IBPS Agriculture Field Officer (AFO)

Introduction:

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is the principal organization responsible for recruiting candidates for various banking jobs. Every year, it conducts online exams to select candidates for the Specialist Officer (SO) posts in different fields. These roles include Agriculture Field Officer, IT Officer, Marketing Officer, Law Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, and HR/Personnel Officer. The AFO is a specialized position under the IBPS framework, responsible for agricultural credit management and supporting rural financing.

Exam Overview:

• Vacancies: Approx. 500-700 (varies yearly)

• Post: Agricultural Field Officer (Scale I)

• Selection Process: Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview

• Conducting Body: IBPS

• Website: https://www.ibps.in/

Eligibility Criteria:

• Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary Science, or related fields.

• Age Limit: 20–30 years (age relaxations apply).

Exam Details:

Exam is conducted in three stages

• Stage-I (Preliminary Examination): The preliminary exam is a qualifying exam and the marks scored by the candidates are not counted in the final merit list preparation. It is Online Objective exam consisting of 3 sections and there is negative Marking of ¼ for every question.

• Stage-II (Mains Examination): The candidates who are qualified in the prelim's examination are eligible to appear for the Mains Examination. The mains examination is conducted for 60 marks in Online Mode.

• Stage-III (Interview): The candidates who are qualified in the mains examination are eligible to attend the interview. The interview will be conducted for a total of 100 marks. The minimum qualifying marks in the interview will not be less than 40% for UR and 35% for SC/ ST/ OBC/ PWD candidates.

Syllabus: Click on the link for exam syllabus https://www.agriaddict.in/blog/ibps-afo-syllabus-latest-exam-syllabus-study-guide

Previous Year Questions papers: https://www.agriaddict.in/s/pages/ibps%20afo%20mains%20previous%20year%20question%20papers

Job Profile

• Promoting agriculture-related loan products

• Conducting field visits to assess agricultural projects

• Preparing credit proposals and recovery plans

• Ensuring compliance with government schemes

Salary

Basic Pay: Rs. 36,000 – Rs. 38,000

Gross Monthly Salary: Approximately Rs. 52,000 – Rs. 55,000 (varies by location and allowances)

Application Fee

• General/OBC: Rs. 850

• SC/ST/PWD: Rs. 175

Preparation Strategy

• Study agricultural concepts in-depth.

• Solve mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.

• Stay updated on current agricultural trends.