share in the issued capital of a Regional Rural Bank? (a) 15% (b) 35% (c) 50% (d) 26% Answer: (b). Centre 50%, sponsor bank 35%, state government 15%.
Q10. (GA, NABARD) NABARD was set up on: (a) 2 October 1975 (b) 12 July 1982 (c) 1 April 1935 (d) 19 July 1969 Answer: (b). 12 July 1982. (2 October 1975 is when the first RRBs started.)
IBPS RRB PO Syllabus and Exam Pattern FAQs
What is the IBPS RRB PO syllabus 2026 for prelims?
Only Reasoning (40 questions, 25 minutes) and Quantitative Aptitude (40 questions, 20 minutes). There is no English section in RRB PO Prelims.
Is there English in IBPS RRB PO Mains?
You choose either English Language or Hindi Language (40 questions, 40 marks, 30 minutes) in Mains.
Is there an interview in IBPS RRB PO?
Yes. The interview is for 100 marks, and the final merit uses Mains and interview in the ratio 80 : 20.
What is the age limit for IBPS RRB PO 2026?
Above 18 and below 30 years as on 1 September 2026, with category relaxations.
How many vacancies are there for IBPS RRB PO 2026?
4,256 indicative Officer Scale I vacancies across 28 RRBs.
Is there sectional timing in IBPS RRB PO 2026?
Yes. The 2026 notification gives each test its own time: Prelims 25 + 20 minutes, and Mains 30, 15, 15, 30 and 30 minutes.
Practice Next
- Topic-wise IBPS RRB PO reasoning tests: IBPS RRB PO Puzzle Mock Test 04, IBPS RRB PO Seating Arrangement Mock Test 02 and IBPS RRB PO Inequality Mock Test 03.
- Full mocks: IBPS RRB PO Prelims Full Mock Test 10 and IBPS RRB PO Prelims Full Mock Test 09.
- Sectionals: IBPS RRB PO Reasoning Sectional Mock Test 07, IBPS RRB PO Quant Sectional Mock Test 07.
- Topic tests: IBPS RRB PO Puzzle Mock Test 02, IBPS RRB PO Data Interpretation Mock Test 02, Banking Awareness Mock Test 02.
- Related notes: IBPS RRB PO salary 2026, IBPS RRB Clerk syllabus, quadratic equation tricks, missing number series tricks, banks headquarters and taglines 2026.
- Browse all study notes.