Cracking a competitive banking exam while working full-time can seem difficult, especially when your workday leaves you with only a few hours to study. But T Agilan’s SBI CBO success story shows that preparation does not always have to mean studying for long hours.
With a background that moved from Biology in Class 12 to Mechanical Engineering, followed by an MBA in Marketing and Finance, Agilan eventually built three years of banking experience at South Indian Bank before appearing for the SBI CBO examination.
From Biology to Banking
Agilan did not come from a traditional commerce background. He studied Biology in Class 12 and later completed Mechanical Engineering. His interest in management then led him to pursue an MBA with dual specialisation in Marketing and Finance.
Those two years of studying Finance and Economics helped him develop an interest in the financial sector. After his MBA, he joined South Indian Bank as a Probationary Officer. He was later promoted to Assistant Manager and posted to Rajkot, Gujarat.
By the time he decided to prepare for SBI CBO, he already had around three years of banking experience.
For Agilan, this experience became an important advantage because he could connect the concepts he was studying with situations he had encountered in his professional life.
Watch his full Interview only on Oliveboard:
How He Prepared for SBI CBO While Working
Agilan was working full-time while preparing for SBI CBO. Instead of waiting for an ideal schedule, he committed to studying for two hours every day.
His preparation was divided into focused topics. Since Banking Knowledge carried significant weightage for him, he prioritised it along with English. He also made weekly mock tests a regular part of his preparation.
His approach was simple:
- Study for around 2 hours every day
- Focus on Banking Knowledge and English
- Take one Oliveboard mock test every week
- Follow a structured preparation plan
- Stay consistent for around 3–4 months
He believes that consistency mattered more than simply counting the number of hours studied.
“Whatever the situation, I’m going to give 2 hours every day.”
That consistency gradually built his confidence and helped him stay on track despite his responsibilities as a working professional.
How Oliveboard Helped His SBI CBO Preparation
Agilan credits a structured approach as one of the important parts of his preparation. He found Oliveboard’s Banking Knowledge content systematic, with topics covered comprehensively.
Since he already had practical banking experience, the concepts he learned through his preparation could often be connected to situations he had encountered at work. This helped him strengthen his theoretical understanding of banking.
He also used daily videos, YouTube live sessions and recorded sessions depending on his schedule. When he could not attend a live session, he would catch up through the recordings.
His Approach to Current Affairs and Banking Knowledge
For current affairs, Agilan followed the Hindu newspaper regularly and supplemented his preparation with video sessions and recorded classes.
Based on his own experience, he felt that around six months of current affairs preparation was sufficient for his SBI CBO attempt.
He also emphasised the importance of Banking Knowledge. Rather than focusing on only a few topics, he prepared across areas such as banking history, payments and other banking-related concepts because he found the examination broadly distributed across these areas.
What Happened in the SBI CBO Interview?
For Agilan, the interview was very different from a predictable question-and-answer exercise.
His interview lasted around 15–20 minutes. There were four panel members, with three asking questions while another observed.
Interestingly, many of the questions were connected to his professional experience rather than being purely static banking questions.
Since he was handling branch operations, he was asked about areas such as customer queries, mule accounts, portfolio-related responsibilities and his reason for wanting to join SBI.
His biggest advice for the interview is to remain composed. According to Agilan, candidates should not become stressed simply because they do not know an answer. He also advises candidates not to depend too heavily on questions recalled by other candidates because interviews are subjective and can differ from person to person.
Agilan’s Advice to SBI CBO Aspirants
Looking back at his journey, Agilan believes aspirants should focus on three things: a structured approach, consistent preparation and regular mocks.
For working professionals, his journey offers a practical perspective. You may not always have an entire day available for preparation, but having a fixed study commitment can help you make steady progress.
For the interview, his advice is equally straightforward: stay positive, remain confident and do not let an unfamiliar question affect your composure.
Agilan’s journey from a Biology background to Mechanical Engineering, an MBA in Finance and finally three years of banking experience before cracking SBI CBO is a reminder that your academic background does not have to define your preparation journey. What matters is how consistently you build the knowledge and experience required for the role.
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