- 1How Many Vacancies Are There in IBPS PO 2026?
- 2IBPS PO 2026 Bank-Wise Vacancy Breakdown
- 3Category-Wise IBPS PO 2026 Vacancy Reservation
- 4IBPS PO 2026 State-Wise Vacancy Distribution
- 5Why Vacancy Numbers Dropped After 2019 — and What's Happening Now
- 6How Vacancy Numbers Should Shape Your Preparation Strategy
- 7How to Use PrepBanker to Prepare for IBPS PO 2026
- 8Also Explore on PrepBanker
How Many Vacancies Are There in IBPS PO 2026?
The official vacancy number for IBPS PO 2026 will be published in the CRP PO/MT-XVI notification on ibps.in. Until then, the most reliable estimate comes from the five-year trend.
Here is the year-on-year vacancy data:
| Exam Cycle | Year | Total Vacancies | Approx. Applicants | Competition Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRP PO/MT-XVI | 2026 | ~4,500–5,500 (projected) | ~8–9 lakh | ~170–200 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-XV | 2025 | ~4,800 | ~8 lakh | ~167 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-XIV | 2024 | 4,455 | ~7.5 lakh | ~168 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-XIII | 2023 | 3,517 | ~8.2 lakh | ~233 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-XII | 2022 | 6,432 | ~10 lakh | ~155 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-XI | 2021 | 4,135 | ~12.5 lakh | ~302 per seat |
| CRP PO/MT-IX | 2019 | 8,010 | ~20 lakh | ~250 per seat |
Two things stand out from this data. First, raw vacancy numbers don't tell the full story — the competition ratio (applicants per seat) matters more. 2023 had fewer vacancies but also fewer serious candidates appearing. Second, vacancies have stabilised after the PSB consolidation period (2019–2021) when 10 public sector banks were merged into 4. The merged banks are now rebuilding headcount, which is why vacancies have risen from 3,517 in 2023 to ~4,800 in 2025.
IBPS PO 2026 Bank-Wise Vacancy Breakdown
IBPS distributes vacancies across 11 participating public sector banks. The exact bank-wise split for 2026 will be in the official notification, but the distribution pattern has been consistent over the years.
Here is the indicative bank-wise vacancy range based on CRP XIV (2024) and CRP XV (2025) data:
| Bank | CRP XIV (2024) | CRP XV (2025, est.) | Expected Range 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab National Bank | ~900 | ~950 | 850–1,000 |
| Bank of Baroda | ~700 | ~750 | 700–900 |
| Union Bank of India | ~600 | ~620 | 600–750 |
| Canara Bank | ~500 | ~520 | 500–650 |
| Bank of India | ~400 | ~420 | 400–500 |
| Indian Bank | ~350 | ~360 | 350–450 |
| Bank of Maharashtra | ~300 | ~310 | 280–380 |
| Central Bank of India | ~280 | ~290 | 270–370 |
| Indian Overseas Bank | ~200 | ~210 | 200–280 |
| UCO Bank | ~150 | ~165 | 150–220 |
| Punjab & Sind Bank | ~75 | ~85 | 75–120 |
| Total | 4,455 | ~4,800 | ~4,500–5,500 |
Punjab National Bank is consistently the largest recruiter due to its extensive branch network (over 10,000 branches across India as of 2025). Bank of Baroda, after its merger with Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank in 2019, significantly expanded its hiring. Punjab & Sind Bank has the smallest footprint and therefore contributes the fewest posts.
Category-Wise IBPS PO 2026 Vacancy Reservation
All 11 participating banks follow the Government of India's reservation policy. Here is how a hypothetical total of 5,000 vacancies breaks down by category:
| Category | Reservation % | Approximate Posts (of 5,000) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Unreserved (UR) | 40% | ~2,000 | Open to all candidates |
| Other Backward Class (OBC) | 27% | ~1,350 | Non-Creamy Layer only |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | ~750 | Certificate from competent authority |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | ~375 | Certificate from competent authority |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | ~500 | Income & asset certificate required |
| Total | 100% | ~5,000 |
Additionally, 4% horizontal reservation applies for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), spread across all categories. Specific PwD sub-categories (locomotor, visual, hearing, intellectual) are defined in the official notification.
What "Backlog Vacancies" Mean
If a reserved category vacancy was advertised in a previous IBPS PO cycle but went unfilled (because no eligible candidate in that category met the cut-off), it carries forward as a "backlog" vacancy. These appear in the current cycle's notification as additional posts for that category. In high-backlog years, SC and ST category candidates can find meaningful extra seats.
IBPS PO 2026 State-Wise Vacancy Distribution
IBPS allocates vacancies bank-by-bank across states and union territories. Each bank distributes its total posts based on branch presence, regional staffing needs, and workforce demographics. The official state-wise breakdown comes with the notification.
Historically, states with the highest vacancy counts:
| State / UT | Reason for High Vacancy | Banks with Strong Presence |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Largest state by population; dense rural branch network | PNB, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank |
| Maharashtra | Large urban banking market; Mumbai as financial hub | Bank of Maharashtra, Union Bank, Bank of Baroda |
| Rajasthan | Large rural branch footprint; strong PSB presence | Bank of Baroda, Central Bank, UCO Bank |
| Tamil Nadu | High banking density; major IOB and Indian Bank base | Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank, Canara Bank |
| West Bengal | Dense rural banking; UCO Bank headquarters | UCO Bank, Central Bank, PNB |
| Karnataka | Strong Canara Bank presence; growing urban market | Canara Bank, Union Bank, Bank of India |
Students often ask whether they should attempt the exam targeting a specific state. The honest answer: your state preference is honoured only to the extent that vacancies exist there in your category and your rank is high enough to get that posting. Securing a top-300 rank gives you genuine choice. Below that, you take what the allotment gives you.
Why Vacancy Numbers Dropped After 2019 — and What's Happening Now
The sharp decline in IBPS PO vacancies from 8,010 in 2019 to 4,135 in 2021 confused many students. Here's the explanation:
Between 2019 and 2020, the Government of India executed a major consolidation of public sector banks:
- Oriental Bank of Commerce + United Bank → Punjab National Bank
- Syndicate Bank → Canara Bank
- Allahabad Bank → Indian Bank
- Andhra Bank + Corporation Bank → Union Bank of India
- Dena Bank + Vijaya Bank → Bank of Baroda (2019)
This reduced the number of participating IBPS banks from 20 to 11 and eliminated massive overlap in staffing needs. The merged entities had excess staff at the point of merger. Naturally, hiring slowed.
From 2022 onwards, the merged banks began expanding again. Branch networks grew, digital banking required new officers, and attrition created fresh demand. The vacancy trajectory since 2022 has been upward: 6,432 → 4,455 → ~4,800 → projected 4,500–5,500 for 2026. The 2022 spike was temporary (pending retirements cleared in bulk); the 2023 dip was a recalibration. The trend from 2024 onwards points to a stable 4,500–5,500 range annually.
How Vacancy Numbers Should Shape Your Preparation Strategy
Vacancy numbers affect two things directly: your target score and your time allocation.
When Vacancies Are Low (Under 4,000)
Cut-offs rise because fewer candidates qualify for interview proportionally. In 2023, the General category Mains cut-off touched 47–50 out of 200 — a seemingly low number, but one that requires near-perfect accuracy given negative marking. In low-vacancy years:
- Set your Prelims target at 70+ (not just 65)
- Don't rely on weak sections dragging you across the line
- Spend extra time on GA — it's the differentiator at Mains
When Vacancies Are High (Above 5,000)
The cut-off drops, but the total number of shortlisted candidates for interview also increases — meaning Mains becomes more competitive relatively. Focus shifts to:
- Clean section-wise qualification (don't leave any section below cut-off)
- Interview preparation starts earlier (more candidates clear Mains)
- GA consistency matters more than ever for Mains
The Preparation Constant
Regardless of vacancy numbers, the following preparation approach works every year:
- Assess your baseline — take a full-length Prelims mock before study. Your score tells you how far you are from the cut-off, not how much you "know."
- Set a section-wise target — work backwards from the expected cut-off. If the target is 65 total, plan 22/30 in English, 22/35 in Reasoning, 21/35 in Quant.
- Mock test every week — at least 2 full Prelims mocks per week during peak prep. Track accuracy, not just score.
- Analyse before the next mock — identify your 3 highest-loss topics per section after each mock and drill those specifically.
- Attempt Mains-level tests from Month 2 — even if your Prelims date is 3 months away. DI sets and complex puzzles take weeks to get comfortable with.
- Maintain GA from Day 1 — 30 minutes of current affairs daily. This is the section most students leave for last and then panic about.
- Build the descriptive writing habit — write one essay and one letter every week from Month 2. You'll be grateful for this in the final two weeks before Mains.
How to Use PrepBanker to Prepare for IBPS PO 2026
PrepBanker gives you the tools to translate vacancy data into a specific, measurable preparation plan — not just awareness of how many seats exist.
- Step 1 — Register and take a diagnostic mock. Go to app.prepgrind.com/register and attempt a free full-length IBPS PO Prelims mock. This is your baseline. It shows you exactly where you stand against the expected cut-off for 2026.
- Step 2 — Set your personalised target.Based on the vacancy projection (4,500–5,500 posts, General cut-off likely 63–68 in Prelims), work out what score you need in each section. PrepBanker's analytics dashboard shows your section-wise gap from the target score, so you know exactly where to invest time.
- Step 3 — Drill weak sections with targeted tests.PrepBanker's sectional tests cover every topic in Quant, Reasoning, and English with difficulty levels calibrated to actual IBPS PO papers. If DI sets are dropping your Quant score, the Quant sectional pack has 20+ DI-focused sets — each with detailed video solutions.
- Step 4 — Use DPPs for daily discipline.Daily Practice Problems take 20–30 minutes and cover 15–20 questions from a focused topic. They're short enough to fit into any schedule and consistent enough to build the speed and accuracy that cut-offs demand.
- Step 5 — Track your progress over time.PrepBanker's dashboard shows your mock test score trajectory, accuracy by topic, and time spent per question across all attempts. When vacancies are tight, this data is what tells you whether your prep trajectory will get you above cut-off — with enough time to correct course if it won't.
Also Explore on PrepBanker
Understanding the vacancy picture is the first step — preparation is what converts that awareness into a seat.
Start your IBPS PO 2026 prep with a free IBPS PO Full-Length Prelims Mock Test. This test is calibrated to the difficulty and pattern of recent IBPS PO papers — it's the fastest way to benchmark your current level against the projected 2026 cut-off.
For complete details on the exam calendar, eligibility, and selection process, visit the IBPS PO Notification 2026 page — it covers everything from application dates to final merit list publication.
If you want to know when and how to download your hall ticket, the IBPS PO Admit Card 2026 page walks through the download process, required documents, and what to do if your admit card has errors.
Weak in Quantitative Aptitude? The IBPS PO Quant Sectional Test Series is built around DI sets and arithmetic topics from the last four years of actual Mains papers — the exact questions that push most aspirants below cut-off.
Finally, the IBPS PO Previous Year Question Sets give you five years of Prelims and Mains papers in timed test format — the most direct signal of what IBPS is likely to repeat or vary in 2026.
IBPS PO FAQs
Senior Content Manager – Banking Exams, PrepBanker
Cleared IBPS PO (2021) • 7+ Years Experience • Verified 500+ mock papers
Yashraj Deshmukh has been writing and reviewing banking exam content for 7 years. He cleared IBPS PO in 2021, has a background in banking awareness content for 5+ years, and has reviewed 500+ mock test papers for accuracy against the latest SBI pattern. At PrepBanker, Yashraj tracks every SBI and IBPS notification the day it's released and personally verifies vacancy, salary, and exam-date updates against the official SBI/IBPS PDFs before they go live on this page.
Subject Matter Expert, Quantitative Aptitude, PrepBanker
IDBI Junior Assistant Manager • Bank of Maharashtra Customer Service Associate via IBPS PO
Divya Bhosale has been reviewing quantitative aptitude and banking exam material for PrepBanker. She has cleared the IDBI Junior Assistant Manager exam and served as a Customer Service Associate at the Bank of Maharashtra via IBPS PO, bringing invaluable real-world exam expertise to PrepBanker.