Bank PO Exam - Bank Probationary Officers Exam

Note: Bank PO Exam by Individual Banks has been discontinued. Now IBPS CWE for PO is taken to fill posts of PO in more than 20 public sector banks.

Bank PO Exam - Bank Probationary Officers Exam The Indian banking system can be classified as Nationalized (government-owned), Private Banks and Specialized banking institutions. The Reserve Bank of India acts as a centralized monitoring body in the Indian financial sector. The different types of banks in India invite all the eligible graduates with a certain minimum percentage as prescribed in some cases to take this exam. PO Exam is one of the well known Bank Exams in India.

Different Banks recruit probationary officers during a different period in the year, so students are advised to keep track of the examination so that he/she doesn’t miss any Bank PO exam scattered throughout the year.

Bank PO Exam Eligibility

Eligibility conditions for taking the Bank Probationary Officers exam are as follows:

Educational Qualification

1. Bachelor's degree of a recognized University in any discipline or its equivalent recognized as such by the Central Government with a certain minimum percentage of marks as prescribed by different banks in their information broacher. Generally, it varies from 60% to 70%.
2. Working knowledge of computers is also required to take up the Bank PO exam.

Age

Aspiring candidates should not be below 21 years and above 30 years of age. However, relaxation in upper age limit is as per rules for specified categories including SC/ST/OBC, etc.

Nationality

A candidate must be either a citizen of India or one holding eligibility certificates issued by the Government of India.

Bank PO Exam Pattern

Bank Probationary Officers Exam consists of the following two steps selection process.

Step 1

Written Examination (Objective Type): Time 2 Hrs.

Candidates will be called for an objective type examination. The objective type examination will consist of four tests viz.

Note: There is a negative marking of ¼ marks for each wrong question

 SBI PO Exam Pattern is of two ways as 1.Written test and 2.Group Discussion and Interview.

Written Examination (Descriptive): Time 1 Hrs.

Descriptive Paper: The duration of the Descriptive type test will be 1 hour, Max. marks-50 and the test will be of “Test of English Language (Comprehension, short precis, letter writing & essay)”

Step 2

Group Discussion & Interview:

Group discussion and Interview will consist of max  50 Marks – 50. [GD - 20 Interview - 30] – Candidate who has qualified in the written examination will be called for group discussion and interview depending upon the vacancies in each category, subject to a maximum of 3 times of the vacancies.

Bank PO Exam Syllabus

Syllabus for Bank PO Exams such as State bank of India (SBI) and its associate Banks and other nationalized banks of India is as follows:- 

Part A: Syllabus for the Objective type paper

1. Test of Reasoning:
This test would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. The test may include questions on analogies, similarities, differences, space visualization, problem-solving, analysis, judgment, decision-making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, etc.

The test will also include questions designed to test the candidate's abilities to deal with abstract ideas and symbols and their relationships, arithmetical computation and other analytical functions.

2. Test of English Language:
This is a test to see how well you know English. English language ability would be tested through questions on grammar, vocabulary, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, comprehension of a passage, etc.

3. Test of Numerical Ability:
Questions will be designed to test the ability of arithmetical computation of whole numbers, decimals and fractions and relationship between numbers. The questions would be based on arithmetical concepts and the relationship between numbers and not on complicated arithmetical computations.

4. Test of General Knowledge and General Awareness
The questions in this section will be set to test the candidate's general awareness about the event happing around him.

Part B: Syllabus for the subjective exam

It intends to measure your higher-order cognitive abilities.

Important:-Candidates have to clear each of the Objective and Descriptive Bank PO Exam Question Papers separately. It is a question paper-cum-answer sheet in Hindi and English and the Regional Language and you have to restrict your answers to the space provided on the answer sheet. The use of supplements is not allowed.

List of various Banks holding PO Exam

• ICICI Bank PO
• Indian Overseas Bank PO
• Canara Bank PO
• SBI Bank PO
• Corporation Bank PO
• UCO Bank PO
• Federal Bank PO
• Syndicate Bank PO
• OBC Bank PO
• Saraswati Cooperation Bank PO
• Allahabad Bank PO
• Dena Bank PO
• Central Bank of India Bank PO
• Bank of Baroda PO
• Andhra Bank PO
• IDBI Bank
• Vijaya Bank PO