Now, you need to be a graduate to become a clerk in some banks.

Till recently, intermediate and completion of 18 years of age were the minimum required qualifications.

However, from this year onwards, some banks have made graduation as the basic educational qualification required. For example, Andhra Bank, which notified 600 clerical vacancies on Thursday, has prescribed this new norm.

When contacted, Mr M. N. Sudharkar, Deputy General Manger – Human Resources, Andhra Bank, said: “The minimum qualification for clerks has been enhanced to graduation based on guidelines from the Government.”

Andhra Bank was not alone, other banks, including Bank of Baroda, had upgraded the minimum qualification, he added.

It, however, retained minimum age required as 18 years though nobody in India can complete graduation by that age.

This would mean trouble for over 30 lakh candidates who appeared for the common written examination for clerical posts conducted by the Institute for Banking Personnel Selection in November last year with intermediate as the minimum qualification.

But making graduation as minimum qualification will make the test obsolete for those who did not have a degree. Though the test score is valid for one year, they cannot apply to clerical positions now.

Mr M. Balachandran, Director, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, said that the Government order on making graduation as minimum qualification was a “recent development” which came after IBPS conducted the written exam.

“Many banks are now changing the norms. From the next exam, IBPS will prescribe graduation as the minimum criteria,” he added.

In fact, this is one of the key recommendations of the Dr Anil Khandelwal Committee, which looked into the human resources aspect of banks.

> nagsridhu@thehindu.co.in

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