Banking Exams in India are conducted by private, public sector and regional banks including authorities like IBPS. The recruitment of the candidates is conducted through Preliminary exam, Mains exam and a final interview.
In India, banking has been considered one of the most pursued professional paths for decades. Every year, thousands of aspirants take bank exams like IBPS Clerk, IBPS PO, IBPS RRB, RBI Grade, SBI PO, etc., to land a job at one of the nation’s reputable banks. These bank examinations are held annually at a national level. Candidates who wish to pursue a profession in banking should be aware of all banking tests and begin preparing. The complete list of all upcoming bank exams can be found here.
Every year public sector banks and private sector banks conduct various banking exams. These exams are conducted once or twice a year. The exam-conducting authorities are different for different types of banks. Although, recruitment for most national public banks, exams are conducted by an autonomous body IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection). IBPS comes under the Ministry of Finance and conducts recruitment exams for various regional rural banks, cooperative banks, and a few private banks such as South Indian Bank. SBI is the only large public sector bank that conducts its exam itself
Multiple exam stages are included in the selection process for bank employment –
Bank positions come with good pay, job security, allowances (DA, HRA, medical, travel, etc.), and benefits. All of these perks motivate people to apply for banks. Candidates interested in working in the financial sector have excellent career prospects. Numerous regional and public sector banks in India hire thousands of individuals through various banking exams for positions such as:
Candidates must have graduated from a recognized university in any discipline to qualify for the various banking exams. After completing graduation, candidates can apply for banking exams.
Also read about other Upcoming Govt Exams 2024-25
IBPS (Institute of banking personnel selection) was established in 1975. It is an autonomous body responsible for recruiting banking personnel for national and public sector banks. When the banks were nationalized, there was no proper system of recruitment for the candidates, after which, IBPS was established. IBPS helps in the recruitment of candidates in all government banks except SBI. The governing body of IBPS involves the nominees from RBI, the Ministry of finance of Govt. Of India, IIT Mumbai, and other esteemed financial institutions.
When IBPS conducts exams, candidates can choose the bank they want to apply to. Banks that participate with IBPS in conducting various exams are:
IBPS conducts most of its exams in two phases- preliminary and main. Most of the banking exams of IBPS also have interviews.
IBPS PO is a national-level exam conducted online, and the recruitment process includes,
The IBPS PO prelims exam is scheduled for 11th October 2025, while the Mains exam will take place on 29th November 2025. Candidates interested in applying must hold a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university in any discipline.
The IBPS PO Exam syllabus includes a general examination of the candidate’s logical and general knowledge. The IBPS PO (probationary officer) exam syllabus covers many subjects such as
The exam syllabus varies in terms of the degree of difficulty for each phase.
Salary – INR 57289 per month
To fill positions with several Public Sector Banks, the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) holds an IBPS Specialist Officer Recruitment.
The positions for which vacancies are released:
The recruitment process includes,
Salary – INR 38000 – INR 39000 per month
IBPS holds an annual national banking exam called the IBPS RRB for applicants who wish to work for the Regional Rural Banks. Around 43 RRB banks participate in the recruitment process.
Every year, all of the participating Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in the nation issue invitations to banking hopefuls who want to apply for IBPS RRB Officers Scale II positions. The exam is responsible for recruitment for Treasury, Marketing, Agriculture Officer, and Information Technology positions. The selection phase includes:
The IBPS RRB Scale 2 exam will take place on 13th September 2025, with eligibility criteria requiring candidates to be between 21 and 32 years old.
Subjects:
Positions offered are:
Salary – INR 75000 – INR 77000 per month
IBPS RRB Scale 3 is a national-level banking exam. The exam conducts Group A and B employment and takes place for the recruitment of Senior Managers
The applicants who wish to work for RRBs must check the selection criteria:
The IBPS RRB Scale 3 exam will be held on 13th September 2025, with an age requirement of 21 to 40 years for eligibility
Salary – INR 75000 – INR 90000 per month
An IBPS RRB Clerk is responsible for updating account holders’ passbooks. Accountable for keys, various critical documents, and bank currency. Demand draught (DD) issuance, customer bank accounts, cash receipts, etc.
The exam is conducted in two stages:
The IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims exam is scheduled for September 2025, while the Mains exam will take place in November 2025. Candidates must be between 18 and 28 years old to be eligible.
Subjects:
There won’t be any interviews to choose candidates for the position of office assistant. Selection will be based solely on the candidate’s performance in the Main Examination.
Position – Clerical
Salary – INR 21000 – 23000 per month
IBPS conducts the IBPS RRB PO Exam each year to select candidates for the positions of Assistant and Officer Cadre in the Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) located around the nation. Selected candidates will be responsible for various office duties, including passbook printing, account opening, fund/balance transfers, cash transactions, payment withdrawals, and cash counter administration.
The exam is conducted into three phases:
IBPS RRB Assistant and IBPS RRB Officers have nearly identical syllabuses for IBPS RRB 2025. A professional knowledge portion is also required for the Specialist Officer Grade II, in addition to the sections listed below.
The subjects evaluated for prelims and mains exam includes
To qualify in interview, applicants for the position of PO at any given RRB must be fluent in the language of the State or UT where the RRB is located.
Salary – INR 36000 per month
SBI is the largest Indian multinational bank and ranks 43 on the world’s largest banks list. It is a national public sector bank and holds 23% of the market share. SBI was established as the Bank of Calcutta in 1806. Therefore, it is the oldest bank in the Indian subcontinent. Over the years, various banks merged into it. Thus, SBI became the largest bank in the country. And today, every city or town has one branch of the bank. Furthermore, SBI has a great customer network across India and abroad.
SBI has a huge presence in India and the Indian sub-continent as one of the largest government-owned banks in India. Furthermore, SBI conducts its own SBI Recruitment exams. Due to the widespread presence of the bank, SBI is the most known bank in the country. Every year, lacs of candidates apply for various positions and posts. SBI conducts banking exams for positions like clerks, PO/MT, SO, and circle officers. Out of these, exams for PO, SO, and clerks are conducted once every year. The State Bank of India has a separate examination system. Their pay scale is also better than IBPS banks.
It has 6 Apex Training Institutes and 51 State bank institutes of learning and development spread all across the country. These apex training centers provide special training in leadership, human resources, marketing, etc.
SBI conducts the SBI PO bank examination each year to choose candidates for the Probationary Officer (PO) position. Responsible for assisting in the issue of ATM Cards, Cheque books, and Demand Drafts, handling and addressing customer queries, looking into complaints regarding bank services, and rectifying undue charges & discrepancies in accounts.
The exam is conducted in three phases:
Objective-type questions, such as multiple-choice questions (MCQs), are included in the SBI PO Prelims and Mains tests.
The SBI PO 2024-25 Prelims exam is scheduled for March 2024, while the Mains exam will take place in April or May 2025. Applicants must be between 21 and 30 years old to be eligible.
Subjects:
The selected candidate will have to undergo a training period of 6 months.
Candidates who desire to serve as SBI specialized officers in a variety of sectors, including law, customer service, engineering, etc., are eligible to apply for this exam. Recruitment for Deputy manager, Chief officer, Data Analyst.
Selection Process:
As per the latest notification, the SBI SO exam for Manager and Deputy Manager positions is expected to be held in April 2025
The applying candidate must have working experience of 2 years as a Graduate and 1 year as a Postgraduate.
To be eligible to take part in the hiring process, an applicant must fulfil all of the requirements listed under the eligibility criteria. The SBI SO eligibility for 2025 differs depending on the position, so applicants should read it carefully
The SBI Clerks are in charge of opening bank accounts, managing NEFT/RTGS transactions, issuing demand draughts, issuing bank statements, transferring money using various payment methods, handling requests for cheque books, etc. Responsible to looking after the transactions related to the NEFT/RTGS, open the bank accounts, etc.
To understand the test process, candidates must be fully aware with the SBI Clerk exam pattern 2025. The SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exams have distinct formats. The Prelims were held in February and March 2025, while the Mains is scheduled for April 2025. The SBI Clerk exam pattern provides details on the total marks and exam duration, helping candidates prepare effectively. Understanding the structure enables aspirants to plan their studies strategically. Check out the detailed SBI Clerk exam pattern for both Prelims and Mains to begin your preparation
Bank of Baroda is the Indian nationalized bank that recruits candidates every year. BOB releases the online BOB probationary officer exam for applicants who desire to work in the banking industry. This exam mainly focuses on recruiting officer for the junior management grade. The purpose of the Bank of Baroda PO syllabus is to evaluate candidates’ abilities, knowledge, and aptitude for a career in banking. The following subjects are normally covered syllabus:
Perks and benefits apart from salary:
The age limit required for application is between 21 years – 30 years.
Position – Probationary Officer Salary – INR 28321 – INR 33986 per month
BOB recruits various professionals for the banking field every year. It is advised that the aspirants must comprehend the BOB SO exam format, syllabus, and the caliber of the exam’s questions.
The exam is conducted in three phases:
The SBI SO exam took place on 16th March 2025
BOB SO Salary levels
Canara Bank was founded by Shri Ammembal Subba Rao Pai in the year 1906. He was a brilliant thinker who founded the Bank in Mangalore, Karnataka which is well known for its emphasis on the needs of its customers. The exam for Canara Bank PO is conducted in two stages –
Canara Bank is expected to announce the official notification for the Canara Bank PO 2024. In the previous recruitment cycle, a total of 800 vacancies were released
Educational Qualification –
Salary – INR 40239 per month
Indian Bank was established on 05th March 1907. The bank was able to raise a sum of Rs 20 lakh as authorized capital, and it commenced its business from 15th August 1907.
Thousands of applicants apply every year for this exam and the selection process includes:
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam is scheduled for October 2025, while the Mains Exam will take place on 29th November 2025. The age requirement for Indian Bank PO is between 20 and 28 years.
Eligibility conditions:
The subjects that students need to be well-versed with include,
Salary – INR 23700 per month
Syndicate Bank was one of India’s largest and most well-known banks. Following its merger with Canara Bank, Canara Bank became its parent company. The Syndicate Bank PO exam was a nationwide recruitment process for Probationary Officers. However, since Syndicate Bank merged with Bank of India in 2019, there will be no Syndicate Bank PO recruitment in 2025. Instead, candidates should focus on the Bank of India PO recruitment.
J&K Bank was Incorporated in the year 1938. Jammu and Kashmir Bank is one of India’s oldest private sector banks and a Scheduled Commercial Bank.
Selection process:
The Jammu and Kashmir Bank will soon release the notification for Probationary Officers. Candidates must clear the JK Bank PO Prelims Exam to qualify for the Mains Exam. Both Prelims and Mains are conducted online and consist of objective-type questions. The final stage of the JK Bank PO Recruitment process is the personality test/interview round
Position – Probationary Officer
Salary – INR 36000 – INR 38000 per month
Federal Bank has been into existing in India before independence. The Travancore Federal Bank Limited was established on 23rd April 1931 in Nedumpuram. The bank works by the Travancore Companies Regulation, 1916. The name of the bank was changed its name to The Federal Bank Limited in December 1949 under the direction of Late K.P.
Eligibility Criteria:
Federal Bank is expected to conduct its Probationary Officer (PO) recruitment in 2025, with the online exam likely in June and applications opening in May. Candidates should visit the official website for detailed updates
Position – Federal Bank Probationary Officer
Salary – INR 65500 per month
With its headquarters in Mumbai and branches nationwide, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is a significant financial organization supporting development in India.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development’s primary goal is to provide agricultural and other economic strategies, operations, and planning that are tailored to the needs of India’s rural areas.
The NABARD conducts the NABARD Grade A Exam to hire Assistant Managers and Grade B Exam to hire managers. NABARD meets the requirements of the rural community by giving them the loans they require for agricultural purposes. The government of India holds a 100 per cent ownership stake in NABARD.
One must meet the eligibility requirements established by the responsible body to register for the NABARD Grade A examination. To understand better, the selection process includes:
For applying to NABARD Grade A, applicants must be in the age range of 21 years to 30 years. And for NABARD Grade B, applicants must be in the age range of 25 years to 35 years.
NABARD Grade A Officer Salary – INR 44500 per month
NABARD Grade B Salary – INR 35150 per month
Life Insurance Corporation, or LIC is a state-owned insurance and investment organization in India.
Selection process:
As of March 20, 2025, the official notification for the LIC ADO and LIC AAO exams has not been released. The exam is conducted in two phases, including Prelims and Mains Subjects included in the exam are:
The exam is conducted in various exam centres across India.
LIC ADO Salary– INR 21,865 per month
LIC AAO Salary – INR 53,600 per month
Candidates for the LIC Recruitment 2025 must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a university that the Indian government has approved. The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) also conducts LIC HFL (Life Insurance Corporation Housing Finance Limited) recruiting to find people for Associate, Assistant, and Assistant Manager positions.
The New India Assurance Company Limited (NIACL) recruits’ candidates for a variety of positions within the company. NIACL is one of the biggest insurance providers in the nation with locations all over the world. New India Assurance Company Limited is a Public Sector General Insurance Company established in 1919 by Sir Dorabji Tata with its headquarters in Mumbai. The New India Assurance Company Limited exam is a national-level test to fill openings in the organization’s numerous branches across the country.
Selection process:
The NIACL Assistant Recruitment 2025 Prelims was held on January 27, 2025, and Mains on March 2, 2025. Candidates must be 21-30 years old and hold a Graduate/Postgraduate degree. Employees also receive attractive perks and allowances.
NIACL AO Salary: INR 51,000 per month
NIACL Assistant Salary: – INR 23,500 per month
RBI is the regulatory body and central bank of the country and falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. It manages the country’s main payment system and aims to work toward the country’s development. Established in 1939, RBI became a nationalized body after independence. The board of RBI consists of 12 directors, governors, and four deputy governors. The economic affairs secretary and the financial service secretary act as the Ministry of Finance representatives and are also the board members. They also have representatives of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata boards.
Reserve Bank of India has many divisions. Each of these divisions has its set of responsibilities. RBI provides financial direction to the country and consultation with the finance ministry. RBI is a massive organization. Therefore, it holds its recruitment processes and conducts different banking exams for different positions.
Subjects:
Candidates must be between the ages of 20 and 28 and possess a graduate degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 50% to be considered for RBI Assistant role. Only those candidates who meet the qualifying requirements will be permitted to move forward. Failure to meet the eligibility standards by a student will result in immediate disqualification.
RBI Assistant Salary – INR 45050 per month
The RBI Grade B Notification is released to recruit candidates for Grade B, DEPR, and DSIM posts under the General Cadre, Economic Policy & Research, and Statistics & Information Management. The 2025 notification is expected in April/May, with Phase 1 (Prelims) in July and Phase 2 (Mains) in August/September
The age restrictions for candidates applying for RBI Grade B are listed below:
The three stages of the RBI Grade B selection procedure are:
Phase I – English language, numeric ability, reasoning, and general awareness objective-type questions.
Phase II – Three papers make up Phase II, covering finance and management, English writing abilities, and economic and social topics.
Candidates are subsequently contacted for the Interview stage if they pass Phase II. Candidates can improve their exam preparation and success rates by solidly understanding the RBI Grade B selection procedure.
RBI Grade B officer Salary – INR 80000 per month
In compliance with the terms of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, the Securities and Exchange Board of India was founded on 12th April 1992. SEBI is a reputable body that safeguards the interests of stockholders and controls the securities market. SEBI has published a notification inviting nationwide applications for openings at SEBI Grade A Officer positions.
The SEBI Grade A 2025 notification is yet to be released, and the exam dates remain unknown. However, the notification is expected soon, with dates announced thereafter.
The selection process is based on three phases:
The maximum age limit prescribed for the role is 30 years.
SEBI Grade A Salary – INR 44500 per month
South Indian Bank is the first private sector bank in Kerala to be designated as a scheduled bank under the RBI Act in 1946. In April 1992, the bank in India’s private sector opened a currency chest on behalf of the RBI. In November 1992, the private sector bank opened a branch for NRI customers.
As of March 20, 2025, the South Indian Bank PO and Clerk exam dates for the 2025 cycle have not been officially confirmed.
There are two steps in the selection process:
Those who completed the online test are invited to participate in the next stage, which involves personal interviews.
Subjects:
South Indian Bank Clerk Salary – INR 17,900 – INR 47,920
South Indian Bank Probationary Officer Salary – INR 36000 per month
The Industrial Development Bank of India is a development finance organization that offers financial services to the industrial sector. It was renamed as IDBI Bank Limited in 1964. Furthermore, the Indian private sector bank IDBI Bank is a division of Life Insurance Corporation. The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) hires qualified individuals for a range of positions, and this year executive positions are expected to be filled via an online test and document verification.
Types of IDBI Exams
IDBI Exam Name | Purpose of the exam | Stages of the exam |
Responsible for updating changes, transfer of funds, contact details, cheque clearance, clearing of bank suspense account, etc. |
| |
IDBI Assistant Manager | Manage all the financial work like reaching out to the customers, loan-related work, recovery of loans from defaulters, etc. |
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Employees State Insurance Corporation is known as ESIC. ESIC administers a nationwide entrance exam for the positions of clerk, UDC, paramedical, MTS, and stenographer. To offer social security and health insurance for Indian workers, ESIC was founded in 1952.
ESIC’s corporate headquarters are in New Delhi. According to the openings identified by the admission exam, ESIC makes hiring decisions. However, walk-in interviews are used to fill some positions immediately. ESIC has published a notification for the hiring of 6552 Group “C” positions, including stenographer and UDC (upper division clerk). However, the official announcement will be made in this year’s March or April (tentatively).
Read about ESIC Recruitment
Types of ESIC Exam
ESIC Exam Name | Purpose of the exam | Stages of the exam |
ESIC UDC | Recruitment for Group C UDC (Upper Division Clerk) or Clerk-Cashier. |
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ESIC Stenographer | Recruitment for Grade C Stenographer. |
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Millions of people take various banking tests each year depending on the number of openings. The top ten preparation tips include:
Students must build a healthy lifestyle and follow the preparation tips. Following the tips and building a strategy will help the candidates a lot to clear the exam.
In India, lakhs of candidates every year apply for the banking exams. Banking exams receive many applications because it provides a lucrative career in various public sector banks. Books play an important role in bank exam preparations. To clear the exams easily candidates need to refer to quality books and a dedicated preparation strategy. Here is the list of most referred books by banking aspirants:
Sl no. | Book Name | Author |
1. | Better English | Norman Lewis |
2. | A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
3. | Magical Book on Quicker Math | M Tyra |
4. | How to Crack Test of Reasoning | Jaikishan and Premkishan |
5. | Descriptive General English | SP Bakshi and Richa Sharma |
6. | Economic Survey | Government of India Ministry of Finance |
7. | Computer Awareness | Arihant Publications |
8. | Data Interpretation – Magical Books Series | K. Kundan |
9. | Static General Knowledge | Arihant Publications |
10. | Banking & Financial Awareness | Kiran’s Publication |
Above mentioned are the ten most preferred books by the passing candidates. These books have helped candidates clear their exams quickly and made their understanding of the concept far better. Aspirants who are willing to clear the exam in their first attempt along with their preparation must follow these highly effective books.
Today, banking activities also have a bigger societal impact. The banking industry is the most alluring to young graduates in our nation because of its benefits and job security. If you are thinking about pursuing a career in finance, but still stuck at your decision? There are several reasons for choosing banking exams as it provides ample growth opportunities. Students having keen interest in banking field must go ahead and read the benefits of opting banking as a career.
The top ten reasons for choosing the banking industry as a career are listed below.
The most frequent question that arises in the mind of students is “Why to join the banking sector?”. A career in banking provides a wide range of prospects as well as the chance for quick, professional advancement. Pay is competitive, along with additional benefits like perks that can be obtained from the Clerical level up to the General Manager level.
Studying for banking exams requires dedication and continuous efforts. Aspirants must regularly practice and read about everyday current affairs. Below mentioned are some important subjects to study for the banking exams in India:
Apart from this, in some exams, economics, statistics, and national and international banking rules are also included. The level of questions may differ based on different grades and posts.
In India, there are majorly three types of banking exams. This division is based on the exam authorities as mentioned below:
IBPS conducts various exams for national public sector banks. All the government banks take part in the IBPS exams. However, SBI and RBI conduct exams separately to recruit their employees.
Some of the banking exams are annual like IBPS and SBI. That means the exam body conducts these exams once every year. Whereas few of these exams are vacancy-based. Therefore these are conducted only if a vacancy arrives.
Banking exams have a moderate to high difficulty level in India. Candidates appearing for Banking exams in India are required to prepare for these exams rigorously as lakhs of aspirants take these exams for a few vacancies. Hence, the exams are tougher to crack. All candidates are advised to prepare for these banking exams a year or two in advance so that they can get enough time for preparation and practice. Good preparation and determination can help candidates clear even the toughest of banking exams.
As per the current data, PO salaries are highly competitive across Indian banks. However, SBI offers the best salary package for personnel at PO positions. It has a good incentive package and opportunities for future growth. Therefore, it is the most sought after post in government banking.
Yes, SBI consists of training centers across the country. There are 6 Apex Training Institutes and 51 SBILD all over the country. These centers train recruits while helping them learn new technology and courses in human resources, marketing, etc.
RBI Grade B is considered to be one of the toughest banking exams in India. The interview process is also a very crucial part of selection. Moreover, as there are limited vacancies for the exam hence, it gets tougher to crack the RBI exam.
SBI is the largest bank in India. It is the 43rd largest bank in the world and also consists of many foreign subsidiaries.
No, not all banking exams have interviews. This depends upon the grade of the exam. Hence, candidates may or may not have to face an interview.
Few private banks take the services of IBPS for recruitment. IBPS conducts banking exams for them. It may also train the senior staff of the bank regarding conducting interviews. For example, IBPS conducts PO exams for South Indian Bank. It is also one of the largest private banks in India.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
