State-owned banks are likely to re-introduce the system of common entrance tests for officers and employees, a move that would help lenders standardise recruitment process and fill up vacancies faster.
"We are working together with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) to have a common exam for the entry level officers and clerks," Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) Director M Balachandran told PTI.
The institute, promoted by PSU banks and the Reserve Bank, has been rendering assistance to the financial sector in activities of employee selection, promotion and placement.
Earlier, there was region-wise selection of entry level bank officers through Banking Services Recruitment Board (BSRB), which was discontinued, as requirements of banks came down with computerisation a few years ago.
In 1978, 15 BSRBs were established to have a uniform standard and eligibility criteria for recruitment of personnels, including clerks.
As per Indian Bank Chairman and Managing Director T M Bhasin "IBA and IBPS are working on some half yearly exam system to create a talent pool for the sector."
With this, there would be standardisation of educational qualification and examination system and they will form a panel. For officers it would be an all India panel and for workmen a state level panel, he said.
IBA has circulated the scheme to the banks for their suggestions, Bhasin said, adding senior or specialised officers, however, would be inducted by individual banks.
A large number of employment opportunities have emerged in the banking sector owing to branch expansion by various lenders, business growth and aggressive marketing, a senior bank official said.
There are 27 public sector banks including six associates of State Bank of India (SBI).
However, State Bank of India and its associates conduct their own exam and their service conditions and benefits are also different from other public sector banks.
SBI plans to hire about 27,000 people this year to fill vacancies across different divisions.
"This year we have plans to recruit 20,000�22,000 people in the clerical posts and 5,500 people at the probationary officer level," SBI Deputy Managing Director and Group Executive Anup Banerji had said a few months ago.
As part of its strategy of enhancing focus on rural operations, SBI plans to deploy 2,000 probationary officers in rural areas, Banerji had said.
