From IT Job to Bank PO: Cracking IBPS While Working Full-Time
The inspiring journey of Sneha Patel, who successfully transitioned from a software engineer to IBPS PO while working 9-hour shifts
Meet Sneha Patel
Name: Sneha Patel Age: 27 years Educational Background: B.Tech in Computer Science, Pune University (7.8 CGPA) Previous Job: Software Engineer at TCS, Bangalore Previous Salary: ₹6.5 LPA (₹45,000/month in-hand) Work Experience: 3.5 years in IT industry Preparation Duration: 14 months (while working full-time) Current Position: Probationary Officer, State Bank of India (SBI PO 2024)
IBPS PO 2024 Results:
- Prelims: 78/100 (Cleared)
- Mains: 204/250 (Cleared)
- Interview: 74/100
- Final Rank: 892
- Allotted: State Bank of India (SBI PO, not IBPS - but same preparation)
Why This Story Matters
Sneha’s story is unique because she represents a growing trend:
- ✅ Working Professionals: Preparing for government exams while employed
- ✅ Career Switch: Leaving a comfortable IT job for banking sector
- ✅ Time Management: Balancing 9-hour office + 3-4 hours study daily
- ✅ Financial Security: Kept earning while preparing (no income gap)
- ✅ Strategic Preparation: Maximized limited time with smart techniques
- ✅ Risk Management: Had backup plan if exam didn’t work out
- ✅ Life Balance: Maintained health, social life, and preparation together
If you’re a working professional dreaming of government job but worried about “How will I prepare while working?” - this story is for YOU.
The Complete Interview
Q1. Sneha, you had a good IT job with ₹6.5 LPA salary. Why did you want to switch to banking?
Sneha: That’s the first question everyone asks! (laughs) “Why leave IT for banking?”
Here’s my honest answer:
Why I wanted to leave IT:
❌ Work-Life Imbalance:
- Official timing: 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM (9 hours)
- Reality: 9:30 AM - 9:00 PM (11-12 hours due to client calls, deadlines)
- Weekend work during project deliveries
- Felt like I had NO personal life
❌ High Stress & Burnout:
- Constant pressure to meet deadlines
- Night shifts for US client calls (9 PM - 2 AM IST)
- Changed projects every 6 months (no stability)
- Developed chronic anxiety and sleep issues by age 26
❌ No Job Security:
- TCS laid off 1,000+ employees in 2022 (saw colleagues lose jobs overnight)
- Performance pressure every quarter
- “Hire and fire” culture in IT industry
- Age factor: After 35-40, difficult to sustain in IT without managerial role
❌ Limited Growth for Average Performers:
- Top 10% get promoted to Team Lead/Manager
- Remaining 90% stuck at same level with 5-8% annual hikes
- My trajectory: ₹3.5 LPA → ₹4.2 LPA → ₹5.5 LPA → ₹6.5 LPA (in 3.5 years)
- Next 10 years: Would reach ₹12-15 LPA max (if no layoffs)
❌ Boring Work (Personal Opinion):
- I was doing software testing (not development)
- Repetitive work: Test → Find bugs → Report → Repeat
- No excitement, no learning after first year
- Felt like a machine, not a human
Why Banking Attracted Me:
✅ Job Security:
- Government/PSU bank job = almost impossible to lose
- No layoffs, no “performance pressure” nightmares
- Work till 60, retire with pension
✅ Better Work-Life Balance:
- Bank timings: 10 AM - 5 PM (7 hours)
- Saturday half-day or off (most banks now)
- Sundays always off
- NO night shifts, NO client calls at midnight
✅ Steady Career Growth:
- Clear promotion path: PO → Assistant Manager → Manager → Senior Manager → Chief Manager → AGM → DGM → GM
- Promotions based on years of service + exams (not just “performance rating”)
- After 20-25 years, can reach ₹1.5-2 Lakh/month salary
✅ Respect in Society:
- “Bank Officer” has prestige in Indian society
- Especially in tier-2/tier-3 cities (I’m from Surat, Gujarat)
- Marriage proposals increase when you say “Bank PO” (reality!)
✅ Pension & Benefits:
- Retirement pension for life (₹40,000-80,000/month after retirement)
- Medical benefits for family
- Housing loan at lower interest rates
- Children’s education benefits
✅ Personal Interest:
- I always liked Economics, Finance (studied in 11th-12th Commerce before switching to Engineering)
- Banking felt more “meaningful” than testing software
The Final Push:
In December 2022, my colleague (age 38) was laid off during TCS restructuring. He had 15 years of experience, yet he was unemployed overnight.
That day I realized: IT job security is a myth.
I decided: “I’m 25 years old. If I don’t try for government job NOW, I’ll regret it at 35.”
Decision made: Prepare for banking exams while continuing my job (to maintain financial security).
Q2. How did you manage time between 9-hour office job and exam preparation?
Sneha: This was the BIGGEST challenge. I had only 24 hours like everyone else:
- 9 hours: Office (including commute)
- 7 hours: Sleep (non-negotiable for health)
- 2 hours: Personal (breakfast, dinner, hygiene, etc.)
- Remaining: 6 hours for preparation
But reality was even tougher - some days I had only 3-4 hours due to office overtime.
Here’s my detailed time management strategy:
Weekday Schedule (Monday to Friday):
6:00 - 6:30 AM: Wake up, freshen up, light exercise (stretching/yoga - 10 min)
6:30 - 7:30 AM: **STUDY SESSION 1** (1 hour - MOST PRODUCTIVE TIME)
- Quantitative Aptitude practice (50 questions)
- Fresh mind, zero distractions
- This 1 hour = 2 hours of evening study quality
7:30 - 8:00 AM: Breakfast + get ready for office
8:00 - 8:30 AM: Commute to office (30 min)
- Listened to Banking Awareness podcasts/YouTube lectures
- Revised current affairs notes on phone app
- Vocabulary learning (10 new words daily)
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM: Office work (9 hours including lunch break)
- During lunch break (1:00 - 2:00 PM):
- 30 min actual lunch
- 30 min: Revised yesterday's formulas/notes OR solved 10 quant questions on phone
6:30 - 7:00 PM: Commute back home (30 min)
- Listened to English learning podcasts
- Solved Daily GK quiz on Sathee app
7:00 - 7:30 PM: Freshen up, relax, light snack
7:30 - 9:30 PM: **STUDY SESSION 2** (2 hours)
- 7:30 - 8:30 PM: Reasoning Ability (Puzzles, Seating Arrangement)
- 8:30 - 9:30 PM: English (RC, Grammar, Vocabulary)
9:30 - 10:00 PM: Dinner + family time
10:00 - 11:00 PM: **STUDY SESSION 3** (1 hour)
- General Awareness (Banking + Current Affairs)
- Revision of day's topics
- Planned next day's study
11:00 - 11:30 PM: Wind down (no screen time, light reading/meditation)
11:30 PM: Sleep
Total Weekday Study Time: 4-4.5 hours/day (6:30-7:30 AM + 7:30-9:30 PM + 10:00-11:00 PM)
Realistic days: 3-4 times per week office work extended till 8 PM due to meetings/deadlines. On those days:
- Skipped Session 2 (7:30-9:30 PM)
- Only studied in morning (1 hour) + night (1 hour) = 2 hours total
- Compensated by studying extra on weekends
Weekend Schedule (Saturday-Sunday):
Saturday:
7:00 - 8:00 AM: Wake up, freshen up, light breakfast
8:00 - 11:00 AM: **STUDY SESSION 1** (3 hours - DEEP FOCUS)
- Tackled toughest topics (Advanced Puzzles, Complex DI)
- Learned NEW concepts (weekdays were mostly practice)
11:00 - 11:30 AM: Break + snack
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM: **MOCK TEST** (2 hours)
- Full Prelims mock (1 hour) + Analysis (1 hour)
OR
- Sectional Mains mock (1 hour) + Analysis (1 hour)
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Lunch + rest
2:30 - 5:30 PM: **STUDY SESSION 2** (3 hours)
- Covered topics pending from weekdays
- Solved previous year question papers
- Practiced Descriptive Paper (Essay + Letter)
5:30 - 6:30 PM: Evening break (walk, exercise, personal time)
6:30 - 8:00 PM: **STUDY SESSION 3** (1.5 hours)
- Revision of entire week's topics
- Updated formula sheets and notes
8:00 - 9:00 PM: Dinner + family time
9:00 - 10:00 PM: Light study / watched educational videos
10:00 PM: Sleep
Total Saturday Study Time: 9-10 hours
Sunday:
7:00 - 8:00 AM: Wake up, freshen up, breakfast
8:00 - 11:00 AM: **FULL PRELIMS/MAINS MOCK TEST** (3 hours)
- Simulated actual exam environment
- Timed test + immediate analysis
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: **DEEP MOCK ANALYSIS** (2 hours)
- Analyzed every wrong answer
- Updated "Mistake Diary"
- Identified weak areas for next week
1:00 - 2:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 - 5:00 PM: **STUDY SESSION** (3 hours)
- Worked on weak areas identified in mock
- Solved topic-wise practice sets
5:00 - 7:00 PM: Personal time / family time / social activities
- This was NON-NEGOTIABLE "me time"
- Met friends, watched movies, relaxed
- Prevented burnout
7:00 - 8:00 PM: Dinner
8:00 - 9:30 PM: **WEEKLY PLANNING** (1.5 hours)
- Reviewed entire week's progress
- Planned next week's study schedule
- Set weekly targets
9:30 - 10:00 PM: Light reading / relaxation
10:00 PM: Sleep
Total Sunday Study Time: 8-9 hours
Weekly Time Breakdown:
| Day Type | Study Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday - Friday (5 days) | 4 hours/day × 5 = 20 hours |
| Saturday | 9-10 hours |
| Sunday | 8-9 hours |
| Total Weekly | 37-40 hours |
Key Strategy: Quality > Quantity
- I studied 37-40 hours/week (working professional)
- Full-time aspirants study 50-60 hours/week
- But my preparation was FOCUSED - zero time wastage
How I Maximized Limited Time:
1. “Pomodoro Technique” for Focus:
- 25 minutes deep focus + 5 minutes break
- During 25 min: Phone on flight mode, no distractions
- Helped me stay focused despite being tired from office
2. “Commute = Study Time”:
- 1 hour daily commute (to + from office)
- Listened to Banking Awareness lectures
- Revised current affairs on mobile app
- Learned 10 new English words daily
- Total: 30 hours/month of “bonus study time”
3. “Lunch Break Utilization”:
- 30 min lunch, 30 min quick revision
- Solved 10 quant questions daily during lunch
- Total: 11 hours/month of “bonus study time”
4. “Early Morning Power Hour”:
- 6:30-7:30 AM was my GOLDEN hour
- Fresh mind, zero office stress
- Solved toughest Quant questions in this slot
- Never missed this slot even if I studied less at night
5. “Weekend = Make-or-Break Time”:
- Weekdays gave me 20 hours (limited)
- Weekends gave me 18-20 hours (maximum)
- Weekends were for mocks, new concepts, deep practice
6. “Sacrificed Netflix, Not Sleep”:
- Stopped watching web series, movies (saved 10-15 hours/week)
- But NEVER compromised on 7 hours sleep
- Sleep-deprived study = poor retention = waste of time
7. “Office Overtime = Guilt-Free Break”:
- If office work extended till 9 PM, I didn’t force myself to study till 1 AM
- Took guilt-free break, slept on time
- Compensated next day by waking up 30 min earlier
Q3. Did you tell your office/manager that you were preparing for government exams?
Sneha: NO. I kept it completely SECRET from my office colleagues and manager.
Why I kept it secret:
❌ Manager might reduce important work assignments:
- Managers prefer employees who are “committed long-term”
- If they know you’re preparing for government exams, they might think “She’ll leave soon anyway”
- Might impact performance rating, promotion, hike
❌ Colleagues might gossip:
- Office politics is real
- Some colleagues might say “She’s not focused on work”
- Might reach manager’s ears
❌ Creates awkwardness if I don’t clear exam:
- If everyone knows I’m preparing and I fail, it’s embarrassing
- Better to keep it private
How I maintained secrecy:
✅ Studied at home, never carried books to office ✅ During lunch break, solved questions on phone (looked like I was browsing) ✅ Never discussed exam-related topics with colleagues ✅ Took leaves for Prelims/Mains exams citing “personal work” (not “exam”) ✅ After clearing, I gave 1-month notice saying “I got a better opportunity” (didn’t specify “government job” until last day)
When I finally revealed:
After my SBI PO final result was declared:
- I had to give 1-month notice period to TCS
- On my last day, during farewell, I revealed: “I’m joining SBI as Probationary Officer”
- Colleagues were SHOCKED: “We had no idea you were preparing!”
- Manager said: “I would’ve supported you if I knew” (but I doubt it)
- Felt good to keep it secret - no unnecessary pressure or politics
My advice: Keep your preparation PRIVATE at office. Reveal only after final selection.
Q4. What were the biggest challenges you faced while preparing with a job?
Sneha: Oh, SO many challenges! Here are the toughest ones:
Challenge 1: Physical & Mental Exhaustion
Problem:
- After 9 hours of office work (staring at computer screen, testing software), I was EXHAUSTED
- Brain was tired, eyes were strained
- Sitting in traffic for 1 hour added to stress
- By the time I reached home (7 PM), I just wanted to sleep
How I overcame:
✅ 30-minute power nap after reaching home:
- Reached home at 7 PM → Took 20-30 min nap
- Woke up refreshed, had energy to study 7:30 PM onwards
✅ Changed study environment:
- Didn’t study in bedroom (felt sleepy)
- Created study corner in living room (bright light, chair with back support)
- Kept cold water nearby to stay alert
✅ Active study techniques:
- Instead of just reading notes, solved questions (kept brain active)
- Spoke formulas out loud (prevented dozing off)
- Stood and walked while revising (blood circulation improved)
✅ Reduced screen time after office:
- Office = 9 hours screen time
- Avoided phone/laptop for first 1 hour after reaching home
- This reduced eye strain
Challenge 2: Office Overtime & Unpredictable Deadlines
Problem:
- Planned to study 7:30-9:30 PM, but suddenly manager assigns urgent work at 6 PM
- Had to work till 9-10 PM from home
- Study plan disrupted, felt frustrated
How I overcame:
✅ Flexible study plan, not rigid:
- Monday plan: “Study Quant 2 hours”
- If Monday got disrupted due to office work → Shifted to Tuesday
- Thought in “weekly targets” not “daily targets”
✅ Weekend backup plan:
- If weekdays were very busy (like during project deadlines), I studied less (1-2 hours/day)
- Compensated on weekends (12-14 hours instead of 9-10 hours)
✅ Micro-study sessions:
- If I couldn’t study 2 hours at night, I studied 30 min
- 30 min of focused study > 0 min
- Even 15 minutes of formula revision was better than nothing
✅ Avoided guilt trips:
- Earlier, if I missed study time, I felt guilty and demotivated
- Later, I accepted: “Some days office work is priority. It’s okay.”
- Bounced back next day with fresh energy
Challenge 3: Mock Tests on Weekends (Timing Conflict)
Problem:
- Most online mock tests are scheduled at 10 AM or 2 PM on weekends
- I wanted to give mocks at actual exam time to build rhythm
- But 10 AM Saturday/Sunday = family time, household work, sleep recovery
How I overcame:
✅ Gave mocks in “offline mode”:
- Downloaded PDF of mock test on Friday night
- Saturday/Sunday morning 9:00 AM: Simulated exam at home
- Used physical timer, OMR sheet (downloaded from IBPS website)
- Checked answers later from answer key
✅ Communicated with family:
- Told family: “Saturday/Sunday 9:00-11:00 AM is my mock test time. Please don’t disturb.”
- They understood and cooperated
- Put “Do Not Disturb” sign on door (half-joking but effective!)
✅ Sacrificed some social events:
- Friends planned outings on Saturday/Sunday
- I politely declined or joined after 2 PM (after mock + analysis)
- Short-term sacrifice for long-term goal
Challenge 4: Health Issues Due to Stress
Problem:
- Office stress (9 hours) + Exam stress (4 hours study) = 13 hours of mental strain
- Developed chronic headaches, acidity, sleep issues
- Gained weight due to sitting all day + stress eating
How I overcame:
✅ Morning exercise (non-negotiable):
- Woke up at 6:00 AM (instead of 6:30 AM)
- 15-20 min yoga/stretching (YouTube videos)
- This improved focus, reduced headaches
✅ Healthy eating:
- Stopped ordering junk food during office lunch
- Carried homemade lunch (dal, roti, sabzi)
- Reduced tea/coffee (caused acidity)
✅ “No study after 11 PM” rule:
- Earlier I used to study till 12:30-1:00 AM (trying to “cover more”)
- Result: Poor sleep, grogginess next day, poor office performance
- New rule: Study stops at 11 PM, sleep by 11:30 PM
- 7 hours sleep = better focus next day
✅ Sunday evening = complete break:
- 5:00-7:00 PM Sunday: NO study
- Watched favorite series, met friends, went for walk
- This 2-hour break recharged me for next week
Challenge 5: Guilt of Not Giving “100%” to Office
Problem:
- During lunch break, I solved quant questions instead of chatting with colleagues
- During office hours, sometimes my mind wandered to “Did I revise that formula?”
- Felt like I was “cheating” my employer by mentally being in exam prep
How I overcame:
✅ Separated work time and study time:
- 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM = 100% office focus
- Didn’t open exam-related apps/websites during office hours
- Gave quality work output (maintained good performance rating)
✅ Used ONLY lunch break and commute for preparation:
- These were MY personal time, not office time
- No guilt in utilizing personal time for self-development
✅ Justified with logic:
- I’m not doing anything illegal or unethical
- I’m completing my office work with quality
- My future is MY responsibility, not company’s
- If TCS can lay off employees for “business needs,” I can prepare for my career security
Mindset shift: “I’m not being disloyal to company. I’m being loyal to my future.”
Challenge 6: Financial Pressure to Continue Job (Despite Wanting to Quit)
Problem:
- Around month 8-9 of preparation, I was exhausted
- Wanted to quit job and prepare full-time
- But had financial responsibilities:
- Housing loan EMI: ₹15,000/month (taken for family home in Surat)
- Supporting younger brother’s engineering fees: ₹10,000/month
- Personal expenses: ₹10,000/month
- Couldn’t afford to quit job
How I overcame:
✅ Reminded myself of financial security:
- Calculated: “If I quit job and don’t clear exam, I’ll have zero income”
- Risky to quit when I had family dependencies
- Better to struggle for 14 months than risk everything
✅ “Slow and steady wins the race” mindset:
- Full-time aspirants prepare for 6-8 months
- I prepared for 14 months (almost double)
- But I had financial security + no career gap
✅ Weekend = Full-time preparation mode:
- Treated weekends like full-time aspirant’s weekdays
- Studied 18-20 hours in 2 days
- Felt like I was preparing full-time (at least on weekends!)
Result: I cleared exam WITHOUT quitting job. Best decision!
Q5. How did you handle Mains preparation alongside job? Mains requires deep study.
Sneha: Great question! Mains was MUCH tougher to prepare while working.
Why Mains is difficult for working professionals:
❌ Prelims = Revision + Speed
- Can solve Prelims-level questions in 1-2 minutes
- Even 15-30 min study sessions are useful
- Can utilize lunch breaks, commute time
❌ Mains = Depth + Time
- Mains Puzzles take 10-15 minutes to solve
- Mains DI requires reading complex tables for 5 minutes
- Can’t solve in short bursts (lunch break doesn’t help)
My strategy for Mains preparation:
Phase 1: Prelims + Mains Parallel (Month 1-8)
Instead of “First Prelims, then Mains,” I prepared BOTH simultaneously.
Why?
- Prelims exam was in October
- If I cleared Prelims, Mains was only 1 month later (November)
- 1 month is NOT enough for full Mains preparation while working
- So I started Mains prep from Month 1 itself
How?
Weekdays: 70% Prelims + 30% Mains
- Morning (6:30-7:30 AM): Quant practice (Prelims level)
- Evening (7:30-9:30 PM): Reasoning + English (mix of Prelims and Mains level)
- Night (10:00-11:00 PM): General Awareness + Current Affairs (useful for both)
Weekends: 50% Prelims + 50% Mains
- Saturday morning: Prelims mock test
- Saturday evening: Mains-level topic study (Advanced Puzzles, Complex DI)
- Sunday morning: Mains mock test (sectional)
- Sunday evening: Mains Descriptive Paper practice
Result: By the time Prelims happened (Month 8), I had already covered 60% of Mains syllabus.
Phase 2: Intensive Mains Prep (Month 9-10, after clearing Prelims)
After Prelims result was declared (I cleared with 78/100):
I took 15 days of leave from office (used annual leave + comp offs)
How I convinced manager to give 15 days leave:
- Didn’t say “I’m preparing for exam”
- Said: “Family function in hometown (wedding), need to travel”
- Manager approved (it was November, low-work period in our team)
During these 15 days:
Treated it like full-time preparation:
6:00 - 7:00 AM: Wake up, exercise, breakfast
7:00 - 10:00 AM: Reasoning (Advanced Puzzles, Input-Output, Data Sufficiency)
10:00 - 10:30 AM: Break
10:30 AM - 1:30 PM: Quantitative Aptitude (Complex DI, Quadratic Equations, Approximation)
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Lunch + Rest
2:30 - 5:30 PM: English (RC, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles - Mains level)
5:30 - 6:30 PM: Descriptive Paper (Essay writing - 1 essay daily)
6:30 - 7:00 PM: Evening break
7:00 - 9:00 PM: General Awareness (Banking Awareness deep dive)
9:00 - 10:00 PM: Dinner
10:00 - 11:00 PM: Revision + Mock analysis
11:00 PM: Sleep
Total study time in these 15 days: 10-12 hours/day
Mocks given: 10 full Mains mocks + 15 sectional Mains mocks
Result: These 15 days were GAME-CHANGER. I covered all pending Mains topics.
Phase 3: Final 10 Days Before Mains (Month 11)
After 15-day leave, I rejoined office for 1 week.
Last 10 days before Mains: Took 5 more days leave (said “feeling unwell, need rest”)
Focus: Revision only, no new topics
- Revised all formula sheets (created during weekends)
- Re-solved all wrong questions from previous mocks
- Gave 3 full Mains mocks
- Practiced 10 essays (timed - 20 min each)
- Revised last 6 months current affairs
Total leave used: 15 days + 5 days = 20 days (out of my 24 annual leave days)
Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY. I cleared Mains with 204/250!
Q6. Can you share your mock test strategy as a working professional?
Sneha: Mock tests were crucial but challenging to fit into my schedule.
Total mocks given (in 14 months):
- Prelims: 45 full mocks + 60 sectional mocks
- Mains: 18 full mocks + 25 sectional mocks
How I managed mocks while working:
Prelims Mocks:
Weekday mocks (sectional):
- Monday: Reasoning sectional (20 min after dinner)
- Wednesday: Quant sectional (20 min after dinner)
- Friday: English sectional (20 min after dinner)
Weekend mocks (full):
- Saturday 9:00 AM: Full Prelims mock (1 hour)
- Saturday 10:00-11:30 AM: Deep analysis (1.5 hours)
- Sunday 9:00 AM: Another full Prelims mock OR previous year paper
Analysis system:
Created simple Excel sheet:
| Mock # | Date | Total | R | Q | E | Silly | Weak Area | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 1 | 65 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 6 | Puzzles, DI | Practice 5 puzzles this week |
Tracked:
- Score trend (to see improvement)
- Silly mistake count (to reduce them)
- Weak areas (to focus on weekends)
Mains Mocks:
Sectional mocks (weeknights - limited time):
- Solved sectional mocks in “split mode”
- Monday: First 20 questions of Reasoning section (30 min)
- Tuesday: Next 20 questions of Reasoning section (30 min)
- Analysis: 30 min after solving
- This way, I could give Mains-level practice even on busy weekdays
Full mocks (weekends):
- Sunday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Full Mains mock (3 hours)
- Sunday 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Detailed analysis (2 hours)
Descriptive Paper practice (separate):
- Saturday evening: 1 Essay (20 min) + 1 Letter (10 min)
- Got essays reviewed by a friend who is an English teacher (she helped me improve structure, grammar)
Result: By exam day, mocks felt like routine. No nervousness!
Q7. What was your study material and resources?
Sneha: As a working professional with limited time, I focused on QUALITY resources, not quantity.
Books (Physical):
| Subject | Book | Why I chose it |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | R.S. Aggarwal + Arun Sharma | Comprehensive, good for both Prelims & Mains |
| Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal (Verbal & Non-Verbal) | Clear concepts, plenty of practice questions |
| English | Wren & Martin (Grammar) + SP Bakshi (Objective English) | Strong grammar foundation |
| Banking Awareness | Arihant Banking Awareness | Covered all banking topics |
| Descriptive | Arihant Essay & Letter Writing | Templates and samples |
Total cost: ~₹2,500 (affordable since I was earning)
Online Resources (Free + Paid):
✅ Sathee IBPS Module (FREE - my favorite!)
- Used daily for topic-wise practice questions
- Current affairs section was very helpful
- Solved 50+ questions daily during commute and lunch break
✅ Adda247 (Paid mock test subscription - ₹3,000/year)
- Good quality Prelims and Mains mocks
- Detailed analysis and solutions
- Performance analysis helped track improvement
✅ Oliveboard (Free + Paid)
- Used free mocks initially
- Later bought 1-month subscription for ₹800 (only during Mains prep)
✅ Gradeup (Free app)
- Daily GK quizzes
- Topic-wise practice
- Used during commute
✅ YouTube (FREE)
- Adda247 channel for Reasoning tricks
- Banking Awareness lectures
- Current Affairs monthly compilations
Mobile Apps:
📱 The Hindu Newspaper app: Daily current affairs (free) 📱 Vocab Builder app: Learned 10 new words daily during commute 📱 Sathee app: Quick practice during lunch break 📱 Notes app: Created digital formula sheets, revised anywhere
Total expense on preparation (14 months):
- Books: ₹2,500
- Mock test subscriptions: ₹4,000
- Apps/websites: ₹1,000
- Total: ₹7,500
Advantage of working: I could AFFORD quality resources without financial stress.
Q8. How did you maintain work-life-study balance? Any social life?
Sneha: Balance was TOUGH. I won’t lie - I sacrificed a lot socially.
What I sacrificed (for 14 months):
❌ Weekend trips with friends (used to go 2-3 times/month, completely stopped) ❌ Netflix/web series (stopped watching - saved 10-15 hours/week) ❌ Social media scrolling (deleted Instagram, limited Facebook to 15 min/day) ❌ Late-night parties/clubbing (colleagues went every Friday, I declined) ❌ Shopping/malls (only online shopping when absolutely needed)
What I did NOT sacrifice:
✅ 7 hours sleep daily (non-negotiable) ✅ Sunday evening 2 hours (personal time - met friends/watched movie) ✅ Health (morning exercise, healthy food) ✅ Family time (dinner with family, weekend evenings)
How I explained to friends:
Initially, friends were upset when I kept declining plans.
I had an honest conversation: “I’m preparing for a government exam. It’s important for my career. For next 1 year, I’ll be less available socially. Please understand. Once I clear, we’ll celebrate together!”
True friends understood. Some friends drifted away (and that’s okay).
The 80-20 rule:
80% discipline (weekdays + Saturday + Sunday morning) + 20% fun (Sunday evening + occasional outings)
This balance prevented burnout while maintaining focus.
After selection:
Now I have MUCH better work-life balance as Bank PO:
- Office: 10 AM - 5 PM (vs 9 AM - 9 PM in IT)
- Weekends: Fully free (vs working on deadlines in IT)
- Social life: Fully restored!
14 months of sacrifice = Lifetime of better balance. Worth it!
Q9. What were your actual exam scores and interview experience?
Sneha: Here are my detailed scores:
SBI PO Prelims 2024:
| Section | Attempted | Correct | Wrong | Score | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 31/35 | 28 | 3 | 27.25 | 11.25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 29/35 | 26 | 3 | 25.25 | 9.75 |
| English | 27/30 | 25 | 2 | 24.50 | 9.00 |
| TOTAL | 87/100 | 79 | 8 | 77.00/100 | 30.00 |
✅ Cleared all sections ✅ All India Rank (Prelims): 1,892
Exam experience:
- Took half-day leave from office on exam day
- Felt calm (thanks to 45+ mocks)
- Completed each section 2-3 min before time
- Confident about clearing
SBI PO Mains 2024:
| Section | Attempted | Correct | Wrong | Score | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer | 38/45 | 34 | 4 | 51.00/60 | 19.00 |
| English | 30/35 | 27 | 3 | 40.50/50 | 16.00 |
| Data Analysis | 30/35 | 26 | 4 | 39.00/60 | 17.00 |
| General Awareness | 36/40 | 33 | 3 | 41.25/50 | 15.00 |
| Descriptive | - | - | - | 32.00/50 | 20.00 |
| TOTAL | - | - | - | 203.75/270 | 87.00 |
✅ Cleared all sections ✅ All India Rank (Mains): 1,104
Descriptive Paper:
- Essay: “Role of Technology in Banking Sector” (scored 18/25)
- Letter: Complaint letter to Bank Manager about unauthorized transaction (scored 14/25)
Exam experience:
- Took 1 week leave from office (before Mains)
- Mains was TOUGH (as expected)
- Managed time well thanks to weekend mock practice
- Descriptive could’ve been better, but overall satisfied
SBI PO Interview 2024:
Date: March 2025 Duration: 12 minutes Panel: 4 members Score: 74/100
Questions asked:
Personal:
- Tell us about yourself (mentioned IT background, transition to banking)
- Why leave a good IT job for banking? (explained work-life balance, job security reasons)
- Your family background? (Father = small business, mother = teacher)
Technical (IT background): 4. What is blockchain? How can it be used in banking? (answered well - my IT knowledge helped!) 5. What is cybersecurity? How do banks protect against cyberattacks? (discussed encryption, 2FA, etc.)
Banking Awareness: 6. What is NPA? Current NPA scenario in India? (answered using recent RBI data) 7. Difference between Repo Rate and Reverse Repo Rate? (explained clearly) 8. Recent RBI monetary policy changes? (mentioned latest MPC decisions)
Current Affairs: 9. Recent government schemes for banking sector? (discussed PM Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA) 10. India’s GDP growth rate? (answered 7.2% for FY 2024-25)
Situational: 11. A customer is demanding loan waiver because he saw it on news. How will you handle? (gave balanced answer - empathize but explain bank policies)
Stress Question: 12. You’re earning ₹6.5 LPA in IT. SBI PO starting salary is less. Why switch? (explained long-term benefits - growth, pension, stability)
Closing: 13. Any questions for us? (asked “What qualities make a successful PO?”)
Experience:
- Panel was friendly
- IT background was an advantage (blockchain, cybersecurity questions)
- Confident and honest answers helped
Final Selection:
Combined Score: (203.75 × 0.75) + (74 × 0.25) = 152.81 + 18.50 = 171.31
All India Rank: 892
Allotted: State Bank of India (General category)
Joining: April 2025
Resignation from TCS:
- Gave 1-month notice period (standard)
- Manager was supportive after knowing it’s SBI PO
- Colleagues threw farewell party
- Left on good terms
Q10. Top tips for working professionals preparing for IBPS/SBI?
Sneha: Here are my top 10 tips specifically for working professionals:
1. DON’T quit your job unless you have financial backup
Why:
- Government exam selection is uncertain
- If you don’t clear, you’ll have no income + career gap
- Career gap looks bad on resume if you try rejoining corporate
My advice:
- Prepare while working (it’s tough but doable)
- Quit ONLY if:
- You’ve attempted 2-3 times while working (showing commitment)
- You have 1 year of financial backup (savings)
- You’re 100% sure you’ll clear next attempt (realistically assess)
Exception: If your job is extremely demanding (12-14 hour shifts, night shifts, frequent travel) AND you’ve saved enough money, quitting might make sense.
2. Optimize “dead time” - Commute, Lunch Break, Waiting Time
Dead time = Time you’re not productively working or studying
Examples:
- Commute to office: 1 hour daily = 30 hours/month
- Lunch break: 30 min daily = 11 hours/month
- Waiting time (in queue, in meetings, etc.): 5-10 hours/month
Total: 45-50 hours/month of “dead time”
How to utilize: ✅ Commute: Listen to Banking Awareness lectures, revise current affairs on app ✅ Lunch break: Solve 10-15 questions on mobile app ✅ Waiting time: Revise formula flashcards, learn vocabulary
My result: Covered 30-40% of General Awareness and English vocabulary JUST using dead time!
3. Weekend = Your golden opportunity
Working professionals’ biggest advantage: Clear weekends (most jobs have Sat-Sun off)
How I used weekends:
- Saturday + Sunday = 18-20 hours of focused study
- Equivalent to 5 weekdays of study (4 hours × 5 = 20 hours)
- Weekends were for: Mocks, new concepts, deep practice, Mains-level topics
Mindset: Treat weekends like a full-time aspirant treats weekdays.
But also: Keep Sunday evening 2 hours free for personal time (prevents burnout)
4. Quality > Quantity (Study smart, not long)
Full-time aspirants: 8-10 hours/day (but often with distractions, social media breaks) Working professionals: 4-5 hours/day (but FOCUSED - no time to waste)
My strategy:
- Phone on flight mode during study
- Pomodoro technique (25 min focus + 5 min break)
- Studied only high-priority topics (ignored low-weightage topics)
- Used shortcuts and tricks (instead of lengthy methods)
Result: My 4 hours of focused study = Someone’s 6-7 hours of distracted study
5. Leverage your salary - Invest in QUALITY resources
Full-time aspirants: Often struggle financially, rely on free resources Working professionals: Can AFFORD quality resources
What I invested in:
- ✅ Good books (₹2,500) - better than pirated PDFs
- ✅ Paid mock test subscriptions (₹4,000) - better quality than free mocks
- ✅ Mentor/coaching (optional - ₹10,000-20,000) - I didn’t take, but many working professionals do
- ✅ Ergonomic study chair (₹3,000) - prevented back pain during long study hours
Total: ₹10,000-15,000
For someone earning ₹40,000-50,000/month, this is affordable and WORTH the investment.
6. Use annual leave strategically
Most companies give 20-24 annual leave days.
My leave strategy:
- Saved leaves throughout the year
- Used 15 days before Mains exam (intensive preparation)
- Used 5 days just before Prelims (final revision)
- Used 2 days for actual exam days
Total: 22 days
How to convince manager:
- Don’t say “I’m preparing for government exam”
- Say “Family function” or “Need personal time” or “Feeling unwell”
- Apply leave during low-work period (November-December, March-April)
Pro tip: Build good relationship with manager throughout the year (complete work with quality) so they approve your leaves easily.
7. Start with Prelims + Mains parallel, not Prelims first
Common mistake:
- Prepare only for Prelims for 6 months
- Clear Prelims
- Only 1 month gap for Mains
- Can’t cover Mains syllabus in 1 month while working
- Fail in Mains
Smart strategy:
- From Month 1, prepare both Prelims AND Mains
- Weekdays: 70% Prelims + 30% Mains
- Weekends: 50% Prelims + 50% Mains
- By Prelims exam, you’ve already covered 60-70% of Mains syllabus
- After clearing Prelims, only 30-40% Mains syllabus pending = manageable
Result: I cleared Mains comfortably because I had started Mains prep from Day 1.
8. Keep preparation SECRET at office
Why:
- Prevents office politics
- Prevents awkwardness if you don’t clear
- Prevents manager from impacting your performance rating/promotion
How:
- Never discuss exam prep with colleagues
- Take leaves citing “personal work,” not “exam”
- Study at home, never carry books to office
- Reveal only after final selection (during notice period)
Trust me: It’s better to surprise everyone with your selection than to face “So, did you clear?” questions every month.
9. Prepare for 12-18 months, not 6 months
Full-time aspirants: Can prepare in 6-8 months Working professionals: Need 12-18 months (because limited time daily)
My timeline:
- Started: June 2023
- SBI PO Prelims: October 2024 (16 months preparation)
- SBI PO Mains: November 2024
- Interview: March 2025
- Joined: April 2025
Don’t feel bad about longer preparation time. You’re doing TWO things (job + exam prep), not just one.
Quality of preparation matters, not speed.
10. Don’t sacrifice health and sleep
Biggest mistake: Sleeping 4-5 hours to “study more”
Why it backfires:
- Poor sleep = poor focus next day at office = poor performance = manager notices
- Poor sleep = poor retention of what you studied = waste of time
- Poor sleep = health issues (headache, acidity, stress)
My rule:
- 7 hours sleep MINIMUM (11:30 PM - 6:30 AM)
- 15-20 min morning exercise
- Healthy meals (stopped junk food)
Result: Better focus, better health, sustained energy for 14 months (no burnout)
Remember: Your body is the vehicle for this journey. If vehicle breaks down, journey stops.
Final Message from Sneha
If you’re a working professional dreaming of IBPS/SBI PO but thinking “How will I prepare while working full-time?” - I’m here to tell you:
IT IS POSSIBLE.
Yes, it’s tough. Yes, you’ll be exhausted some days. Yes, you’ll sacrifice social life for a year.
But it’s NOT impossible.
Advantages you have as a working professional:
✅ Financial security (can afford good resources) ✅ No career gap (if exam doesn’t work out, you still have your job) ✅ Time management skills (corporate job teaches you efficiency) ✅ Discipline (already used to working hard 9 hours daily)
What you need:
✅ Clear goal (WHY do you want government job?) ✅ Smart preparation strategy (quality > quantity) ✅ Consistent effort (4-5 hours daily, no excuses) ✅ Weekend utilization (your golden 18-20 hours) ✅ Sacrifice (Netflix, parties, social media - all can wait for 1 year)
My journey:
🔹 14 months of preparation 🔹 4-5 hours daily on weekdays 🔹 18-20 hours on weekends 🔹 45 Prelims + 18 Mains mocks 🔹 Zero career gap 🔹 Final selection: SBI PO Rank 892
If I can do it, YOU can do it.
Don’t let your job become an excuse. Let it be your STRENGTH.
The next SBI/IBPS PO success story from a working professional could be YOURS!
All the best! 💪
🎯 Continue Your Learning Journey
Related Success Stories:
Working Professional Resources:
- Time Management for Working Professionals
- Weekend-Focused Study Plan
- Quick Revision Techniques for Busy Professionals
Exam Preparation:
Banking Awareness:
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