Probationary officer candidates may get offers from private banks too

Successful candidates in the first probationary officers' common written test (conducted in September) may have some good news coming their way.

They may be getting some more job opportunities – not only from the 19 nationalised banks for which the recruitment test was conducted – but also from a couple of private banks.

About 1.12 lakh candidates passed the probationary officers' common written test conducted in September (results just announced) for vacancies in 19 nationalised banks. At the moment, rough estimates indicate that there would be about 20,000 vacancies coming up in the next six months.

But as one successful candidate asked (no doubt reflecting the anxiety of thousands of others), “There are 20,000 job vacancies. And 1.12 lakh have qualified. What will happen to me? And the rest?”

Asked about these concerns, Mr M. Balachandran, Director, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), pointed out that the common written test was a qualifying exam. And in any competitive exam, there will be few jobs while there would be many applicants. But he did say that the 20,000 jobs number was a rough estimate and there could possibly be more opportunities – from outside the pool of 19 banks.

A couple of private banks have approached IBPS to see if they can also participate in the recruitment process, use these score cards and interview successful candidates (in the recent probationary officers' exam) for their vacancies.

Mr Balachandran said that there was ‘in principle' agreement among the various stakeholders to this suggestion. IBPS is working out a formula in consultation with the nationalised banks which will provide enhanced job opportunities for successful candidates, he said.

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