Bank Exams

Bank exams are conducted in India for recruiting candidates into several banking services. The Indian banking sector includes private banks, nationalized banks and also involves specialized banking. An all-India examination is conducted by the private sector banks. Mostly all banks in India utilize classified ads for advertizing their vacancies.

Eligibility and Application Procedure for Bank Exams

The Indian banking sector includes co-operative as well as commercial banks. These banks advertise their various vacancies in the newspaper and recruit candidates after taking an entrance exam. Eligibility criteria for various positions may differ from bank to bank. Graduates from any discipline are eligible to appear for the bank examinations conducted by commercial banking sector.

Most of the private banks hire Ist class graduates for their officer trainee positions whereas the public sector banks tend to recruit Ist class graduates as probationary officers. Private Banks mostly do not hire people at the clerical cadre, though public sector banks hire candidates with +2 or graduation degree at the clerical level.

The candidates interested in joining Reserve Bank of India as RBI officers “Grade A/B” are required to take an exam conducted by RBI service board. A person should of minimum 30 year’s age and can be a CA/MBA/Postgraduate.

Foreign banks or private banks select candidates on the basis of their merit for the position of the officer from the parent organization.

Nationalized banks and state banks hold an entrance test to select the appropriate candidates. The person is required to be in the age bracket of 18-26 and it is mandatory that the candidate has a graduation degree. Nationalized Commercial banks select candidates for the post of Probationary Officers (PO). A candidate holding a graduation degree can apply up to 28 years for clerical and 30 years for PO post respectively. 

Admission Process & Banking Exam Patterns

Reserve Bank of India- The examination is conducted at an all India level for the class 1 posts. RBI exam includes English fluency and mental ability tests.

Private/ Foreign banks- The recruitment process is conducted at renowned institutes like University of Mumbai, University of Delhi, Xavier Labor Relations Institute and  IIMs.

State bank and other nationalized banks- The candidates have to successfully go through a written test followed by a personal interview to be recruited for the designation of probationer officer. Central Recruitment Board (SBI) conducts the selection process.

Nationalized Commercial Banks- IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) takes the responsibility of advertising about these vacancies.

The entrance exams in the banking sector generally contain a written test followed by personal interview/group discussion.