Banking aspirants often wonder whether starting as a clerk allows them to advance to the role of Probationary Officer (PO). Generally, there are two routes to entry into the banking sector: clerical cadre and officer cadre. Candidates must complete a rigorous recruitment process for either pathway. If you are considering joining as a clerk with the hope of eventually becoming a PO, it is important to understand that POs are direct-entry roles, and clerks are not directly promoted to PO positions. However, don’t despair—clerks can still advance to the officer level.
Can a clerk become a manager (PO)?
After completing a specified period in a clerical role, candidates are eligible for promotion to posts such as Trainee Officer (TO) or JMGS-1 (Junior Management Grade Scale 1 Officer), allowing them to grow within the officer cadre of the bank. Is available. There are total 3 ways through which a Clerk can become a Manager (PO).
internal examination
Public sector banks conduct an internal examination for employees wishing to change the official cadre. Candidates who want to join as an officer can give this exam. There are certain eligibility criteria prescribed for promotion from a clerk to an officer and only those found eligible can appear for the internal examination. The eligibility criteria for the internal examination are as follows:
(i) 3 years’ service in a Bank with completion of CAIIB (Certified Association of the Indian Institute of Bankers) examination, or
(ii) 4 years’ service with completion of JAIIB (Junior Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers) examination, or
(iii) Minimum of 6 years service.
There is no difference in the allowances and pay received by a trainee officer from the allowances and pay received by a probationary officer. After the candidate is selected for the officer cadre, the process is the same. He will have to undergo probation for two years. Once the probation period is over the TO (Trainee Officer) is either promoted to MMGS-II or sent back to the clerical cadre depending on his performance.
ojm internal exam
Another way to get into the officer cadre is through OJM internal examination. This is another internal examination (written and interview) which helps the candidate to switch from clerical cadre to officer cadre. This exam also has eligibility criteria: A candidate working as a clerk must have at least 6 years of service as a clerk under the fast-track promotion channel or 12 years of service under the normal promotion channel.
Direct Recruitment as PO
This is probably the known method and most of the applicants use this method to get promotion because it does not want the candidate to serve in a bank for a few years and then become eligible. Every year many PSBs conduct their recruitment process to directly appoint POs. The candidate is not required to have experience or anything. If he has a graduate degree from a recognized university then he can directly appear in this examination.
The table given below will give more detailed information to the candidates about the various pay scales and the minimum time required to be promoted to the next pay scale:
| scale-wise promotion |
|||
| by scale | to measure | promotion channel | Minimum experience required in previous post |
| I | II | General/Seniority Channel | 5 |
| I | II | Merit/Fast Track Channel | 3 |
| II | third | General/Seniority Channel | 5 |
| II | third | Merit/Fast Track Channel | 3 |
| third | IV | Merit/Fast Track Channel | 3 |
| IV | V | merit channel | 3 |
| V | sixth | merit channel | 3 |
| sixth | eighth | merit channel | 3 |
The career graph of a clerk working his way to the top is given below:
The above mentioned methods for promotion also have other rules and regulations, for example age limit, number of promotion chances, further educational qualifications, etc. and it varies from bank to bank. Candidates can find all this information in the circulars issued by banks from time to time.
