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The IBPS SO IT Officer CRP SPL-XVI has two exam days: Prelims on August 29, 2026 and Mains on November 1, 2026. Both exams are conducted by IBPS through its TCS iON technology infrastructure at designated exam centres. The entry and conduct rules are consistent across both exams with one critical difference: the Prelims has three sections with independent 40-minute sectional timers, while the Mains has a single 45-minute timer for all 60 Professional Knowledge questions.
The IBPS SO IT Officer Prelims enforces strict sectional timing. Each section has its own independent 40-minute timer.
| Section Questions Marks Time | |||
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
When any section's 40-minute timer expires, that section is permanently locked. You cannot return to it or access unanswered questions in the expired section.
This is fundamentally different from SSC CGL or IBPS PO Prelims (single timer for all sections). Every preparation session should enforce these sectional timers to build the correct exam-day habits.
The Prelims is typically conducted in 2-3 shifts per day.
| Shift Reporting Time Gate Closes Exam Start Exam End | ||||
| Shift 1 | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
| Shift 2 | 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| Shift 3 | 3:00 PM | 3:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
The exact shift assigned to each candidate is printed on the admit card. Always treat the admit card timings as the authoritative reference. Arrive at least 30-45 minutes before the gate closure time.
The Mains is typically conducted in 2 shifts per day.
| Shift Reporting Time Gate Closes Exam Start Exam End | ||||
| Shift 1 | 8:30 AM | 9:00 AM | 9:30 AM | 10:15 AM (45 min) |
| Shift 2 | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | 1:45 PM (45 min) |
The Mains is only 45 minutes (60 Professional Knowledge questions). The total centre time including registration, biometric, and pre-exam procedures is approximately 2 hours despite the short exam duration.
Expected approximately 10-15 days before August 29, 2026.
| Step Action | |
| 1 | Visit ibps.in |
| 2 | Click "CRP SPL-XVI Admit Card" or equivalent link |
| 3 | Enter Registration Number and Date of Birth |
| 4 | Enter captcha |
| 5 | Admit card PDF loads |
| 6 | Download and print on A4 paper (colour preferred) |
| 7 | Print 2 copies; keep one at home |
The same process applies for the Mains admit card, expected 7-10 days before November 1, 2026.
| Field Check | |
| Name | Must match photo ID exactly |
| Roll Number | Your exam identifier |
| Post | Must show "IT Officer Scale I" |
| Exam Date and Shift | Note reporting time and gate closure |
| Exam Centre | Map route; estimate travel time |
| Photograph | Should match your appearance |
| Self-declaration section | BLANK; fill only at the centre |
The same documents are required for both Prelims and Mains.
| Document Specification | |
| Printed Admit Card | Hard copy on A4; colour preferred; digital copy not accepted |
| Original Valid Photo ID | One government-issued original |
| Photocopy of the Same Photo ID | One self-attested copy |
| Passport-size Photographs | Two to three recent colour photographs matching the application photo |
| ID Condition | |
| Aadhaar Card | Physical card or official e-Aadhaar printout from uidai.gov.in |
| PAN Card | Valid |
| Voter ID | Valid |
| Passport | Within validity |
| Driving Licence | Within validity |
| Photo ID issued by Central/State Government | Recognised authority |
| Bank Passbook with Photograph | From a scheduled commercial bank |
IBPS exams implement Aadhaar-based biometric verification at exam centres.
| Requirement Detail | |
| Carry original Aadhaar | Physical card or official e-Aadhaar printout |
| Biometric must be UNLOCKED | Check at uidai.gov.in at least 3 days before exam |
| Locked biometric | May be denied entry; prevent by unlocking in advance |
To check and unlock: Visit uidai.gov.in → My Aadhaar → Lock/Unlock Biometrics → Enter Aadhaar number and OTP → Verify unlocked status. Allow up to 24 hours for the unlock to reflect. Do this at least 3 days before the exam.
| Item Status | |
| Mobile phones (switched off or not) | Strictly prohibited |
| Smartwatches and digital watches | Prohibited |
| Calculators | Prohibited |
| Bluetooth devices and earphones | Prohibited |
| Tablets and laptops | Prohibited |
| Any recording or transmitting device | Prohibited |
Note for IT professionals: Many IT Officer candidates carry technical devices professionally. All such devices must be left outside the exam hall or with a companion. No exceptions are made for professional or technical necessity.
| Item Status | |
| Books, notes, printed material | Not permitted |
| Paper chits | Not permitted |
| Personal rough sheets | Not needed; official sheets provided at centre |
The admit card contains a self-declaration paragraph, signature box, and LTI box. All three must be completed at the centre in the invigilator's presence. Do not pre-fill any of these at home.
LTI procedure:
A webcam records periodic images during the exam. Maintain clear facial visibility throughout both Prelims and Mains.
The Prelims has 40 minutes per section. The timer for each section is independent.
Recommended approach for the Prelims:
| Strategy Detail | |
| Attempt English first | Easiest section; fast marks; sets a positive start |
| Then Reasoning | Attempt Syllogism and Inequalities first; puzzles last |
| Then QA | Attempt Series and Simplification first; DI sets last |
Within each section, the 40-minute timer runs down. When it hits 0, the section locks. There is no warning before this happens. Set a mental target to flag unattempted questions 5 minutes before each section's timer expires.
| Rule Detail | |
| Cannot switch sections freely | Each section must be completed within its 40-minute window |
| Negative marking: 0.25 per wrong answer | Apply accuracy discipline; skip on genuine uncertainty |
| Use official rough sheets only | No personal paper |
| No photography of screen | Grounds for immediate disqualification |
| Washroom break | Permitted with invigilator; section timer continues |
| Cannot leave until all sections done | Must remain for full 120 minutes |
The Mains has a single 45-minute timer for all 60 Professional Knowledge questions. This is fundamentally different from Prelims.
| Activity Time | |
| Quick scan of all 60 questions | First 3-4 minutes |
| DBMS and Networking questions (fastest and most familiar) | 15-18 minutes |
| OS and DSA questions | 12-15 minutes |
| OOP and Software Engineering | 8-10 minutes |
| Computer Organisation and remaining | 5-7 minutes |
| Review flagged questions | 3-5 minutes |
At 45 seconds per question average, attempting 50+ questions is achievable for well-prepared candidates. The key is identifying and solving familiar questions quickly and flagging uncertain ones for later review.
With 0.25 negative marking on 1-mark questions:
For questions where you have narrowed down to 2 options with reasonable confidence, attempting is statistically positive (50% chance of +1 vs 0.25 deduction). For questions where you have no idea, skipping is better than random guessing.
IBPS does not prescribe a formal dress code. General guidance:
| Accommodation Detail | |
| Extra time | 20 minutes per hour for eligible PwBD candidates |
| Prelims: 40 min/section becomes 53 min/section | Total 160 minutes |
| Mains: 45 min becomes 60 min | |
| Scribe | Must be pre-declared in application; not requestable on exam day |
| Original disability certificate | Carry to each exam |
| Accessible seating | Assigned at ground floor or accessible location |
| Item Status | |
| Prelims admit card printed (2 copies) | Done / Print now |
| Aadhaar biometric unlocked | Verified at uidai.gov.in |
| Original Aadhaar card | In document folder |
| Valid photo ID (original) | In folder |
| Photocopy of photo ID | In folder |
| 2-3 passport-size photographs | In folder |
| Exam centre address and route | Mapped; travel time estimated |
| Departure time planned | 30-45 min before gate closure |
| Alarm set | Done |
| Mobile phone plan | Leave outside or with companion |
| Metal accessories removed | Left at home |
| Sectional timing strategy confirmed | Know the order: English → Reasoning → QA |
| Self-declaration on admit card | BLANK |
| Sleep | Target 7-8 hours |
| Item Status | |
| Mains admit card printed (2 copies) | Done / Print now |
| Aadhaar biometric re-verified | Unlocked before Mains day |
| Documents folder ready | Same as Prelims |
| IT subject revision complete | DBMS + Networking key formulas reviewed |
| Subject-wise attempt order decided | DBMS/Networking first; then OS/DSA |
| Negative marking threshold decided | Attempt when 60%+ confident; skip otherwise |
| Sleep | Target 7-8 hours |
Can I switch between sections in Prelims? Each section has its own 40-minute independent timer. You can attempt and review questions within a section's active window freely. Once the 40-minute timer for a section expires, it permanently locks. Check the on-screen instructions on exam day.
Is the Mains also sectional-timed? No. The Mains has a single 45-minute timer for all 60 Professional Knowledge questions. You can attempt questions in any order.
What if my workstation freezes during the exam? Inform the invigilator immediately. Do not attempt to restart or fix the workstation yourself. IBPS/TCS iON has a protocol for such technical issues.
Should I carry my laptop or coding books to the exam? No. Only the mandatory documents (admit card, photo ID, photocopy, photographs) are permitted. All other items including laptops, books, and electronic devices must be left outside.
What is negative marking in the Mains? 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer in the Mains Professional Knowledge paper. Each question carries 1 mark.