Gateways to Jobs & Security: Popular Competitive Exams in India

The thought in most young minds as they finish graduating is how to cross the threshold into the job market. Most will obviously try for a job that is secure, respectable, and offers opportunities for growth. Employment opportunities that the government provides are all of these and more.

With the pressure of overpopulation, the only way to select suitable and creditable candidates for various government and public sector jobs is through competitive examinations.

Here are a few popular choices.

Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET)

The CTET is one of the most popular competitive exams. It is a certification exam, and the CTET ranking is compulsory for a teacher’s job in any central government school or a government aided school. Some states have made it compulsory for recruitment into all schools.

State governments may hold the TET or accept CTET ranking.

Primary school teachers for classes I-V will have to write Paper I which is a two and a half hour online test. The subjects are Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, Mathematics, and Environmental Studies. Each paper has 30 questions which carry 30 marks.

Candidates aspiring to be teachers for classes VI-VIII must write both Paper I and Paper II. The compulsory papers in Paper II are Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, and Language II, each carrying 30 marks for 30 questions. The fourth paper is a subject-specific one of 60

questions for 60 marks in either Science & Mathematics (for aspirants with a science background) or Social Science (for aspirants with an Arts background).

The CTET is conducted twice every year. The ranking is valid for 7 years, and there is no limit on the number of times a candidate can write the CTET.

Jobs in the Banking Sector

Public sector banks are the most popular where the job market is concerned.

The Institute of Banking Service Personnel (IBPS) conducts a Common Written Examination (CWE) for all public sector banks. It also conducts recruitment exams for Regional Rural banks, NABARD, Cooperative banks, LIC of India, and other insurance and financial undertakings, etc. for appointment into various categories of staff. The most popular of these are Clerical and Probationary Officer exams.

The State Bank of India conducts its own recruitment drive. The SBI PO 2017 has already been notified this year, and the preliminary examinations are all set to be held at the end of April.

Private sector banks have their own recruiting strategies. These involve an application for the job followed by a preliminary interview, then a written exam. There may be a training period where further selection is carried out before appointments.

Jobs in the insurance sector

The insurance sector in India is fast coming of age. There are various categories of jobs, with the Insurance Regulatory and Development

Authority of India (IRDA) laying down the rules and basic guidelines for eligibility, certification, and recruitment.

There are more than 53 insurance companies operating in India that are registered with IRDA. There are many banks that have diversified into the insurance sector: ICICI Prudential, Kotak Mahindra, HDFC Ergo, SBI Life, etc.

Insurance jobs can be broadly divided into Life insurance and /general insurance. To become an agent, a candidate has to first enroll with an insurer, complete 50 hours of training and them write the online certification exam of the IRDA.

Jobs in the LIC of India are the most sought after. The online competitive exam for recruitment as Assistant Administrative Officer is an objective one where aspirants will have to answer 160 questions in 2 hours. LIC also holds exams for Development Officers and various other categories too.

Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Exams (SSC CGL)

Graduates from any recognised university are eligible to write these exams. Qualifying candidates can be recruited as Income Tax Inspectors, Assistant Audit Officers, Central Excise Inspector, Assistants in various ministries, etc.

The exams are offline and online. The six sections are Quantitative Aptitude, English, Logical Reasoning, General awareness, and Quantitative Abilities. The exams are national level exams held once a year, and the score validity is for one year only.

Staff Selection Commission Combined Higher Secondary Level (SSC CHSL)

This is also a national level exam. The minimum qualification to write these exams is 10 +2.

The SSC CHSL is conducted for recruitment to the following posts: Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant (PA/SA), Data Entry Operator (DEO), and Lower Division Clerk (LDC).

The exam is conducted in three stages: Computer Based test, followed by a Descriptive Test and a Typing Skill Test at the end.

Is employment still a sore point in India?

Sadly, yes.

According to the latest estimates of the United Nations, India’s population stands at a staggering 1,33,78,84,711 as on Friday, March 17, 2017. That number is more than 1.3 billion (134 crores). Out of this number, more than half the population is under the age of 35 years.

By 2020, India is set to become the world’s youngest country with an average age of 29 years and 64% of Indians will be in the working age group.

The pressures on the job market are HUGE:

• During 2015-16, a total of 1.26 crore candidates registered for various IBPS examinations.

• Every year almost 8 lakh candidates appear for the CTET. Unfortunately only a few thousand clear the exam.

This information will serve to gauge the level of competition that a candidate will have to face.

How do you beat the competition? The only way is to choose your career path and PREPARE for the competitive exam that will help you realise your dreams.

We, at TalentSprint, understand how frustrating it can be when you are unable to make a start even after you have put in your best efforts. Every year brings with it a fresh wave of graduates; every successive year your competition will be so much greater and your chances of swimming in this tidal wave that much slimmer. We offer you the best of programs to help you reach your destination:

• Home or classroom online preparation

• Study material in your pocket with our pen drive

• Digital Centers if you choose a classroom with a difference

• Test papers and mock tests

• Tia, our AI-powered teaching Bot, for evaluation and feedback

• Personal prep plans

• E-books

• Discussions

• Problem solving

Give yourself the best chance. Prepare with the best. Prepare with TalentSprint.

Sbi PO Exam., IBPS POnline Bank Exam is easy.