Exam 1
IBPS PO
Exam 2
SSC CGL
Salary · Eligibility · Exam Pattern · Syllabus · Which is Better
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Exam Category | Banking | — |
| Min. Qualification | — | — |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Exam Stages | — | 4 stages |
| Gross Salary | — | — |
| Interview Round | Yes | No |
| Educational Qualification | IBPS PO eligibility → | SSC CGL eligibility → |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Nationality | Indian Citizen | Indian Citizen |
| Max Attempts | — | — |
| Total Questions | — | — |
| Total Marks | — | — |
| Duration | — | — |
| Negative Marking | Yes (–0.25) | Yes (–0.25) |
| Interview | Yes | No |
| Basic Pay | — | — |
| Gross Monthly Salary | — | — |
| Pay Level/Band | — | — |
| Key Allowances | — | — |
IBPS PO Subjects
SSC CGL Subjects
Winner: PO/Officer grade exam
Officer-grade banking exams (Scale I and above) consistently offer higher starting salary, better allowances, and a higher CTC ceiling compared to Clerical-grade exams within the same bank.
Winner: PO/Officer grade exam
Banking careers show clear tier differentiation. Officer roles have faster promotion cycles, higher management exposure, and better transfer options. Clerical roles offer stability with a longer promotion path.
Winner: Clerical grade exam
Clerical-grade banking exams (Clerk, Assistant) have lower cutoffs and a more predictable difficulty level compared to Officer-grade exams.
Winner: Depends on your preparation level
Fresh candidates with strong Maths and Reasoning fundamentals should target Officer-grade. Those still building speed and accuracy should start with Clerk-grade and aim for the internal promotion route.
Bottom Line
Both exams are government banking jobs with excellent job security. The "better" exam depends on your current preparation level and career ambition. Always apply for both when their notifications overlap — the preparation investment for one significantly transfers to the other.
Yes. Banking exams within the same category (e.g. SBI Clerk + IBPS Clerk, or SBI PO + IBPS PO) share 80–90% of their syllabus. A focused preparation plan targeting one covers most of the other by default. Appearing in both maximizes your selection probability within the same preparation cycle.
Expert Tip
For any banking exam, Current Affairs and Banking Awareness in the last 6 months are the GK sections' primary source material. Build a reading habit now — this is the non-negotiable differentiator at the Mains stage.
Both exams are government banking jobs with excellent job security. The "better" exam depends on your current preparation level and career ambition. Always apply for both when their notifications overlap — the preparation investment for one significantly transfers to the other.
Yes. Banking exams within the same category (e.g. SBI Clerk + IBPS Clerk, or SBI PO + IBPS PO) share 80–90% of their syllabus. A focused preparation plan targeting one covers most of the other by default. Appearing in both maximizes your selection probability within the same preparation cycle.
Clerical grade exam: Clerical-grade banking exams (Clerk, Assistant) have lower cutoffs and a more predictable difficulty level compared to Officer-grade exams.
PO/Officer grade exam: Officer-grade banking exams (Scale I and above) consistently offer higher starting salary, better allowances, and a higher CTC ceiling compared to Clerical-grade exams within the same bank.
Explore IBPS PO
Explore SSC CGL
Can't Decide? Practice Both
Try actual exam-pattern tests for IBPS PO and SSC CGL — first test free.