General Awareness Capsule for IBPS PO & Clerk Mains 2022

The IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) conducts one of the most competitive examinations in India for recruitment of Probationary Officers (PO) and Clerks in public sector banks. While the quantitative and reasoning sections are often emphasized, the General Awareness (GA) segment plays a decisive role in differentiating candidates. The following capsule provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of the key GA topics that were relevant for the 2022 mains examination.

Why General Awareness Matters

• Weightage: GA usually carries 1015% of the total marks, making it a substantial component.
• Current Affairs: Bank exams test knowledge of recent events, government schemes, and economic developments.
• BankingSpecific Topics: Awareness of RBI policies, banking reforms, and financial inclusion initiatives is essential.

Core Areas to Cover

1. Current Affairs (Last 1218 Months)

Focus on national and international events that have a direct impact on the economy and banking sector.

• Key summits G20, WTO Ministerial Conference, UN General Assembly.
• Major policy announcements National Education Policy 2020 implementation updates, Ayushman Bharat expansions, PM Gati Shakti initiative.
• Important bills passed ECommerce Regulation Bill, Data Protection Bill.
• Security and defence PSUs related to defence production, major procurement deals.

2. Banking & Financial Awareness

• RBI Updates: Monetary policy decisions, repo rate changes, cash reserve ratio (CRR) revisions, and the introduction of the Digital Payments roadmap.
• Banking Reforms: Implementation of UPI 2.0, RBIs fintech guidelines, merger of public sector banks, and the recent consolidation of SBI, PNB, and BFSL.
• Financial Inclusion: Jan Dhan Yojana statistics, direct benefit transfer (DBT) mechanisms, and the role of PM Kisan and PM Awas Yojana.
• Important Banking Exams Statics: Number of branches, ATM network growth, digital transaction volumes (e.g., UPI transactions crossing 78 billion per month in 2022).

3. Economic Survey & Budget 202223

• Key highlights of the Economic Survey 202122 GDP growth estimates, sectorwise performance, inflation trends.
• Budget 202223 priorities Infrastructure push, green energy investments, fiscal deficit targets, and the emphasis on MSME financing.
• Important fiscal parameters GVA, GST collection records, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows.

4. International Organizations & Agreements

• World Bank, IMF, ADB latest loan programmes for India.
• Trade agreements RCEP, IndiaEU trade negotiations, and their banking implications.
• Global climate accords COP26 outcomes and Indias commitments.

5. Science & Technology

• Space missions ISROs Chandrayaan3 launch schedule, Gaganyaan programme.
• Health breakthroughs COVID19 vaccine rollout updates, new antiviral approvals.
• Technology trends AI in banking, blockchain pilots by RBI, fintech startup funding trends.

6. Awards & Honors (2022)

• Padma Awards major awardees from banking and finance.
• Nobel Prizes Economics (e.g., Nobel 2021 laureate David Card, relevance to labour economics).
• International recognitions Bharat Ratna recipients, etc.

Quick Revision Techniques

• Daily News Digest: Spend 30 minutes each morning on a reputable newspapers business section (The Economic Times, Business Standard) and note down key points.
• Monthly Summary Sheets: Compile a onepage sheet at the end of each month covering major events, RBI policy changes, and budget highlights.
• Flashcards: Use apps like Anki for quick recall of dates, figures, and scheme names.
• Mock Tests: Include 1015 GA questions in each practice test; review explanations thoroughly.

Important Numbers to Memorise (2022)

Sample Questions (Practice)

1. Which scheme was launched by the Government of India to provide a universal financial cover of 5 lakh to every farmer?
2. What was the repo rate decided by RBI in the March 2022 Monetary Policy Review?
3. Identify the correct statement:
   a) UPI 2.0 introduced overdraft facilities.
   b) RBIs FinTech Guidelines were released in 2021.
   c) The PM Gati Shakti programme focuses on aerospace sector only.
4. Which country hosted the G20 summit in 2022?
5. What is the total amount of FDI inflow recorded in India during FY 202122?

Reference Sources (For Further Reading)

• Reserve Bank of India Official Notifications
• Government of India Press Information Bureau
• Union Budget Documents
• Economic Times Business & Finance
• BSE Market Data & Reports

By systematically covering the above domains and employing the revision techniques mentioned, candidates can build a solid GA foundation for the IBBS PO & Clerk Mains 2022. Consistency, concise notetaking, and regular selfassessment are the pillars of success.