Top Banking Exams in 2025 You Should Not Miss (With Exam Calendar)
Planning to enter the government banking sector in 2025? This guide covers the Top Banking Exams in 2025, including SBI PO, IBPS PO/Clerk, RBI Grade B, NABARD, and more. Get a consolidated view of important dates, eligibility, selection process, and key exam highlights all in one place. Whether you're a first-time aspirant or a repeat candidate, this banking exam calendar will help streamline your preparation. Stay ahead of the competition with this must-read roadmap to India's most competitive and rewarding banking career exams.

Top Banking Exams in 2025 You Should Not Miss (With Exam Calendar)
The Indian banking sector, comprising public sector banks (PSBs), private banks, and regulatory bodies like the RBI and NABARD, consistently recruits fresh talent across various roles. From entry-level clerical positions to officer and specialist roles, the opportunities are abundant. Understanding the upcoming exam schedule is the first step towards a successful preparation strategy.
Why Pursue a Career in Banking?
Before diving into the specific exams, let's briefly highlight why banking remains a preferred career choice:
- Job Security: Public sector banks offer immense job security, unlike many private sector roles.
- Attractive Salary & Perks: Competitive salaries, allowances (HRA, DA, CCA), medical benefits, and concessionary loans make it financially rewarding. For details, check out Bank PO Salary in India and Bank Clerk Salary details.
- Career Growth: Structured promotion policies allow for significant vertical growth, often reaching senior management positions. Learn more about Bank PO career progression.
- Work-Life Balance: While demanding at times, public sector banks generally offer a more predictable work-life balance compared to the private sector.
- Public Service: Opportunity to contribute to financial inclusion and national development.
Major Banking Exams in 2025: An Overview
Here's a breakdown of the most significant banking exams you should target in 2025:
1. IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) 2025
- Exam Body: Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
- Role: Entry-level management position in various Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
- Participating Banks: 11 PSBs including Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, etc. (excluding SBI).
- Key Features: Highly sought-after, offers diverse experience across different banks.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 20-30 years (with relaxations for reserved categories).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains, Interview.
- Syllabus: Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, Computer Aptitude. For a detailed guide, refer to IBPS PO Syllabus 2025.
2. SBI PO (Probationary Officer) 2025
- Exam Body: State Bank of India (SBI)
- Role: Entry-level management position exclusively in the State Bank of India.
- Key Features: Considered more prestigious and competitive than IBPS PO, with a slightly better pay package and faster promotion avenues. SBI has a significant international presence.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 21-30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains (Objective + Descriptive), Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Interview.
- Syllabus: Similar to IBPS PO but with a higher difficulty level and emphasis on analytical skills. For more information, check SBI PO Syllabus 2025.
3. IBPS Clerk 2025
- Exam Body: IBPS
- Role: Clerical cadre position (Customer Service Associate) in various PSBs.
- Key Features: Entry-level administrative role, good starting point for freshers, no interview round.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 20-28 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University. Proficiency in the local language is often required.
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains.
- Syllabus: Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language, General/Financial Awareness, Computer Aptitude. Refer to IBPS Clerk Syllabus.
4. SBI Clerk 2025
- Exam Body: State Bank of India (SBI)
- Role: Junior Associate (Clerical Cadre) exclusively in SBI.
- Key Features: Highly sought-after clerical post, good brand value, direct entry into SBI. Similar to IBPS Clerk, no interview round.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 20-28 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains.
- Syllabus: Similar to IBPS Clerk. For detailed SBI Clerk Syllabus 2025 (scroll to relevant section).
5. IBPS RRB PO & Clerk 2025 (Officer Scale I & Office Assistant)
- Exam Body: IBPS
- Role: Recruitment for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across India. Officer Scale I (PO equivalent) and Office Assistant (Clerk equivalent).
- Key Features: Focus on rural and semi-urban banking, requires proficiency in the local language of the state applied for.
- Eligibility (Officer Scale I):
- Age: 18-30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline.
- Eligibility (Office Assistant):
- Age: 18-28 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline.
- Selection Process:
- Officer Scale I: Prelims, Mains, Interview.
- Office Assistant: Prelims, Mains.
- Syllabus: Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English/Hindi Language, Computer Knowledge, General Awareness. Local Language proficiency is tested. More on IBPS RRB Syllabus 2025.
6. RBI Assistant 2025
- Exam Body: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Role: Clerical cadre position in various RBI branches across India.
- Key Features: Offers immense prestige and excellent work-life balance due to its role as a central bank. High competition due to limited vacancies.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 20-28 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree with minimum 50% marks (pass class for SC/ST/PwBD).
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains, Language Proficiency Test (LPT).
- Syllabus: English Language, Numerical Ability, Reasoning Ability, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge. For RBI Assistant Syllabus 2025.
7. RBI Grade B 2025
- Exam Body: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Role: Officer cadre position in RBI (equivalent to Assistant Manager).
- Key Features: Highly prestigious and challenging exam, offers a policy-making role, excellent compensation, and rapid career growth.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 21-30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Graduate with minimum 60% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) or a Post-Graduate degree.
- Selection Process: Phase I (Objective), Phase II (Objective + Descriptive), Interview.
- Syllabus: Phase I: General Awareness, Reasoning, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude. Phase II: Economic & Social Issues, Finance & Management (Objective + Descriptive), English (Descriptive). Check out RBI Grade B Syllabus 2025.
8. NABARD Grade A 2025 (Assistant Manager)
- Exam Body: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
- Role: Assistant Manager in various disciplines (General, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, etc.).
- Key Features: Focus on rural development and agriculture finance, which is a unique profile for those interested in the sector.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 21-30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in relevant discipline with specific percentage criteria.
- Selection Process: Phase I (Prelims), Phase II (Mains - Objective + Descriptive), Interview.
- Syllabus: General Awareness, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, Computer Knowledge, Economic & Social Issues, Agriculture & Rural Development. For NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2025 (check relevant sections).
9. SEBI Grade A 2025 (Assistant Manager)
- Exam Body: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
- Role: Assistant Manager across various streams (General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, Official Language, Engineering).
- Key Features: Regulatory body exam, excellent work-life balance, high prestige, diverse roles in capital markets.
- Eligibility:
- Age: Max 30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in relevant discipline (e.g., Law, Engineering, Commerce/MBA for General).
- Selection Process: Phase I (Objective), Phase II (Objective + Descriptive), Interview.
- Syllabus: General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, English, plus stream-specific subjects.
10. IBPS SO 2025 (Specialist Officer)
- Exam Body: IBPS
- Role: Specialist Officers in various Public Sector Banks (e.g., IT Officer, Agricultural Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, Marketing Officer, Law Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari).
- Key Features: Requires a specific educational background, caters to niche skills within banking.
- Eligibility:
- Age: 20-30 years (with relaxations).
- Education: Specific degree/qualification relevant to the chosen specialist discipline.
- Selection Process: Prelims, Mains (Professional Knowledge), Interview.
- Syllabus: English, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude (for prelims), Professional Knowledge (for Mains). For IBPS SO Syllabus 2025.
Tentative Banking Exam Calendar 2025
Staying updated with the tentative exam calendar is crucial. Remember, these dates are provisional and subject to change by the conducting bodies. Always refer to the official IBPS calendar 2025-26 and respective bank websites for the latest updates.
Exam Name | Notification Month (Tentative) | Prelims Exam Dates (Tentative) | Mains Exam Dates (Tentative) | Interview/Other Stages (Tentative) |
IBPS RRB PO | May-June 2025 | July 27, Aug 2, 3, 2025 | September 13, 2025 | Oct-Nov 2025 |
IBPS RRB Clerk | May-June 2025 | Aug 30, Sep 6, 7, 2025 | November 9, 2025 | N/A |
RBI Grade B | June 2025 | Phase I: June 2025 | Phase II: July/August 2025 | Aug-Sept 2025 |
IBPS PO | August 2025 | October 4, 5, 11, 2025 | November 29, 2025 | Jan-Feb 2026 |
RBI Assistant | September 2025 | Oct-Nov 2025 | Dec 2025-Jan 2026 | Jan-Feb 2026 |
IBPS SO | September-October 2025 | November 22, 23, 2025 | January 4, 2026 | Feb-Mar 2026 |
IBPS Clerk | October-November 2025 | December 6, 7, 13, 14, 2025 | February 1, 2026 | N/A |
NABARD Grade A | July-Sept 2025 | September 2025 | Oct-Nov 2025 | Dec 2025-Jan 2026 |
SEBI Grade A | June-July 2025 | Phase I: Aug-Sept 2025 | Phase II: Sept-Oct 2025 | Nov-Dec 2025 |
SBI PO | Notification released Dec 2024 | Prelims: March 2025 | Mains: May 5, 2025 | June 5-9, 2025 |
SBI Clerk | Notification released Dec 2024 | Prelims: Jan-Feb 2025 | Mains: Feb-March 2025 | N/A |
(Please note: Dates for SBI PO & SBI Clerk for 2025 cycle have already passed/are in final stages as per current information. The table reflects the 2025 cycle timelines as they stand, indicating that future notifications for the 2026 cycle for these exams will likely follow a similar pattern in late 2025.)
General Eligibility Criteria for Banking Exams
While specific details vary by exam, here are the common eligibility requirements:
- Nationality: Indian Citizen.
- Age: Varies by post (e.g., 20-28 for Clerical, 20-30/21-30 for PO/Officer), with relaxations for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Ex-servicemen as per government rules. For a comprehensive list, see Bank Exam Eligibility Criteria 2025.
- Educational Qualification: A Bachelor's Degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a recognized University. For Specialist Officer roles, a specific degree relevant to the post is required. Percentage criteria may apply for certain exams (e.g., RBI Grade B).
- Computer Literacy: Basic knowledge of computer systems is often assumed or tested.
- Language Proficiency: For exams like IBPS RRB and RBI Assistant, proficiency in the local language of the state you apply for might be mandatory.
Essential Preparation Strategy for Banking Exams 2025
Cracking these competitive exams requires a disciplined and strategic approach.
- Understand the Syllabus & Pattern: Each exam has a specific syllabus and pattern (Prelims, Mains, Interview). Master these. For Bank Exam Syllabus 2025, a detailed guide is essential.
- Time Management: Banking exams are speed-based. Practice time management rigorously.
- Strengthen Fundamentals: Build a strong foundation in Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English. These form the core of most exams.
- Current Affairs & General Awareness: Read newspapers daily, follow financial news, and prepare static GK. For a deeper dive, consider Banking Awareness for Exams.
- Mock Tests: Take regular mock tests for bank exams to assess your performance, identify weaknesses, and improve speed and accuracy. This is the single most important aspect of preparation.
- Analyze Performance: Don't just take mocks; analyze your mistakes to learn and improve.
- Previous Year Papers: Solve previous year question papers for bank exams to understand the exam's nuances.
- Descriptive Writing (for PO/Officer Mains): Practice essay and letter writing if it's part of your target exam's Mains.
- Interview & Group Exercise Prep: For officer-level roles, start preparing for interviews and group exercises well in advance by practicing communication skills and current affairs knowledge.
- Health & Wellness: Maintain a healthy lifestyle, manage stress, and ensure adequate sleep for optimal performance.
Resources for Preparation
- Online Coaching/Platforms: Many online platforms offer structured courses, live classes, and mock tests for all major banking exams.
- Books: Refer to standard books for Quantitative Aptitude (e.g., R.S. Aggarwal), Reasoning (e.g., M.K. Pandey), and English (e.g., Wren & Martin).
- Newspapers & Magazines: The Hindu, Indian Express, and Economic Times are crucial for Current Affairs and Economy.
- Government Publications: For RBI Grade B and NABARD Grade A, reading RBI Annual Reports, Economic Survey, and government schemes is vital.
Conclusion
The banking sector in India is dynamic and offers a fulfilling career path for those willing to put in the effort. With a clear understanding of the upcoming exams in 2025, their specific requirements, and a well-structured preparation plan, you can significantly boost your chances of securing a coveted position. Don't miss these opportunities; mark your calendars, start your preparation diligently, and embark on a rewarding journey in the Indian banking industry!