Introduction
The BOM SO Selection Process involves two phases: Group Discussion (GD) & Personal Interview. A preliminary screening of application may be carried out by the bank, to shortlist eligible candidates for Group Discussion and Interview. While shortlisting the candidates, the hiring entity may consider additional qualifications, work experience, and level of responsibilities handled.
Thus, merely fulfilling the minimum qualifications and experience criteria would not automatically entitle a candidate for the interview. The confirmation of newly recruited officers will be subject to satisfactory completion of stipulated probation period.
GD
The selection of candidates to shall be by way of Group Discussion + Interview. Those candidates shortlisted after the preliminary screening of applications will be invited for a Group Discussion and an Interview Round.
A Group Discussion is an activity where a group of participants are given a topic and are given a time limit to discuss the topic. Group Discussions have now become an important element of recruitment process. GD’s enable the recruiters to filter candidates who are able to present holistic views about any given topic and who are able to present and justify their thought process clearly while giving room for other participants to express their views. Group Discussions mainly assess the following:
- Communication Skills
- Thought Processes
- Holistic Views
- Ability to speak instantly on a given topic.
- Performance in a group
- Allowing other participants to express their thoughts on the topic.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| Initiate the discussion if you know the subject well. | Don’t initiate the discussion if you do not have sufficient knowledge about the given topic. |
| Listen to the subject carefully. | Don’t over speak, intervene or cut into another’s speech. |
| Note down your thoughts on a paper. Evaluate the pros and cons of the given subject/ topic before you speak. | Don’t indulge in arguments or get emotional during the GD |
| Listen to others if you don’t know the subject and note down the important points. | Don’t look or focus on one particular group member for longer times. |
| Support your points with some facts,examples,quotes and figures. (Use figures only when you are sure) | Don’t divert from the given topic and distract the discussion. |
| Maintain Eye contact with everyone in the group. Listen to other participants carefully and look at the speaker while he/she is talking to show receptivity. | Don’t pose body gestures like touching the nose, leaning back in the chair, knocking the table with a pen etc. |
| Make short contribution of 25-30 seconds 3-4 times. Be an active participant. But just speaking for the sake of speaking will only invite negative criticism. | Don’t mention erratic statistics. |
| Speak clearly, fairy loudly and confidently | Don’t display low self-confidence with shaky voice and trembling hands. |
| Give others a chance to speak. | Don’t try to dominate the discussion |
| Be polite, pleasant and firm. Respect contribution from other members. | Don’t talk for too long. |
| Disagree politely and agree with what is right. | Dont talk with others when somebody else is speaking. |
| Summarize the discussion if the group has not reached a conclusion and the entitled time for GD is reached. | Don’t be quiet for too long. Be an active participant. |
| Sl.No | Sample Topics |
|---|---|
| 1 | Role of Digitization in Banking Sector |
| 2 | Technology changing the face of education. |
| 3 | Social Networking in our lives. |
| 4 | Specialization vs Generalization |
| 5 | Unique Identification Number for every citizen. |
| 6 | Foreign Direct Investment in Retail. |
| 7 | Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme – Pros and Cons |
| 8 | Youth in Politics |
| 9 | ‘Digital India’ – How far was it a success? |
| 10 | Should Water Resources Be Nationalized? |
| 11 | How to reduce NPA? |
| 12 | Merger of PSU banks – Is it really necessary? |
| 13 | Banks levying charges on cash transactions – Is it a good move? |
| 14 | SBI merger with associate banks – Good or Bad? |
| 15 | Can we rely on Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin? |
| 16 | Impact of GST on Indian Economy |
| 17 | Cattle Slaughter Ban – Right or wrong? |
| 18 | ‘Most spoken language’ as the National language – Acceptable? |
| 19 | Loan waiver for farmers – Good or Bad? |
| 20 | Should Paper ballot system be restored? |
| 21 | Why are many startups failing in India? |
| 22 | Cap on wedding expenditure – Is it fair? |
| 23 | Farmer Suicides in India – What needs to be done? |
| 24 | Has democracy hampered India’s progress? |
| 25 | Union Budget 2017-18 – Is it beneficial for the common man? |
| 26 | How can we deal with increasing Cyber Crimes? |
| 27 | Is China a threat to India? |
| 28 | Aadhar Number for every Indian? |
| 29 | Is it really worth to become a cashless economy? |
| 30 | National Anthem in Theatres – Is it a good move? |
| 31 | Demonetization of old 500 & 1000 rupees notes – was it a good move? |
| 32 | Should Environment polluters be severely punished? |
| 33 | Free WiFi Spots – Beneficial or not? |
| 34 | Should there be a retirement age for politicians in India? |
| 35 | Student Suicides – What are the deep rooted problems? |
| 36 | Is online piracy inevitable? |
| 37 | Will E-commerce dominate physical stores? |
| 38 | Should India be given a permanent seat in UNSC ? |
| 39 | Should mother tongue be the medium of instruction in schools? |
| 40 | Is Technology rising Unemployment rates? |
| 41 | Mobile towers in residential areas – harmful or not? |
| 42 | Is hosting Olympics good for the host country? |
| 43 | How can slums be improved? |
| 44 | India’s obsession with Gold – How it affects Indian Economy? |
| 45 | Is Reservation for women justified? |
| 46 | Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – How far was it successful? |
| 47 | Is Educational qualification necessary for Politicians? |
| 48 | Do business and ethics go hand in hand? |
| 49 | Paperless office – could it be a reality? |
| 50 | Is a relook needed in the caste reservation system? |
| 51 | Smart cities in India – Is it a smart move? |
| 52 | Net neutrality |
| 53 | Demographic Dividend in India |
| 54 | Depreciation of Indian Rupee |
| 55 | Women Empowerment in India |
| 56 | Present Education System in India |
| 57 | Role of NGOs in India |
| 58 | E-waste management |
| 59 | Social networking sites – Boon or Bane? |
| 60 | Internet – boon or bane? |
| 61 | Voting rights to illiterates – illogical? |
| 62 | Should agricultural subsidies be stopped? |
| 63 | Is India prepared enough to handle cyber-attack? |
| 64 | E-Learning: A substitute for classroom learning? |
| 65 | Commercialization of health care: Good or Bad? |
| 66 | Privatization will lead to less corruption. |
| 67 | Is our Political System Reason for our Economical Downfall? |
| 68 | Retirement Age for Politicians Should be MANDATORY |
| 69 | India should go for the presidential form of democracy |
| 70 | Is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Defence good for India? |
| 71 | Prosperity in First World Countries is the reason of Poverty in Third World Countries |
| 72 | Should Government start privatization Customer Dealings? |
| 73 | Technological implementation increasing Jobless percentage |
| 74 | E-Learning vs Classroom Learning |
| 75 | Private Universities are better than Government Universities |
| 76 | Cricket is suppressing Football and other sports in India |
| 77 | Should Government go for more Strict Law rather than setting up "Rape Crisis Centers" |
| 78 | Government should create a strict law regarding Cleanliness of each individual |
| 79 | Is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector good for India? |
| 80 | Government Pumping Money into the Economy is not the Solution for our Economic Problems |
| 81 | Use of Force by Banks to Recover Loans |
| 82 | India economic development is not reaching to the people who need it most. |
| 83 | Is disinvestment in profit making PSUs advisable? |
| 84 | Breaking down larger Indian states into smaller will lead to better governance and development. |
| 85 | Privatization will lead to Less Corruption |
| 86 | Public Sector is more a Hindrance than Help to Promote Socialism |
| 85 | Should PSUs be divested through Strategic Sale or Public Offer? |
Interview
An interview is the final phase of BOM SO selection process. Interviews generally last for about 20-30 minutes. Be calm and composed during the interview. The following are the commonly asked questions in the Interviews for BOM SO Selection process:
Generic Questions: Name, Place of Residence, What is your hometown famous for, Hobbies, Where did you finish your schooling, Why did you choose this career option? etc..
Academic Background: Academic Qualifications, Questions related to your graduation discipline/degree, Projects that you worked upon during your undergraduate/graduate studies, Questions about any internships/previous employment, etc..
Banking Sector: Basic questions about banking, Your knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the position you have applied for, your views about the current changes/trends in the banking sector, etc..
Current Affairs: Your views about the currently trending topics in the world/India. Your suggestions about how could things be different, Your knowledge/understanding of the impact of major changes(demonetization) on the Indian economy, etc..
Note: The interviewers do not expect the candidates to know the answers to all the questions. The candidate is examined for: his/her ability to speak confidently, ability to present his/her views, clarity of thought, interaction with different people, ability to handle different questions, clarity of language etc. among several others. The confirmation of newly recruited officers will be subject to satisfactory completion of stipulated probation period.