It is extremely important to get in touch with all the relevant details such as the IBPS SO AFO exam pattern that will help you in the preparation process. The IBPS (SO) 2022 exam for the post of Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) will be conducted in online mode. It will consist of three phases -
- Prelims
- Mains
- Interview
Both Prelims & Mains will be conducted online. There will be a negative marking of 1/4th of the marks allotted to each question. No marks will be deducted for an unanswered question.
IBPS AFO Prelims Exam Pattern
All the candidates who are able to clear Prelims will be called for IBPS (SO) AFO Mains. This phase will also be conducted in online mode. There will only be a single test in this phase that will test the ‘Professional Knowledge’ of the candidates. This section will have 60 questions and will carry 1 mark each. The questions will be available bilingually. The time limit will be 45 minutes. 
IBPS AFO Interview
Those who are able to qualify for the IBPS (SO) AFO Mains will be called for the final phase, i.e., the IBPS (SO) AFO Interview. The Interview stage will carry 100 marks. Post Interview, the final scores will be obtained by taking both IBPS AFO Mains & Interview scores into consideration. The candidates who score high in merit will be shortlisted at last. The weightage given to the online exam with respect to the Interview will be 80:20. The minimum qualifying marks will be 40%.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection or the IBPS conducts recruitment drives for commercial (public sector) as well as rural banks in India. It holds separate examinations for various posts such as PO, SO & Clerk.
IBPS (AFO) Highlights
• Conducting Authority - IBPS
• Official Website - https://www.ibps.in/
• Name of the Posts - Specialist Officer (Agriculture Field Officer)
• Stages of Exam Three Stages-
Phase 1 - Preliminary Exam
Phase 2 - Mains Exam
Phase 3 - Interview
• Maximum marks & Time duration
Phase 1 (Preliminary Exam) - 150 marks, 2 hours
Phase 2 (Mains Exam) - 60 marks, 45 minutes
Phase 3 (Interview) - 100 marks
Number of Vacancies - 516
An important aspect of exam preparation is knowing the syllabus. Before you start with your preparation, it will be extremely beneficial for you to take note of the IBPS (SO) AFO syllabus 2022. The IBPS (SO) AFO Prelims will contain questions from QRE (Quants, Reasoning & English Language). Thus, you should first know what you actually need to cover with respect to each of the subjects. In IBPS AFO Mains, the knowledge in your specialized subject will be tested. Have a look at the detailed syllabus below.
Agricultural Field Officer
Introduction to Agriculture & Crop : Seed Technology, Agriculture Economics, Agricultural Practices, Seasonal Crops (Rabi and Kharif)
Soil & Fertility : Soil Resources, Types of Soils in India, Physical Properties of these Soils
Manures & Fertilizers : Green Manures, Fertilizer – types, chemical composition
Cropping Scheme : Crop Rotation, Cropping System, Soil and Crop suitability, Climate and Crops
Irrigation : Sources and Methods of Irrigation, Problems related to Irrigation, Advanced Irrigational Facilities, Important Dams and Rivers that have played a major role in shaping Irrigational Activities
Rural Credit : Agriculture Insurance Schemes, Woman & Child Development Schemes, Role of RRBs, Agricultural Loans and Financing
Vegetable & Fruit Science : Crop Horticulture – Sowing Time & Spacing, Seed Rate, Important Varieties, Herbicides & Pesticides, Plant Diseases, Preservation and Types of Cropping Systems Fruits & Vegetables Preservation Methods
Weeds : Classification of weeds, Merits and Demerits, Weed Control
Surveying : Introduction to Surveying, Classification of Surveying, Benefits and Recent Surveys and Committees
Animal Husbandry : Classifications, Small Industries, Diseases and Causes, Breeding Dairy, Cattle Management, Small Scale Industries and Threats to them
Dairy : Cattle Management, Rearing
Botany : Plant Biotechnology, Agricultural Microbiology, Plant Physiology & Biochemistry, Soil Microbiology
Agriculture Engineering : Farm Machinery & Power, Food Processing, Agricultural Structure, Post Harvest Technology
Miscellaneous : Latest Developments, Recent Discoveries, Latest Bt Crops and related Research, Hybrid.
IBPS had already released the exam calendar for the Specialist Officers’ recruitment process. Before you move on with the online application, you need to know whether you are eligible for the preferred post or not. To ensure successful completion, you need to know the complete IBPS (SO) eligibility criteria 2022.
Any aspirant who wishes to apply for the post of IBPS (SO) Agriculture Field Officer needs to possess the required educational qualification/s. As on November 21, 2022, a candidate who wishes to apply for the post of IBPS Agriculture Field Officer needs to possess a Graduate degree of 4 years in Agriculture or any of the other related discipline/s. To know which of the disciplines are permissible, check out the table given below.
One of the reasons why IBPS (SO) is preferred by a lot of young individuals is, that along with job security, it provides a handsome salary. The IBPS (SO) AFO salary will come around to be Rs. 38800/- (approx.). An Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) posted in Scale I is also entitled to receive other allowances aside from their Bank SO salary, like House Rent Allowance, Dearness Allowance, Special Allowance, Travel Allowance, Medical expenses & also reimbursements for newspapers. The allowances may also be meant for entertainment, cleaning, petrol and mobile expenses.
After you get selected as an IBPS Agriculture Field Officer (AFO), you will have to perform a variety of duties, including fieldwork. The job can be highly challenging and interesting too. An IBPS (SO) Agriculture Field Officer may have to take up many responsibilities. Some basic duties and responsibilities of an IBPS AFO are as follows.
- Disbursing loans to the farmers
- Reviewing agricultural loans
- Promoting rural financing
- Looking into crop failure cases
- Promoting bank’s products in rural areas, specifically among farmers
Adhering to the age criteria is equally necessary as possessing the requisite educational qualifications. To be eligible for the post of Agriculture Field Officer, you need to lie within the specified IBPS Agriculture Field Officer age limit. You will only be eligible if you fall into a specific age bracket mentioned by IBPS. The minimum permissible age for the IBPS (SO) AFO post is 20 years as on November 01, 2022. The maximum IBPS (SO) AFO age limit is 30 years. This means that a candidate must be born on or after November 02, 1992, and on or before November 01, 2002, in order to fit the IBPS (SO) Recruitment 2022 age limit. Read complete details below for IBPS (SO) age limit 2022. 
IBPS provides certain age relaxation to reserved category candidates like SC/ST/OBC/EX servicemen. The relaxation in age varies within the reserved category. If you are eligible for age relaxation, you should ensure that you have the necessary documents related to it when asked for verification. Complete details related to IBPS (SO) AFO age relaxation is provided below. 
In order to apply successfully for IBPS (SO) AFO exam, you should first go through the following step-by-step guide. The application form has to be filled out via online mode. No other mode of application will be acceptable. Therefore, you need to fill in the application very carefully.
- Visit the official website of IBPS to apply for the exam
- Click on the ‘Click here for New Registration’ link
- Fill in details like name, date of birth, contact details, and valid email ID and click on ‘Register’
- A Provisional Registration Number and Password will be generated
- An email and SMS on your registered email ID and a mobile number indicating the same will be sent
- Login again using these credentials to proceed with the IBPS (SO) AFO recruitment application process
- Fill in other details like academic qualification, work experience, preference exam center and others as asked
- Upload scanned images of your recent photograph, signature, thumb impression and handwritten declaration as per the specifications mentioned
- Go through all the details carefully and click on ‘Final Submit’ to proceed to the IBPS (SO) application fees
- Pay the application fee as per your category using a Credit/ Debit card, Net banking, Cash Card, Wallet, and IMPS option
- Take a print of the e-receipt of the online transaction and application form for future reference
The IBPS Agriculture Field Officer is one of the popular posts released by IBPS in its yearly recruitment notification. It is a golden opportunity for those belonging to an agricultural background. To ensure success, you need to get hold of the best books as they are the most important aspect for preparing for this Specialist Officer exam with the best IBPS (SO) AFO study material. It is always essential to ensure that you have the best study material in the form of notes and books to prepare. We have listed the best books for IBPS (SO) AFO exam preparation in the table below.
- IBPS AFO 2012
- IBPS AFO 2013
- IBPS AFO 2014
- IBPS AFO 2015
- IBPS AFO 2016
- IBPS AFO 2017
- IBPS AFO 2018
- IBPS AFO 2019
- IBPS AFO 2020
- IBPS AFO 2021
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