Bank PO Job Profile – Responsibilities of Bank Probationary Officer

One of the most privileged white-collar jobs is of the bank probationary officer. Institute of Banking Personnel Selection is the usual body of conducting bank exams in the country.

The recruitment process is mainly for Public Sector Banks & Regional Rural Banks. Then there are some other banks which have their exam like SBI. These exams see lakhs of aspirants every year with increasing competition every passing year.

The reasons are different for every candidate but the perks of this job remain common for all of them. And in the end, the perks of being a government employee are known to everyone.

Though it is an entry-level position with 2 years of training period, the salary and the growth is considerate. They manage the future of banking in the country with very important roles and responsibilities.

Their job profile has certain functions that perform during their job. Some basic requirements are good communication skills, time management, client servicing, etc. These are just soft skills that increase efficiency in an organization.

He may work in any part of India and go under 10 -20 days of training a least. Other responsibilities of the Bank PO includes –

Responsibilities of a Bank P probationary Officer

1. Customer Service
Customers are important for every sector of the market. And the same goes for the banking sector. The junior POs usually engage in client servicing only in their initial years.

This includes – providing them with needed information, opening new bank accounts, ATM cards, deposits, receipts, loans, etc. this is to make sure that the officer starts learning from the very basics. Usually, the assistant manager is the first position that they handle in a bank.

2. Bring New Business
In addition to client-serving, offering innovation is common across all businesses. This involves getting new partners and companies on board with the bank. This helps them promote the product and service they are offering.

An insurance company and bank merger is one such example of this partnership. Credit cards, mutual funds, and fixed deposits are other such examples. The employee has to travel to do business with the companies to meet the target and the deadline.

3. Handle Cash
The clerks usually manage the cash counter where cash disbursal and collection takes place. In the case of long queues and crowding, the officer needs to perform the clerical duties as well. This is to make sure that the customer remains satisfied.

And the office also takes over in absence of the cashier and atm loader. He undergoes training for these jobs as well. Like they learn how to use transaction software and loading of atm of their branch. Though these are the secondary duties that they have.

4. Payment Clearances
The payment comes in the form of a cheque, DD, NEFT/ RTGS beyond a certain amount that needs authorization from the person of office cadre. small cash transactions don’t need his approval and the clerk manages them.

This is only applicable to larger transactions and the transaction that involves default account holders.

5. Report Verification
The core banking solution directs all the bank employees to close the day’s work every day to avoid any mismatch. Every person has assigned work in the office and so does the PO. He is responsible for generating reports about deposits, withdrawals, ledger balances, etc.

This includes print statements, transaction records, and reading the entry books. Even one overlook can create problems with regional or zonal officers.

6. Official Communication
The PO interacts with customers regularly. This requires him to stay updated about new product schemes, rules, or launch. He needs to keep a track of these developments and can ask for details officially as well.

The coordination with other departments for these developments is also his duty to fulfill. He also acts as the pub relation candidate by passing on the values of the bank by his work.

Bank PO Career Growth and Prospects

The career growth in this position is very high compared to other white-collar jobs. This is because they follow internal promotion methods where they take regular interviews and examinations to promote the officers.

This requires hard work and dedication on the officer’s part. And in a few years, an officer can reach upper-level management as well. The upper level includes general managers and the chief managers of the bank.

The order of the position in the banks is –

• Assistant Manager
• Deputy Manager
• Branch Manager
• Senior Branch Manager
• Chief Manager
• Assistant General Manager (AGM)
• Deputy General Manager (DGM)
• General Manager (GM)

Bank PO Salary

The salary is one of the attractions of this job. The monthly pay scale of the new PO officer is approximately between Rs.14500 – 25700. And with the addition of allowance and other incentives, it reaches up to. Rs. 31,000 – 32,000 / month.

The income tax return and other policies may cut Rs.4000-5000 from your salary. All the amounts mentioned above are approximate and depend on the location as well.

Some of the perks they receive are –

• Leased Accommodation ( depends on the bank and its location )
• Travelling Allowance ( regular reimbursement of travel bills)
• Medical Aid ( 8000/- for employee’s medical needs )
• Newspaper Reimbursement
• Coverage under New Pension Scheme
• Miscellaneous

List of Major Bank participating in the Bank PO recruitment process –

• Allahabad Bank
• Bank of Maharashtra
• Bank of Baroda
• Corporation Bank
• Cooperative Bank
• HDFC Bank
• ICICI Bank
• Oriental Bank of Commerce
• Punjab National Bank
• Syndicate Bank
• State Bank of India

Bank PO Exam Pattern

The public sector banks hold an annual exam to hire their officers from the country. The exam pattern almost remains the same every year for common exams. But in the case of a particular bank exam it may differ, this depends on the conducting body and their convenience.

The standard pattern for the Banking PO exam is –

• Preliminary Examination – Qualifying
• Mains Examination – Counted for finals
• Interview – Counted for finals
• Group Discussion (only SBI PO)

Bank PO Exam Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• Candidates can be a subject of Nepal or Bhutan
• A Tibetan refugee residing in India before 1 January 1962
• Persons of Indian Origin migrated from Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or one of the listed East African countries.

Age Limit

• A common age range for most of the exam is between 20 -30 years. This varies in different banks and there is certain relaxation as well according to categories.
• The OBC category receives 3 years of relaxation while SC/ST category receives it for 5 years.

Qualification

• A bachelor degree from a government recognized institution.

Skills and Specifications of a Bank PO

• A good and deep understanding of finance, accounting, and economics.
• General awareness about financial rules and regulations of the Indian government.
• Leadership skills to guide his subordinates. And motivational skills to keep their morale up.
• Considerate soft skills so that the client’s servicing remains smooth and problem-free.
• This sector requires high confidentiality as it mainly deals with financial matters.
• The negotiation skills to get new partners and customers on board with the bank.
• A team player so that there is proper coordination throughout the office.

Conclusion

The Job profile of the bank PO is very important to study before applying for the exam. If an aspirant with an interest in this scooter is planning to step into it, this article is for her. This article will guide you on what the Bank PO job looks like.

This includes their responsibilities, salary, growth, eligibility, and more. These elements are explained at a length above. If you are someone with an interest in the banking exam, you must read this article before applying for it.