IOB SO Exam Date 2026: Online Exam Tentatively on 31 October — Latest Update
Indian Overseas Bank says the online exam for its 291 Generalist and Specialist Officer posts is tentatively scheduled for 31 October 2026 (Saturday), and admit cards will be out shortly. A corrigendum dated 2 September 2026 also changed two things, summarised in this update. Download the IOB SO Exam Date Notice PDF | Download the IOB SO Corrigendum PDF
| Update | Detail |
|---|---|
| Online exam date | 31 October 2026 (Saturday) — tentative |
| Admit card | Available for download shortly; no date announced yet |
| Exam date notice | Ref HRDD/RECT/04B/2026-27, dated 9 October 2026 |
| Corrigendum | Ref HRDD/RECT/04A/2026-27, dated 2 September 2026 |
| Post code 14, Assistant Manager (Security) | Work experience restated; the clause letting presently serving personnel apply is removed |
| Post codes 04 and 07 | Renamed Manager (Information Systems Audit) and Senior Manager (Information Systems Audit) |
| Everything else | All other terms of the 28 August 2026 advertisement remain unchanged |
IOB SO Recruitment 2026: Indian Overseas Bank Officer Vacancy for Fourteen Posts in Scale I, II and III
Indian Overseas Bank took online applications for 291 vacancies of Generalist and Specialist Officers under advertisement HRDD/RECT/04/2026-27. This is a lateral-entry drive, not a fresher drive — every one of the fourteen roles asks for real work experience behind your degree. If you are already a bank officer, an IT professional in the BFSI space, a credit or risk specialist, or a retired JCO or police Inspector, this is one of the strongest banking jobs openings of the year.
The application window ran from 29 August 2026 to 15 September 2026 and is now closed. If you applied, read your own post’s row again before the exam: age, experience and pay all change from post to post, and four of the fourteen posts carry no Unreserved seat at all. This guide from GovtJobsAlert.in covers the vacancy split, eligibility, exam pattern, fee and the conditions that quietly disqualify people every year.
What are the Key Highlights of IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Indian Overseas Bank (a Government of India undertaking) |
| Advertisement Number | HRDD/RECT/04/2026-27 |
| Total Vacancies | 291 |
| Grades | JMGS I, MMGS II and MMGS III |
| Application Window | 29 August 2026 to 15 September 2026 (closed) |
| Online Examination | 31 October 2026 (Saturday), tentative |
| Admit Card | Shortly (date not announced) |
| Eligibility Cut-off | 1 August 2026 |
| Job Location | Anywhere in India |
| Selection | Online Examination, then Personal Interview |
How Many Vacancies are in IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
The reservation split changes from post to post, so read your own row and not the bottom line. Manager and Senior Manager versions of IT, Information Security, Information Systems Audit and Credit are separate posts with their own seats, ages and experience bars.
| Post (Grade) | Category-wise Vacancies | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Manager – Branch Management (MMGS II) | UR 41 / SC 15 / ST 7 / OBC 27 / EWS 10 | 100 |
| Manager – IT (MMGS II) | UR 25 / SC 10 / ST 5 / OBC 18 / EWS 7 | 65 |
| Manager – Information Security (MMGS II) | UR 0 / SC 1 / ST 1 / OBC 2 / EWS 1 | 5 |
| Manager – | UR 0 / SC 1 / ST 1 / OBC 2 / EWS 1 | 5 |
| Senior Manager – IT (MMGS III) | UR 3 / SC 2 / ST 1 / OBC 3 / EWS 1 | 10 |
| Senior Manager – Information Security (MMGS III) | UR 0 / SC 1 / ST 0 / OBC 1 / EWS 1 | 3 |
| Senior Manager – | UR 0 / SC 1 / ST 1 / OBC 0 / EWS 0 | 2 |
| Senior Manager – Database Administrator (MMGS III) | UR 6 / SC 1 / ST 0 / OBC 2 / EWS 1 | 10 |
| Senior Manager – Network Administrator (MMGS III) | UR 4 / SC 0 / ST 0 / OBC 1 / EWS 0 | 5 |
| Senior Manager – Cyber Security Administrator (MMGS III) | UR 4 / SC 0 / ST 0 / OBC 1 / EWS 0 | 5 |
| Manager – Credit (MMGS II) | UR 11 / SC 8 / ST 3 / OBC 11 / EWS 2 | 35 |
| Senior Manager – Credit (MMGS III) | UR 7 / SC 2 / ST 1 / OBC 4 / EWS 1 | 15 |
| Senior Manager – Risk (MMGS III) | UR 3 / SC 1 / ST 0 / OBC 1 / EWS 1 | 6 |
| Assistant Manager – Security (JMGS I) | UR 13 / SC 3 / ST 1 / OBC 6 / EWS 2 | 25 |
| All posts combined | UR 117 / SC 46 / ST 21 / OBC 79 / EWS 28 | 291 |
Four posts carry zero Unreserved seats — Manager (Information Security), Manager (Information Systems Audit), Senior Manager (Information Security) and Senior Manager (Information Systems Audit). If you are General, those four were closed to you. Senior Manager (Information Systems Audit) also has no OBC and no EWS seat.
PwBD reservation is horizontal: those seats sit inside the 291, and a selected PwBD candidate is counted in his or her own SC, ST, OBC, EWS or UR column.
| Post | PwBD Sub-category | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Manager – Branch Management | HI, OC, VI, ID | 1 each |
| Manager – IT | HI, OC, VI | 1 each |
| Manager – Information Security | HI | 1 |
| Manager – Information Systems Audit | OC | 1 |
| Manager – Credit | OC | 1 |
| Senior Manager – Credit | OC | 1 |
| Assistant Manager – Security | HI | 1 |
What is the Eligibility Criteria for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
Every degree must be from a university or institution recognised by the Government of India. All required experience must be full time, relevant to the post and earned after your qualifying degree, counted up to 1 August 2026.
| Post | Essential Qualification and Experience |
|---|---|
| Manager – Branch Management | Degree in any discipline, plus 3 years as an Officer in a Scheduled Public or Private Sector Bank, of which at least 2 years in Branch Banking |
| Manager – IT | B.E. or B.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication or Electronics and Instrumentation, or MCA, or M.Sc. in Computer Science or IT; 5 years of IT experience including 3 years in Banking or BFSI |
| Manager – Information Security | B.E., B.Tech, M.E. or M.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication, Cyber Security or Information Security; minimum 2 years of experience across at least three named security-testing domains |
| Manager – Information Systems Audit | B.E. or B.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication or Cyber Security, or M.E., M.Tech or MCA; 2 years of experience; CISA, CISSP, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor or OSCP is mandatory |
| Senior Manager – IT | Same degree list as Manager (IT), with 8 years of IT experience including 5 years in Banking or BFSI |
| Senior Manager – Information Security | Same degree list as Manager (Information Security), with minimum 5 years of experience across at least three named security-testing domains |
| Senior Manager – Information Systems Audit | Same degree list as Manager (Information Systems Audit), with 5 years of experience; CISA, CISSP, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor or OSCP is mandatory |
| Senior Manager – Database Administrator | B.E., B.Tech, MCA or M.Sc. in a computing discipline, with 8 years in Database Administration, of which 5 years in production DBA and 3 years in Banking or BFSI; Oracle OCA or OCP is mandatory |
| Senior Manager – Network Administrator | B.E., B.Tech, M.Tech or MCA in a computing discipline, with 5 years in Network Operations; CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security or Check Point CCSE is mandatory |
| Senior Manager – Cyber Security Administrator | B.E., B.Tech, M.E. or M.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication, Cyber Security or Information Security; 5 years across at least two named security domains |
| Manager – Credit | Bachelor’s degree with MBA (Finance), PGDBA, PGDBM or Master of Management Studies (Finance), or CA, or CMA; 3 years in a bank or financial institution of which 2 years in credit |
| Senior Manager – Credit | Same qualification list as Manager (Credit), with 6 years in a bank or financial institution of which 4 years in credit |
| Senior Manager – Risk | Graduation plus MBA (Finance), PGDM (Finance), PGDBF, MFM, MFC or a Master’s in Mathematics, Statistics or Economics, or graduation with FRM from GARP USA or a PRMIA certification; 5 years as an officer in Risk, Credit, Forex, Treasury or Finance |
| Assistant Manager – Security | Graduate, plus a computer certification course of at least 3 months (or an IT or Computer Science paper at graduation level or afterwards). Experience as restated by the 2 September 2026 corrigendum: a Retired JCO (or equivalent) with at least 5 years’ service in the rank of JCO in the Army, Navy or Air Force; or rank equivalent to Inspector with at least 5 years’ service as Sub Inspector and above in Paramilitary Forces; or a Police Officer not below the rank of Inspector with at least 5 years’ service as Sub Inspector and above. |
Nine of the fourteen roles sit in the computer and IT space; Credit and Risk are built for commerce and finance candidates. Assistant Manager (Security) also needs SHAPE-1 medical category (or its service equivalent) except on the PwBD seat, and a service record with no disciplinary or vigilance case.
What is the Age Limit for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
Age is counted as on 1 August 2026, not on the day you apply, and there is no single age band for this advertisement.
| Age as on 1 August 2026 | Posts |
|---|---|
| 22 to 32 years | Manager (Information Security), Manager (Information Systems Audit) |
| 23 to 33 years | Manager (Branch Management), Manager (Credit) |
| 25 to 35 years | Manager (IT), Senior Manager (Information Security), Senior Manager (Information Systems Audit), Senior Manager (Network Administrator), Senior Manager (Cyber Security Administrator), Senior Manager (Credit), Senior Manager (Risk) |
| 28 to 38 years | Senior Manager (IT), Senior Manager (Database Administrator) |
| 30 to 45 years | Assistant Manager (Security) |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including any age relaxation you qualify for. →
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC and ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 10 years |
| Persons affected by the 1984 riots | 5 years |
| Ex-servicemen, ECOs and SSCOs with at least 5 years military service | 5 years |
The upper age shown applies to General and EWS candidates. If you qualify under more than one head, relaxation is cumulative with any one of the remaining heads at serial 3 to 5, but for SC, ST and OBC the final age can never cross 50 years. Carry the certificate to the interview — a relaxation you cannot document is one you do not get. Ex-servicemen get the relaxation but no reservation in the Officers’ cadre.
What is the Salary for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
Pay follows the IBA bank scales, quoted below exactly as the notification prints them.
| Grade | Scale of Pay (Rs.) | Posts in this Grade |
|---|---|---|
| JMGS I | 48480 – 2000/7 – 62480 – 2340/2 – 67160 – 2680/7 – 85290 | Assistant Manager (Security) |
| MMGS II | 64820 – 2340/1 – 67160 – 2680/10 – 93960 | All Manager posts |
| MMGS III | 85920 – 2680/5 – 99320 – 2980/2 – 105280 | All Senior Manager posts |
DA, HRA, CCA and other allowances are paid as per the rules in force. Specialist Officers in MMGS II and III get conveyance, newspaper, telephone, furniture and quarters or leased accommodation from the probation period itself.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Probation — Generalist Officer (Branch Management) | 6 months |
| Probation — Security Officer (JMGS I) | 2 years |
| Probation — every other post | 1 year |
| Indemnity Bond — JMGS I | Rs. 2,00,000, minimum 3 years of active service |
| Indemnity Bond — MMGS II or III | Rs. 2,50,000, minimum 3 years of active service |
What is the Application Fee for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
| Category | Fee (inclusive of GST) |
|---|---|
| SC, ST and PwBD (intimation charges only) | Rs. 175 |
| All other candidates, including OBC and EWS | Rs. 1,000 |
Payment is online only. An application once made cannot be withdrawn, and the fee once paid is never refunded under any circumstances, nor adjusted against another IOB recruitment.
What is the Selection Process for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Online Examination | 100 objective questions carrying 100 marks, duration 2 hours with separate timing per section |
| Personal Interview | 100 marks, assessing role-related industry exposure, subject knowledge and communication skills |
Generalist Officer (Branch Management), Scale II
| Section | Questions / Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 / 25 | 30 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge — Banking Law and Practice, Indian Economy and Financial System, Principles and Practices of Banking, Accounting and Financial Management for Bankers | 75 / 75 | 90 minutes |
| Full paper | 100 / 100 | 2 hours |
All other posts in Scale I, II and III
| Section | Questions / Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 / 25 | 30 minutes |
| General Awareness with special reference to the Banking Industry | 25 / 25 | 30 minutes |
| Professional Knowledge (varies post-wise) | 50 / 50 | 60 minutes |
| Full paper | 100 / 100 | 2 hours |
One-fourth of the marks allotted to a question is deducted for every wrong answer; a question left unattempted carries no penalty. You need at least 30 per cent if you are a reserved candidate and 35 per cent if unreserved. General Awareness and English Language carry no minimum of their own, but Professional Knowledge does. The interview bar is 50 per cent for unreserved and 45 per cent for reserved candidates, and the final merit list carries 80 per cent weight for the online examination and 20 per cent for the interview. Study the exam pattern and syllabus for your specialisation early — Professional Knowledge is set separately for each post. The Bank may call only the required number of candidates after preliminary screening, and can cancel, modify or add to any criterion or method of selection.
When is the IOB SO Exam Date 2026 and Other Important Dates?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 28 August 2026 |
| Online registration opens | 29 August 2026 |
| Fee payment window | 29 August 2026 to 15 September 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 15 September 2026 |
| Age, qualification and experience cut-off | 1 August 2026 |
| Corrigendum issued | 2 September 2026 |
| Exam date notice issued | 9 October 2026 |
| Online examination | |
| Admit card download | Shortly (no date announced yet) |
The examination centres listed are Delhi and NCR, Mumbai and MMR, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The Bank can delete a centre or add others, and no request to change your centre will be entertained.
What Conditions Can Cancel Your IOB SO Recruitment 2026 Candidature?
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Serving Government or PSU staff | You must produce an original No Objection Certificate from your employer at the interview; without it your candidature will not be considered and travelling expenses otherwise admissible will not be paid |
| OBC creamy layer | OBC candidates in the creamy layer, or whose caste is not in the Central List, are not entitled to OBC reservation and must apply as General |
| PwBD “likely to improve” | A disability certificate recording the condition as “likely to improve” under the temporary category is not eligible for reservation |
| Eligibility found short later | If you did not meet any criterion or you suppressed material facts, the candidature stands cancelled whatever the result, and services can be terminated even after appointment |
| Documents at interview | Originals with self-attested photocopies must be produced at the interview, failing which you will not be permitted to attend even though you were called; non-submission debars you from the process |
| Interview call is not approval | Being called for the interview does not mean the Bank is satisfied about your eligibility — it can cancel your candidature at any stage for false information or suppressed facts |
| Interview travel | You attend the interview at your own expense; only outstation, unemployed SC, ST and PwBD candidates are reimbursed to-and-fro second-class ordinary train fare on proof of travel |
| Reserved category, General seat | If no reservation is announced for your category on a post, you are free to apply against the General vacancies of that post provided you meet every eligibility criterion |
| Registration details | Note your unique registration number and password, failing which you will not be able to proceed further |
| Name spelling | Your name and your father’s or husband’s name must be spelt exactly as in your certificates; any alteration may disqualify you |
| Identity proof | Carry the photocopy of your ID with the call letter, failing which you will not be allowed to sit; a Ration Card is not accepted as valid ID |
| Signature rules | A signature that does not match the uploaded one disqualifies you, and a signature or handwritten declaration in capital letters is not accepted |
| Scribe rules | Your scribe must not be a candidate in this recruitment; if that is detected, both candidatures are cancelled |
| Compensatory time | Candidates who did not register for compensatory time will not be allowed that concession |
| Category change | No change of category is permitted at any stage after the online application is registered |
| Address or email change | No request to change your address or email ID for communication will be entertained |
| Interview date | A request to change the interview date will not be entertained |
| Previous employer | Any adverse remark from a previous employer, or any act of misconduct, is a disqualification and makes the candidature liable for cancellation |
| Malpractice | A candidate found indulging in malpractice is disqualified, is liable to be dismissed even after joining, and can be debarred permanently or for a fixed period from IOB recruitment |
| Incomplete application | Incomplete applications, or applications without supporting documents, are rejected outright, and canvassing in any form is a disqualification |
| Ex-serviceman status | An ex-serviceman who has already joined a civil-side government job using the re-employment benefit no longer holds Ex-serviceman status for further employment |
How to Apply Online for IOB SO Recruitment 2026?
The online application window closed on 15 September 2026, so these steps are kept only as a record of how the form worked.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the Bank’s Careers page and click the recruitment link (see Essential Links) |
| 2 | Select the post you want, then click “Click here to Register Online” |
| 3 | Register with a valid personal email ID and mobile number you will keep active for months |
| 4 | Save the registration number and password sent to you by email and SMS |
| 5 | Fill the form and upload your photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration as per Annexure I |
| 6 | Pay online by debit card, credit card, internet banking, BHIM or UPI, then submit and print the e-receipt |
Keep an eye on the email ID you registered with, because call letters are sent by email only. Keep your NOC and experience certificates ready now — both must be produced in original at the interview, and non-submission debars you from the rest of the process.
Essential Links — IOB SO Recruitment 2026
- Online Exam Date Notice (Ref HRDD/RECT/04B/2026-27, 09.10.2026) — exam tentatively 31.10.2026 (Saturday); admit cards shortly
- Corrigendum 02.09.2026 — revised work experience for post code 14 AM (Security); post codes 04/07 renamed (Information Systems Audit)
- Download Original IOB SO Advertisement PDF (HRDD/RECT/04/2026-27)
- Official Notification Page for IOB SO Exam Date 2026 Out
- Visit IOB SO Official Website
- IOB SO Online Application Portal (applications closed on 15 September 2026)
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
With the online exam tentatively fixed for 31 October 2026, the useful thing now is daily practice on English, General Awareness and the Professional Knowledge paper for your own post. Watch your registered email for the call letter, keep your photo ID ready, and check the Bank’s website for any change in the date. Follow GovtJobsAlert.in for the IOB SO admit card and every other banking job notification.