Message from the CEO

I am sure those of you who taking the forthcoming examinations are preparing well for the (November/ December 2011) same. Nearly 95000 candidates will be appearing for the JAIIB and CAIIB examinations this time and the institute is taking all efforts to ensure that the conduct of the examinations is smooth and of good quality. Let me share some information and thoughts with you.

Mock Test

You are aware that the institute has introduced e-learning and web classes for the candidates. Recently the Institute has also launched the e-learning for the two compulsory papers of CAIIB. As one more initiative to make the candidates prepare well for the examinations, we have now announced a 60 question ‘mock test’ for JAIIB and two compulsory papers of CAIIB. Details have been placed in this portal. The following chart depicts the delivery process adopted by the Institute.

Course delivery

This is, possibly, the only banking institute which makes available so many support services and that too at very affordable prices. The objective is that every candidate makes adequate effort and prepares well by making full use of the facilities offered. My concern is that, currently all these facilities are not utilised in full as evidenced by the number of log-ins recorded for e-learning and web classes, which is not encouraging.

Need for planned study

The Institute’s examinations are professional in nature and we are committed to maintain high quality. It must be underlined that Banks are keen that the candidates learn the subjects well and pass the examinations. In a professional examination learning is as important if not more than passing as the knowledge paves the way for better performance at the work place. It is therefore important that you start reading the courseware and preparing much before the date of the examination. I don’t think this is the case at present and I apprehend that most candidates start preparing much closer to the date of the examination. The Institute provides web classes of 86 hours for JAIIB and 62 hours for the 2 subjects of CAIIB. E-learning is made available for all the lessons of JAIIB and two compulsory papers of CAIIB and will involve not less than 60 hours of learning. Given this, if one were to prepare much early the entire web class and e-learning can be gone through. However if one tries to do cover all of this in a short time the learning may not be complete. In such cases, I would suggest that e-learning and web classes may be accessed for difficult lessons or where the candidates need more clarity. Also the questions in the book, quizzes in the e-learning and web classes could be repetitive. I am sure you will make a judicious use of all the three offerings.

CAIIB Electives

The institute has published the text book on “Central Banking”, one of the optional subjects in CAIIB and the same is available in the market. With this, course wares for all electives have been published.

Master Circulars

Another important initiative in regard to learning is the institute’s effort to make available master circulars in an in abridged form. Many of the master circulars have been abridged and put on the portal for your information. This is because the circulars, which are updated every year by RBI, are a veritable source of information on banking operations. Knowledge about the contents is important for all bankers. I am sure that all of you will find this useful for your daily banking routine as also for the purpose of examinations.

Proper conduct during the examination

We have been over the last few examinations tightening up the rules of the examination. Rather we are tightening the adherence to the rules. It is important that the examinations are conducted in a “misuse free” environment. It is for this purpose that we do not allow anyone to write the examination unless he/she has a valid admit card for that particular centre. We do not accept last minute requests for change of centre because we print and forward exact number of question papers to each centre as per admit cards issued and we do not want the last minute changes to affect the examination process. We are particular that no one brings the cell phone/mobile to the examination hall. We are equally concerned about code of conduct in the examination hall and being bankers we are sure that none of you would like to violate it. Misconduct attracts penalties and also reporting to the employer bank.

Grace Mark

A contentious issue is grace marks. Institute has made it very clear that it does not have a system of granting Grace Marks. As the examinations are of multiple choice mode and the results evaluated by use of I.T. package there is no provision of grace mark. Also, the institute does not prescribe negative marks.

Facility for on line payment

Currently, facility for on line payment of application/examination fees is available in respect of all the examinations of the institute. Yet it is seen that Demand Draft is the most popular mode of remittance. Members are encouraged to make use of the on-line payment/remittance facility.

New initiatives

We have recently introduced a new course-Direct/New Recruits training- meant exclusively for those candidates who have been selected for employment in banks and /or those who have joined the banks very recently. The objective of this programme is to make available structured, quality inputs to the new recruits in the form of e-learning and make them job ready within a short period from the day they join the banks. E-learning package has four components as under -

• E-Book on Basics of Banking
• E-Learning on Introduction to Banking
• E-Learning on Core Banking
• On line Testing

Business Correspondents/Business facilitators

The Institute has been offering Certificate Course in Business Correspondents/Facilitators and offering training facilities through its Accredited Training Institutions. The Institute has developed Training Tool kit for BC/BF training and a separate courseware covering syllabus of the examination. The Institute holds Train the Trainer's Programme to the faculties of the Accredited Training Institutes to equip them to impart this training. Further, the Institute also conducts Train the Trainer's Programme in BC/BF to banks on their specific request. Recently IBA had advised all member banks to avail the training cum examination facilities of IIBF by all their Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institutes to hasten the task of financial inclusion.

In order to improve the efficiency of the BC/BF examination and certification process and to reduce the time gap from the date of application to the certification, the Institute has recently introduced a on-line system/process to receive the application, decide on the exam venues, evaluate the examinations etc. This will help to reduce the time gap in the certification process and will help the institute to expedite the results and issue of certificates even though the examination is held in remote centres.

Green Initiative

As a green initiative, the institute has decided to send all future annual reports from 2011-12 and documents to members through e-mails. All members have been requested to update their e-mail addresses with the institute. The same process will be adopted for sending of IIBF Vision too. Members are requested to register their email addresses with the Institute, which will go a long way in contributing to the Green initiative undertaken all over the world.

International foot Print

The institute is getting more consultancy work in the capacity building area and is currently working with the banking institute in Zambia and Papua New Guinea. You will be glad to know that these institutes will be implementing a customized version of JAIIB in their countries.

New Courses

Very soon the Institute will launch new certificate courses in the areas of ALM, IT Security and FEMA. We will also be offering innovative and high end training courses in the Leadership Center in the corporate office.Before I close, I would like to share happy news with all of you. The Institute has recently won an award from the World Education Congress as the Best Institute for Banking and Insurance in Asia. This is in recognition of the good work done by the Institute in the field of banking education.I wish you the very best in your academic endeavours.

Best Wishes