The banking sector is said to recruit thousands of aspirants every year into various posts, be it Officer or Clerk. This industry forms the backbone of the financial services provided to the common man in the country and to get a job in this sector is a matter of pride and delight.
This year too, the bank recruitments have started and aspirants looking forward to applying for the various posts must kickstart their preparation. Further in this article, we have discussed in detail the ten things that one must know about one of the highest level banking sector exams conducted in the country, the Probationary Officer exam by IBPS.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection is the autonomous body that is responsible for managing the recruitment drives for various Public Sector Banks. It must be known that the entire recruitment process continues for about 6 months, which start from the release of notification and finally ends with the provisional shortlisting of candidates. To download the IBPS PO Notification, aspirants can visit the linked article.
All You Need to Know about IBPS Probationary Officer Exam 2021
- Bank PO Recruitment – The official announcement or the notification released on the IBPS website comprises details like the important exam dates, eligibility, application process, salary, probation, documents required, etc. It marks the first step of the recruitment drive. This is followed by the release of admit cards, the conduct of online exams and result declaration
- Documents/Details for Online Application and Registration – The applicant needs to enter their educational qualification along with the marks scored in the application form. Apart from this, a scanned copy of the candidate’s photograph, signature, thumb impression and a hand-written declaration is also to be attached along with the registration form. The application fee for SC/ST/PWD is Rs.175/-, while that for General and Others is Rs.850/-
- Eligibility – Three key criteria are notified by the conducting body. These include:
- Indian Nationality
- Age between 20 and 30 years, with age restrictions applicable for certain categories
- Minimum a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised University
- Exam Dates – The tentative exam schedule for 2021 is already out. Given below are the important dates:
- Prelims – October 9, 10, 16 and 17, 2021
- Mains – November 27, 2021
- Interview – January/February 2022
- Syllabus and Exam Pattern – The IBPS PO exam is held in three stages: Prelims, Mains and Interview. While prelims are only qualifying in nature, the final merit is decided based on the marks scored in Mains and Interview. The first phase is entirely objective type and the second is both objective and descriptive
- Marking Scheme – Prelims comprises 100 questions, with 1 mark allotted to each question. Mains comprises 150 objective and 2 descriptive questions and the maximum marks are 225. A negative marking of 0.25 is also applicable for every wrongly answered question in both the stages of the online examination
- Previous Year Cut Off Marks – To get an estimate of the complexity or standard of examination, candidates can either refer to exam analysis from the past years or can take assistance from the cut off trend over the years. An expected cut off can also be estimated
- Salary & Growth – One of the major driving forces for candidates to opt for this job profile is the salary offered. Along with high salaries, multiple perks, allowances and benefits are also available for the employees. There also are various opportunities for growth within the organisation with internal promotions available
- Probation – Candidates are appointed to probation of two years, wherein their performance is monitored. This probation period is only extendable if the organisation is not satisfied with the performance of its employee
- Preparation Strategy – Considering the syllabus and the pressure of qualifying the paper, setting up a strategic preparation strategy is highly recommended. Solve mock tests, practise exercises based on every topic, do a detailed analysis of the previous year paper, make proper notes, gather the necessary study material and look for external assistance, if needed.
All the above-mentioned points cover the important details which one must be aware of before applying for the Bank PO exam. The 2021 recruitment is yet to start and candidates awaiting the release of the application form can visit the IBPS PO Apply Online page and gather all the important details about the online registration.
One must remember that with the increasing competition in this sector, only hard work and dedication can help you crack the exam. Thus, without getting off the track and with a positive mindset, candidates must start off with their preparation.
