IOB LBO Syllabus 2026: Exam Pattern, Section-wise Marks, and Topics
Indian Overseas Bank released the LBO Syllabus alongside its Local Bank Officer Recruitment 2026-27 notification for 250 JMGS-I vacancies. Here’s the complete exam pattern, section-wise marks, and topic list to guide your preparation.
Quick Overview
| Conducting Body | Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) |
| Post | Local Bank Officer (LBO), JMGS-I |
| Total Vacancies | 250 |
| Total Questions | 140 |
| Total Marks | 200 |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours (sectional timing) |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks per wrong answer |
Selection Process
- Online Examination — 140 questions, 200 marks, no sectional cutoff
- Language Proficiency Test (LPT) — only for candidates without a Class 10/12 local-language mark sheet
- Personal Interview — 100 marks, 50% qualifying (45% for reserved categories)
- Final merit: Online Exam and Interview weighted 80:20
Section-wise Exam Pattern
- Reasoning and Computer Aptitude — 30 questions, 60 marks, 60 minutes
- General/Economy/Banking Awareness — 40 questions, 40 marks, 30 minutes
- Data Analysis and Interpretation — 30 questions, 60 marks, 60 minutes
- English Knowledge — 40 questions, 40 marks, 30 minutes
Syllabus Topics by Section
English Knowledge
- Cloze Test
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Fill in the Blanks
- Reading Comprehension
- Error Detection
- Grammar Usage
- Synonyms and Antonyms
General/Economy/Banking Awareness
- Financial Institutions in India
- Government Schemes and Policies
- Banking Terms and Concepts
- Current Affairs (last 6 months)
- RBI Functions and Monetary Policy
- Static GK
- Indian Economy and Budget
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
- Internet and Networking Basics
- MS Office
- Coding-Decoding
- Puzzles and Seating Arrangement
- Input-Output
- Data Sufficiency
- Blood Relations
- Syllogism
Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Data Sufficiency
- Caselet DI
- Probability
- Time and Work
- Permutation and Combination
- Percentage and Ratio
- Tables, Pie Charts, Bar/Line Graphs
Preparation Tips
- Prioritise Reasoning & Aptitude and Data Analysis & Interpretation — 60 marks each in fewer questions, so accuracy pays off more.
- Practice full mock tests under sectional timing, since each section has its own fixed duration.
- Build a daily banking current affairs habit for the last 6 months.
- Revise grammar rules alongside comprehension practice for English Knowledge.
- Start LPT preparation early if you didn’t study the local language in Class 10/12.
- Given the 80:20 exam-to-interview weightage, prioritise written exam prep first.
Official Links
Official Website: iob.in
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are in the IOB LBO exam?
140 objective-type questions across four sections.
Is there negative marking?
Yes — 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer; no penalty for skipped questions.
What is the final merit weightage?
80% Online Exam, 20% Personal Interview.
Who needs to take the LPT?
Only candidates who haven’t studied the local language of their applied state as a Class 10/12 subject.
Cross-check topic-level detail against the official IOB LBO notification PDF once the syllabus annexure is confirmed, since this topic list follows the standard pattern from the previous recruitment cycle.