There are more demands on government jobs, especially in the banking sector. Many banking organizations, such as Bank POs and Bank Clerks, conduct national exams to recruit entry-level employees. Both positions provide excellent growth opportunities for hardworking individuals.
Institutes like IBPS and SBI conduct Bank clerk and bank PO comparison exams yearly, with lakhs of candidates applying. While the exam patterns and eligibility criteria are somewhat similar, key differences exist between the roles. The clerical position is lower than the PO role, but both offer great career growth opportunities.
Bank Clerk Vs Bank PO
In this blog, we will compare the Bank PO and Clerk positions to help you decide which career path is better suited for you.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility rules for both jobs are mostly the same. Both require candidates to have a graduation degree. The main difference is in the age limit. For clerk jobs, candidates must be 20 to 28 years old, and for PO jobs, the age limit is 20 to 30 years. Reserved category candidates get 5 years of extra age relaxation. There is no limit on the number of attempts, so you can keep trying until you reach the age limit.
Candidates need at least 60% marks in 12th grade for the Bank Clerk and Bank PO comparison, but there is no such rule for the Clerk exam. To help with preparation, many opt for online bank exam coaching, which provides structured lessons and resources tailored to both exams.
Exam Pattern and Selection Process
The syllabus and marking rules are the same for both exams. Both have sectional cut-offs and time limits for each section. The selection process is different.
Clerk Exam
- Has two stages: Prelims and Mains.
- The final selection is based only on the Mains exam score.
PO Exam
- Has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
- The final selection includes marks from both the Mains exam and the interview.
- The PO exam is tougher than the Clerk exam, especially in the Prelims and Mains stages.
Position and Growth
A Bank PO’s main job is to handle work in different areas like finance, accounting, marketing, billing, and investments. Other important responsibilities include:
- Helping customers as a Public Relations Officer.
- Managing the daily cash flow and keeping track of business activities.
- Checking the work done between different departments.
- Verifying loan documents and approving loans.
- Approving important documents like cheques and drafts.
A Bank Clerk has several key duties, such as:
- Helping customers with deposits, withdrawals, and money transfers.
- Answering customers’ questions or solving problems about their transactions.
- Checking and processing deposits and loan payments.
- Entering transaction details into the bank’s computer system.
- Assisting the administration team with their work.
Salary and Perks
Both clerks and POs get good salaries and benefits, but POs receive more because they are officers.
- POs: Along with their salary, POs get allowances like DA (Dearness Allowance), house rent, city compensation, and special perks.
- Clerks: Clerks also get allowances like DA, medical benefits, house rent, and travel perks. Since POs hold a higher position, they enjoy more allowances than clerks.
State Language
The IBPS Clerk exam is for state-level jobs, so you need to know the regional language of the state where you apply. This is because clerks work closely with customers and need to communicate well.
For the IBPS PO exam, which is for jobs across India, language is not a barrier. POs can be posted anywhere in the country. If you are not fluent in your local language, preparing for the IBPS PO exam is a good option to start your banking career.
Job Postings
Clerks are only posted within the state where they are selected, but POs can be posted anywhere in India. Each year, IBPS announces more vacancies for clerks than for POs. To prepare well, use good IBPS PO preparation books and join quality coaching to improve your chances.
Career Growth and Promotion
Both PO and Clerk have promotions. The thing you need to think about is which will be suitable to you or which one will give you a quick promotion. Generally, Bank POs have the best chances of promotion as well as career growth.
One big reason why many people choose banking jobs is the opportunity to grow and get promoted. Whether you join as a Bank Clerk or a Bank PO, you can move to higher positions during your career.
For Bank POs, promotions usually happen within 2 years. However, getting promoted from one position to the next may take longer for Bank Clerks.
Similarities
Both Clerk and PO exams have a similar structure. The Prelims exam is qualifying. Both have a time limit for sections and negative marking for wrong answers. The main difference is in difficulty level and the interview, which is only for POs. Other than that, both exams follow a similar pattern.
Both bank clerk and bank PO comparisons have certain criteria. Candidates can select their options by analyzing these properly. To clear bank exams easily, consider joining the best online coaching that helps learners clear exams easily.