Bhai, I don't get why people say "ek bar bank me lag jao to rone lagoge". Why are they crying so much? The pressure is huge, the working hours are long, and so on. There are folks earning half your salary and handling double the pressure with zero job security. We want a good salary, job security, but also don't want to work hard, and I'm saying this after two years in corporate, in my passion field. Finding a good job feels like looking for a needle in a haystack. Those two years made me lose my passion, even though I worked hard—skilled up in college and did freelance for credibility. Even this sub is full of people saying the same. Be realistic; India's job market isn't booming right now. Go out in the real world and then decide if banking is good or bad. Everywhere there's pressure and senior politics, so treat work as just work, don't take it personal, otherwise you'll hear the same complaints everywhere. About work‑life balance—at best you can expect a day off when workload allows. It's not like they can call you anytime and ask you to do something crazy, right? Just stop crying or quit; no need to whine in front of other aspirants.
Exactly, people like that shouldn't even appear for the exam.
Listen, if I'm paid for 7 hours of work and I'm forced to put in 10 hours, that's just wrong and toxic culture. Most people joining banks aren't aware of the extra workload. They feel forced because transfers exist and bad places exist, and I can't say no because I have contacts and I don't care where I'm sent. Sure, these issues exist in any job, but the next problem is the customer. If you slip up and say something wrong, even if the customer also made a mistake, you'll face consequences because the customer is almost always right. Workload is constant every day. My junior associate friends used to leave at 8‑9 pm, managers even later, so where's the work‑life balance? In terms of job security, this is pretty crappy. I don't mind because I know how to set boundaries.
If a private‑sector person or a non‑banker says this, just ignore them. They're just trying to demotivate. Who would give a salary for free, bhai? That's how it works.
I agree with you.
The biggest problem is the expectation of greener grass on the other side. Many people spend years preparing, and when they finally land a job, they think that's the pinnacle because they've worked hard. Then they assume that once they get a government job, everything will be perfect. In reality, you have to work even harder and network within the organisation, which doesn't sit well with hardcore aspirants. Simple truth: every job needs hard work and networking to stay relevant, whether it's private or government. It's those unrealistic expectations that kill the spirit. I've been working four years in an asset‑management firm; it's tough but that's the demand and how you're evaluated. If I move to a government job, it'll be the same or even more demanding because I can't just switch off.
I genuinely feel many people sacrifice their whole life for government exams and have unrealistic expectations about what will happen after they clear them. I grew up watching my dad work in a bank. He used to be at the bank at 2 am and sometimes get home only at midnight. He never complained; in fact, he loves his job and is retiring in a year, still not tired of it. I'm not close to my dad, but seeing him taught me that life isn't easy and earning money isn't simple. So while you're doing these hard things, do them with a positive attitude. Trust me, those who quit these jobs won't survive elsewhere because they lack patience to handle pressure or tough times, which come with every job. A peon, a clerk, a PO—all face pressure, but only a few are well paid.
The point is—after giving up all the joys of life, studying hard, and finally getting a job, you get frustrated from month 1. Pressure is fine; being pushed to do the job you were hired for is normal. But pointless, meaningless pressure is not fine—it's toxic. From 10 am to 5 pm you're constantly under customer pressure, with only a 20‑minute lunch break, otherwise nonstop work. Then you get pressure from the top for nonsensical tasks.
Instead of preaching like a total tool, tell people to stop breeding like rabbits in India. The competition here is unbearable and it makes me sick.
I spent five years in the corporate IT sector, learned a bit about work culture, and recently resigned after getting selected for this. My biggest motivation to prepare was that I don't want to worry about my own future when I think about my child's future at age 45‑50.
One of my relatives works in a well‑known private bank as a field officer—doing recoveries, account opening, etc. He doesn't get reimbursed for travel, his salary is extremely low, and the working hours are absurd. [There are no fixed work hours; they can call you anytime.] Most of the people complaining are those with no work experience or completely delusional about India's job market. Be grateful that this country lets a rookie sit for an exam and earn enough to improve their living standards. You'll never be happy just criticizing the job that puts food on your table. If you have other options like an MBA or GATE, skip the exam—good for us.