Every year, more than lakhs of candidates aspire and prepare for the professional exam of SBI PO. SBI PO stands for State Bank of India Probationary Officer. The exam is conducted by SBI, the largest and one of the biggest banking corporations in the world. It has more than 100 branches across the nation. It is one of the most coveted jobs. It is a dream job for millions of young students who want to work in the banking industry. As the government intends to increase digitization and digital literacy, the banking sector will become more dynamic and diverse. The job brings with it opportunities to grow individually as well as contribute to the growing industry and nation.
The role of a probationary officer is to look after and manage the overall functioning of the bank or the branch. A probationary officer has a diverse set of responsibilities such as:
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Financing
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Billing
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Accounting
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Investment
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Customer service
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Marketing, etc.
He or she performs a wide range of activities and tasks. The job offers a secure future and the prestige of working in the public sector.
With the SBI PO notification out, it will be the most opportune time for you to start and speed up your preparation to land that dream job. More than 2000 eligible candidates will be selected through a 3-phases examination. The first phase is the preliminary stage. The role that the prelims exam plays is that of screening- it selects the individuals who will be appearing for the next stage. This next stage comprises the mains exam. The second stage will evaluate your understanding of the sector and your basic knowledge of certain specific areas. The third and last stage is the interview or the group discussion stage.
If your age is in the range of 21 to 30 years and you possess a graduate degree, you are eligible for this exam. You need to go through the number of attempts section to check the maximum number of chances for each category. Once you have understood the pattern of the exam, what matters next is how one should start their preparation to enhance their chances of selection in the first attempt itself. The exam is different from other exams and hence, its approach should also be different and unique. The exam is undoubtedly difficult but by no means impossible to crack. With sufficient knowledge and practice, you will surely be able to clear the exam and make your way to the final list.
Here are certain points that will enable you as a beginner to ensure the edge that your age and fresh perspectives possess.
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Know the Syllabus
Before you look for the books to study from, it is crucial to know what one must study. The WHAT and HOW are equally important. Thus, the first thing you should do is download the syllabus and read it thoroughly. Paste it on the wall if you must. You should be clear regarding the areas that matter and those that don’t carry any weightage. You can explore Oliveboard to understand the syllabus of the exam.
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The value of previous year papers
The next step should be to go through the previous years’ papers to understand the type and pattern of questions. Try to analyze the trend of the exam or the areas that will allow you to score more marks with minimum effort. Find out the areas that you are good in and the areas that require more attention on your part.
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Make your Schedule and Time Table
After you have understood the syllabus and the pattern of previous years’ papers, make a schedule for yourself. Write down the targets that you plan to complete in terms of weeks and months. According to this schedule, devise a daily timetable that will work the best for you. Give more time to topics that you know are your weak areas. In the areas that fall in your strong domain, the emphasis should be on practising diverse questions.
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Practice
The unpredictability of the questions that are asked in exams is increasing daily. You can never be sure about the type of questions that will be asked in a particular section. Hence, it is of utmost importance that you practice different types of questions so that you can approach a single question from different vantage points.
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Time Management
It is hard to attempt all the questions in the exam in a limited time. The stress can also make one panic leading to marking the answer incorrect or unable to answer the questions. One must attempt as many mock tests as possible. It will help you manage your time well in the exam center. Also, you will understand how you can reduce your stress and anxiety and fare well in the exam.
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Revision
No one can ever put enough emphasis on this. Revision is what will eventually help you in your quantitative section and your reasoning section. The one who would be able to recall the formula or the trick will score the mark while the other person will be trying hard to recall the same. You should spend sufficient time daily on the revision.
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Sleep and Exercise
Exercise while increasing concentration skills also help in reducing stress. Taking a walk or jogging for half an hour will facilitate your preparation and make you more productive. At the same time, you should sleep at least 7 or 8 hours to give your mind time to re-energize for the study session of tomorrow or for the exam.
Always keep these points in mind while you are studying. It is important that you always have the goal in your mind and work hard for it daily. Give enough mock tests that the fear of even the final exam goes out of your sight and mind. Make sure that you stay away from distraction. A few months of hard work will enable you to reap benefits for your entire life.