The third stage of getting a bank job through IBPS is an interview. The interview is conducted only for those that clear the mains exam and this is often known as the final stage because after this it is up to the bank. Like all exams, even the interview has a certain cut-off mark and different criteria. Here are how the marks are distributed.
IBPS Exams
IBPS conducts 4 different exams. Namely:
- IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Exam
- IBPS SO (Specialist Officer) Exam
- IBPS Clerk Exam
- IBPS RRB (Rural Regional Bank) Exam
Preliminary Exam
IBPS PO
The candidates must clear the preliminary exam to be able to write the mains. The syllabus comprises of Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and English Language.
IBPS SO
It’s a 2-hour online exam that’s out of 125 marks that candidates must pass to get to the mains. The syllabus is different for each post offered.
IBPS Clerk
The preliminary exam tests the candidate based on their aptitude, intellect and English. The candidate must clear each of the three subjects to be able to write the main exam.
IBPS RRB
Assistant – 80 marks 45 minutes. The selection is done purely based on main exam marks.
Officer Grade – 80 marks 45 minutes. The final selection here will be based on the cumulative score obtained by the candidate in the mains and interview process.
Preliminary is just a qualifier. So you were thinking of taking it lightly? No. Exams are not to be underestimated. Learn and start preparing with the Entri app today.
Interview
IBPS PO
Candidates that clear the mains exam will be called for an interview that will be out of 100 marks. To qualify for the interview, the candidate must get the cut-off marks that are determined by the board. The interview is conducted for around 20 minutes. A panel of bank officials ask questions about the candidate, banking sector, current affairs, general awareness, etc.
Factors taken into consideration:
- Body language and Basic etiquette (5 – 10 marks) – Be well mannered and expressive
- Basic hygiene and Dressing sense (10 – 20 marks) – Dress sharp and be clean
- Basic knowledge on Subjects of general interest (10 marks) – It’s good to know and it’s wise to have a quick revision before the interview
- Knowledge in the stated area of expertise and Graduation subjects (10 marks) – Like the previous, revise before the interview
- Current affairs (10 marks) – Be aware of all the important news of the past 6 months or so
- Knowledge about the Banking industry (10 marks) – It’s a banking job after all, what did you expect?
- Honesty (10 marks) – As they say, honesty is the best policy
- Situational responses and Case study (10 marks) – Not everything can be prepared for by reading. Prepare yourself for questions because this segment is like problem-solving.
The only way to fail in an interview is if you start an argument with the panel. Keep your cool and stay calm. The panel will constantly and consistently try to get under your skin to check your patience levels and your etiquette. The best thing to do is to put your best foot forward (we are here to help with that) and handle every question like a pro.
IBPS SO
The interview will be conducted at select centres. The venue, time and date will be informed to the selected candidates. The total marks allotted for the interview are 100. Qualifying marks will be less than 40%. On the overall, 80% weightage is to common written normalized score and 20% is for the interview. Majority of the details for the interview is the same as its PO counterpart. However, the focus on the case studies is more. The case studies here are more technical and are related to the field of expertise that the candidate has previously chosen.
Do’s and Dont’s for the Interview
The main aim of this interviewing process is elimination and not selection. While the other tests check the knowledge level, this one is more targeted towards personality, interpersonal and communication skills.
Some points to be kept in mind:
- Dress formal and simple
- Maintain courtesy and be pleasant to everybody in the organisation
- Avoid strong perfumes and smoking, try to have a very faint but pleasant smell.
- Remain confident and honest during the interview
Some common mistakes that might get a candidate disqualified:
- Not knowing about your motivation for your choice of career
- Not knowing about the banking sector, obviously
- Being careless about general knowledge
- Getting nervous
At the end of the day, the interview is just a friendly chat with your possible future senior co-workers. So with that, Move forward and excel with good preparation with the Entri app! Keep learning and have a nice day 🙂
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