A job in the Indian government is the sweetest dessert for all the young fresh graduates of the country. It provides stable career growth with matchless job security. Banking exams like IBPS Exam in India are the most proffered after the UPSC civil services and state services examination. This is the reason why every year, lakhs of candidates fight for various banking examinations.
If we can analyze the recruitment trend of all the banking recruitment agencies, we can easily find the rise in vacancies yearly because of the increase in the financial activities within the country. Different PSU banks for India organized selection exams for various posts like Clerk, PO, SO, and Assistants. Some banks conduct exams on their own, while for others, the IBPS is the recruitment body.
If you are also one of those who want to excel in banking exams but don’t know how to prepare, this article is for you. A detailed preparation plan for all banking exams is given below to ease your journey.
The Recruitment Pattern:
Before going ahead with the preparation strategy, you should know about the recruitment process and recruitment agencies. To begin with, we talk about the very first post by which one can enter the banks.
Clerks and Assistants:
This is the initial level post one can get in any bank (Assistants in RBI). The salary and the perks are enough to help you meet your needs. It is also the most preferred and most competitive due to its nature. There are three stages for both clerk and assistant exams:
- Prelims
- Mains
- Language Proficiency Test
Prelims are a qualifier, and the marks obtained in this section won’t be included in your final report card. Mains and LPT are the deciding factors for all the candidates.
PO/SO/ and Grade B officers:
PO/SO/ and Grade B officers are the highest rank in the banks through which one can join the bank directly. These posts are the most preferred with a decent salary package and work-life balance. The process for the recruitment includes:
- Prelims
- Mains
- GD/Interview
Prelims are the qualifier in these exams, and the mains and interviews are the criteria for filling the vacant positions.
Few banks (SBI and RBI) conduct exams for both clerk and PO/SO posts, but for others, the IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) serves as the leading recruitment body for most PSU banks in India.
One common thing for all these examinations is the negative marking; yes, you heard that right. All the recruitment bodies make a provision of 0.25 mark deduction for each wrong answer; hence it is advisable to focus more on accuracy than the quantity of the questions.
Planning for the examination:
It is necessary to have a proper plan to execute to minimize the chances of failure. Like the recruitment bodies, the other criteria vary bank to bank, e.g., sectional time limit, exam difficulty, and cut-off. There is no specific or prescribed number of questions to ask in any sections; hence it becomes extremely crucial to build familiarity with the syllabus. You should mug up the pattern to ensure success. Make a plan, improvise it and restructure it as required on the different stages of the examination.
Knowing the syllabus:
Have you ever heard of any victorious battle without knowing its opponent’s strength? Probably not because it is like throwing a stone in the air aimlessly. Similarly, if getting a job is your dream after clearing a competitive exam, then it becomes necessary that you re-read the syllabus thoroughly to understand the demand and nature of the exam. If you are aware of the topics and pattern of the exam, then success becomes easy. Always aim to solve the questions topic-wise because it creates a rhythm and sense of completeness that eventually helps you get more marks.
Importance of Timetable:
Be it the college entrance exam or the recruitment exam timetable is the most important thing for any candidate who is willing to give any exams. If you are not good with your watch, you will surely suffer during the preparation and the exam. Make a suitable timetable as per your strengths and weaknesses and don’t imitate any topper because everyone is different from each other.
Analyze your pitfalls and setbacks, then make a comprehensive time chart and divide the time according to the subjects and sections. Make a habit of note down the time spent on each answer solved. Try to devote your time more to the problematic areas to prevent you from suffering on the ‘D’ day.
Practise makes a man perfect:
This is not just a quote or philosophy but the crux of years of experience and practice we humans did for a long time. Everyone taught us that if mastery is the goal, then practice will be your soulmate from our childhood days. This quote still holds solid ground, and if you practice anything, again and again, you will gain a good grip over that. Similarly, if you practice the concepts and topic from the syllabus repeatedly, you slowly build the mystery over it.
After completing the syllabus, now it’s time to read and write again until you gain the confidence of success. While practicing, you can refer to various sources like reference books, Youtube, and your fellow mates for further improvements. The practice aims to minimize the error and maximize the accuracy; hence, it becomes necessary to watch your time management closely.
Revision:
Another indispensable part of your preparation is revision. If you didn’t revise what you have read, then there are chances that you target something important on the exam day. Make your short notes for revision to understand the concept easily and quickly. It is the only thing that is left for you once you have completed the whole syllabus. If you are not comfortable with any topics or are not confident, the revision will be your best companion.
Mighty Mocks:
Are you done with the syllabus and revision? Now it’s time to give mocks tests. Mocks are the close replicas of the actual exam and give you an exact idea of what questions you may see in the question sheet. You probably won’t feel any trouble on judgment day if you gave an adequate mock with sincerity and in a simulated environment.
Start giving mocks at least 2 months before the examination and make sure to give at least 50 to 70 mocks following the previous years’ questions papers. A combination of last year’s questions papers and mocks are the sure-shot way to ensure success.
Word of wisdom:
Last but not least, try to maintain a distance from distractions like social media, friends, family gatherings, etc. Indulging in these activities decreases not only your efficiency but also kills the precious time that hampers your overall growth. Keep your resources like books and advice to a minimum and revise them as much as possible. Focus on clearing the concepts rather than mugging up the syllabus.
You can explore youtube for targeted assistance. Always remember that it’s the accuracy that helps you get the desired result. To solve those first for which you are confident else negative marking will neutralize your efforts. Lastly, don’t forget newspaper reading and following an excellent current affairs magazine because questions from these sections are increasing year by year.
These are all essential tips from our side. I hope you have gained some insight into the bank exam strategy.
Also Read : RBI Exams and Selection Process
