IBPS RRB OS 1 Vs IBPS PO – Job Profile, Career Growth & Salary Structure

Choosing a particular career can be a tough task. It can be even more difficult if we do not have enough information about the same. Hence, with this in mind, we decided to post an article wherein we shall be discussing the differences between IBPS RRB OS 1 and IBPS PO. We will ensure that by the time you finish reading the article, you have a good understanding of the two jobs. In this article, we shall touch upon various parameters, such as eligibility criteria, selection process, job role, career prospect and, salary structure.  Having a fair understanding of the two jobs profiles will help you to weigh the pros and cons of it so that you can make an informed decision on whether you should go for RRB Officer Scale I or IBPS PO.

Eligibility Criteria:

IBPS RRB PO: A candidate applying for the post of IBPS RRO OS 1 need to fulfil the following criteria:

• Education: A candidate applying for the post of IBPS RRO OS 1 needs to have a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university or its equivalents. However, preference are given to candidates with degrees in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Engineering, Pisciculture, Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation, Information Technology, Management, Law, Economics or Accountancy.

• Age Limit: The candidate should be at least 18 years of age as on June 01, 2021. Further, he should be below 30 years, i.e. for IBPS RRB OS 1 2019 exam, the candidate should not have been born earlier than June 3, 1991 and later than May 31, 2003 (both day inclusive).
• Computer Skills: Although having a working knowledge of desirable, it is not mandatory to have it.

For more information related to IBPS RRB OS I 2021 check the complete notification here.

IBPS PO: For IBPS PO, the eligibility criteria which a candidate needs to be satisfy are given below:

• Education:
• Computer Skills: Having a working knowledge of computer is a mandatory in order to apply for this exam.
• Age Limit: The minimum and maximum age limit for applying for IBPS PO Exam is 20 years and 30 years, respectively.

Selection Process:

The selection process is the same for both IBPS RRB Officer Scale 1 and IBPS PO. A candidate aspiring for either of the posts will have to appear for the Prelims and Mains exam and then appear for a personal interview. However, only those who clear prelims and mains are called for interview. Those who clear the interview round are then recruited. Although the selection process is the same for both certain differences with regard to the subjects still exist. Further, the difficulty level in the case of PO is slightly more than that of RRB OS 1. The difference between the two exams can be understood from the below table:

Job Role:

The role of a PO is much wider as they get the opportunity to work in various areas against that of the RRB OS 1. One of the biggest difference between the two jobs is the fact that the area of operations of an OS 1 is limited to the geographical presence of the State of District, while a PO can get more exposure as the posting and transfer is not limited to a geographical region. With regard to the work, a PO will get to work in areas such as Corporate Loans, Treasury, Forex, Managing HNI clients, Investment Banking, Risk, Audit, etc., whereas, the job performed by RRB PO is mostly limited to providing credit and other facilities to the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs in rural areas. Hence, we can say that the job profile of an RRB OS 1 does lack the learning curve as compared to a PO. However, due to the limited opportunities in the case of RRB OS 1, a candidate can expect more stability in terms of their work location, which, unfortunately, is not present in the case of a PO as they need to be ready for frequents postings and transfers.

Job Location:

IBPS RRB OS 1: The work location is mostly in rural areas as these banks are mostly present there only. Hence, for a candidate getting a home location can be quite higher.

IBPS PO: In case of a POs, an employee can be posted anywhere, be it urban, semi-urban or even rural area. Further, they are even subject to frequent change in posting and transfers from one location to another, which unfortunately has always been a concern for candidates aspiring for this exam.

Career Growth:

IBPS RRB OS 1: A candidate who gets through the recruitment process will join the bank as an Assistant Manager. Further, once the candidate has completed 2 years of probation period, then they may get promoted as a Manager. The bank also conducts several exams on a regular basis for the promotion of its employees. But then that is not the only way they promote its employees, as they may promote their employees on the basis of seniority as well. Hence, in a career span of about 35 years, one can expect to become a Chief Manager in RRB, and this is the reason why the growth opportunities in the case of RRB OS 1 is somewhat limited.

IBPS PO: This post has an excellent career path and promotions are decided on the basis of merit. Similar to IBPS RRB OS 1, a PO also joins the bank as an Assistant Manager and normally becomes a Manager in about 3 to 4 year time. However, this may slightly vary from one bank to another, and it is mostly decided on the basis of written exam and interview. The best part about this job is that a PO gets to work in various domains such as operations, credit, foreign exchange, investment banking, risk, audit, etc., unlike those who join RRB OS 1. Moreover, a PO can even become an Executive Director and Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the bank, which again might not be possible in the case of RRB OS 1. In some cases, a few selected ones can also reach the level of Deputy Governor (DG) of RBI, since out of the 4 DGs of RBI one post is reserved for a commercial banker.

Salary structure:

IBPS RRB OS 1: The salary for IBPS RRB OS 1 may get in hand salary of Rs 29000 to Rs 33000.  Besides that, they are also eligible for other perks and benefits including dearness allowance, housing allowance, etc.

IBPS PO: A PO in a public sector bank gets a basic salary of Rs 23000 to Rs 27000. Apart from this, they also get other perks and benefits, which ultimately take their salary to Rs 39000 to Rs 42000. However, it may vary depending on the job location and the bank they are selected for.

Thus, we see that both RRB OS 1 and PO has its own pros and cons and so deciding on which career to choose will solely depends on the priorities a candidate has. Those who are more interested in working in a role which offers them a higher salary and better career prospect may choose to opt for IBPS PO, while, those looking for a stable life and better work-life balance might like to go for RRB OS 1. Hence, we leave it on the candidate to make this decision as they are the best judge for themselves. However, we would only suggest that the candidate is clear with their priorities before deciding on any of the career path.

For those who have decided to prepare for this exam can start the same by attempting a Free Mock Test.

We hope this article has been useful to you and have given you a fair idea of both the job posts so that you can make an informed decision.

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