Your complete roadmap to IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Grade B, NABARD, SEBI and all major banking exams — eligibility, pattern, syllabus, salary and strategy.
Why banking is India's most sought-after government career
Banking exams in India are conducted by two primary bodies — IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) and SBI (State Bank of India) — along with regulatory bodies like RBI, NABARD, and SEBI. These exams recruit candidates for Probationary Officers, Clerks, and Specialist Officers.
| Conducting Body | Exams | Institutions Covered |
|---|---|---|
| IBPS | PO, Clerk, SO, RRB | 19 Public Sector Banks |
| SBI | PO, Clerk, SO | State Bank of India only |
| RBI | Grade B, Assistant | Reserve Bank of India |
| NABARD | Grade A, Grade B | National Bank for Agriculture |
| SEBI | Grade A | Securities & Exchange Board |
| LIC | AAO, ADO | Life Insurance Corporation |
| Factor | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Job Security | Permanent government/PSU employment — no layoffs |
| Salary | ₹28,000–₹90,000/month depending on post & bank |
| Perks | HRA, DA, Medical, Pension (NPS), LTC, Staff Loans at low rates |
| Growth | Promotion every 3–5 years — Scale I to Scale VII |
| Work-Life Balance | Fixed hours (10AM–5PM), public holidays, 12 casual leaves |
| Housing Loans | Home/car/personal loans at subsidized interest rates for staff |
| Pension | New Pension Scheme (NPS) with government contribution |
| Pan-India Posting | Exposure to urban, semi-urban and rural branches |
Complete profile of every important banking exam — vacancies, dates, salary
Probationary Officer — State Bank of India
Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales)
Probationary Officer — CRP PO XVI (19 Banks)
Clerical Cadre — CRP Clerk XVI (19 Banks)
Regional Rural Banks — CRP RRB XV (43 RRBs)
Specialist Officers — CRP SPL XVI
Officers Grade B — Reserve Bank of India
Assistant — Reserve Bank of India
Assistant Manager — National Bank for Agriculture
Officer Grade A — Securities & Exchange Board
Assistant Administrative Officer — LIC of India
Sections, questions, marks and time limits for each stage
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 min |
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer | 45 | 60 | 60 min |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 60 | 45 min |
| General Economy & Banking | 40 | 40 | 35 min |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | 40 min |
| Descriptive Paper (Letter + Essay) | — | 25 | 30 min |
| Total | 155 + Desc | 225 | 3.5 hrs |
Prelims (Qualifying)
| Section | Q | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 min |
Mains (Final Merit)
| Section | Q | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer | 50 | 60 | 45 min |
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 35 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 min |
| General & Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 min |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 160 min |
Phase I — Objective (Qualifying)
| Section | Q | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 80 | 80 | 25 min |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 min |
| Reasoning | 60 | 60 | 45 min |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 120 min |
Phase II — Descriptive + Objective (Merit)
| Paper | Type | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic & Social Issues | Obj + Desc | 100 | 90 min |
| English Writing Skills | Descriptive | 100 | 90 min |
| Finance & Management | Obj + Desc | 100 | 90 min |
Correct, wrong and unattempted marks across all banking exams
| Exam | Correct | Wrong | Unattempted | Special Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI PO Prelims | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Sectional time limits enforced strictly |
| SBI PO Mains (Obj) | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Descriptive marks added separately |
| SBI Clerk Prelims | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Sectional cut-off mandatory |
| IBPS PO / Clerk | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Scaled scores used for final merit (not raw) |
| IBPS RRB Officer / Asst | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Hindi + English medium available |
| RBI Grade B Phase I | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Phase I qualifying; Phase II for merit |
| RBI Assistant | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | LPT after selection (not scored) |
| NABARD Grade A | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Phase II has descriptive + objective combined |
| SEBI Grade A | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Phase II has open-book workbook paper |
| LIC AAO Prelims | +1 | –0.25 | 0 | Insurance & Financial Market awareness in Mains |
Age, qualification, nationality and attempt limits — 2026-27
| Exam | Min. Qualification | Age (General) | OBC / SC/ST Relaxation | Key Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI PO | Any Graduation (any stream) | 21–30 years | +3 / +5 years | Final-year students eligible |
| SBI Clerk | Any Graduation (any stream) | 20–28 years | +3 / +5 years | Local language knowledge preferred |
| IBPS PO | Any Graduation (any stream) | 20–30 years | +3 / +5 years | Final-year students eligible |
| IBPS Clerk | Any Graduation (any stream) | 20–28 years | +3 / +5 years | State-wise vacancies; local lang preferred |
| IBPS RRB Officer | Any Graduation | 18–30 years | +3 / +5 years | Proficiency in local/official state language |
| IBPS RRB Assistant | Any Graduation | 18–28 years | +3 / +5 years | Proficiency in local/official state language |
| RBI Grade B | Min. 60% in Graduation (Gen/OBC) | 21–30 years | +3 / +5 years | Max 6 attempts (Gen); 9 (OBC) |
| RBI Assistant | Any Graduation (state language required) | 20–28 years | +3 / +5 years | LPT after selection |
| NABARD Grade A | Min. 60% in UG / PG (stream specific) | 21–30 years | +3 / +5 years | Stream-specific degree required |
| SEBI Grade A | Min. 60% UG / CA / LLB / B.Tech | Max 30 years | +3 / +5 years | Stream-specific eligibility per post |
| LIC AAO | Any Graduation (min. 55% Gen) | 21–30 years | +3 / +5 years | IT/Actuarial/CA need specific degree |
Complete topic-wise syllabus for prelims and mains
Prelims (basic → intermediate):
SyllogismInequalitiesCoding-DecodingBlood RelationsDirection SenseSeating ArrangementPuzzles (Linear / Circular / Floor)Alphanumeric SeriesOrder & RankingMains additional (advanced):
Input-OutputCritical ReasoningStatement-ArgumentCause & EffectData SufficiencyCourse of ActionComputer AptitudePrelims topics:
SimplificationApproximationNumber SeriesQuadratic EquationsPercentageRatio & ProportionProfit & LossSI & CITime & WorkSpeed, Distance & TimeMains additional (DI-heavy):
Bar / Pie / Table DIMissing DICaselet DIProbabilityPermutation & CombinationData SufficiencyPrelims topics:
Reading ComprehensionCloze TestPara JumblesFill in the BlanksError SpottingSentence CorrectionMatch the ColumnMains additional:
Word Usage / VocabularySentence RearrangementParagraph CompletionInference-based RCDescriptive Writing (Mains):
Formal Letter WritingEssay WritingPrecis / Summary WritingStatic Banking Knowledge:
RBI Functions & Monetary PolicyTypes of Banks & NBFCsNPA, SARFAESI, IBCBasel Norms I / II / IIISEBI, NABARD, SIDBI, EXIMGovernment Banking SchemesBanking Acts & RegulationsCurrent Affairs (last 6 months):
National & International NewsKey AppointmentsAwards & HonoursSports EventsRBI Policy RatesUnion Budget HighlightsBooks & AuthorsPosts, pay scales, promotions and allowances in public sector banking
| Scale | Designation | Basic Pay | Approx. CTC / Month | Time in Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale I | Junior Manager / Probationary Officer | ₹36,000–₹63,840 | ₹52,000–₹60,000 | Entry Level |
| Scale II | Manager | ₹48,170–₹69,810 | ₹65,000–₹75,000 | ~3–5 years |
| Scale III | Senior Manager | ₹63,840–₹78,230 | ₹80,000–₹95,000 | ~7–10 years |
| Scale IV | Chief Manager | ₹76,010–₹89,890 | ₹1,00,000–₹1,20,000 | ~12–15 years |
| Scale V | Assistant General Manager | ₹89,890–₹1,05,280 | ₹1,20,000–₹1,50,000 | ~18–22 years |
| Scale VI | Deputy General Manager | ₹1,05,280+ | ₹1,60,000–₹2,00,000 | ~23–27 years |
| Scale VII | General Manager | ₹1,05,280+ | ₹2,00,000–₹2,50,000 | ~28–32 years |
Entry into the officer cadre. Handles branch operations, customer service, loan processing, account management, NPA resolution and team supervision.
Customer-facing role — cash counter, account opening, DD issuance, passbook update. Promotion track to officer cadre via internal IBPS JAIIB/CAIIB exam.
Domain-specific role. IT Officers manage core banking; Law Officers handle NPA recovery; Agriculture Officers manage KCC & crop loans in rural branches.
Most prestigious banking job. Works in monetary policy formulation, banking regulation, foreign exchange, debt management and financial inclusion at RBI.
Works in rural development, agricultural financing, SHG-bank linkage, RRB supervision and cooperative bank oversight. Pan-India postings in rural areas.
Works in securities market regulation, investor protection, investigation of market manipulation and insider trading, and capital markets policy.
Complete schedule from July 2026 to March 2027
Checklist for registration, exam day, and interview rounds
Proven approach to crack banking exams in 2026-27
Month 1–2: Concepts (Reasoning, Quant, English, GA). Month 3–4: Topic-wise timed practice. Month 5: Full mock tests. Month 6: Revision + current affairs. For RBI Grade B: add 2 extra months for Finance & Management and ESI papers.
Puzzles (Reasoning) and Data Interpretation sets (Quant) carry the most marks in Mains. Solve 2 puzzle sets + 1 DI set daily from Day 1. Improving here saves 8–10 minutes per exam — a difference of 5–8 additional correct attempts.
Read The Hindu + RBI Weekly Digest + GK Today app for 30 min daily. Maintain a monthly current affairs notebook. Banking Awareness — RBI circulars, government schemes, committee reports — is tested heavily in IBPS Mains and RBI Phase I.
Minimum 3 full mocks per week in the final 2 months. Spend equal time analysing wrong answers as taking the mock. Track section-wise accuracy. Simulate exact exam conditions — same time of day, no interruptions. Use TIME / IMS / Oliveboard mocks.
In Prelims: attempt English first (fastest), then Reasoning, then Quant. Skip unknowns immediately — no second-guessing. In Mains GA section: attempt in 15 minutes maximum — highest RoI. Never guess in sections where –0.25 can push you below cut-off.
IBPS PO / RBI / NABARD interviews carry 20–50% weight. Know your graduation subject, banking basics (Repo Rate, CRR, SLR, NPA, Basel norms), recent banking news, and your home state economy. Prepare for "Why banking?" and "Tell me about yourself" — asked in every single interview.