Interview Experiences

Hi, Friends..!! I am ARUN k. MISHRA. Today I am going to share my SBI PO 2016 interview experience. I hope, it might help anyone gearing up for the same.

Two gentlemen were overseeing the GD process. The topic of the GD was: “Are villages our strength or weakness”?

Each one of us  was given time of 5 minutes, to collect his thought and then 20 minutes for collectively discussing the topic amongst ourselves. In my group there were 3 females and 7 males. We all kept our points on the topic individually then initiated the debate; everyone got the chance to speak. Thank god we didn’t made fish market. After a healthy debate we reached to a consensus, that off course villages are our root and also our strength.

In the next part, we had to prioritise, in order of personal preference, a set of 8 qualities where given” For a good customer handling , which traits are needed”.

The Panel first gave us 5 minutes for individual thinking and then 20 minutes to discuss and bring a consensus about the most and the least desirable quality. Though no consensus could be reached, but the discussion fared reasonably well. After the GD process got over, we waited for our interview turns.

Had to wait pretty long before I was finally called in for the interview just after their lunch at 2:40pm. The panel, contrary to my belief, seemed cheerful after a long day of interviewing people and even still, interested in my answers. The panel consisted of 3Gentlemen and 1Lady – all Retired bankers. The PI went for about 10-12 minutes. No intro or stuff was asked and the panel meant business right from the word go.

I entered the room knocking once , asked MAY I COME IN SIR ???

I wished them all good afternoon mam and good afternoon sirs.

LADY offered me seat

I SAID THANK YOU MAM

I:  Yes,  ma’am.

I: I worked in core industry for 3-4 months, but unfortunately that company was shut down…

I:  I answered smilingly, no mam, pehle se he RM(raw material) k issues the.

I: NO mam I searched on my own.

I:  When I feel bored or don’t have anything to do. I cook for my amusement.

I: (SIMILINGLY) khud khata hu,gharwalo ko khilate hu.

I: Yes Sir..!!

I: Sir, currently NPA is the biggest problem

I:  IF repayment is not received for 90 days. then told about 4 Assets(standard, sub-standard, doubtful, loss asset )

I:  Sir, by enhancing our capability in giving loans. Regular supervision of Loan.

I:  SMILED and said “ sir I know, I have read many times but right now bilkul bhi yad ni aa raha.

I: Sir, our government has launched many schemes for this like “MAKE IN INDIA, SKILL INDIA, START-UP INDIA STAND UP INDIA”

DESCRIBED 3D’s (DEMOCRACY, DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDENT, DEMAND)

I: Yes sir It’s capital gain tax.

I: Yes Sir, I was incharge,there were 800 students, I handled them for 2 years.

I: Yes, sir it was a bit tough to handle 800 students but I have convincing power and I can convince people very easily. And I can lead them.

I: Yes sir I am working in ****** for my livelihood.

I: TOLD

I: (smilingly) THANK YOU SIRS, THANK YOU MAM…………HAVE A NICE DAY SIRS

AND AT LAST LOOKED AT THAT LADY WITH A PLEASENT SMILE AND WISHED HER HAVE A NICE DAY MAM. AND left the room.

That’s about my GD & PI. Hoping for the best.

PANEL: The panel consisted of 4 members, 2 males and 2 females.

I reached the venue by 10:45 am.

Firstly we had our document verification.

Then after the lunch break I had my interview at around 2:30 pm. After my name was called, I entered the interview hall. Firstly i greeted all the panel members.

Sir 1: Prashant tell me about your educational qualifications.

ME:   Sir, i have done my B.tech in Electronics and Telecommunications.

Sir 1: What do you know about IPPB?

ME:  SIR, IPPB  IS INDIA POST PAYMENTS BANK LIMITED incorporated under DEPARTMENT OF POSTS by MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS.

It is a kind of bank in which customers are allowed to deposit amounts upto Rs 1 lakh.

IPPB provides three types of accounts-Saral,Sugam and Safal.

Sir 1: What do you think will IPPB succeed in achieving its goals?

ME:     Yes, sir i think that if IPPB works effectively then it can surely succeed. Last year we have seen the phase of demonetisation because of which large number of people were standing in queue for cash withdrawals near ATMs or banks. And IPPB by means of doorstep banking is going to provide all the banking facilities at the doors of customer just like how a postman used to deliver letters. So I think this facility will definitely attract customers and we may see in the coming future future good number of people opening accounts in IPPB.

Sir 1: Can NRIs open accounts in IPPB ?

ME: Sir, I am not sure but I think they can’t.

Mam 1: What is doorstep banking ?

ME: Mam, doorstep banking means providing banking facilities at the doorsteps of a customer. Banking facilities like opening accounts,cash withdrawals/deposits.

Mam1  : Doorstep banking requires extra costs then how IPPB is going to recover it?

ME:    mam, I have read from IPPB website that customers are going to be charged for every doorstep transaction.(withdrawal/deposit).

Mam 2:  How you are going to make people in rural areas aware regarding IPPB i.e how will you make them convince to open an account in IPPB and not post savings account ?

ME:  Mam, we can send a kind of marketing instrument like pamphlets to people in rural areas through our postmen. Apart from that we can organize seminars in regional languages regarding benefits of IPPB ACCOUNTS. Also we can inform them about the various salient features that IPPB provides.

Sir 2: Tell me how many IPPB branches are going to be established in the coming days?

ME:    Sir 650 branches

Sir 2: Can all these branches be set up in Mumbai ?

ME: No, our Finance  minister Mr. Arun Jaitley once told that these branches will be set up all across the country.

Sir 2: He didnt said anything like that but anyway……..

NAMING M1, M2,M3,M4,F1 seated like this.

I sat before M3.

I:May I come in Sir?

M3:yes come in…

I:Thank you sir.

I went in. And wished all… First from F1 who is far right and she was busy with some paperwork.

M4- something he said but I couldn’t hear properly.  So I went near the chair and stood there. Then he said YOU CAN SIT.

I: Thank you sir.

M3: then sumit you are a pharmacy student then why you want to join banks.

I: Sir banking is a fastest growing sector and it has more growth opportunities and in the other hand in pharmacy there are lesser opportunity in PSB and GOVT SECTORS.

M3:but you can go to industry they pay good..and he told me about healthcare sector and all. Because I thought he was not satisfied with my answer. So I told,

I:sir actually I had to do architecture but due to some family issues I couldn’t pursue that so I joined b.pharm and also I am not a biology student.

Then he checked my +2/inter certificate and laughed.

Then M3 asked me about my job profile why I had not tried in b.pharm jobs.

I told him I got job 2 times both campus selections first was in aurobindo and other one a MR job. So I told my seniors suggested me to not to go both..

M3: how come you came to banking?

I: after b.pharm some of my friends went for m.pharm and some for banking.I took m.pharm. but those took banking they are now well settled in banks like SBI, Canara ,syndicate etc so by looking them I came to banking they inspired me a lot.

Then M3 passed to M4.

M4: then what preparations you made for this interview sumit.

I: (as a dumb said) sir I am from odia medium background and I had very poor knowledge in English so I tried very hard to fix this.

They all laughed and said it’s OK we all are from odia background and you can talk in odia. But I talked in English only.

M4: which topic you covered sumit

I: sir banking awareness and general awareness.

M4:please specify so that I can ask you.

I:sir RBI, commercial banks ,psbs, payment banks etc sir.

M4: what types of deposits are there?

I: 2 types demand and term.

M4: and demand deposit divided into

I: savings and current account.

M4: why people use savings account.

I: told 3 points

He asked me more but I said sorry sir I couldn’t recall at this time.

He said it’s fine.

M4:what is interest on savings account.

I: sir each bank has different rates on their own.

I saw they were not satisfied that gave me examples. But I said the same.

M3:how interest calculated on them?

I:on daily basis

I saw F1 noded her head I felt relaxed.

He also asked 2 to 3 questions on banking which I forgot.

Then it’s time for M1.

M1: on tablets it is written like IP USP what are those.

I:Indian pharmacopoeia sir.

M1:OK what is that.

I:explained well.

He noded his head.

M1:and what is USP.

I: I explained.

M1:what is composition of blood.

I: I explained.

They looked satisfied.

M1: which is commonly available blood group.

I: o positive sir (but I was nt sure)

M1: if I have one bottle of blood and there are 2 patients what will I do.

I: sir we have to give to the patient with most serious.

M1: both are serious then.

I: we have to arrange another one.

M1: can I add saline with blood and give the two.

I: no sir.

All laughed.

M3: OK sumit it’s over very good sumit.

I: thank you sir.

M3: take a chocolate.

I: which one sir

Because there were 2 kinds of chocolate i.e. mango bite and chloromint.

They all laughed and said whichever you like.

I took the chloromint and thanked all individually.

M3: all the best.

That’s all..