infolead

Many applying for SBI’s clerical posts are engineering graduates and MBAs
Rush attributed to sudden realisation for steady income and job security



HYDERABAD: The prospects of bank jobs seem the sole consolation for the unemployed youth hit by dismal openings in the corporate, Information Technology and allied sectors. With job security taking precedence over hefty pay packages, more graduates are making a beeline for these jobs, even if the posts are clerical.
Interestingly, many applying for the State Bank of India’s clerical posts are engineering graduates and post-graduates in management. In some cases, even final-year students have applied for the post that requires only Plus Two as minimum qualification.
“About 70 per cent of our students are engineers. Those with MBA qualification constitute about 20 per cent, other post-graduates being five per cent. Only three to four per cent are non-engineering graduates,” informed C.S.Vepa, Director, National School of Banking, a coaching centre.
This ratio of engineering graduates vying for bank jobs is unusual, he says, even in comparison with the pre-1996 era when bank jobs were most sought after. Though Mr. Vepa attributes the rush to sudden realisation of the need for steady income and job security, a sense of helplessness contributes too. The turnout of engineers in the State reached 1.2 to 1.3 lakh this year with not as many openings.
“My parents are farmers and supported me through my education with much difficulty. I can’t be a burden on them anymore and have decided to take up any job. I’m good with my arithmetic and reasoning, and hope to make it to SBI,” D. Srinivas, a final-year engineering student from Mahabubnagar says.
“Not many are offering brides to software engineers. We have to come to terms with reality and accept whatever comes our way,” quips Ch. Praveen, another engineer. There has been unusually high number of applicants this time for the SBI clerical posts. Over 36-lakh candidates applied for about 11,000 posts, four-lakh from A.P. alone.
“Last year, SBI server went down when 24 lakh candidates applied for 20,000 posts. Written exam had to be conducted in four shifts for lack of accommodation. In the current year, the posts are less, but number of applicants is 50 per cent more.
There could be two more shifts,” Mr. Vepa says. Recruitment of quite a few engineers in 2008 acted as a shot in the arm for many applying this year.
Apart from SBI, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Union Bank, Vijaya Bank, and Corporation Bank also announced either clerical or officer posts or both. The expectation is that over four lakh bank jobs will be created between 2008 and 2012, majority of them due to retirements.