Overview of Banking Exams

Types of Banking Exams in India

1. IBPS Exams:

• IBPS PO: Probationary Officer exam for various public sector banks.
• IBPS SO: Specialist Officer exam for roles like IT Officer, HR Officer, Marketing Officer, etc.
• IBPS Clerk: Clerical cadre exam for public sector banks.
• IBPS RRB: Exams for various posts in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), including Officer Scale I, II, III, and Office Assistants.

2. SBI Exams:

• SBI PO: Probationary Officer exam for the State Bank of India.
• SBI SO: Specialist Officer exam for various specialized roles in SBI.
• SBI Clerk: Junior Associate exam for clerical positions in SBI.

3. RBI Exams:

• RBI Grade B: Officer-level exam for positions in the Reserve Bank of India.
• RBI Assistant: Exam for Assistant positions in RBI.

4. Other Banking Exams:

• NABARD: Exams for various positions in the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
• LIC AAO: Assistant Administrative Officer exam for the Life Insurance Corporation of India.
• Insurance Exams: Exams for various roles in insurance companies like NIACL, OICL, UIIC.

Common Features of Banking Exams

1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims):

• Objective type.
• Tests reasoning ability, quantitative aptitude, and English language.
• Serves as a screening test for the Main examination.

2. Main Examination (Mains):

• Objective and/or descriptive type.
• Tests reasoning ability, quantitative aptitude, general awareness, English language, and professional knowledge (for specialist roles).
• Includes sections on banking awareness and financial knowledge.

3. Interview:

• Conducted for selected candidates after the Mains exam.
• Assesses personal suitability for the banking role, communication skills, and subject knowledge.

4. Final Selection:

• Based on the cumulative score of Mains and Interview.
• Prelims scores are not considered in the final merit list.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Educational Qualification:

• Varies by exam and position.
• Generally requires a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
• Specialist Officer roles may require specific professional qualifications or degrees.

2. Age Limit:

• Varies by exam.
• Generally between 20 to 30 years for most exams, with relaxations for reserved categories.

Preparation Tips

• Understand the Syllabus and Exam Pattern: Familiarize yourself with the detailed syllabus and exam pattern for each stage.
• Regular Practice: Practice previous years' question papers and take mock tests regularly.
• Time Management: Develop a study schedule and manage your time effectively.
• Current Affairs: Stay updated with the latest news and events, especially in the banking and financial sectors.
• Conceptual Clarity: Focus on understanding concepts rather than rote learning.
• Revision: Regularly revise the topics you have studied to retain information.

Detailed Syllabus for Banking Exams

1. Reasoning Ability:

• Topics: Puzzles, seating arrangement, coding-decoding, inequality, syllogism, blood relations, direction sense, input-output, logical reasoning.

2. Quantitative Aptitude:

• Topics: Simplification, number series, data interpretation, quadratic equations, profit and loss, time and work, time and distance, percentage, ratio and proportion, simple and compound interest, mensuration.

3. English Language:

• Topics: Reading comprehension, cloze test, para jumbles, fill in the blanks, error spotting, sentence improvement, vocabulary.

4. General Awareness:

• Topics: Current affairs, banking awareness, economic news, static GK, financial awareness.

5. Professional Knowledge (for Specialist Officer roles):

• Topics: Varies according to the specific role (IT, HR, Marketing, etc.).

Useful Links

• For more updates refer to IBPS portal.
• For a career in SBI refer to their official website.
• For a career in RBI refer to their official website.