IBPS RRB SO 14th Vacancy 2024- Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Preparation Guide

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has officially announced the Vacancy of Specialist Officers (SO) under the IBPS RRB SO 14th round of recruitment campaign 2024. This examination is for qualified candidates who are eligible to join various Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across the country in specialized roles. It has several specialist officer positions, including IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer (AFO), Rajbhasha Adhikari, Law Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer.

Here we are discussing the application process, eligibility criteria, pattern, and the syllabus of the examination.

IBPS RRB SO MOCK TEST

“IBPS RRB SO” Application and Exam Details

• Application Start Date: August 1, 2024
• Last Date to Apply Online: August 21, 2024
• Last Date for Fee Payment: August 21, 2024
• Preliminary Exam Date: November 2024
• Mains Exam Date: January 2025
• Admit Card Release Date: To be announced soon

Click to Download Official Notice 👉 : LINK

These dates might be updated according to official notification. It’s essential for students to complete the application process within the given timeframe and start preparing for the exams.

Application Fee

Candidates must pay the application fee to successfully submit their forms. The fee structure is as follows:

• General/OBC: ₹850/-
• SC/ST: ₹175/-

Payment can be made online using a debit card, credit card, net banking, UPI or via e-challan.

Age Limit

The Age limit criteria for IBPS RRB SO XIV are as follows:

• Minimum Age: 20 years
• Maximum Age: 30 years
• Age Calculation Date: As of August 1, 2024

Age relaxation applies to various categories as per government rules.

Specialist Officer Vacancy Details

Total Vacancy: 896

A total of 896 vacancies have been announced for different Specialist Officer positions. There are various posts in the vacancy. The detailed breakdown of vacancies by post and category is as follows:

1. IT Officer- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

4-year Engineering/ Technology Degree in Computer Science/ Computer Applications/ Information Technology/ Electronics/ Electronics & Telecommunications/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation.

OR,

Postgraduate Degree in Electronics/ Electronics & Tele Communication/ Electronics & Communication/ Electronics & Instrumentation/ Computer Science/ Information Technology/ Computer Applications.

OR,

Graduate having passed DOEACC ‘B’ level.

B. Category-Wise Posts:

2. Agriculture Field Officer (AFO)- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

4-year Degree (graduation) in Agriculture/ Horticulture/Animal Husbandry/ Veterinary Science/ Dairy Science/ Fishery Science/ Pisciculture/ Agri. Marketing & Cooperation/ Co-operation & Banking/ Agro-Forestry/Forestry/ Agricultural Biotechnology/ B.Tech Biotechnology/ Food Science/ Agriculture Business Management/ Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Agricultural Engineering/ Sericulture / Fisheries Engineering

B. Category Wise Post

3. Rajbhasha Adhikari- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

Post Graduate Degree in Hindi with English as a subject at the degree (graduation) level

OR,

Postgraduate degree in Sanskrit with English and Hindi as subjects at the degree (graduation) level.

B. Category Wise Post

4. Law Officer- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

A Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council

B. Category Wise Post

5. HR/Personnel Officer- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

Graduate and Two Years Full-time Post Graduate degree or Two Years Full-time Post Graduate diplomas in Personnel Management / Industrial Relations/ HR / HRD/ Social Work / Labour Law.

B. Category Wise Post

6. Marketing Officer- [Scale I]

A. Eligibility

Graduate and Two Years Full-time MMS (Marketing)/ Two Years Full-time MBA (Marketing)/ Two Years Full time PGDBA / PGDBM/ PGPM/ PGDM with specialization in Marketing *

B. Category Wise Post

Exam Pattern

The IBPS RRB SO XIV recruitment exam is going to be online and its structure is going to be as follows:

• Preliminary Exam
• Mains Exam
• Interview

A. Preliminary Exam

The Preliminary exam pattern and syllabus will differ according to the post.

[I] Preliminary Exam For the post of: “Law Officer” and “Rajbhasha Adhikari”

This preliminary exam will cover English language, Reasoning, and General Awareness with Special Reference to the Banking industry subject test with a total of 150 questions and 125 marks. The duration of the exam will be 2 hours.

[II] Preliminary Exam For the post of: “IT Officer”, “Agriculture Field Officer”, “HR/Personnel Officer” and “Marketing Officer”

This preliminary exam will cover English language, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude tests with a total of 150 questions and 125 marks. The duration of this exam will also be 2 hours.

Note: Candidates will have to qualify in each of the three tests by securing minimum cut-off marks to be decided by IBPS. An adequate number of candidates in each category as decided by IBPS depending upon requirements will be shortlisted for the Online Main Examination.

B. Mains Exam

The main exam is more comprehensive and focuses on professional knowledge specific to the post you have applied for. The exam pattern and syllabus will differ according to the specific SO role:

[I] Mains exam For the Posts of: “Law Officer”, “IT Officer”, “Agriculture Field Officer”, “HR/Personnel Officer”, and “Marketing Officer”

This exam will test Professional knowledge with a total of 60 questions and 60 marks. The medium of the exam will be English and Hindi and the exam will be of 45 minutes.

[II] Mains exam For the Posts of: “Rajbhasha Adhikari”

This exam will test Professional knowledge in both objective and descriptive ways. Talking about the number of questions Professional knowledge (objective) will have 45 questions and Professional knowledge (subjective) will have 2 questions which calculates to a total of 47 questions and 60 marks. The medium of the exam will be English and Hindi and the duration of the exam will be 30 minutes each.

Note: Any change in the structure of the examination will be intimated through the authorized IBPS website: www.ibps.in

Penalty for Wrong Answers (Online Preliminary and Online Main Examinations):

There will be a penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. For each wrong answer one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty to arrive at a corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.

C. Interview

Candidates who have been shortlisted in the Online Main Examination for CRP SPL-XIV will
subsequently be called for an Interview to be conducted by the Participating Banks and it will be coordinated by the Nodal Banks in each State/ UT/ Region with the help of IBPS.

Interviews will be conducted at select centers. The call letter will inform the shortlisted candidates of the center detail, venue address, and time & date of the Interview. Candidates are required to download their interview call letters from the authorized IBPS website (www.ibps.in).

Interview Details:

• The total marks allotted for the Interview are 100. The minimum qualifying marks in the interview will not be less than 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates).
• The weightage (ratio) of the Online Main Examination and interview will be 80:20 respectively.
• The combined final score of candidates shall be arrived at based on total scores obtained by the candidates in the Online Main Examination of CRP- SPL-XIV and Interview.
• Interview scores of the candidates failing to secure minimum qualifying marks or otherwise barred from the interview or further process shall not be disclosed.
• A candidate should qualify both in the Online Main Examination and interview and be
  sufficiently high in the merit to be shortlisted for subsequent provisional allotment process

Note: IBPS reserves the right to change the date/ venue/ time/center etc. of the interview or hold a supplementary process for a particular date/session/venue/center/set of candidates at its discretion, under unforeseen circumstances, if any.

Syllabus

The syllabus for IBPS RRB SO XIV varies by post, and candidates need to understand the specific areas they need to focus on. Here’s a brief overview of the syllabus:

Reasoning

• Puzzles
• Seating arrangement
• Coding-decoding
• Syllogism
• Blood relations
• Direction sense
• Inequalities
• Input-output
• Logical reasoning.

Quantitative Aptitude

• Data interpretation
• Simplification
• Number series
• Profit & loss
• Percentage
• Ratio & proportion
• Time & work
• Time & distance
• Simple & compound interest.

Professional Knowledge (Post-Specific)

• IT Officer: Networking, database management, programming, security, and software engineering.
• AFO: Agriculture, agronomy, soil science, horticulture, animal husbandry, and rural development.
• Rajbhasha Adhikari: Hindi language, translation, grammar, and official language policies.
• Law Officer: Constitutional law, banking regulations, civil and criminal law, and contracts.
• HR/Personnel Officer: Human resource management, industrial relations, labor laws, and organizational behavior.
• Marketing Officer: Marketing management, branding, market research, digital marketing, and consumer behavior.

General Awareness (Banking)

• Current events
• Banking terminologies
• Financial awareness
• RBI policies
• National and international events.

English Language

• Reading comprehension
• Error spotting
• Cloze test
• Para jumbles
• Sentence improvement.

How to Crack IBPS RRB SO Exam

A well-structured preparation strategy is important for the IBPS RRB SO XIV exam. Here are some tips to help you prepare effectively:

1. Understand the Exam Pattern and Syllabus

Before starting the preparation, it’s essential to understand the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly. This will help you prioritize topics and allocate time effectively.

2. Create a Study Plan

Create a study plan that covers all sections of the exam. Divide your study time between reasoning, quantitative aptitude, professional knowledge, and general awareness.

We have created a sample plan for you to Follow:

Note: You can change the timing or subject according to your comfort

3. Practice Previous Year Papers

Start Solving previous year’s question papers. It will give you a clear understanding of the exam’s difficulty level and the types of questions asked.

4. Take Mock Tests

Click here for the FREE Mock Test 👉: MOCK TEST

Regular mock tests will help you to strengthen your preparation and identify areas of improvement. keep in mind that when you are attempting the mock test you are focused on time management. Also, start analyzing your performance after each test. It will help you to improve your question-solving speed and accuracy.

5. Focus on Weak Areas

Try to identify your weak areas and put extra time and effort into improving them. If you struggle with a particular topic or section try to discuss it with your teachers or seniors, so that it won’t affect you in the exam.

6. Stay Updated with Current Affairs

The candidates need to stay updated with current events for the general awareness section. To cover this topic start reading newspapers, magazines, and online portals regularly. It will not only improve your current affairs but also improve your English.

7. Prepare for the Interview

If you qualify for the interview stage, start preparing early. Work on your communication skills, review your subject knowledge, and practice answering common interview questions confidently.

Conclusion

The IBPS RRB SO XIV exam is a very good opportunity for candidates who are looking forward to working in specialized roles within Regional Rural Banks. There is a total of 896 vacancies across various posts but securing a position will require thorough preparation, a strong understanding of the exam pattern, and consistent practice. Ensure that you have completed the application process and begin your preparation early to maximize your chances of success. Stay focused, practice regularly, and stay confident throughout your preparation journey.

Good luck!