Competitive exams in India -an overview

The details of competitive exams conducted in India are highlighted in this document.

1. COMPETITIVE EXAMS- AN OVERVIEW BY PROF.A.BALASUBRAMANIAN Centre for Advanced Studies in Earth Science, University of Mysore, India

2. The situation today Employment is generated by the emergence of new ways of life Service sector as the greatest engine for job creation Shortage of skilled workers, not shortage of jobs Full competitions - everywhere

3. LEVELS OF COMPETITIVE EXAMS UNIVERSITY LEVEL- ENTRANCE TESTS/MAT STATE LEVEL- KPSC, MINISTERIAL DEPTS REGIONAL LEVEL-RAILWAYS, BANKS NATIONAL LEVEL- UPSC, SSC, BANKING SERVICE, INSURANCE SECTOR, FINANCE COMPANIES, INDUSTRIES, NET/CSIR, CBSE, THOUSANDS OF PRIVATE COMPANIES LIKE INFOSYS, TCS, AUTODESK, ORACLE,ETC

4. UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PROGRAMME OF EXAMINATIONS– 2015 Services for which UPSC conducts the Civil Services examinations every year: ( i ) Indian Administrative Service. (ii) Indian Foreign Service. (iii) Indian Police Service. (iv) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’. (v) Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (vi) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A ’.

5. (vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (viii) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’. (ix) Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group ‘A’ (Assistant Works Manager, Administration). (x) Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’. (xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (xii) Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’.

6. (xiii) Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'. (xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’. (xv) Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’ (xvi) Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’. (xvii) Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group ‘A’. (xviii) Indian Trade Service, Group 'A' (Gr. III). (xix) Indian Corporate Law Service, Group "A“.

7. (xx) Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade). (xxi) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group 'B'. (xxii) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group 'B'. (xxiii) Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'. (xxiv) Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B‘.

8. UPSC EXAMS Indian Forest Service Indian Economic Service Information Service Many subordinate services Direct selection for all central services

9. CIVIL SERVICES-PLAN OF EXAMINATION : The Civil Services Examination will consist of two successive stages (vide Appendix I Section-I below). ( i ) Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination; and (ii) Civil Services Main Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts noted above .

10. Age Limits : (a) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on 1st August of the year of exam. RELAXED 5 YEARS FOR SC/STS+ domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir , three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes + Defence Services personnel and so on.

11. The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks in the subjects set out in subsection (A) of Section-II. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit.

12. PART-A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION   The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each. Paper I - (200 marks) Duration : Two hours Current events of national and international importance. History of India and Indian National Movement. Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc. General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization General Science .

13. Paper II- (200 marks) Duration: Two hours Comprehension Interpersonal skills including communication skills; Logical reasoning and analytical ability Decision-making and problem-solving General mental ability Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level) English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).

14. UPSC civil services exam Note 1 : Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level (last item in the Syllabus of Paper- II) will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper. Note 2 : The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

15. Penalty For Wrong Answer Candidates should note that there will be penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers marked by a candidate in the Objective Type Question Papers.

16. How To Apply ( a) Candidates may apply Online by using the website   http://www.upsconline.nic.in Detailed instructions for filling up online applications are available on the above mentioned website. (b) Candidates may also apply Offline in the Common Application Form devised by the Commission for its examinations

17. KPSC EXAMS GROUP-A GROUP-B GROUP-C PRELIMS MAIN EXAM

18. COMPETITIVE EXAMS CONDUCTED FOR BANKING SERVICE COMMON RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR RECRUITMENT OF PROBATIONARY OFFICERS/ MANAGEMENT TRAINEES IN PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS (CWE PO/MT-IV )

19. Institute of Banking Personnel Selection popularly known as IBPS Any eligible candidate, who aspires to join any of the Participating Organisations listed at (A) as a Probationary Officer/ Management Trainee or in a similar post in that cadre, is required to register for the Common Recruitment Process (CWE PO/MT-IV). Candidates who appear and are shortlisted in the examination, will subsequently be called for a Common Interview to be conducted by the Participating Organisations and co-ordinated by the Nodal Bank with the help of IBPS.  

20. Age : Minimum: 20 years Maximum: 30 years ( Relaxation of Upper age limit for sc st 5 years) Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) 3 years ; Persons With Disabilities 10 years Ex-Servicemen, Commissioned Officers= 5 years .

21. Educational Qualifications: A Degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a University recognised by the Govt. Of India or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by the Central Government. The candidate must possess valid Mark-sheet / Degree Certificate that he/ she is a graduate on the day he / she registers and indicate the percentage of marks obtained in Graduation while registering online.

22. Prerequisite for job effectiveness is a judicious mix of competencies. While written test focuses on the intellectual potential, group exercises concentrate on  socio-emotive traits  that are required for the job effectiveness. Group exercises primarily focus on assessment of latent traits such as inter-personal competence, communication, team building skills, analysis and reasoning, ideation, leadership traits etc.

23. Almost 62 regional rural banks are participating in the IBPS process. In order to apply for officer and office assistants post, you need to clear IBPS RRB CWE. The overall structure of the exam is similar to the previous exams conducted by the IBPS i.e. IBPS PO and Clerk Common written examinations. Sections are also same in all the exams conducted by the IBPS . Vacancy : Probationary Officer in Nationalized Banks

24. Participating Institutions : Allahabad Bank/ UCO Bank/ Punjab National Bank/ Canara Bank/Bank of Baroda/ United Bank of India/ Indian Bank/Corporation Bank/ Bank of Maharashtra/ Syndicate Bank/ Oriental Bank of Commerce/ Punjab & Sind Bank/Andhra Bank/Union Bank of India/ Vijaya Bank/Central Bank of India/Bank of India/ Bharatiya Mahila Bank/ Indian Overseas Bank/Dena Bank/IDBI Bank

25. Structure of CWE-Online Exam : Sr . No. Name of Tests Maximum Marks Duration 1 Reasoning 50 Composite time of 2 hours 2 English Language 40 3 Quantitative Aptitude 50 4 General Awareness 40 5 Computer Knowledge 20 TOTAL 200 There will be a total of 200 questions and 200 marks for both RRB office assistants and RRB officer scale. Both exams will be conducted online. The duration of the time will be 2hrs and 30 minutes. Negative marks will be deducted for each wrong answer i.e. 0.25 marks .

26. Last year exam Dates for reference purpose only All eligible candidates who opt for and wish to avail of Pre-Examination Training should fill in the relevant column in the ON-LINE APPLICATION. While training will be imparted free of cost, all other expenses regarding travelling, boarding, lodging etc. will have to be borne by the candidate for attending the pre-examination training programme at the designated Centres.

27. By merely attending the Pre-Examination Training no candidate acquires any right to be selected in any of the Participating Organisations mentioned. The above tests except the Test of English Language will be available bilingually, i.e. English and Hindi.  

28. Penalty for Wrong Answers: There will be penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate one fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty to arrive at corrected score . If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question .

29. INTERVIEW The total marks allotted for Interview are 100. The minimum qualifying marks in interview will not be less than 40% (35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWD candidates). The weightage (ratio) of CWE (exam) and interview will be 80:20 respectively. The combined final score of candidates shall be arrived at on the basis of scores obtained by the candidates in CWE PO/MT-IV and Interview.

30. Exam centres in Karnataka Belgaum / Bengaluru / Bidar / Gulbarga/ Hubli /Mangalore/ Mysore/ Shimoga / Udipi . Exam Fees:  Rs. 600 (General Candidates)/ Rs. 100 ( SC/ST/PWD/Ex-Service Candidates)

31. PRE-EXAMINATION TRAINING: Pre-Examination Training may be arranged by the Nodal Banks/ Participating Organisations to a limited number of candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribes/ Minority Communities at certain centres viz. Agartala , Agra, Ahmedabad , Allahabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Balasore , Bareilly, Behrampur ( Ganjam ), Bengaluru , Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar , Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun , Dhanbad , Gorakhpur, Gulbarga, Guwahati , Hubli , Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jaipur , Jammu, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Karnal , Kavaratti , Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow , Ludhiana, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Muzaffarpur , Mysore , Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji (Goa), Patiala, Patna, Port Blair, Puducherry , Pune , Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Rohtak , Sambalpur , Shimla , Shillong , Siliguri , Thiruchirapalli , Thiruvananthapuram , Tirupati , Vadodara , Varanasi, Vijaywada and Vishakhapatnam.

32. SBI SPECIAL MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE Vacancy: “Special Management Executive (Banking) ” in State Bank of India(SBI) No of Posts: Scale II (MMGS II) – 135/ Scale III (MMGS III) – 165 Expected Salary: Scale II (MMGS II) – ₹ 39,000/- / Scale III (MMGS III) – ₹ 52,000 /-

33. Eligibility: Scale II (MMGS II) Age above 25 years and below 35 years as on 24th July, 2014 Graduation and MBA/ MMS/ PGDBA/ PGPM/ PGDM, with min. 60% marks. (In case of CA/ ICWA/ ACS, passing the respective examination is sufficient). Min. 2 years of work experience in a Scheduled Bank / Public Sector Financial Institution. Scale III (MMGS III); Age above 25 years and below 40 years as on 24th July, 2014 Graduation and MBA/ MMS/ PGDBA/ PGPM/ PGDM, with min. 60% marks. (In case of CA/ ICWA/ ACS, passing the respective examination is sufficient). Min. 5 years of work experience in a Scheduled Bank / Public Sector Financial Institution

34. OBJECTIVE TEST: ONLINE Sr . No . Name of Tests No of Questions No of Marks Duration 1 Banking Knowledge 50 50 Composite time of 2 hours 2 Data Interpretation and Analysis 50 50 3 Reasoning 50 50 4 General Awareness 50 50 TOTAL 200 200 DESCRIPTIVE TEST: ONLINE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST: (LETTER WRITING & ESSAY) 50 75 Minutes 1/4th negative marking will be deducted for each wrong answer  in the Objective Test. Students successful in Online Exam will be called for Group Discussion (30 Marks) and Personal Interview (20 Marks).

35. Important details : Online Registration   Payment of Application Fees  (Offline) Online Examination  (Tentative dates

36. ASSISTANTS IN RESERVE BANK OF INDIA(RBI) Vacancy : “Assistant” in Reserve Bank of India(BI) ; No of Posts : 506; Expected Salary : Rs. 22,732/- Eligibility : Age above 18 years and below 28 years as on 1st July, 2014 Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university with at least 50% marks Knowledge of MS Word in Computers.

37. Structure of Online Exam (Pattern) : Sr . No. Name of Tests No of Questions Duration 1 Test of Reasoning 40 Composite time of 2 hours 2 Test of English Language 40 3 Test of Numerical Ability 40 4 Test of General Awareness 40 5 Test of Computer Knowledge 40 TOTAL 200 Each Question has 1 mark. 1/4th negative marking will be deducted for each wrong answer .

38. Last tear exam details Online Registration   Payment of Application Fees (Online) Payment of Application Fees  (Offline) Online Examination  (Tentative dates) – Varied Dates around the fourth week of September.

39. Interview score of the candidates failing to secure minimum qualifying marks or otherwise barred from the interview or further process shall not be disclosed. A candidate should qualify both in the CWE and interview and be sufficiently high in the merit to be shortlisted for subsequent provisional allotment process, details of which will be made available subsequently on IBPS website.

40. SBI ASSOCIATE CLERK RECRUITMENT TO BE APPLIED ON-LINE In SBI and its associated banks like State Bank of Mysore /State Bank of Patiala/ State Bank of Travancore/ State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur /State Bank of Hyderabad Vacancy : 6425 vacancies; Eligibility : A Degree (Graduation level) from a recognized university, or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by the Central/State Government ; Required Age : Between 20 years to 28 years of age

41. Selection Procedure : Online Objective Test Sl . No. Subject No of Questions Total Time 1 General Awareness 40 Composite time of Hours 15 Mins 2 General English 40 3 Quantitative Aptitude 40 4 Reasoning Ability 40 5 Marketing Aptitude / Computer Knowledge 40   Total  200 Each Question carries one mark. Each wrong answer attracts negative marking of 0.25 Questions left un-answered are not awarded negative marking.

42. Last year details of dates of exams: Online Registration of Applications=20th Nov, 2014 to 09th Dec, 2014. Payment of Fees (Online)=20th Nov, 2014 to 09th Dec, 2014. Payment of Fees (Offline)=22nd Nov, 2014 to 11th Dec, 2014. Date of Online Exam (tentative)= Various dates in Jan/Feb 2015 Salary : Rs.17500 per month

43. INDIAN BANK SPECIALIST OFFICER RECRUITMENT Vacancy : “Specialist Officer” in Indian Bank; No of Posts : 251 ; Expected Salary : Scale I: Rs. 25,700/- / Scale II: Rs. 28,100/- ; Scale III: Rs. 31,500/- / Scale IV: Rs. 36,200/- Eligibility : Selection Procedure: The Selection of Candidates will be on the basis of either ;        i .   Examination followed by interview or ii.   Short Listing and Interview. Test whenever held will be held online. Where ever there is no test, short listing and interviews will be held.

44. GRADE-A OFFICER” IN SMALL INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA (SIDBI) Vacancy : “Grade-A Officer” in Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) No of Posts : 80 ; Expected Salary : Rs. 41,000/- Eligibility : Between 21 and 28 years of age 1st July, 2014. Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree with minimum 60% (55% for SC/ST) marks in aggregate in any stream, in either of the two qualifications, from a recognized institute/University .

45. Selection Procedure: The selection process for the post would be by way of an online examination followed by Personal Interview. Candidates who qualify based on the minimum cut-off marks decided by the Bank, would be called for interview. Last exam Important Dates : Online Registration  – 1st July, 2014 to 1st August, 2014. Payment of Application Fees (Online) – 1st July, 2014 to 1st August, 2014.

46. RAILWAY RECRUITMENT CONTROL BOARD (RRCB) Railway Recruitment Control Board (RRCB) is fully organized and operated by Government of India under Ministry of Railways. RRCB under Railway recruiting boards (Present 19) calling various posts / vacancies through direct recruitment and competitive examinations for every year. Railway Recruitment Posts:  Gazetted (Group 'A' and 'B') and Non-gazetted (Group 'C' and 'D'). C. 19 RRBs to recruit Group C and D posts. Group 'A' Posts -  Group A posts is carried out by UPSC - appointed through Civil Service Exam, Engineering Service Exam, and Combined Medical Service Examination. Group 'B' Posts -  This posts are not open to directly. The Group B posts link Section Officers Grade - upgraded posts from Group 'C' railway employees on deputation basis. Group 'C' Posts -  Technical and Non-Technical cadre posts like Clerk, Station Master , Ticket Collector, Commercial Apprentice, Traffic Apprentice, Engineering posts (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Signal & Telecommunication) etc. Group 'D' Posts -  These posts in various disciplines include Trackman, Helper, Assistant Points Man, Safaiwala , Ganman , Peon etc .

47. Indian Railway Recruitment Zones:   Indian Railways organizational structure is divided into 17 zones, which are further sub-divided into various city wise divisions. All RRBs official website links and contact E-Mail List Visit -  http://www.rrcb.gov.in/rrbs.html .

48. General Insurance Corporation RECRUITMENT 2015 APPLY ONLINE (OFFICERS 65 VACANCIES) General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) is looking for Young, Energetic Graduates / Post Graduates for filling up 65 positions of Officers  in the cadre of Assistant Managers (Scale-I) to be based in its offices in India and abroad (primarily to be posted in Head Office, Mumbai). 

49. Online Registration between 25th December 2014 to 24th January 2015. General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) Re,  published notification for recruitment for  Officers in the cadre of Assistant Managers (Scale-I)  post in India & abroad (primarily to be posted in Head Office, Mumbai) and will be liable to be posted anywhere in India as well as abroad as per the requirement of the Corporation.

50. Last date for Online Application: 24/01/2015. Last date for accepting acknowledgement slips with required documents by post: 30/01/2015 . Intimation to candidates regarding Downloading of admit cards by sms /email latest by: 13/02/2015  Online training for SC/ST/OBC begins: 13/02/2015. Online training for SC/ST/OBC ends: 27/02/2015  Tentative Date of Written Test: 01/03/2015 

51. UNITED INDIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD (UIIC)   United Indian Insurance Co. Ltd (UIIC)  publishes its   Call letter notification for  Assistants (Clerks) Online Examination, every year . This exam will be held in January. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India  announced recruitment for the Insurance Advisor  Posts. No. of Posts: 1524 Names of the Posts: Insurance Advisor Age Limit: 18-50 years for Post No.1, 18-55 for Post No.2, 18-33 years for Post No.3 and 18-60 years for Post No.4. Education Qualification: Candidates should possess HSC for Post No.1, 3 & 4, SSC and HSC & Diploma & Graduate and Post Graduate and M.Phil and Doctorate for Post No.2, See detailed advertisement.

52. REPCO BANK Repco Bank  published notification for recruitment for  Probationary Officer (PO) & Clerks  Post.  Total No of Posts : 115 Names of the Posts : Probationary Officers: 15 Posts/ Jr. Assistants / Clerks: 100 Posts Age Limit : 21 to 30 Years for Sr.No:1 Post & 21 to 28 years for Sr. no. 2 post (as on 01/11/2014) Education Qualification :  Probationary Officer : Graduation or Post Graduation in any discipline with I class, 60% marks from any University recognized by UGC. Jr.Assistant /Clerk : Graduation in any discipline from any university recognized by UGC. Selection Procedure : Probationary Officer: Online test, Group discussion & Interview. Junior Assistant: Online test & Interview.

53. NABARD NABARD  inviting applications from Indian citizens for the post of Assistant Manager (Grade ‘A’) in the Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS),  Rajbhasha Service, Legal Service, Protocol & Security Service and Manager (Grade ‘B’) (RDBS).  Imp Note: Candidates can apply only ON-LINE on NABARD website between 24 December 2014 and 15 January 2015 after carefully going through all the instructions given in this advertisement. Total no of Posts : 128 Posts

54. Name of the Posts : Assistant Managers (Grade 'A' ) in Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS): 100 posts Assistant Managers (Grade 'A' ) in Rajbhasha Service: 09 posts Assistant Managers (Grade 'A' ) in Legal Service: 03 posts Assistant Managers (Grade 'A' ) in Protocol & Security Service: 10 posts Managers (Grade 'B' ) in Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS): 06 posts

55. SMALL INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA (SIDBI ) GRADE-A OFFICER” IN SMALL INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA (SIDBI) Vacancy : “Grade-A Officer” in Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) No of Posts : 80 Expected Salary : Rs. 41,000/- Eligibility : Between 21 and 28 years of age 1st July, 2014 Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree with minimum 60% (55% for SC/ST) marks in aggregate in any stream, in either of the two qualifications, from a recognized institute/University. Selection Procedure: The selection process for the post would be by way of an online examination followed by Personal Interview. Candidates who qualify based on the minimum cut-off marks decided by the Bank, would be called for interview.

56. RBI ‘GRADE-B OFFICER’ RECRUITMENT RBI ‘Grade-B Officer’ Recruitment 2014-15 : Apply Online  No. of Vacancies : General – 58/Schedules Caste – 15/Scheduled Tribe – 08/O.B.C. – 36/TOTAL – 117 Emoluments : Salary per month – Rs. 51,517/- Eligibility Criteria : Between 21 and 30 years of age as on Age 01st June, 2014 Educational Qualification: Graduation or equivalent with a minimum of 60% marks  OR A Second Class Master’s Degree with minimum of 55% marks  OR A Doctorate Degree; with minimum of 50% marks  OR Chartered/Cost Accountant/Company Secretary (ACS) with a Bachelor’s Degree;  OR A Post Graduate Diploma in Management / MBA qualification from institutions recognized by Government of India / University Grants Commission, with Graduation / Bachelor’s Degree.

57. Written Exam Details : Phase I: Online Examination (Objective Type) Last year Dates of Examination were –  2nd,3rd,9th,10th  August, 2014 Total Marks – 200 Total Time – 130 Mins Section in the Paper i .  General Awareness. ii.  English Language. iii.  Quantitative Aptitude. iv.  Reasoning - Date of Result of Phase I Exam – August/September, 2014 Phase II: Written Examination (Descriptive Type) - Date of Examination –September/October, 2014 - Descriptive Examination will have three papers on i .  English ii.  Economic and Social Issues iii.  Finance and Management

58. Written exam (Maximum Marks- 100) PAPER I ENGLISH N.B.-(l) All questions are compulsory. (2) Figures to the right indicate marks. (3) Each question must be started on a fresh page. (4) All parts of a question must be answered together without other answers intervening. (5) Marks will be deducted if an answer far exceeds or falls short of the set limit or is irrelevant or if the handwriting is illegible. (6) Answers must be written in English.

59. 1. Write an argumentative essay of about 500 words, on anyone of the following :- (40 MARKS) (a) Does Politics need Ethics? (b) Cricket unites the World! (c) Do Growth and Inflation go together? (d) Is Environment our Social Responsibility? (e) Travel and Tourism is a booming business.

60. Another year 1. Write an argumentative essay in about 500 words on anyone of the following topics :- 40 MARKS (a) Can technology bring about economic growth with social justice? (b) Has the RBI succeeded in curbing inflation? (c) Can we have a corruption-free society? (d) Has the economic balance of power tilted eastwards? (e) Is social 'net' working a blessing or a curse?

61. Another year 1. Write an essay of about 500 words on any on e of the following :— 40 MARKS ( a ) Can the Food Security Bill help ? ( b ) Has Gold lost its Glitter ? ( c ) Sports other than Cricket, are winning us medals today. ( d ) How do Hi-Tech gadgets Rule our Lives ? ( e ) Environmental disasters are not only due to Global Warming. ( f ) Indian Food is popular Worldwide !!

62. 2. COMPREHENSION PARA AND QUESTIONS

63. 3. Attempt anyone of the following in about 250 words ;- 20 MARKS ( a) Draft an investigative report on a fire that broke out in the accounts department last week. Suggest safeguards to handle such accidents in the future. (b) Make a proposal on behalf of the employees to the General Manager of the R B. I. on the need for some Yoga and Stress Management Programmes for the officers, twice a year to increase their efficiency. You are the H. R Manager. (c) With Corporates supporting social causes it is suggested that the RB.I. can organise a Maths Quiz with cash awards for underprivileged children. As General Manager put your ideas forward to the Head Office.

64. 3. Attempt anyone of the following in about 250 words :- 20 MARKS ( a) Indian households have savings of above 30%- one of the highest in the world. A Committee has been constituted to suggest various financial products where these savings can be invested with a view to protecting the principal from inflation and also to give positive and real returns. Draft the Committee Report. (b) Commuting to office during peak hours has become an ordeal particularly in large cities. This is affecting the efficiency of the employees. As the HR Manager draft a proposal to be sent to RBI for introducing flexible working hours in the bank. Highlight the salient features of' flexi-time' and how it would enhance efficiency at workplace .

65. (c) RBI had issued a Notification directing commercial banks against lending more than 80% of the value ofthe property for loans above Rs. 20 lakhs . The President of the Association of Real Estate Developers of India has written to RBI stating that this move does not bode well for developers as it may lead to drop in home sales. On behalf of RBI write a suitable reply to be sent to the President of the Association. Impress upon the real estate developers that the notification is aimed at curbing speculation in the market and not at affecting home sales.

66. 3. Answer any one of the following in about 250 words :— 20 MARKS ( a ) The Chairmen of the Reserve Bank has called an urgent meeting to examine the problem arising from a sudden spurt of fake notes of denominations of 1000 and 500 in the market. Discuss the measures suggested to identify and stop this flood of fake currency. ( b ) Hoardings pose an environmental hazard and are an ugly sight in any city. Write an open letter, as a concerned citizen to the Editor, The Times of India offering your ideas in this matter. ( c ) In the wake of online financial frauds and phishing ; the RBI has decided to send a Circular to all banks to secure the details of the accounts of their customers and warn them about such risks. Draft this circular .

67. Common Written Examination (CWE) conducted for selection in Banking sectors: Institute of Banking Personnel Selection(IBPS) Indian PSU banks provide an excellent opportunity for graduates. More than 7.5 lakh freshers will be recruited by Indian PSU banks over the next 5 years.

68. While the jobs are aplenty, the competition for these jobs is equally high. But preparation for the exam is key. Success rate is only 1.5% - what this means is less than 2 out of 100 aspirants that take the bank exam actually get a job.  Banks select freshers for their aptitude and train them in banking,  enabling them to move up in the value chain.

69. Selection Process for Bank Exam Only 5 – 10% make it through the Elimination round of the Aptitude Test. Hence it is critical to prepare and make sure you cross this first hurdle successfully.

70. Five success mantras for this examination are: Take Stock :  Knowing where you stand on your Ability to do the Aptitude Test Know the Game :  Know the examination process and procedures Get Trained :  Get help - Professional Coaching Practice : Practice and more practice- attend model tests. Just do it with motivation and determination. Not for name-sake.

71. 1. Take Stock: Knowing where you stand: This area is normally and easily overlooked by aspirants. Bank exams test only basic Aptitude, and hence it is easy to ignore the need for development and falling on the trap ‘I know all these things’. The fact is that the exam covers basic arithmetic and aptitude. However, what gets overlooked is the  need for speed coupled with Accuracy .

72. In a typical examination, there is a major time pressure. One has to  answer 250 questions in 150 minutes  – a mere  36 seconds for each question .

73. Hence,  knowing how to solve a problem does not suffice , knowing  how quickly you can do  the same correctly is the key. Hence, taking stock of where you stand with respect to  speed and accuracy  on various topics that gets covered in this exam is a must.

74. The best way to know where you are is to  take mock tests  and get to know where you stand in terms of the marks scored by you, time taken and  compare your marks with the cut off marks  and marks scored by other aspirants.

75. 2. Know the Game: Know the type of examination system The next step is  understand the examination pattern and system . While the knowledge required for most aptitude tests are the same, the  strategy to handle the examination  will differ significantly depending on the exam itself. For example. the Common Written Examination (CWE ) conducted by IBPS, looks for one to be well rounded across multiple knowledge and talent areas . 

76. Hence, there are individual cut offs for each section . If one is strong in English & have the ability to score very high, it will help his / her score in selection. However, as a pre requisite one has to cross the cut-of- mark in each of the 5 sections. Thus, if one scores very high on English and very low in say GK, he / she will not qualify in spite of the total marks being better than the average cut offs. This needs to be understood.

77. Some of the key areas are: Qualifying marks in each section Negative marks Questions with differing difficulties & strategy for handling Time management in line with the above pattern Taking guidance  on each of the exam and its uniqueness will go a long way in creating a suitable strategy for one in attacking this examination.

78. 3. Professional Coaching Another frequently raised question among aspirants is that ‘ is there a need for professional coaching for bank exam?’. This arises generally from the fact that as confident individuals we tend to believe that we are ready for the challenge and we can crack any examination as we know most of the concepts. This confidence is absolutely necessary. However, confidence alone is not sufficient .

79. We need to understand the fact that a person who has an above average aptitude levels has a fair chance to crack the exam irrespective of coaching. However, if  professional coaching helps a person to get 10-20 additional marks , this can make a huge difference – because the competition is very high and every additional mark is a value.

80. Many people believe that what is covered in the bank exam coaching were taught in school. But the fact is, most of us tend to forget what was taught in school and a refresher is a must for one to be ready for facing the competition with time deadlines.

81. In addition to preparation, the benefit of professional coaching includes ability to create a strategy for the examination , understand what other aspirants are doing and also get more focussed attention on exam specific development which will come handy in the GK section of the examination.

82. 4. Practice, Practice and do more practice Practice makes a person perfect. It is said with proper reason. More the time spent in practicing, better is the efficiency in the examination . Higher the efforts prior to the examination, better is the efficiency during the examination. Hence , a serious contender who is keen to land a job in banking needs to put in  hours and hours of hard work , which has the ability of providing rewards in multiples.

83. The  practice must be well directed . A misdirected practice has the danger of de railing your preparation. For any examination, practice has to be focused and in line with the requirements. A professional guidance in understanding the areas which require practice will go a long way in making one better equipped to crack the bank examination.

84. 5. Just do it Like in most things in life, success comes to those who enjoy what they are doing . Bank exam preparation can be an arduous task. However,  one has to enjoy going through the preparation . Those who enjoy this hard work will relish the same in the future.

85. So put in your hard work with your own heart and see how the whole world works towards making your dream come true . You can do it . What you need is the right approach coupled with good strategies for reaching your destiny. 

86. Summary of Objective General English Categorized into six sections to make the test process structured and systematic. These are Vocabulary Usage, Error Detection, Comprehension Ability, Rearrangement, Selecting Words/Phrases, and General Usage.

87. The first section deals with the right usage of one’s vocabulary, which is imperative for articulate communication skills as well as proficiency in competitive exams. Aspects covered under this are Synonyms, Double Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, Word Substitution, and Vocabulary Test.

88. The second part is all about the ability to comprehend a given text. The most challenging task while assimilating a passage is to grasp the precise meaning, the correct motif, implicit hints, and the tone of the written matter. This incorporates four aspects as- comprehension, techniques required to derive conclusions from a passage, and on the detection of the theme.

89. The next aspect is about selecting the right words and phrases. This encompasses three areas like sentence and passage completion and choosing the correct filler.

90. The next aspect is related to Error Detection, addresses some of the most prevalent mistakes that people are disposed to make. This helps people to identify the errors, rectify them, and subsequently, avoid them. How to spot and avoid common errors, methods to improve sentences, ways to emend passages, and select the correct sentence.

91. Writing a well constructed paragraph can be daunting for some, as it needs well accommodated sentences. The next aspect is the concept of rearrangement of sentences. This deals with the reconstruction of individual sentences, rearrangement of already constructed sentences within a paragraph, reconstruction of paragraphs in a passage, and the formation of words.

92. Another aspect is related to the use of idioms, common phrases, and teaches the opposite use of active and passive voice, conversion of direct speech into indirect speech and transformation.

93. Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations Competitive exams, test the numerical aptitude of the person taking the exam . These exams test a candidate's knowledge and skill in basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry etc. They also test the Quantitative Aptitude skills of the candidate.

94. The first part covers arithmetical ability. The second part covers Data Interpretation. Coverage includes Numbers, Average, Percentage, Decimal Fractions, Square Roots and Cube Roots. It also covers Problems on Numbers and Ages, Simplification, Alligations , and Logarithms- ability to handle problems.

95. Other topics include Surds and Indices, Pipes and Cistern, Chain Rule, Boats and Streams, Simple and Compound Interests, Time and Work, Partnership, Problems on Trains, and Volume and Surface Area. Stocks and Shares, True Discount and Banker's Discount, Games of Skill, Races, Permutations and Combination, Series, Odd Man Out, Clocks, Heights and Distances, and Calendar.

96. The Data Interpretation part covers Tabulation and various kinds of graphs like Bar, Pie and Line Graphs. The Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations  covers every aspect of the numerical ability.

97. Modern Approach To Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning  Verbal Reasoning has two sections. General mental ability, include verification of truth of the statement, Assertion and reason, alpha numeric sequence puzzle, direction sense test, series completion, inserting the missing character, logical sequence of words, and logical venn diagrams.

98. In the second section, Logical Deduction, Cause And Effect Reasoning, Statement-Conclusions, Theme Detection, Statement-Arguments, Deriving Conclusions From Passages, Logic, Statement-Assumptions, and Statement-Course Of Action.

99. Non-verbal Reasoning, Construction Of Squares And Triangles, Classification, Figure Formation & Analysis, Series, Completion Of Incomplete Pattern, Paper Folding, Analogy, Analytical Reasoning, Cubes And Dice, and Spotting Out The Embedded Figures

100. Most of the exams are conducted in prefixed months . Hence, Your are sure about the period of preparation and time available . But you need to manage the time to study most of the required things.

101. TIME MANAGEMENT – It is necessary to adopt the strategy of optimum utilization of time. Effective Time Management in our lives today, is a must before preparation of any exams. It calls for the mastery of basic time management skills. Improve your "effectiveness Quotient" – You need to achieve more in every minute of the day and to enjoy each task that you take up.

102. You have to have a personal sense of time or a time log. This helps you to keep track of how you spend each hour. Divide each day for a period of two weeks into one hour intervals and jot down what you do in them. Subdivide the activities also. At the end of the week, examine your time log and the success rate.

103. Find that more time is devoted for top priority activities and less time is wasted phone calls, coffee breaks, chatting with friends etc. Try to cut down the time spent on useless activities or stop doing them altogether.

104. Manage the stress : Most of the centres for the exam do not have proper facilities which adds to the stress. One sure way of dealing with this stress is to count numbers or to take a few deep breaths. Meditation and Yoga may help in dealing with this stress.

105. Answering multiple choice question paper needs a different preparation and a proper strategy. The examination is designed to evaluate sharp memory and basic retention power. There are ways to increase one's memory like preparing charts. One gets confused when faced with mind boggling facts and figures.

106. Important facts and figures can be simplified and represented on charts and they can arranged in the form of tables or graphs. You have to make short and brief notes on each topic so that the entire syllabus can be revised a day before the exam.

107. It is better to use diagrams and link words which make it easier to understand difficult concepts. One more technique that can help is retaining the information by using your own abbreviations . Since the syllabus involves exhaustive information abbreviations help you to remember it better.

108. It is a good method to remember dates, facts and figures in a picture format and to break up complex names and places into smaller and simpler words.

109. The most important technique is doing regular revision . This helps in retaining the maximum information. A separate time slot should be given to doing not only regular but multiple revisions like daily, weekly, monthly etc.

110. Many candidates make a mistake of overloading themselves with lots of information and end up in not remembering anything. One should be able to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information .

111. Taking a mock test Speed and Accuracy are important. For this, try to solve some model question papers on a regular basis. A good presence of mind is required. It is necessary to have a positive attitude and a great amount of will power to succeed to achieve your goal.

112. How to Prepare Notes - Appearing for any competitive exam requires a lot of preparation. You should be ready to face this challenge. It is important to know how to make use of the available literature sources a nd use them in the best possible way.

113. Three pronged approach The standard three pronged approach is a) reading to learn, b) making effective notes and c) able to write answers to various kinds of questions.

114. One should make notes from the very beginning as soon as you have started studying, and also when the material is fresh in mind. It is better to make notes from all possible sources , from what you read, what you hear and from what you do. After making the first brief notes, it can be expanded and organised properly. You can then keep adding information to it from time to time.

115. Methods of making notes There are different methods of making notes and one should decide which method suits you the best.

116. TAKE CARE: Do it smart- work hard, study 10 hours or more every day, read many books selectively, make short notes, take mock tests Start early- preparations once you decide See old questions, try to solve them Make it as a routine work- chart Prepare once- write all

117. Do it Read, Read, Read Write notes Take guidance Get, set, go Be confident Read newspapers Physical Exercises

118. Avoid Multi-tasking Loss of concentration Distractions Moving around Loss of sleep Unhygienic food Overeating/ starving Tension

119. Notes taking Use all sources Understand and take notes Linear notes( headings, sub-headings, points) Pattern notes- write the topic at the centre of the page, use key words as radiating items, add extra items, indicate links

120. Skeleton Prose This is the most common form of note taking. Notes are structured as a sequence of numbered points and paragraphs, with headings and indentations - a little like an essay plan.

121. How to Take Notes summarise - be concise be as neat as possible use headings and numbered points use abbreviations/shorthand (but spell out personal or place names legibly) leave spaces in between your notes (for amendments and additions)

122. Taking Notes from Written Material When taking notes from written material we have to do the following: Identify the main points in a paragraph. Transform the main points into note form. Show how these main points are linked.

123. Atmospheric optics

124. Knowledge area v/s Skill area

125. Demand-supply gap in Karnataka, 2012 to 2022

126. Final suggestions Prepare well Practice well Perform well Position well ( in life/job)

127. Thank you