The official notification dated 30 June 2026 revises IBPS PO Mains to 170 questions, removes Computer Aptitude and expands GA to 50 questions. Full old vs new comparison with strategy.
The IBPS PO new exam pattern 2026 changes one big thing: the Mains objective test now has 170 questions for 200 marks, up from 145, Computer Aptitude is gone, and General Awareness expands to 50 questions. The revision comes from the official CRP PO/MT-XVI notification dated 30 June 2026, published as the detailed notification PDF on ibps.in. This cycle offers 6,715 Probationary Officer vacancies across 11 public sector banks: registration runs from 1 to 21 July 2026, Prelims is on 22 and 23 August 2026, and Mains is on 4 October 2026. Here is exactly what changed, what did not, and how to adjust your preparation.
Per the official notification dated 30 June 2026, the Mains objective test grows from 145 to 170 questions, still for 200 marks in 160 minutes. Computer Aptitude is removed, General / Economy / Banking Awareness expands from 35 questions and 50 marks to 50 questions and 60 marks, and English Language weightage is cut to just 20 marks.
| Section | Old pattern (Q / M) | New pattern (Q / M) | Time (new) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | Combined with Computer Aptitude | 40 Q / 60 M | 45 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness | 35 Q / 50 M | 50 Q / 60 M | 35 minutes |
| English Language | Higher mark weightage | 40 Q / 20 M | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | Within the old 145 Q total | 40 Q / 60 M | 45 minutes |
| Total (objective) | 145 Q / 200 M | 170 Q / 200 M | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive (English) | Letter + Essay | Essay + Comprehension: 2 Q / 25 M | 30 minutes |
Because total marks stay at 200 while questions rise to 170, marks per question now vary sharply: Reasoning and Data Analysis & Interpretation carry 1.5 marks per question, General Awareness 1.2, and English just 0.5. Where you invest your attempts now matters far more than raw attempt count. For the full topic lists behind each section, see our IBPS PO syllabus 2026 section-wise breakdown.
Yes. The section that used to be Reasoning and Computer Aptitude is now plain Reasoning: 40 questions for 60 marks in 45 minutes, per the notification dated 30 June 2026. You no longer prepare a separate computer aptitude block for the objective paper. Digital and Financial Awareness, however, sits inside the expanded General Awareness section along with RBI circulars, so technology-linked banking themes can still be asked there.
No. Prelims stays exactly as before: 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes, with a strict 20-minute timer per section and 0.25 negative marking. One detail many aspirants miss: marks per question are not uniform, because Reasoning carries 40 marks for its 35 questions.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
The descriptive English test is now Essay and Comprehension: 2 questions for 25 marks in 30 minutes, replacing the earlier Letter plus Essay format. The notification states this paper may be evaluated by an automated scoring mechanism, which makes clean structure, relevance and grammar as important as content.
Two more selection-stage changes from the notification: a new non-qualifying online Personality Test, a self-report questionnaire taken before the interview, and the interview itself carrying 100 marks with qualifying scores of 40% (35% for reserved categories). Final merit combines Mains and Interview in an 80:20 ratio. In both stages, one fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer.
Our reading of the numbers (this part is Quiz4Exam analysis, not the notification): the revised pattern shifts leverage decisively toward General Awareness and toward accuracy in the two 60-mark analytical sections. Four concrete adjustments follow.
For a full study plan on top of these adjustments, read our complete IBPS PO 2026 strategy guide and practise the revised pattern with mocks on our IBPS PO test series page.
Per the official notification dated 30 June 2026, Mains now has 170 questions for 200 marks in 160 minutes, up from 145 questions. Computer Aptitude is removed, General Awareness expands to 50 questions for 60 marks, English drops to 20 marks, and the descriptive test becomes Essay and Comprehension. Prelims is unchanged.
Yes. The first Mains section is now plain Reasoning with 40 questions for 60 marks in 45 minutes. Digital and Financial Awareness topics remain part of the General Awareness section, so technology-linked banking themes can still appear there.
No. Prelims keeps 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes: English 30 questions (30 marks), Quantitative Aptitude 35 questions (30 marks) and Reasoning 35 questions (40 marks), each with a 20-minute sectional timer and 0.25 negative marking.
Essay and Comprehension: 2 questions for 25 marks in 30 minutes, replacing Letter plus Essay. The notification says answers may be evaluated by an automated scoring mechanism.
170 objective questions for 200 marks in 160 minutes: Reasoning 40, General Awareness 50, English 40 and Data Analysis & Interpretation 40, plus a separate descriptive test of 2 questions for 25 marks in 30 minutes.
All pattern numbers above are from the official CRP PO/MT-XVI detailed notification dated 30 June 2026. Confirm the latest dates and vacancies on the official website before applying.
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Per the official CRP PO/MT-XVI notification dated 30 June 2026, the Mains objective test now has 170 questions for 200 marks in 160 minutes, up from 145 questions. Computer Aptitude has been removed, General/Economy/Banking Awareness expands to 50 questions for 60 marks, English weightage drops to 20 marks, and the descriptive test becomes Essay and Comprehension. The Prelims pattern is unchanged.
Yes. In the revised pattern the first Mains section is plain Reasoning with 40 questions for 60 marks in 45 minutes; Computer Aptitude no longer appears as a tested section. Digital and Financial Awareness topics remain inside the General/Economy/Banking Awareness section along with RBI circulars, so technology-linked banking themes can still be asked there.
No. Prelims keeps 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes: English Language 30 questions (30 marks), Quantitative Aptitude 35 questions (30 marks) and Reasoning Ability 35 questions (40 marks), each with a strict 20-minute sectional timer. Marks per question are not uniform, since Reasoning carries 40 marks for 35 questions, and 0.25 negative marking applies.
The descriptive English test is now Essay and Comprehension, with 2 questions for 25 marks in 30 minutes, replacing the earlier Letter plus Essay format. The notification dated 30 June 2026 also states that the descriptive answers may be evaluated through an automated scoring mechanism, so clear structure, relevance and grammar matter as much as the content itself.
The Mains objective test now has 170 questions for 200 marks in 160 minutes: Reasoning 40 questions (60 marks, 45 minutes), General/Economy/Banking Awareness 50 questions (60 marks, 35 minutes), English Language 40 questions (20 marks, 35 minutes) and Data Analysis and Interpretation 40 questions (60 marks, 45 minutes). A separate descriptive test adds 2 questions for 25 marks in 30 minutes.
