SBI Clerk vs RBI Assistant Clerk-Which is Better?

The much sought-after clerical jobs at both the Reserve Bank of India and State bank of India are undoubtedly prestigious jobs. With both the Banks providing tremendous growth opportunities, RBI Assistants can reach as high as Grade C posts in RBI. Whereas, an SBI Clerk is also a coveted job that is the dream of millions of aspirants looking for good exposure in the Banking sector. If you are someone who enjoys or is equipped with dealing with the public, SBI Clerk can be a perfect choice. But before making a decision you need to be well informed about the various aspects that lead to the growth in both the jobs!

So, let us then quickly highlight the various differences between RBI Assistant and SBI clerk that can lead to your career growth.

Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

RBI Assistant vs SBI Clerk – Few Highlights

ExamRBI AssistantSBI Clerk
Conducting BodyReserve Bank of IndiaThe State Bank of India
Selection Stages3 (Prelims, Mains, Language Proficiency Test)2 (Prelims & Mains)
Exam TypeOnline ModeOnline Mode
Post OfferedAssistant (Clerical Level)Clerk (Clerical Level)
Participating OrganisationsReserve Bank of IndiaState Bank of India

Basis of difference

Let us take a look at RBI Assistant and SBI Clerk exams on the basis of the following parameters:

  • Exam Pattern
  • Pay Scale
  • Job Profile
  • Career Prospective
  • Difficulty Level

RBI Assistant vs SBI Clerk – Exam Pattern

Take a look at the Exam pattern of both the exams to get an overview of the nature of both the exams and the contrast that occurs between them:

Basis of DifferenceRBI AssistantSBI Clerk
Prelims-RBI Assistant Prelims Exam has 3 sections: English language, Reasoning ability, Quantitative ability in the prelims test with a time duration of 1 hour.

Negative Marking: 0.25 marks

-You will have to clear the sectional as well as the overall cut-off in order to be eligible to appear in the Mains exam. Total marks for the exam will be 100.
– SBI Clerk Prelims Exam has 3 sections with a time allotment of 20 mins to each section and an overall time of 1 hour.

Negative Marking: 0.25 marks  

-You will have to clear sectional and the overall cut-off to appear for the mains exams.
Mains-It consists of 5 sections of this exam namely Computer, English Knowledge, Bank/economy/general awareness, numerical ability, and computer aptitude. The total time duration of the exam is 2 hours.   -You will have to clear the sectional as well as the overall cut-off in this exam.

Negative marking: 1/4th of the Mark.



*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!
-It tests you with 4 sections, namely, Reasoning and computer aptitude, General/Financial Awareness, General English, Quant.

Negative marking: 0.25 Marks.   -Your Prelims score and the performance in the mains will decide your selection as SBI Clerk.

*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

RBI Assistant vs SBI Clerk-Salary

Given below is a brief comparison of both the salaries of both the posts, including the increments:

SBI ClerkRBI Assistant
Basic Pay – 11,765/- INR (13,075 with 2 extra increments to graduates)

Pay Scale – 11765-655/3-13730-815/3-16175-980/4-20095-1145/7-28110-2120/1- 30230-1310/1-31450

Gross Salary – 26,000/- INR (For Tier 1 city)


*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!
Basic Pay – 13150/- INR

Pay Scale – 13150-750(3)-15400-900(4)-19000-1200(6)-26200-1300(2)-28800-1480(3)-33240-1750(1)-34990(20 years)

Gross Salary – 36091/- INR



*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

RBI Assistant vs SBI Clerk – Job Profile & Career Prospects

Given below in the box are the job responsibilities that you will be required to fulfill while playing the job roles of both positions:

Basis of DifferenceRBI Assistant SBI Clerk
Job Profile-Maintaining files -Data Entry -Replying and maintaining Email logs– File Handling -Query Handling -Customer Service -Cashier -Single Window Operator
Career Growth ProspectsAfter completing 2 years service period as an RBI Assistant, if you will qualify for the examination, you will be promoted to be Grade-A Officer or the Assistant Manager, which is the lowest grade in the hierarchy of Officer Cadre. After that, you can again apply for the promotion test. After passing it, you will be promoted to Grade B or Managerial Level. From there, you can continue your journey from Grade C or Assistant General Manager to Grade D or Deputy General Manager to Grade E or General Manager. And finally, you can become Grade F or Deputy Governor.



*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!
There is a high chance you can get promoted as Trainee Officer in 3-4 years’ time. Trainee Officer is equivalent to Probationary Officer. With that, you need to keep in mind that working in SBI can provide you with more exposure as compared to other PSBs.







*Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

Do the best practice by taking the Best RBI Assistant/Clerk 2022 Mock Tests & clear the upcoming Exam with full confidence!

RBI Assistant vs SBI Clerk – Exam Difficulty Level

Yes, the competition to beat RBI Assistant and SBI Clerk exams is tough as there is less number of vacancies available every year and they are ever-shrinking with every passing year. The difficulty level of both the exams is more or less the same. Both of these exams can test your capability, time management, and stress handling skills. They will test your speed with accuracy with questions. The more speed and accuracy you have, the more will be the chances of beating the exams. Both the exams have no interview round for the final selection. Therefore, your selection will only be based on the marks obtained in both the Prelims and Mains Exams.

SBI Clerk vs RBI Assistant-Which is better?

In RBI, as an Assistant or Clerk, you will get the chance of developing knowledge of various aspects of banking, macroeconomics and development finance, and more. It is a knowledge-oriented job, and there is no business target pressure. At times you may have to face work pressure, to complete the given task on time. On the other hand, working with SBI, as a clerk, is like working in a commercial organization where business numbers matter. Plus, the State Bank of India is also a listed company and is competes with private banks for business. Therefore, you will learn and do business while working with SBI and you will be directly reaching millions of customers and learning to make lending decisions. Both Clerical jobs offer good career prospects and therefore are among the best banking jobs in the country. You can choose the right option for you, after analyzing all the comparisons mentioned above, and taking into care your personality, temperament, and ability.

Asad Yar Khan

I write and oversee the creation of informative educational blogs centering around study strategies, exam techniques, and more, to guide aspirants in clearing SSC, banking, engineering, and other competitive exams. I ensure a range of subjects are covered with precision and clarity. With over 7 years of diverse writing experience, I share a wealth of wisdom and expertise with thousands of students, through PracticeMock every day, helping them achieve their goals.

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