SBI PO / Clerk General and Banking Awareness Syllabus

General and Banking Awareness syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General and Banking Awareness in SBI PO / Clerk, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Banking and Financial Awareness

   5 topics

   • Banking Structure and History
     • Nationalisation and SBI history
     • Types of banks (commercial, RRB, cooperative, payments, small finance)
   • Reserve Bank of India
     • Functions and monetary policy
     • Repo, reverse repo, CRR, SLR, MSF
   • Banking Products and Services
     • Types of accounts and deposits
     • NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI
   • Money Market and Capital Market
     • SEBI and stock exchanges
     • Money market instruments
   • Negotiable Instruments and NPAs
2. 2

   Financial Regulation and Schemes

   4 topics

   • Regulatory Bodies
     • RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, NABARD
   • Government Financial Inclusion Schemes
     • Jan Dhan, Mudra, Atal Pension, PMJJBY, PMSBY
   • Insurance and Pension Basics
   • International Financial Institutions
     • IMF, World Bank, ADB, AIIB, BRICS Bank
3. 3

   Current Affairs

   6 topics

   • National and International News
   • Banking and Economy in News
   • Appointments, Awards and Honours
   • Sports, Books and Authors
   • Summits, Agreements and Important Days
   • Government Schemes and Budget Highlights
4. 4

   Static General Knowledge

   4 topics

   • Indian Polity and Constitution Basics
   • Indian Geography and Economy
     • Capitals, currencies and rivers
   • History and Culture
     • National parks, dams and stadiums
   • Science and Technology Basics

General and Banking Awareness flashcards for SBI PO / Clerk

22 of 50 cards from the General and Banking Awareness deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Which bank was the first to be nationalized in India, and in what year?

   The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was nationalized in 1949. (Among commercial banks, Imperial Bank of India became State Bank of India in 1955.)

2. In which years did the Government of India nationalize commercial banks, and how many in each round?

   14 banks were nationalized in 1969 and 6 more in 1980 (total 20).

3. When was the Reserve Bank of India established, and on whose recommendations?

   RBI was established on 1 April 1935 on the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission (Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance).

4. Who acts as the 'banker to the government' and 'lender of last resort' in India?

   The Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

5. Define Repo Rate and Reverse Repo Rate.

   Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends short-term funds to commercial banks against securities. Reverse repo rate is the rate at which RBI borrows from banks (banks park surplus funds with RBI).

6. What are CRR and SLR?

   CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) is the percentage of net demand and time liabilities banks must keep as cash with RBI. SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) is the percentage they must maintain in liquid assets like cash, gold, or government securities.

7. What is the Bank Rate?

   The Bank Rate is the rate at which RBI lends long-term funds to banks without collateral/securities; it is a tool of monetary policy linked to the MSF rate.

8. What is the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)?

   MSF is a window allowing banks to borrow overnight funds from RBI against approved securities (dipping into SLR), at a rate slightly above the repo rate.

9. Who decides the policy repo rate in India and how many members does that body have?

   The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decides the repo rate. It has 6 members (3 from RBI including the Governor, and 3 nominated by the central government).

10. What is the difference between a current account and a savings account?

    A current account is for businesses/frequent transactions with no interest and no transaction limits; a savings account is for individuals, earns interest, and may have transaction limits.

11. What is a NEFT vs RTGS vs IMPS payment system?

    NEFT settles fund transfers in batches (now near real-time, 24x7); RTGS settles large-value transactions in real time individually (minimum Rs 2 lakh); IMPS provides instant 24x7 interbank transfers via mobile/internet.

12. What does CASA ratio measure for a bank?

    CASA (Current Account Savings Account) ratio is the proportion of a bank's total deposits held in low-cost current and savings accounts; a higher CASA means cheaper funds.

13. What is the difference between the money market and the capital market?

    The money market deals in short-term instruments (up to 1 year) like treasury bills, commercial paper, and call money. The capital market deals in long-term instruments (over 1 year) like shares, debentures, and bonds.

14. Name the main money market instruments in India.

    Treasury Bills (T-Bills), Commercial Paper (CP), Certificates of Deposit (CD), Call Money, and Commercial Bills.

15. What is the difference between the primary market and the secondary market?

    In the primary market, new securities are issued for the first time (e.g., IPOs). In the secondary market, existing securities are traded among investors (e.g., stock exchanges).

16. What are the four types of negotiable instruments under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881?

    Promissory Note, Bill of Exchange, and Cheque (a cheque is a type of bill of exchange drawn on a banker).

17. What is the difference between a 'bearer cheque' and an 'order cheque'?

    A bearer cheque is payable to whoever holds/presents it; an order cheque is payable only to the named person or their order (requires endorsement to transfer).

18. How is a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) defined for a term loan?

    A loan becomes an NPA when interest and/or principal installment remains overdue for more than 90 days.

19. What are the three classifications of NPAs?

    Sub-standard assets (NPA up to 12 months), Doubtful assets (NPA more than 12 months), and Loss assets (uncollectible/loss identified but not written off).

20. Which regulator oversees the securities market in India, and when was it given statutory status?

    SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), given statutory status in 1992.

21. Which body regulates the insurance sector in India?

    IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), established in 1999, headquartered in Hyderabad.

22. Which body regulates pensions in India?

    PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority), which administers the National Pension System (NPS).

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