Tips and Tricks to Get Selected in IBPS AFO on the First Attempt

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Update on 10 Sep, 2025, 10:42 AM IST

Tips and Tricks to Get Selected in IBPS AFO on the First Attempt: IBPS AFO Mains exam is scheduled for November 9th, 2025. Candidates are expected to thoroughly study all topics related to agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, and government schemes. These are some of the most important topics for IBPS AFO Mains. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection(IBPS) selects agriculture applicants for the Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) position each year through the IBPS AFO Recruitment. This exam is being conducted for over 310 seats. Candidates for this exam need to have a 4-year Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. The Age limit has been set between 20 years to 30 years, except for reserved candidates.

 

Also Read: B.Sc. in Agriculture

 

Table of Contents

  1. IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus for Prelims, Mains, and Interview
  2. IBPS AFO 2025: Exam Pattern
  3. Tips and Tricks to Crack IBPS AFO in First Attempt: Preparation Strategy
  4. IBPS AFO 2025: Reference Books

 

IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus for Prelims, Mains, and Interview

IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus has two main phases. The preliminary exam and the mains exam each have a different idea. The mains is focused on professional knowledge relating to agriculture, whereas the prelims checks an applicant on various aptitude-related areas like quantitative aptitude, reasoning, and English language. The syllabus of both stages of the AFO exam is presented in a detailed manner. The most important tips and tricks to crack IBPS AFO in the First Attempt are to go through the syllabus thoroughly.

 

IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus for Prelims

The syllabus for the preliminary stage for IBPS AFO 2025 has a total of 5 subjects with various topics required to be covered for different exams. Some of the topics for the same are provided in bullets, and they are:

Subjects

Topics

Reasoning

  • Puzzles
  • Seating Arrangement
  • Inequalities
  • Blood Relations
  • Syllogism
  • Order and Ranking
  • Input-Output
  • Alphanumeric Series
  • Data Sufficiency
  • Coding-Decoding
  • Distance and Direction
  • Verbal and Nonverbal Reasoning

English Language

  • Cloze Test
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Improving Sentences and Paragraphs
  • Completion of paragraphs
  • Para jumbling
  • Detection of Errors
  • Fill in the blanks
  • Parts of speech
  • Prepositions
  • Modes of narration
  • Voice Change

Quantitative Aptitude

  • Number Series
  • Data Interpretation
  • Simplification
  • Quadratic Equations
  • Data Sufficiency
  • Ratio and Proportion
  • Discounts
  • Averages
  • Mixtures
  • Percentages
  • Profit and Loss
  • Time-Work and Distance
  • Rate of Interest
  • Probability
  • Permutation and Combination

 

IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus for Mains

The topics to be covered for the mains examination include Agriculture in India, its practices, horticulture, and agriculture in finance, along with various other topics. The topics and subtopics for the same are presented:

Topics

Sub-Topics

Agriculture in India

  • Agriculture in India
  • Types of Cultivation
  • Major Crops of India
  • Irrigation in India
  • Agriculture-based Research Institutes in India
  • Animal Husbandry in India
  • Genetically Modified Crops, etc.

Agricultural Practices

  • Soil preparation
  • Sowing
  • Manuring
  • Irrigation
  • Weeding
  • Harvesting
  • Storage

Horticulture

  • Amateur horticulture
  • Commercial horticulture
  • Horticulture: grow fruits and vegetables

Agriculture Finance

  • Short-term Loans
  • Medium/Long-term Loan
  • Crop Loan and Kisan Credit Card
  • Agricultural Term Loan
  • Land Development
  • Minor Irrigation
  • Farm Mechanisation
  • Finance to Horticulture
  • Land Purchase
  • Lead Bank Scheme
  • Agriculture Advances
  • Advance Against Warehouse, Receipts
  • Produce Marketing Scheme
  • Crop Insurance Scheme
  • Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana
  • Financing of combine harvesters
  • Financing of Tractors and Old Tractors
  • Advance against Gold//Silver ornaments
  • River Lift Irrigation Schemes
  • Forums for Coordination
  • Service Area Approach
  • State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), Preparation of Credit Plan

Cultivation and Harvesting

  • Cultivation Techniques and Practices
  • Harvesting Techniques and Practices
  • Post-Harvest Technology

Soil Science

  • Tillage, Nutrient deficiencies, Fertilizer, and fertilizer consumption
  • Soil Types Characteristics
  • Indian soil
  • Type of facts: soil-related fact
  • Green manure

Agriculture Economics

  • Basics of Agricultural Economics
  • Agriculture cost and scheme

Irrigation Methods

  • Lift Irrigation
  • Drip Irrigation
  • Sprinkler Irrigation Self-Help

Help Groups

  • Introduction
  • Need Structure and Functions of Self-Help Group
  • Self-Help Groups and SGSY Scheme

Government Schemes

  • Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)
  • Million Wells Scheme (MWS)
  • Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana
  • Self-Employment Programme (USEP)
  • Urban Women Self-Help Programme (Revolving Fund)
  • Skill Training for Employment Promotion Amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP)
  • Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP)
  • Urban Community Development Network (UCDN)
  • Community Structures Urban Programme for Poverty Reduction amongst SCs and STs (UPPS)
  • Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
  • Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY)
  • Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers (SLRS)
  • Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual
  • Scavengers (SRMS)

Seed Technology

  • Basics of Seed Science
  • Different Seed Tests

Miscellaneous

  • Plant Pathology
  • Entomology
  • Rearing of animals
  • Agricultural Machinery
  • Dairy Science
  • Important points regarding plants, fruits vegetables
  • Different Diseases
  • Agriculture Current Affairs
  • Different insurance schemes regarding agriculture
  • Animal husbandry and technology

 

IBPS AFO 2025 Syllabus for Interview

For qualifying for the IBPS AFO, minimum marks in the IBPS AFO Mains exam must be achieved by each applicant, and they must also receive enough marks to be selected for an interview. The Participating Banks will conduct the IBPS AFO Interviews, while the Nodal Bank in each state, UT, or region will coordinate the process. The interview will of 100 marks. The online main exam and the interview will have an 80:20(ratio) of marks.

 

IBPS AFO 2025: Exam Pattern

Candidates are required to understand the exam format to pass the preliminary exam, which is the beginning step in the IBPS AFO selection process. Another of the most important tips and tricks to crack IBPS AFO in the First Attempt is to have a good knowledge of the exam pattern.

  • The IBPS AFO Prelims exam will consist of objective-style questions.
  • The exam will take two hours, or 120 minutes, in total.
  • One-fourth of the total points given for a question are subtracted for each wrong response.
  • The IBPS AFO Preliminary exam will be taken online.

Sections

No. of Questions

Marks

Duration

Reasoning

50

50

40 minutes

English Language

50

25

40 minutes

Quantitative Aptitude

50

50

40 minutes

Total

150

125

120 minutes

The second step in the IBPS AFO selection process is the Mains test. The candidates thoroughly understand the format of the mains test. Important details and data related to the IBPS AFO Main exam pattern 2025 are provided below.

  • The IBPS AFO Mains exam will consist of objective-style questions.
  • The exam will be for forty-five minutes in total.
  • There will be negative marking; ¼ of the total marks will be deducted for wrong answers, and marks will be given for the correct answer
  • The IBPS AFO Mains exam will be conducted online.

Name of Test

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Duration

Professional Knowledge

60

60

45 minutes

Total

60

60

45

Check: SSC CGL 2025, SSC CHSL 2025

 

Tips and Tricks to Crack IBPS AFO in First Attempt: Preparation Strategy

Tips and tricks to crack IBPS AFO in the first attempt require a candidate to understand the preparation strategy for 2025 very well. It tells the preparation tips and the points to focus on before taking an examination.

Exam Stage

Section

What to Focus On

Preparation Tips

Prelims

English Language

Reading Comprehension, Error Spotting, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles

To increase vocabulary, read editorials, work on your grammar, and practise every day.

Quantitative Aptitude

Simplification, Data Interpretation, Arithmetic (Time, Work, Profit & Loss, etc.)

Revise formulas, solve practice sets frequently, and learn shortcuts.

Reasoning Ability

Puzzles, Seating Arrangements, Syllogism, Blood Relations, Inequality

Concentrate on correctness, finish previous assignments, and take timed practice exams.

Mains

Professional Knowledge

Agronomy, Soil Science, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Agri Schemes, Current Affairs

Make brief notes, edit every day, and practise multiple-choice questions centred around agriculture.

Interview

Personal Interview

Basic Agriculture Knowledge, Practical Understanding, Awareness of Schemes

Maintain your composure, review your graduation coursework, and keep up with agricultural news.

 

IBPS AFO 2025: Reference Books

Some of the most important tips and tricks to crack IBPS AFO on the first attempt are to read authentic reference books for preparation. The market is filled with multiple books, which can have multiple errors in them. Some of the best books are-

Book Name

Author/Publisher

Purpose

Agriculture at a Glance

R.K. Sharma

Covers theory topics, suitable for revision

Objective Agriculture

S.R. Kantwa

MCQs for practice

Agriculture Exam Guide

Arihant Publications

For mains + basics in one place

ICAR UG/PG Study Material

ICAR

Detailed concepts from the university curriculum

Monthly Agriculture Current Affairs

Various Coaching Sources

Important for scheme-related and recent topics

IBPS AFO exam is specifically for candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. An agriculture candidate needs to have an overall knowledge about the questions that are asked in prelims, mains and interview. The candidates should study the reference books diligently to prepare for a highly competitive exam like the IBPS AFO.

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