Government tells regional rural banks to recruit through IBPS' common written test

KOLKATA: The government has told regional rural banks to recruit through Institution of Banking Personnel Selection' common written exams, like their sponsor banks. This new system will reduce the procedural hassles and duplicity in the hiring process.

The ministry of finance told National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development or Nabard to finalise the details of the common exams in consultation with the department of financial services and IBPS. The government underscored the importance of the knowledge of local languages.

At present, IBPS holds separate exams for each RRB which makes the process lengthy and inefficient. "The old system causes duplication of efforts and there are delays in the completion of the selection process," the government said in a letter to RRBs. Under the proposed system, candidate aspiring to join RRBs need to appear for one common exam and the score will remain valid for a year.

Nabard will also co-ordinate and supervise the selection process. The government told Nabard to designate a senior official for this purpose.

The government has made this new arrangement operational for RRBs only for 2012-13.