The first thing we think of when we are about to graduate or just after graduation is our first job and how we are going to secure it. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of campus placements so, competitive exams might be their gateway to that all-important first job.
There are competitive exams and selection processes for Government jobs, bank jobs and PSU jobs. All of these jobs offer job security and a great work-life balance.
In this article, we will list down a few of the must-attempt exams for graduates who are actively seeking a job or working professionals who are looking to switch to a more lucrative career.
- UPSC Civil Services (UPSC CSE) Exam:
The Union Public Service Commission is an independent body that recruits civil servants through the UPSC CSE. UPSC CSE is considered to be one of the toughest recruitment processes to crack. Candidates who clear the various stages of the UPSC CSE head secretariats or district administrations. Some of the most coveted posts up for grabs through the UPSC CSE are as follows:
IAS (Indian Administrative Officer)
IFS (Indian Foreign Officer)
IPS (Indian Police Officer)
IFS (Indian Forest Officer)
The starting salary for the aforementioned posts is at least INR 50,000. There are tons of perks attached with the job. - LIC AAO & LIC ADO Exam:
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is India’s largest insurance company. The Insurance industry is set to grow massively. Over the course of the next 3 years, the industry is set to grow by around 10% which directly translates to a plethora of job opportunities. Two of the most promising roles in LIC are that of the LIC AAO (LIC Assistant Administrative Officer) and LIC ADO (LIC Apprentice Development Officer). There are plenty of opportunities to grow within the company once you land a job. These exams aren’t conducted every year but are conducted only when enough vacancies are available.
This is the ideal job for anyone who has great communication skills or interpersonal skills or anyone who is looking to serve the society and touch people’s lives on a daily basis.
The LIC AAO and ADO recruitment will be conducted in a while since the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed. Get to know the LIC AAO Syllabus and go through the LIC AAO Preparation Tips if you plan to appear for the LIC recruitment.
- Bank PO, Bank SO & Bank Clerk Exams:
What’s not to like about the banking sector – the sizable salary, ample allowances, financial stability that comes with pension, great work-life balance and tons of other benefits. Several recruiters such as the IBPS (Indian Banking Personnel Selection), SBI (State Bank of India) and RBI (Reserve Bank of India) conduct selection processes throughout the year to select qualified candidates for the roles such as Probationary officer (PO) Specialist officer (SO) and clerk. The starting salary varies from INR 20,000 to INR 85,000 based on the post, employer and the city/location you are working in. You can consider attempting the SBI PO, IBPS PO, SBI Clerk, SBI SO, IBPS RRB, IBPS SO, IBPS clerk etc. - RRB JE SSE exam
The Railway Recruitment Board more commonly known as the RRB recruits for posts such as the senior section engineer (SSE), Junior Engineer (JE), Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant and Depot Material Assistant through this exam. If you are an engineer looking for a lucrative career with job security then this would be the right choice for you. The salary starts from INR 40,000 and goes upto INR 45,000 based on your post. - SSC CHSL if you don’t have an undergraduate degree then the Staff Selection Commission’s Combined Higher Secondary Level (SSC CHSL) exam is the go to option for you. With a starting salary of INR 20,000 and around 5,000 vacancies this is a popular choice amongst candidates who have just completed class 12. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 27 can apply for the wide array of posts offered by the SSC CHSL. Some of the most sought after posts are that of the Lower Division Clerk, Data Entry Operator and Postal Assistant.
- SSC CGL
This is probably the most sought after exam conducted by the Staff Selection Commission but the minimum eligibility criteria for this exam is an undergraduate degree since the recruitment is conducted to spot skilled talent for mid-level and high-level positions across the departments in the Government. The salary for most posts on offer is upwards of INR 30,000.
Income tax inspector, Statistical Investigator (Grade II) and Assistant Section Officer are few of the popular designations.
Try and apply for more than one exam since the syllabus for most of these exams are similar. Good luck!
