To crack the SBI CBO 2025 exam, having a solid understanding of fundamental banking concepts is crucial. The role of a Circle Based Officer demands both practical knowledge and a strong grasp of essential banking terminologies, operations, and regulatory frameworks. From core banking functions to financial inclusion initiatives, candidates are expected to be well-versed in a wide range of topics. This foundational knowledge not only helps during the online test but also proves valuable in the interview round. If you’re targeting SBI CBO 2025, now is the time to revise and strengthen your banking basics.

Key Concepts You Should Know for SBI CBO 2025

Banking refers to the activities of accepting deposits and lending money to individuals and businesses. Banks act as financial intermediaries that help channel funds from savers to borrowers. Apart from lending and borrowing, banks also provide various services like money transfer, digital banking, foreign exchange, and investment facilities.

Types of Banks in India

There are several types of banks that operate under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

1. Commercial Banks
These include public sector banks like SBI and private sector banks like HDFC. They provide banking services to the public and businesses.

2. Cooperative Banks
These banks are owned and operated by their members. They serve rural and semi-urban areas.

3. Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
RRBs are sponsored by public sector banks and focus on agricultural and rural development.

4. Small Finance Banks
They provide basic banking services to small businesses, micro industries, and low-income households.

5. Payments Banks
They offer services like deposits and money transfers but cannot give loans or issue credit cards.

Functions of Banks

Banks perform several important functions that support the economy:

• Accepting Deposits: Savings accounts, current accounts, and fixed deposits.
• Providing Loans and Advances: Home loans, personal loans, and business loans.
• Remittance Services: NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, and UPI.
• Digital Banking: Internet banking, mobile banking, and digital wallets.
• Foreign Exchange Services: For travellers and businesses involved in international trade.

Important Banking Terms

1. Repo Rate
It is the rate at which RBI lends money to commercial banks. When the repo rate increases, borrowing becomes expensive.

2. Reverse Repo Rate
It is the rate at which banks park their surplus funds with the RBI. It helps in managing liquidity in the system.

3. CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio)
The percentage of total deposits that banks are required to keep with the RBI in cash form.

4. SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio)
The percentage of deposits that banks must maintain in the form of liquid assets like gold or government securities.

5. NPA (Non-Performing Asset)
A loan that has not been repaid for more than 90 days is treated as an NPA.

6. Base Rate and MCLR
These are the minimum interest rates below which a bank cannot lend. MCLR has replaced the base rate system in most banks.

Banking Regulatory Bodies

1. Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
RBI is the central bank of India. It regulates the banking system, manages monetary policy, and ensures financial stability.

2. NABARD
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development promotes rural development and provides credit support to farmers.

3. SEBI
Though not directly related to banking, SEBI regulates the capital market, which banks participate in.

4. IRDAI
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India supervises the insurance sector.

Priority Sector Lending (PSL)

Banks are required by the RBI to lend a certain percentage of their loans to specific sectors like agriculture, micro and small enterprises, education, and housing. This helps in inclusive growth.

Know Your Customer (KYC)

KYC is a process to verify the identity of bank customers. It includes submission of documents like Aadhaar, PAN, and proof of address. It helps prevent money laundering and fraudulent activities.

Latest Trends in Banking

• Digital Banking
  With the rise in internet usage, digital banking services like UPI, mobile apps, and e-wallets have become very common.
• Fintech Integration
  Banks are increasingly collaborating with fintech companies to offer faster and smarter services.
• Cybersecurity
  Banks are investing in security technologies to protect customer data and financial transactions.

Payment Systems: NEFT, RTGS, UPI & IMPS

In today’s digital banking ecosystem, understanding payment systems is essential for candidates preparing for the SBI CBO 2025 exam. These systems ensure smooth, secure, and fast transactions across the country, both for individuals and businesses. Here’s a quick overview of the major ones:

NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer): NEFT allows fund transfers from one bank account to another on a one-to-one basis. It works in half-hourly batches and is available 24×7. It’s commonly used for small to medium transactions, and the money is usually credited within a few hours.

RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement): RTGS is meant for high-value transactions. It settles funds in real-time and individually, not in batches. The minimum amount for RTGS is ₹2 lakh. It’s ideal when immediate fund transfer is needed with assured settlement.

UPI (Unified Payments Interface): UPI is a revolutionary system that enables instant money transfer using a mobile device. It operates 24×7 and links multiple bank accounts in a single app. UPI has become the most widely used payment method due to its convenience and zero transaction fees for most users.

IMPS (Immediate Payment Service): IMPS facilitates instant interbank fund transfer through mobile phones, ATMs, and internet banking. It’s available 24×7, including holidays. Unlike NEFT, IMPS is a real-time fund transfer system and suitable for immediate small transactions.

Understanding the IBPS PO vacancy trend over the last four years gives candidates a clear picture of the recruitment patterns and competition levels. The number of vacancies announced each year often reflects the staffing requirements of participating banks and broader economic conditions. Analyzing this data helps aspirants plan their preparation and set realistic expectations. From sharp rises to noticeable drops, the vacancy numbers have shown interesting shifts, making it important to track how the trends have evolved from 2021 to 2024.

With the IBPS PO Prelims exam scheduled in August 2025, and the notification expected to be released soon, aspirants should stay updated and gear up for a competitive exam season.

IBPS PO Vacancy Trend of the Last 4 Years

A look at the vacancy data for the last four years shows a significant fluctuation in the IBPS PO recruitment numbers. While 2022 recorded the highest number of vacancies, 2023 saw a significant drop. However, 2024 has seen an encouraging increase, indicating a surge in opportunities. Candidates are advised to keep a close track of official updates and keep preparing continuously to stay ahead of the competition.

Why is Vacancy Trend Important to Know

Understanding vacancy trends plays a key role in shaping a candidate’s preparation journey. An increase in the number of vacancies generally signals more opportunities, making it slightly easier for aspirants to secure a position in the banking sector. Reviewing previous years’ vacancy patterns not only offers insight into the competitive landscape but also helps aspirants time their applications more strategically. A consistent rise in vacancies can reflect growth within the sector and serve as a motivation boost, whereas a dip emphasizes the need for a more determined and targeted effort.

IBPS PO Exam Overview

IBPS PO stands for Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Probationary Officer. It is a national-level exam conducted every year for the recruitment of POs in public sector banks like Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, and others. The selection process includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The Preliminary exam serves as a qualifying round. Candidates who clear the Prelims appear for the Mains. Those shortlisted in the Mains are called for a personal interview conducted by participating banks and IBPS. The final merit list is prepared by combining marks from the Mains and Interview stages. A successful candidate is then provisionally allotted to one of the participating public sector banks as a Probationary Officer.

IBPS PO Exam Date

The IBPS PO Exam 2025 is scheduled to be conducted in two phases. The Preliminary Exam will take place on 17, 23 & 24 August 2025, followed by the Mains Exam on 12 October 2025. Candidates should mark these dates and plan their preparation accordingly. Staying updated with official notifications is essential to avoid missing any important deadlines.

Competitive banking exams like those conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) draw lakhs of candidates every year. While IBPS has earned a reputation for efficiently conducting large-scale exams such as PO, Clerk, SO, and RRB, and other banking and insurance exams, one particular aspect of its evaluation process continues to stir confusion and concern: the normalization process. Though intended to ensure fairness across multiple shifts, the lack of transparency makes many aspirants feel lost in a black box of unexplained results.

What is Normalization and Why is it Used?

Normalization is a statistical process used to adjust scores based on the difficulty level of various exam shifts. Since IBPS exams are held in multiple sessions to accommodate a large number of applicants, the difficulty level can vary slightly across these sessions. To ensure no candidate is disadvantaged due to a tougher shift, normalization balances scores to reflect fairness.

The Missing Formula: IBPS’s Lack of Transparency

Despite normalization being a crucial part of the result calculation, IBPS does not disclose the actual formula or method used. Unlike exams like SSC or CAT that provide a basic understanding of their normalization logic, IBPS chooses not to release even session-wise raw score data. This lack of transparency has led candidates to question the fairness and consistency of their evaluated marks.

Why Candidates Are Losing Confidence in IBPS?

Candidates often find large differences between their expected and normalized marks without any justification or explanation. Since raw scores and shift-wise cut-offs are not shared, aspirants are left wondering how their scores dropped, or in some cases increased, without any clarity. The situation worsens when even high-performing candidates unexpectedly fail to make the merit list due to unexplained normalized scores.

Comparisons with Other Competitive Exams

Exams like CAT (Common Admission Test) and SSC CGL also implement normalization. However, these agencies publish the normalization formula/ logic, which helps candidates understand how marks are adjusted. IBPS’s decision to withhold even the basic rationale creates an unnecessary barrier between candidates and transparency, especially when the outcome of the exam directly impacts their careers.

Banking Aspirants Demand Greater Transparency

With careers and futures at stake, it’s fair for aspirants to demand clarity from the body evaluating them. IBPS could enhance trust and reduce anxiety by disclosing:

• The normalization formula.
• Session-wise raw score data.
• Shift-wise difficulty indicators or scoring trends.

Providing these insights will help aspirants evaluate their performance and plan better for future attempts.

Normalization is necessary in multi-shift exams, but it must be accompanied by openness and accountability. When candidates do not understand how their scores are calculated, it undermines the credibility of the process. IBPS must address this long-standing concern by making its normalization process transparent. After all, aspirants are not just looking for a score, they’re looking for fairness and clarity in how that score came to be.

In recent times, a growing number of aspirants have raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) recruitment process. From unpredictable normalization practices to unexplained raw score conversions and the widening gap between advertised vacancies and final appointments, the concerns are becoming louder and more serious.

Is IBPS Losing Trust?

Trust in IBPS is slowly eroding as candidates are faced with unclear assessment practices and unfulfilled promises. The controversial normalization process often leaves candidates confused about their final scores, especially when the “What’s My Raw Score?“ question remains unanswered. What adds to the frustration is that the gap between the number of vacancies advertised and the actual number of candidates appointed is widening. These recurring issues have led many to question whether merit really defines success in IBPS exams anymore.

The Core Issues Aspirants Are Facing

1. Lack of Raw Score Transparency: After each exam, IBPS provides normalized scores and cut-offs but withholds raw marks. The result is growing frustration over Normalization Without Clarity?, as aspirants are left guessing how their efforts translated into final results.

• Evaluate their true performance.
• Understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Prepare accurately for future attempts.

2. The Mysterious Normalization Process: While normalization is essential for multi-shift exams, the formula used by IBPS is never disclosed. This leaves room for suspicion. Candidates often share that despite attempting more questions with higher accuracy, they receive lower normalized marks than peers who had seemingly weaker attempts.

3. High Vacancies, But Fewer Appointments: Each year, notifications boast large vacancy numbers. But when final selections are announced, many seats remain unfilled, without any proper explanation. Candidates are frustrated when:

• 1,000 vacancies are notified, but only 700 candidates are appointed.
• Banks later report staff shortages despite eligible candidates waiting in reserve lists.

4. No Official Answer Keys or Question Papers: Unlike other prestigious bodies like SSC or UPSC, IBPS does not release official answer keys or question papers. This lack of openness fuels anxiety and speculation about whether marking and evaluations are done correctly.

Why Aspirants Are Raising Their Voice

Understanding Performance: Aspirants need raw marks to assess their preparation level.

Ensuring Accountability: With raw marks and answer keys, aspirants can verify and contest discrepancies if any.

Rebuilding Trust: With increasing competition, every mark counts. Without transparency, deserving candidates feel left out.

Comparison with Other Exams: Most major government exams (SSC, UPSC, Railways) now publish raw scores and answer keys. Why can’t IBPS?

What Aspirants Are Demanding

With growing concerns over transparency in the IBPS recruitment process, aspirants are now united in their demand for greater clarity and accountability. From raw scores to final appointments, candidates are seeking key reforms that can restore their trust in the system. Here’s a look at what they are demanding and why it truly matters:

The Way Forward for IBPS

In an age of open data, transparency, and digital governance, IBPS must align with modern best practices by:

• Releasing raw scores alongside normalized marks.
• Sharing the normalization methodology in detail.
• Publishing answer keys post-exam.
• Providing a grievance redressal mechanism where candidates can seek clarification.

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) plays a pivotal role in recruiting candidates for various Public Sector Banks across India. Each year, lakhs of aspirants appear for exams like IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, IBPS RRB, IBPS SO, and all SBI’s, also with the hope of securing a prestigious job in the banking sector. However, despite the competitive nature of these exams and the rigorous selection process, one issue still continues to disappoint candidates the lack of transparency regarding the raw marks.

What’s My Raw Score?

When IBPS publishes exam results, candidates are only shown their final or normalized scores, not the actual raw marks they secured in the exam. This raises a fundamental question in every aspirant’s mind: “What’s my raw score?” Without access to these unaltered marks, candidates are left in the dark about how they truly performed, leading to confusion, mistrust, and calls for greater transparency in the evaluation process. The situation reflects a larger issue Normalization Without Clarity?, which continues to frustrate serious aspirants across the country.

What’s the Issue?

After every IBPS exam, the organization releases a final scorecard, which includes the normalized score, sectional cut-offs, and final marks after moderation. However, candidates are never provided with their raw scores the actual marks they obtained before normalization or scaling. This lack of transparency leaves many aspirants confused and skeptical about the fairness of the process, further fueling the ongoing debate: Is IBPS Losing Trust?

Why Are Candidates Demanding Transparency?

Understanding Performance: Without raw scores, candidates cannot truly evaluate their real performance in the exam. Knowing the exact number of correct answers can help them improve in future attempts.

Doubt on Normalization Process: The normalization method used by IBPS has always been under scrutiny. Candidates often feel that their final scores don’t reflect their actual effort or performance, especially when they are just below the cut-off.

No Way to Verify Results: In the absence of raw marks, candidates are unable to verify the authenticity of the result. This lack of access makes the selection process feel opaque and unaccountable.

Comparison with Answer Keys: While many other competitive exams (like SSC, UPSC, and even some state-level exams) release answer keys and raw marks, IBPS has never followed this practice, despite repeated requests from candidates.

What Do Candidates Want?

• Release of Raw Scores: Candidates want IBPS to share raw marks along with normalized scores.
• Publishing Answer Keys: Aspirants are demanding the release of official question papers and answer keys after the exam, just like in other central exams.
• Clarification on Normalization: A clear explanation or document outlining the normalization formula and logic used by IBPS would go a long way in building trust.

What’s at Stake?

The lack of transparency not only demoralizes genuine aspirants but also raises serious concerns about fairness and accountability in one of India’s most trusted recruitment bodies. When the system is opaque, even a minor error can lead to massive consequences for deserving candidates.

The Way Forward

In an era where most government bodies are embracing transparency and fairness through digitization and open data policies, it’s high time IBPS adapts too. By releasing raw scores and answer keys, IBPS can strengthen its credibility and reassure aspirants that the selection process is completely fair and merit-based.

The English Language section holds significant weight in both the Prelims and Mains stages of the IBPS PO exam. A solid grasp of grammar fundamentals is crucial for tackling questions on error detection, sentence improvement, fill-in-the-blanks, and reading comprehension. Strong grammar skills not only boost accuracy but also enhance speed two key factors for success in a competitive exam. For aspirants aiming for a high score, mastering essential grammar rules is a must.

Grammar Rules You Cannot Miss for IBPS PO Exam

With the IBPS PO exam lined up in the coming months, mastering grammar has become more important than ever. It’s not just about knowing the rules it’s about applying them consistently through regular practice. A strong grip on grammar can be the game-changer between an average attempt and a top-tier score in the English section. Aspirants should now focus on frequently tested topics, build accuracy through daily practice, and take full-length mock tests to stay exam-ready. Below are some must-know grammar rules every IBPS PO candidate should revise.

Subject-Verb Agreement

One of the most important grammar rules tested in the IBPS PO exam is subject-verb agreement. The verb must agree with its subject in number and person. For example, singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. Candidates must pay attention to tricky cases where the subject and verb are separated by phrases or clauses. Common traps include collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and complex subject phrases.

Example:

Incorrect: The list of items are on the table.

Correct: The list of items is on the table.

Tenses

Questions involving incorrect usage of tenses are very common in the IBPS PO exam. Candidates must be able to maintain the correct tense based on the context of the sentence. Mixing present, past, and future tenses incorrectly can change the meaning of the sentence and lead to grammatical errors. Consistency in tense usage is key to solving such questions accurately.

Example:

Incorrect: He has completed his graduation last year.

Correct: He completed his graduation last year.

Prepositions

Prepositions may seem small, but they play a big role in forming meaningful and grammatically correct sentences. Questions often test the correct use of prepositions with specific verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Knowing commonly used prepositional phrases and their correct usage can save time during the exam.

Example:

Incorrect: She is married with a doctor.

Correct: She is married to a doctor.

Articles

Correct usage of articles (a, an, the) is a basic but crucial grammar rule for the IBPS PO exam. Candidates must be familiar with when to use definite and indefinite articles. Common errors occur when articles are omitted where necessary or inserted where they are not needed.

Example:

Incorrect: He is a honest man.

Correct: He is an honest man.

Pronouns and Antecedents

Pronouns must clearly refer to a specific noun (antecedent) and must agree with it in number and gender. Mistakes often happen when the pronoun reference is unclear or when there is a mismatch in agreement. A proper understanding of pronoun-antecedent rules ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Example:

Incorrect: Every student must submit their assignment.

Correct: Every student must submit his or her assignment.

Conjunctions and Parallelism

Conjunctions are used to link words, phrases, and clauses, and they must be used correctly to maintain sentence structure. Parallelism means that components joined by conjunctions must be in the same grammatical form. Failure to maintain parallelism can make sentences awkward and grammatically wrong.

Example:

Incorrect: She likes dancing, to sing, and playing the guitar.

Correct: She likes dancing, singing, and playing the guitar.

Syntax

In IBPS PO and banking exams, syntax rules cover subject-verb agreement (singular subjects take singular verbs), correct tense usage (maintain consistency), article usage (a/an/the), proper pronoun agreement, placement of modifiers, use of correct conjunctions, accurate comparisons (better/best), correct prepositions (e.g., good at), conditionals (if clauses), no double negatives, distinction between “too” and “very,” and proper use of either/or and neither/nor based on subject proximity.

Top 10 Grammar Topics to Revise Before IBPS PO Exam

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure the verb correctly matches the subject in number and person, especially in tricky sentences with phrases between the subject and verb.

2. Tenses: Revise the correct usage of present, past, and future tenses. Focus on the consistency of tense throughout a sentence or paragraph.

3. Prepositions: Practice correct preposition usage with common verbs, adjectives, and nouns, as this is a frequent area of confusion.

4. Articles (a, an, the): Understand when to use definite and indefinite articles, and revise cases where articles are omitted in standard usage.

5. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Check that pronouns clearly refer to the correct noun and match it in number and gender.

6. Conjunctions and Parallelism: Learn how to properly connect ideas using conjunctions and maintain parallel structure in lists and comparisons.

7. Active and Passive Voice: Revise how to correctly transform sentences from active to passive voice and vice versa without changing the meaning.

8. Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration): Practice changing direct speech into indirect speech, paying attention to changes in pronouns, tenses, and adverbs of time.

9. Modifiers: Learn how to correctly place modifiers to avoid ambiguity and confusion in sentences.

10. Error Spotting Techniques: Develop an eye for common grammatical mistakes such as wrong prepositions, incorrect tense usage, faulty comparisons, and misplaced modifiers.

Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid

• Misplaced modifiers: Always place modifiers close to the word they describe.
• Double negatives: Avoid using two negative words in a sentence.
• Redundancy: Do not use unnecessary words that repeat the same idea.
• Wrong comparisons: Ensure comparisons are logical and correct.