Career with Bank- A Profitable Investment
Careers in banking and related fields are hot careers today, because it assures well-paid, secure and satisfying career prospects. And the banking sector is on a hiring spree. Many Indian banks, particularly in the public sector, which had stopped recruitment a couple of years ago, have, in fact, resumed hiring new candidates. Today, there are 27 public sector banks, 33 private banks and 43 foreign banks operating in the country, providing jobs to lakhs of people. While the public sector banks still hold the biggest share of the banking business, accounting for about 83 per cent of the total deposits, private banks and foreign banks are bringing in a range of new and innovative services to attract customers. All these changes have resulted in the general upgrading of jobs, calling for more people with professional backgrounds.
There are various different caders at which a person can join the bank, but as far as a fresher is concerned, Clerical and Probationary Officer are the levels they can easily get in.
Selection Procedure:
The selection process at most public sector banks follows a similar pattern. It includes a written test followed by an interview of the selected candidates. The key areas included in these tests are
A. For Probationary Officers’ Exam
1. Written Test
The written test of most of the banks shall consist of the following subjects:
Test of Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, General Awareness, English Language.
In addition to this some banks will have the papers like:
Descriptive: General OR Descriptive –English
Computer Awareness, Banking Awareness, Psychometric Test
Most banks give a correct picture about the subjects covered in their exam, in their recruitment advertisement itself.  Most tests also have negative marking for the incorrect answers. There will be penalty for wrong answers marked in the objective tests which will result in negative marks for every wrong answer @ one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question. If the total of the penalty for a test is in fraction, the marks obtained will be rounded off to the nearest integer. The candidate shall be required to qualify in each objective test as per cut-off mark determined on the basis of performance in each test, subject to minimum of (usually 40%) in the aggregate of 200 marks for the objective test. Candidates failing to obtain the minimum qualifying marks will not be declared to have cleared the objective tests. In most exams the test of English language is for ‘Qualifying purpose’ only. Hence though the candidate has also to pass in the Test of English language, the marks obtained in the test will not be reckoned in the aggregate of 200 marks of the written examination for the purpose of Merit Ranking.
Descriptive Test (if any) tests the wealth of ideas, higher order cognitive abilities, organisation of ideas in a logical coherent manner, written communication skill etc in a concise manner. Language composition, clarity of thoughts and brevity are also matters of consideration in descriptive test. Usually there will be 5 compulsory questions with internal options. The candidates will have an option to write the answers in English or Hindi. In most exams the Descriptive Test carries total marks of 100 with total time duration of 60 minutes. The minimum qualifying marks will be (usually 40%) The status of descriptive test is for qualifying purpose only. Hence though the candidate has also to pass in the Descriptive Test, the marks obtained in the Test will not be reckoned for the purpose of Merit Ranking. Descriptive Test papers only to the extent of 5 times the number of vacancies in case of candidates belonging to General Category and to the extent of 7 times the number of vacancies in case of candidates belonging to the Reserved Category, will be evaluated based on the Merit Ranking of the Objective Test.
2. Interview
A personal interview for 35 marks shall be conducted to assess the candidates’ academic record, power of expression, clarity of thought, qualities of leadership, extra curricular activities, hobbies, general demeanour, behaviour, communication skills etc. Depending on the number of vacancies, such of those candidates who rank sufficiently high in the order of merit in the written test as per the cut off marks decided by the Bank will only be called for interview. The minimum qualifying marks for personal interview would be usually 50% marks (i.e) 17.50 marks ( 45% marks (i.e) 15.75 marks for the Reserved Category candidates) .
Final selection will be made on the basis of aggregate marks obtained by the candidates in the written examination & Interview and will be strictly according to the merit ranking.
B. Clerical Exam
Selection process for clerical staff also follows the same method mentioned in the above PO Selection process. Subjects covered in the clerical exams of almost all banks are also more or less similar to that of PO Exams:
Test of Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude/Numerical Ability, General Awareness, English Language
Some banks don’t have the General Awareness paper, and some bank exams have questions under the following subjects too:
Computer Awareness, Marketing, Clerical Aptitude, Descriptive English
Final selection will be on the basis of the ranking accorded after adding the marks obtained in the Objective Tests and Interview.
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION GIVEN ABOVE ARE GENERAL IN NATURE AND GIVEN FOR INFORMATION PURPOSE ONLY AND MAY VARY FROM EXAM TO EXAM AND BANK TO BANK. CANDIDATES ARE DIRECTED TO VERIFY THE CORRECTNESS OF THE INFORMATION FROM ACQUAINT YOURSELF BOOKLET ISSUED BY THE BANKS CONCERNED ALONG WITH THE CALL LETTER. THIS WEBSITE OWNER DOES NOT TAKE ANY RESPOSIBILITY FOR ANY MISTAKES THAT MIGHT HAVE CREPT IN ON THESE WEB PAGES.
Eligibility for GATE
The candidates with following academic background are eligible to appear in GATE Â Examination:
- Bachelor's degree holders Engineering/ Technology/Architecture/Pharmacy (4 years after 10+2) and those who are in the final or pre-final year of such programmes.
- Master degree holders in any branch of Science/ Mathematics/ Statistics/ Computer Applications or equivalent and those who are in the final or pre-final year of such programmes.
- Candidates in the second or higher year of the Four-year Integrated Master's degree programme (Post-B.Sc.) in Engineering/Technology or in the third or higher year of Five-year Integrated Master's degree programme and Dual Degree programme in Engineering/Technology.
- Candidates with qualifications obtained through examinations conducted by professional societies recognised by UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE) as equivalent to B.E./B.Tech. Those who have completed Section A or equivalent of such professional courses are also eligible.status.
GATE Overview
What is GATE :
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising faculty from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board - GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.
Objective:
To identify meritorious and motivated candidates for admission to Post Graduate Programmes in Engineering, Technology, Architecture and Pharmacy at the National level. To serve as benchmark for normalisation of the Undergraduate Engineering Education in the country.
Why should we take GATE:
- M.Tech degree leads to specialization and furthering of interest in a certain area which may lead to Ph.D .
- M.Tech degree is best for those wishing to apply for Faculty/Research positions in educational Institutes/R&D centers.
Important Dates:
- Availability of GATE forms: October, 1st week
- Last Date for filling up forms: November, 1st week
- Exam Date: 2nd Sunday of February
- Results: March 3rd week
Examination Details:
- The examination is a single paper of 3 hours duration and generally consists of Section A (Objective Type) which is of 75 marks and Section B (Problem Type) which is of 75 marks. Total: 150 marks.
- You have to opt for your subject and study as per the syllabus mentioned in the GATE brochure.
- The subjects of our interest are Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering., Electrical Engineering and Instrumentation Engineering. Other subjects are also available such as Mathematics, Physics, etc.
- Results of qualified candidates in GATE will give All India Rank and indicate percentile score. For example, a percentile score of 99 means you are in the top 1% category of the candidates who appeared for GATE.
- Candidates who get less than 70 percentile get no score card.
- GATE scores are valid for 2 years. You may reappear the GATE exam if you are not satisfied with the earlier score and the new score (if better than the old one) will be used for admission purposes.
Note:Â Validity of GATE 2009 Score will be for a period of ONE YEARÂ ONLY from the date of announcement of results.
After the Exam, what next:
- After publication of GATE results, students must apply to individual Institutes to get their application forms.
- Institutes advertise M.Tech admissions in leading newspapers from 1st April till end July. However some Institutes do not advertise and therefore students have to get the forms themselves.
- In the application forms, you have to mention your GATE score alongwith other details.
- The concerned Institute may conduct written test and/or interview for the purpose of admission.
- General thumb rules: If your GATE score in Computer Science is 96 percentile or more then you can try for IITs, if between 85 - 96 percentile, then apply for top RECs, JADAVPUR, SHIBPUR, ROORKEE, etc. If less than 85, you have to look for appropriate institutes.
Scholarship:
During the pursuit of M.Tech, you are paid a scholarship of Rs. 5000.00 per month by the Government of India. This amount is enough for living expenses including purchase of books, etc. The scholarship is paid for the entire 18 months M.Tech period.
SPECIAL:
It is always better for  3rd year students to also appear GATE alongwith Final Year students since:
- GATE score is valid for 1 years.
- The syllabus as required by GATE is generally over by 5th semester.
- Anyway, it will be a good try ! If it is a bad score you can always try again.
CAT 2009 will not be a Computer Adaptive Test
FireUp prepares you for the exact test format of CAT as clarified by IIM Ahmadabad.
CAT 2009: Frequently Asked Questions (1 July 2009)
Q1: I hear that CAT will be held online. Is that correct?
A1: CAT is going to be a computer based test (CBT) and not internet based test (IBT). I.e. Candidate does not take the test on an internet site. Instead of reading the questions in a paper booklet and darkening the ovals on the answer-sheet, a candidate will read the questions on a computer terminal and choose an answer by clicking on the correct option.
Q2: I hear that CAT will be a computer adaptive test. Is that correct?
A2: No, CAT is not going to be a computer adaptive test.
Q3: Will the format of the test change?
A3: The format of the test will remain more or less the same except that a candidate reads question on a computer terminal and clicks on the correct answer.
Q4: Can I take the test from any computer?
A4: No. A candidate will take the test only at designated test venues in about 25 cities across India. Detailed information will be provided in the CAT 2009 advertisement.
Q5: But how do I do rough-work and calculations while arriving at the answers?
A5: At the test venue, each candidate will be seated at a desk with a computer terminal and he/she will be provided with a writing pad with numbered pages for calculations. After the test, candidate must leave the pad including all the pages in it at the desk. Rough-work cannot be done on any other paper/sheet as nothing will be allowed to be taken inside the test hall.
Q6: Can you give more details on taking test in a CBT format?
A6: We will be giving more details at a later stage.
Q7: But when is the CAT 2009 advertisement going to appear in newspapers?
A7: Advertisement for CAT 2009 will appear during the later part of August 2009.
Q8: How much is the test fee for CAT 2009 and how do I pay?
A8: Candidate Testing Fee is Rs. 1400 (Rs. 700 for SC/ST candidates). A prospective candidate buys a CAT 2009 Voucher from designated locations/bank branches after advertisement appears in newspapers. Sufficient time will be given for purchasing the voucher. More details will be available on our websites after the advertisement appears in newspapers.
Q9: How do I register for CAT 2009?
A9. The Voucher bought by the candidate gives instructions on how to register for CAT 2009. At this time, it would suffice to say that candidates are expected visit CAT website to register for CAT 2009. Sufficient amount of time will be given to register online. More details will be given in the advertisement and the voucher.
Q10: How do I get my admit card for the test?
A10: After you fill-in, review, and submit the registration information during online registration, you will receive an email containing your Admit Card.
Q11. Does that mean I need to have an E-mail account?
A11. Yes, you must have a valid E-mail account throughout the selection process.
Q12: What do I need to bring at the time of test?
A12: You must bring the printed copy of the admit card, one picture ID, and any other ID not necessarily with a picture. Do not bring any other material and personal belongings with you, for no personal belongings and materials will be allowed in test-hall. More details will be provided later.
Q13: Can you please tell me when will the CAT 2009 be conducted?
A13: CAT 2009 will be conducted during a ten-day window starting at the end of November 2009. Exact dates will be mentioned in the advertisement.
Q14: Can I take CAT more than once during the testing window?
A14: No, a candidate can register to take test only once during the CAT 2009 testing window. Admit cards and picture ids of the candidates will be checked, and candidate pictures and biometric information will also be captured at the test venue.
Q15: When are CAT 2009 result expected to be declared?
A15: CAT 2009 results are expected to be declared by the end of January 2010. Exact date of result declaration will be informed at a later stage.
Q16: When will we get more updates?
A16: Any important developments may be posted on IIM sites and CAT website about a month later.
Tips to improve your Vocabulary
A good vocabulary is a valuable asset in this world. When people listen to you speak, a good vocabulary tells them if you are intelligent or not. By increasing your vocabulary, you can improve you chance of success in written examinations, Group Discussions and even in interviews. In short you increase your chance to crack the CAT.
1. Read more. You need to read more and more books, magazines and newspapers. Read anything and everything that you can place your hands on.
2. Buy a book of vocabulary words. These usually have exercises in the back that will help you reinforce your vocabulary. You can visit www.fireup.co.in for knowing the correct usage of words.
3. Use flash cards. Scan the dictionary for words you are unfamiliar with. Write them on a flash card. Use the flash cards as much as possible.
4. Keep a notebook to help you remember what you've learnt.
5. Learn the roots of words, these help you to remember the words easily.
You can visit www.fireup.co.in to improve your vocabulary. www.fireup.co.in helps you prepare for CAT. This site solves all your queries on CAT.
MAT SYLLABUS
Management Aptitude Test or MAT Syllabus
MAT is the MBA entrance test conducted country-wide by the Centre for Management Services (CMS) of All India Management Association (AIMA). It is usually conducted four times in a year in February, May, September and December. MAT is conducted in all major cities in the country and in leading cities abroad.
Eligibility
The minimum qualification for appearing in MAT is graduation in any discipline from any recognized University or equivalent recognized degree. A final year student in any undergraduate (i.e., B.A., B.Sc., B.Com., B.Tech., etc.,) can also appear provisionally. Usually, there is a minimum percentage requirement in graduation, which is different for different MIs / University.
MAT Syllabus
The Management Aptitude Test or MAT is the test conducted by All India Management Testing Service for entering into MBA or equivalent post graduate programmes.
There are five papers in MAT:
1. Language Comprehension
2. Mathematical Skills
3. Data Analysis
4. Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
5. Indian & Global Environment Section
Paper Pattern:
Total Questions: 200
Time: 150 minutes
Marks allocation:
Correct attempt: 1 mark
Incorrect attempt: Negative marking not specified
Section Questions
Reading Comprehension 40
Data Interpretation/Data sufficiency 40
Quantitative Aptitude 40
Logical and Critical reasoning 40
General Awareness** 40
**Scores are based on the first four sections only, the decision to consider scores of the General Awareness section are left to the institutes.
Speed Reading
Speed Reading Tips
We live in the age of information, and we must read extensively if we intend to be successful in our studies, or careers. Schools and colleges have discovered that courses in reading skills give enormous aid to students struggling under the heavier loads of today's scholastic programs. Young men and women trained in speed reading show distinct advantages over those who lack this kind of skill.
How fast you can be?
Reading speed has no known theoretical limit. A speed of between 800 and 1200 words per minute (wpm) can comfortably be reached by permanent speed readers, without any constant practice and drilling. Reading speed varies according to the complexity of the reading material, type, face, print quality, grammar, style etc.
How Much Time It Will Take?
When you participate in a speed reading courses online, or read the book, you will find your reading skills increasing from the very start. With serious application, you will soon be speed reading with ease, and astonished at how much you comprehend in such little time.
Obstacles to Speed Reading
1. Reading phrases more than once.
2. Wondering mind and straying thoughts
3. Anxiety about missing a critical “not†or other conjunctive structure
4. Outside anxiety like job, home, family, etc.
FireUp provides you a solution to overcome all these problems and helps you to enhance your speed in reading comprehensions.
General Speed Reading Gyan
Concentration: You can learn anything if you pay attention!
Enjoy Reading: No matter whether you are reading technical material fun is the most important ingredient in a successful reading experience.
Preview the chapter: you will organize your mind before you begin to read, build a structure for the thoughts and details to come, you will be able to sort, understand and remember the information better.
Question: Read each section of the chapter with your questions in mind. Look for the answers, and take note of questions you didn't think of that were answered in that section
Eye Stops: Read in phrases of three or four words - meaning is easier to pull from groups of words rather than from individual words.
Varying Reading Rates: Vary your reading rate to suit the difficulty and type of writing of the text. An efficient reader speeds up for easier material and slows down for the hard.
Skimming
Skimming is a high speed reading process and involves visually searching the sentences of a page for clues to meaning.
There are many strategies that can be used when skimming. Some of them are
1. Read the first and last paragraphs
2. Read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations.
3. Read the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you're seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension.
Lot of good speed reading books are available in the market. My personal favorite is "How to Read Better and Faster" by Norman Lewis. You can buy How To Read Better & Faster from Flipkart.com
Another amazing book is "The Speed Reading Book" by Tony Buzan. You can buy this book from Flipkart.com
CAT SYLLABUS
Syllabus for CAT 2009
There is no prefixed pattern for CAT. The syllabus given below is based on the experience of previous CATs. The list may not be exhaustive but almost the entire gamut is covered. CAT 2009 will be online
QUANTITATIVE:
Ratios and Proportion, Ratios, Percentages, In-equations , Quadratic and linear equations, Algebra, Profit & Loss, Averages, Percentages, Partnership, Time-Speed-Distance, Work and time, Number system, HCF, LCM, Geometric Progression, Arithmetic progression, Arithmetic mean, Geometric mean , Harmonic mean, Median, Mode, Number Base System, BODMAS, Mensuration, Alligation & Mixtures, Work, Pipes and Cisterns, Simple Interest & Compound Interest, Set Theory, Venn Diagram, Installment Payments, Partnership, Clocks, Probability, Permutations & Combinations, Trigonometry, Vectors, Binomial Expansion, Co-ordinate geometry, Geometry (Lines, angles, Triangles, Spheres, Rectangles, Cube, Cone etc), Logarithm, Calendar, Maxima & Minima Progression, Surds & Indices and Complex numbers, Pipes and Cisterns, Functions etc.
DATA INTERPRETATION:
Data Interpretation based on text, Data Interpretation based on graphs and tables. Graphs can be Column graphs, Bar Graphs, Line charts, Pie Chart, Graphs representing Area, Venn Diagram, Data Sufficiency etc.
REASONING:
Critical reasoning, Visual reasoning, Assumption-Premise-Conclusion, Assertion and reasons, Statements and assumptions, identifying valid inferences , identifying Strong arguments and Weak arguments, Statements and conclusions, Cause and Effect, Identifying Probably true, Probably false, definitely true, definitely false kind of statement, Linear arrangements, Matrix arrangements, Puzzles, Family tree problem , Symbol Based problems, Coding and decoding , Sequencing , identifying next number in series etc.
ENGLISH:
Comprehension of passage, Verbal Reasoning, Syllogisms , Contextual usage, Analogies, Antonyms, Fill In the Blanks, Jumbled paragraphs with 4 or 5 sentences, Foreign language words used in English, Sentence completion, Sentence correction, odd man out, idioms, one word substitution, Different usage of same word, Errors in word choice, mania & phobia, Incorrect words, Mood, Conditionals & Multiple Usage , Punctuation, Proverb, Phrasal verb etc.
Who is behind QuickerMaths?
I am Vineet Patawari - PGDM (IIM Indore), ACA, B.Com(H). My passion for Mathematics, specially Vedic Maths encouraged me to start QuickerMaths
I believe that if trained properly using powerful tools like Vedic Maths, the immense intellect of human mind can be ignited instantly - find out more
Get Maths Tricks by Email
Recent Comments
akbar said that one should get the ring back without climbing into the well. so,birbal... – 18May12
Really thanks .... hats of you ... please tell me such a important tricks of... – 18May12
Very nice – 16May12
Hey, i think the question ll be like : A and B separately can do... – 13May12
Most Popular
- 100% Finding Cube Root – Vedic Maths Way
- 64% Shortcut to Find Square of a Number
- 55% Shortcut to find the Cube of a number
- 52% You can make a difference
- 52% Shortcut Method for Multiplication
- 47% Division in Vedic Mathematics
- 44% Squaring any 2-digit number
- 44% Divisibility Rule of 7, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43 and 47
- 41% Herons Method of Finding Roots
- 41% Base Method of Multiplication
- 40% Quicker Maths by M Tyra
- 35% Memory Tricks for Trigonometry
- 35% Quick calculations for extremely large numbers
- 34% Divisibility Rules for 7 , 11 and 13
- 33% How to convert from decimal to other number systems