Various Competitive Examinations

There are occasion on which there seems to be some confusion among students between the basic meanings of entrance exam and competitive exam. Many take both exams as one.

Entrance exams (get details) are the exams upon passing the students get admission in various institutes based on their performances and rankings in the said tests.

But, competitive exams are the exams upon passing the applicants get direct jobs. Most of the competitive exams are held to award government related jobs.
Let’s shed some light on some of the prominent competitive examinations in India.

Bank Clerical Exam
The Banking Service Recruitment Boards invites applications for the following posts in the nationalized banks (including State Bank of India) in their respective regions every year.

• Clerk
• Typist (English)
• Steno (English)
• Agricultural Clerks
• Steno (Hindi)
• Typist (English and Hindi)
• Steno (English and Hindi)
• Clerk-cum-Cashier
• Clerk-cum-Go down Keeper
• Data Entry Operators
• Telephone Operators

Combined Qualifications- Bachelors degree/ diploma etc and age limit 18-26 years.

UPSC Competitive Examinations
Is held in the months of October/November. Blank application forms and other particulars are published in the Employment News, generally in the month of December.

The last date for the submission of applications to the Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, NewDelhi-11001 1 is usually the last week of January of the year of examination.

The UPSC Competitive Examinations is conducted for Recruitment mainly to the following Services/Posts:

1. Indian Administrative Service.
2. Combined Defense Services.
3. Combined Medical Services.
4. Engineering Services.
5. Geologists Exams.

The Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB)
Holds a Competitive Examination for recruiting Scientists of the ARS in the pay scale of Rs. 8,000-13,500 in the ICAR Institutes, combined with National Eligibility Test (NET) for recruitment of Lecturers and Assistant Professors by the State Agricultural Universities (SAUS) and for award of ICAR Senior Research Fellowships.
The selected candidates for Agricultural Research Service must serve in the institutes to which they are posted until they find appointment for higher positions through selection at other institutes
Candidates successful in ARS are appointed as Scientists in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in the pay scale of Rs. 8,000-13,500.

Qualification- Master Degrees from a UGC recognized university.

Railway Competitive Examination
The Management Cadre of the Indian Railways consists of Class I and Class II Gazetted Officers. Direct recruitment to the Class I Railway Services is made through the Union Public Service Commission on the basis of the annual competitive examinations.
For recruitment to the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, there is a dual method. Approximately, 50 per cent of the candidates are recruited through the Combined Engineering Services Examination. The remaining 50 per cent are recruited as the Special Class Railway Apprentices for which the U.P.S.C. conducts a separate competitive examination every year.

Eligibility- 10th/12th/Graduation/Post graduation.