Notification
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025
| Post Name – | IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 | |
| Date – | 15/07/2025 | |
| Short Information – | IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 is critical for the aspirants who want to become an employee of the Intelligence Bureau. Knowing the exam pattern, question type, marking pattern, and section-wise allocation is crucial for strategic preparation. IB ACIO Grade-II/Executive exam is conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and consists of multiple phases, each phase to test some aspects of the candidate’s knowledge, aptitude, and personality. Below, we have presented a tier-wise framework of the IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 with key highlights for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Interview phase. | |
| Intelligence Bureau (IB), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Assistant Central Intelligence Officer (ACIO) Grade-II / Executive More Jobs – jobinfowala.com |
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
| ● Recruitment Authority – | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) |
| ● Organization Name – | Intelligence Bureau (IB) |
| ● Post Name – | ACIO Grade II/Executive |
| ● Mode of Examination – | Tier 1: Objective Type (CBT) Tier 2: Descriptive Type (Offline) |
| ● No. of Questions – | Tier 1: 100 Questions |
| ● Total Marks – | Tier 1: 100 Marks Tier 2: 50 Marks |
| ● Official Website – | mha.gov.in |
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 is a three-step selection process conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is intended to assess a candidate’s knowledge, writing ability, and personality traits. The three stages of IB ACIO exams are:
● Selection Stages
Tier I – Objective Test (100 marks)
Tier II – Descriptive Test (50 marks)
Tier III – Personal Interview (100 marks)
This practice ensures that short-listed candidates are well-balanced, thoughtful, and suitable for both field and desk cadre jobs in the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 for Tier 1
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Marks | Time | |||||
| Current Affairs | 20 | 20 | 1 Hour | |||||
| General Studies | 20 | 20 | ||||||
| Numerical Aptitude | 20 | 20 | ||||||
| Reasoning & Logical Aptitude | 20 | 20 | ||||||
| English Language | 20 | 20 | ||||||
| Total | 100 | 20 | 1 Hour | |||||
| ● Mode of Exam The IB ACIO Tier 1 examination is conducted online in the shape of a Computer-Based Test (CBT). Candidates attempt the test at the center allotted to them on a computer terminal, thus making the process fair and uniform throughout the country. ● Type of Questions • The question paper contains objective-type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). • There are four options for each question with only one correct answer. • This kind of question checks accuracy, speed, and knowledge about the subject. ● Total Questions & Sections There are 100 questions altogether, equally divided into five segments: • Current Affairs • General Studies • Numerical Aptitude • Reasoning & Logical Aptitude • English Language There are 20 questions in each segment. ● Total Marks • Total marks for the Tier 1 paper are 100. • There is 1 mark for each question. Equal importance is given to all segments, hence the preparation should be balanced. ● Negative Marking • There is a 0.25 mark negative marking for every wrong answer. Applicants must not guess randomly in order to avoid waste of scores. | ||||||||
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 for Tier II
The IB ACIO Tier 2 Exam 2025 is conducted in offline mode (pen-and-paper) and is a descriptive test. It tests the writing ability of a candidate in a clear and analytical way through sections like essay writing, comprehension, and précis writing. The test carries a total of 50 marks and has to be completed within 60 minutes. All answers must be in English only, since answers in any other language will not be evaluated. This step is significant in the final decision, as it examines a candidate’s command of English, clarity of thought, and writing ability.
| Papers | Maximum Marks | Time | |||||||
| Essay Writing | 20 | 1 Hour | |||||||
| English Comprehension & Précis Writing | 30 | ||||||||
| Total | 50 | 1 Hour | |||||||
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 for Tier III
Tier III is the final but most critical phase of IB ACIO 2025 recruitment. It involves a personal one-to-one interview, intended to assess the candidate’s fitness for employment in the Intelligence Bureau as an entity.
| Feature | Description | |||||
| Mode of Exam | Face-to-Face Interview | |||||
| Total Marks | 100 | |||||
| Assessment Components | Personality Traits, Communication Skills, General Awareness, Mental Alertness, Confidence & Behavior | |||||
| Additional Test | May include a Psychometric or Aptitude Test | |||||
| Merit List Criteria | Combined score of Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Tier 3 determines final selection | |||||
Final Merit Calculation – IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025
| Stage | Maximum Marks | Included in Final Merit | |||||
| Tier I | 100 | Yes | |||||
| Tier II | 50 | Yes | |||||
| Tier III | 100 | Yes | |||||
| Total | 250 | Yes | |||||
| • It’s shortlisted based on their total performance. In case of a tie, preference is to Tier II score, then age (older candidate placed higher preferentially), as per Ministry of Home Affairs regulations. | |||||||
Normalization in IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025
If the IB ACIO Tier I exam is conducted in shifts, normalization is done to ensure equity. This is done by adjusting the scores to account for variations in the difficulty levels of exams conducted in different sessions. Normalized scores are calculated based on a standard statistical formula and used to shortlist candidates for Tier II. This ensures no candidate is unfairly disadvantaged or benefited due to shift-based differences in difficulty.
Importance of Understanding IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 plays an important role in deciding the preparation strategy of a candidate. Each level is specifically designed to test different competencies:
- Tier I tests speed, accuracy, and general aptitude with time constraints.
- Tier II tests clarity of expression, subject analysis capability, and effective communication skills.
- Tier III tests communication, awareness, and personality through personal interview.
Having a correct understanding of the exam pattern assists aspirants in:
- Making best use of time across subjects
- Choosing high-scoring and weak areas
- Choosing correct study material and mock papers
- Formulating tier-wise strategies
- Feeling confident to appear for the exam
Ultimately, the exam pattern is reflective of the multi-faceted nature of the ACIO role in the Intelligence Bureau. Practicing using this pattern as a reference improves the chances of success at each step.
IB ACIO Recruitment 2025 – Selection Process
| Tier | Type | Details | ||||
| Tier-I | Objective Test | • 100 Marks, Duration: 60 minutes • Sections: General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, English, General Studies • Negative Marking: ¼ for each wrong answer | ||||
| Tier-II | Descriptive Test | • 50 Marks • Essay Writing: 30 Marks • English Comprehension & Précis Writing: 20 Marks | ||||
| Tier-II | Interview | • 00 Marks • Assessment of personality, intelligence, and aptitude | ||||
| Important Links | ||
| Official Short Notification PDF | Click Here | |
| Apply Online | Click Here | |
| Application Process | Click Here | |
| Official Ministry of Home Affairs | Click Here | |
| IB ACIO Previous Year Question Papers | Click Here | |
| IB ACIO Syllabus | Click Here | |
| Official Website | Click Here | |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Click Here | |
| Join Telegram Channel | Click Here | |
Other Job & Result Notification or Information
IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 – FAQs
Q1. How many stages are there in the IB ACIO 2025 exam?
Ans: There are three stages –
Tier I: Objective Test (100 Marks)
Tier II: Descriptive Test (50 Marks)
Tier III: Interview (100 Marks)
Q2. Is there negative marking in the Tier I exam?
Ans: Yes, 0.25 marks will be deducted for each wrong answer in the Tier I objective test.
Q3. What is the mode of the IB ACIO Tier I exam?
Ans: The Tier I exam is conducted in online mode as a Computer-Based Test (CBT).
Q4. What type of questions are asked in Tier II?
Ans: Tier II is a descriptive paper. It includes Essay Writing, Precis Writing, and English Comprehension.
Q5. Is Tier II paper evaluated if Tier I is not cleared?
Ans: No. Only candidates who qualify Tier I are eligible for Tier II evaluation.
Q6. What is the language of Tier II?
Ans: The Tier II paper must be written in English only. Answers in any other language are not accepted.
Q7. What is the duration of Tier I and Tier II exams?
Ans:
Tier I: 60 minutes
Tier II: 60 minutes
Q8. Is the interview mandatory for final selection?
Ans: Yes, the Tier III interview is a crucial part of the selection process and carries 100 marks.
Q9. Will the final merit be based on all tiers?
Ans: Yes, the final merit list is prepared based on combined scores of Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III (Total: 250 marks).
Q10. Is normalization applied in Tier I?
Ans: Yes, if the exam is conducted in multiple shifts, a normalization process is applied to ensure fairness.
Conclusion :
The IB ACIO Exam Pattern 2025 is written cautiously to measure the general aptitude, writing skill, and personality alignment of a candidate for the Intelligence Bureau. Proper knowledge of tier wise pattern Objective Test (Tier 1), Descriptive Test (Tier 2), and Personal Interview (Tier 3) is crucial for correct preparation and achievement. Candidates should prepare well in all phases, manage their time efficiently, and become confident to clear each phase. Keeping oneself aware of official alerts and preparation using mock tests has the ability to improve performance to a great extent. Good understanding of the exam pattern will open doors to getting the highly sought-after job of ACIO Grade II.
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