IBPS RRB (PO + Clerk)
Recruits Officers Scale I (PO), Scale II/III specialist and generalist officers, and Office Assistants (clerks) into Regional Rural Banks (RRB) across India.
Eligibility
A graduate degree in any discipline; degrees in agriculture, economics, IT, management, law or accountancy are given preference for Officer Scale I. Proficiency in the local language of the chosen state is required. Age: Officer Scale I 18-30 years, Office Assistant 18-28 years (SC/ST 5, OBC 3, PwBD 10 years relaxation). Scale II/III require relevant experience.
Age limit: Officer Scale I 18-30; Office Assistant 18-28; Scale II 21-32; Scale III 21-40
Exam pattern
Officer Scale I and Office Assistant prelims each have 80 questions for 80 marks in 45 minutes: Reasoning (40 questions, 25 minutes) and Quantitative/Numerical Ability (40 questions, 20 minutes), separately timed with a cut-off in each test and no English section. Mains for both is 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours: Reasoning (50 marks), Quantitative/Numerical Ability (50), General Awareness (40), English or Hindi (40, candidate's choice) and Computer Knowledge (20), each separately timed. Officer Scale II/III take a single exam. A quarter mark is deducted per wrong answer. Officer selection is Mains/Single exam plus Interview (80:20); Office Assistants are selected on Mains alone with no interview.
Syllabus at a glance
Reasoning: puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, inequality, coding-decoding, blood relations. Quant: simplification, number series, quadratic equations, arithmetic and DI. Mains adds General Awareness (banking, RRB/NABARD/rural economy, current affairs), English or Hindi language, and computer fundamentals.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CRP RRBs-XV Officer Scale I Preliminary exam | 21-22 Nov 2026 (IBPS tentative calendar) | confirmed |
| Office Assistant Preliminary exam | 6, 12 & 13 Dec 2026 (IBPS tentative calendar) | confirmed |
| Officer Scale I Mains and Scale II/III single exam | 20 Dec 2026 (IBPS tentative calendar) | confirmed |
| Office Assistant Mains | 30 Jan 2027 (IBPS tentative calendar) | confirmed |
| Officer Scale I/II/III Interviews | Jan – Feb 2027 (per notification, tentative) | expected |
| Provisional allotment (Officers and Office Assistants) | Feb – Mar 2027 (per notification, tentative) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Fast Track Objective Arithmetic – Rajesh Verma (Arihant)
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations – R.S. Aggarwal
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R.S. Aggarwal
- Analytical Reasoning – M.K. Pandey
- Banking Awareness – Arihant Experts
- Objective Computer Awareness – Arihant Experts
How toppers play it
- Prelims has no English but is now sectionally timed (25 minutes Reasoning, 20 minutes Quant) with a cut-off in each, so practise mocks under those exact timers rather than shifting time between sections.
- Reasoning in RRB prelims is puzzle-heavy (often 20+ of 40 questions); practise 4-5 puzzles daily under time.
- In Mains, choosing Hindi instead of English can be an advantage if you are stronger in it; Computer Knowledge (40 questions in 15 minutes) rewards quick recall of basics.
- Apply for both Officer Scale I and Office Assistant (separate exams), and choose a state whose language you know well.