SSC CGL vs Bank PO, which is better?” This is a question that is often asked by any banking exam or government job aspirant’s minds. If you are one of those people seeking answers to this confusion, then we can help you get the answers to these questions. Through this blog, we bring you everything you want to know about both these opportunities. We will also give you all the information you seek on SSC CGL and bank jobs.
To begin with, when we talk about a government job, SSC and bank jobs are two of the most sought after jobs for aspiring bank job hopefuls. The Staff Selection Commission conducts all the SSC exams which are a gateway to government job hopefuls. On the other hand bank exams are organized by various regulatory bodies that head the organization in question. For instance, the IBPS conducts banking exams for a number of participating banks, SBI holds banking exams for their own branches and vacant positions while the central bank, RBI as well as the private bank IDBI conducts their own exams for their vacant positions.
These days there are so many students who are either preparing or want to prepare for Government Exams. There is no concrete answer to this query and all of it depends on your views and interests. Now there is the simple question of which job is better. To put an end to this confusion and to provide you all the answers you seek, we have prepared a detailed comparison and analysis regarding which is better, a government job with the SSC CGL or a bank job, either a public sector or a private sector one.
Through this blog, we will take you through all the important parameters of SSC and bank jobs. Ultimately, with all the information laid bare in front of you, you will be able to take a concrete decision regarding which is better, SSC CGL or Bank Job. So read on to know more.
SSC CGL vs Banking Jobs: An Explanation
The SSC CGL, also known as the Staff Selection Commission, Combined Graduate Level, Exam is one of the biggest government job recruitment exams in India. Every year, the Staff Selection Commission conducts the SSC CGL exam to recruit more promising new candidates for new vacancies in the different Central Government Departments like Central Secretariat Service, Income Tax Inspector, Excise Inspector, CAG, Statistical Investigator, AO, Central Vigilance Commission, Intelligence Bureau, CBI, Ministry of Railways / External Affairs / Defense and a few other Ministries. The SSC CGL is a purely government job which means that those who are chosen for this position enjoy all the benefits and perks that comes with a government job
On the other hand, banking jobs have risen to become one of the most popular government jobs in recent times. Every year, banks recruit thousands of youngsters through the IBPS PO exam, a Combined Written Examination for the appointment of Probationary Officer. Similarly, the State Bank of India conducts the SBI PO exam separately just like other banks conduct their own exams for the Bank PO Post.
Most of the time, in today’s times, students prefer taking up government jobs because they offer career stability. Of them, two sought-after jobs are SSC CGL and bank jobs. As per reports over a thousand applicants place in their applications for these job openings annually. However, candidates can often get confused about which one is better and often wonder which exam path would bring them to a better career. If you are one of those people with such questions, then your worries are at an end. To be honest with you, there is no direct answer to this question. The main reason for that is both these jobs are important in the government sector for many reasons. Along with that, it should also be stated that each of these roles have their own set of aspirants.
We will take you through all the important aspects of both SSC CGL and Bank PO jobs. That way you can take the right call when it comes to the debate of Bank PO vs SSC CGL comparison . We will take in various important factors that need to be taken into account regarding the SSC CGL and Bank PO jobs as we explore both of these further.
Difference between SSC CGL and Banking Jobs
Let’s take a closer look at the SSC CGL and Bank PO. You need to have a clear cut picture about the job profiles and basics of both before you make an informed decision regarding which suits you better. For that purpose, we have provided a detailed comparison for both below:
SSC CGL vs Banking Jobs Eligibility
As mentioned earlier, there are different criteria that aspirants need to keen in mind when comparing SSC CGL and bank jobs. Let’s take a look at banking jobs and SSC CGL Eligibility Criteria below:
- Educational Qualification: One thing to know is that the eligibility criteria for SSC CGL and banking jos are almost the same. Both these profiles ask for the aspirants to have an educational qualification of at least a graduation from any discipline from the recognized university. But there are some SSC CGL Posts for which you need an additional qualification. You don’t need that for a bank exam.
- Age Limit: Another criteria you need to be aware of is the age limit. Again, depending on the job profiles included in the SSC CGL Exam, the age limit would be around 18 to 32 years of age. However, the age limit for banking is 20 to 30 years old.
SSC CGL vs Banking Jobs Selection Process
The conducting authority for both these exams have put forward different selection process to recruit new aspirants to the exam. For once, the SSC CGL has two stages in the selection process. On the other hand, the Bank PO recruitment process comprises 3 stages. You can check out the detailed selection process for SSC CGL vs. Banking in the table below.
| SSC CGL Recruitment Stages | Banking Recruitment Stages |
| Tier 1: Computer-Based Objective Test | Preliminary Exam: Computer-Based Objective Test |
| Tier 2: Computer-Based Objective Test, | Mains Exam: Computer-Based Objective and Subjective Test |
| Document Verification | Interview |
About Posts, Vacancies and Salary
The SSC CGL calls for new vacancies in different departments. In 2023, there were 20,000 vacancies, of which some were tentative. Either way, the position offers aspirants with enough vacancies that they can prepare quite a bit for the exam. On the other hand, Bank jobs usually has total vacancies that approximately 9,000-10,000 for both IBPS PO & SBI PO combined. The number of vacancies change every year for these posts depending on various factors.
When talking about the pay package, the SSC CGL salary is one of the important perks that aspirants consider when applying for the exam. The SSC has categorized posts based on grade pay and cities. There are a total of 5 grade pays in CGL jobs which are 4800, 4600, 4200, 2800, and 2400. On the other hand, the basic pay for a Bank PO is Rs, 36,000 INR.
SSC CGL vs Banking Jobs: Syllabus
For aspirants preparing for SSC CGL and Bank PO, they must be aware of the syllabus and the basic topics they have to study for the exam. In almost all cases, the subjects from which aspirants are asked questions for both SSC CGL and Bank PO are the same. This includes topics like English, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. However, the syllabus for the two exams has some differences to them. The same goes for the difficulty level of the exam as well. For instance, in the Bank PO exam , the reasoning is slightly tougher when you compare it with the SSC CGL Syllabus. On the other hand, the General Awareness in the Bank PO exam is more focused on the banking & Insurance part while for SSC CGL it is more generalized. The maths and English Section is almost similar in both exams in terms of difficulty level.
Job Profile and Other Comparisons
An officer recruited through the SSC CGL is expected to perform duties related to clerical work in the officer like answering RTI queries and so on. They also perform other general administration duties like making notes and handling filing work. Besides that, they also carry out field jobs that involve traveling and carry out inspections and surveillance as required of them. SSC CGL officers also help regulate and shape national policies by streamlining back office work and inspect different organizations’ balance sheets. SSC CGL officers can also get recruited to the national capital of Delhi if they get a permanent posting.
On the other hand, banking jobs often must deal with customers who have different queries related to banking. They need to maintain their targets and deal with activities related to banks diligently. Besides that, they need to deal with money and liquid cash related activities with the utmost care. Along with that, banking jobs also manage many different issues and problems related to customers while dealing with high work pressure.
When it comes to work related pressure, SSC CGL officers have less of a pressure on their heads and their job is far more relaxed when you compare it to a bank PO. SSC CGL officers need to perform tasks like supervision, administrative tasks, or any other post-related work assigned by the senior officials. Banking jobs have higher work pressure as mentioned earlier because they deal with the public directly. Their duties include general banking, administrative tasks, or any other duties assigned by the management.
The SSC CGL officers follow a proper work schedule with proper timings and there is no need to sit over time unless they are travelling on a field posting like the case of raids and they have five days working. Bank POs also have a proper schedule but due to the heavy workload, they may have to work after closing hours as conditions are hectic in March during the Financial Year End.
SSC CGL officers may be transferred every 4-5 years while for bank POs, their transfers might occur every 2-5 years. In both SSC CGL and Banking jobs, transfer is on the basis of seniority/ promotion.
While there is just a minor difference when it comes to SSC CGLs and banks, those working in banks are not often seen as status symbols while those on people working with SSC CGL have some status in society. So, Social status-wise, the SSC CGL job is better than Banking jobs.
SSC CGL vs Banking Jobs: Pros & Cons
Both jobs have their own pros and cons. We will discuss them in detail in the table given below:
| Exams | Pros | Cons |
| SSC CGL | High chances of Promotion, Respect in society, Immense Power, Overall exposure | Posting far away from home, Bureaucratic Pressure |
| Banking Jobs | High Promotional chances, Low Transfer cycle, Good Salary, Lower Loan rates | Rural Postings, Customer Dealings, High work pressure |
Prepare for SSC and Banking Jobs with ixamBee
For aspirants who are preparing for the SSC exams, ixamBee offers plenty of resources that will help them rise to the occasion and clear the exams successfully. With our SSC Super Pack Online Courses, aspirants can gain the kind of guidance that will help them clear the exam. From expert guidance to video lessons and study notes, the online courses offers aspirants plenty of resources that act as a personal mentor to them. And they can also get guidance from our expert faculty who have successfully cleared these competitive exams and get their expertise too. ixamBee also offers aspirants SSC CGL Mock Tests which have been set in accordance with the latest SSC CGL Exam Pattern and Syllabus. They can also get assistance from SSC CGL Previous Year Papers. Practicing with these mock tests and previous year papers will guide aspirants and help them succeed in the exam.
Like the SSC CGL, ixamBee offers Mock Tests, Online Courses and Previous Year Papers for a wide range of Bank PO and SO Exams. Aspirants can register and make use of the faciltiies provided to clear the exams with flying colors.
Summing Up
Reading through our blog might have given aspirants with a lot of clarity regarding which path they need to take. If you choose SSC CGL, you may need to travel for inspections, surveillance and raids while direct customer interaction is part of the bank job profile. When it comes to the compensation package, both job profiles offer equally good salary packages with other benefits. It’s pretty simple for you to choose while opting for a good opportunity between banking jobs and SSC CGL after comparing all the aspects of the job we have given above.
To help you prepare 50% faster for competitive exams, ixamBee provides free Mock Test Series and all the Current Affairs in English and Current Affairs in Hindi in the BeePedia capsules for GA Preparation. You can also get the latest updates for Bank PO, Bank Clerk, SSC, RBI Grade B, NABARD, and Other Government Jobs.
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