The chairman or CEO is considered to be the highest position in a bank. However, different banks have different structures or arrangements. The ranking of the posts may vary for different banks. In this article let us know some of the highest position in a bank.
Generally, the highest position in a bank of india is said to be that of the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Although the hierarchy is general in banking in India, they vary between public and private sector banks. This structure defines not only the authority but also the career progression in banking.
In this blog, you will get a breakdown on the top-most post in the banking industry, ways to up the ladder in your banking career, as well as answers to some common questions such as What is the hardest job at a bank?, What Is bank full form? or What is level 7 in a bank?
Understanding Bank Roles: From Lowest to Boss Level
Many candidates often wonder, “What is the boss of a bank?” The answer to this question would depend on the different leadership titles like Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Managing Director (MD), or Chairman, depending on the structure of the bank. These are the most powerful positions with responsibility for overall decision-making and strategy.
On the other hand, “What is the lowest position in a bank?” typically refers to entry-level roles such as Clerk or Bank Associate, dealing with everyday ttransactionsand customer interaction. A common confusion in the hierarchy is,
Which post is higher, PO or Clerk?
The clear and simple answer is PO or Probationary Officer.
A PO is a managerial trainee while a Clerk performs operational duties and hence in higher post with growth opportunity. Now, “Which job is the hardest in the bank?” depends on the point of view, but from various perspectives, jobs like Branch Manager, Credit Risk Officer, or maybe even Senior Executives are highly pressurized owing to their responsibilities of handling regulatory matters, customers, targets, and decision making.
Bank Hierarchy Structure in India
Here is the hierarchy of banking roles from entry-level to top-level banking jobs in both public and private sector banks.
Hierarchy of the Highest Positions in a Bank
Let us look at some of the major positions in the banking sector below.
| Level | Private Sector Banks | Public Sector Banks |
| 1. | MD & CEO | Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) |
| 2. | Deputy MD & CEO | CEO & Managing Director (MD) |
| 3. | Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Executive Director (ED) |
| 4. | Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Chief General Manager (CGM) |
| 5. | Executive Vice President (EVP) | General Manager (GM) |
| 6. | Senior Vice President (SVP) | Deputy General Manager (DGM) |
| 7. | Vice President (VP) | Assistant General Manager (AGM) |
| 8. | Assistant Vice President (AVP) | Chief Manager |
| 9. | Senior Manager | Senior Manager |
| 10. | Manager | Manager |
| 11. | Assistant Manager | Assistant Manager |
| 12. | Officer/Associate | Officer/Associate |
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CEO or Managing Director
In banks, the highest position is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) or Managing Director (MD). The role of CEO and MD is very dynamic and is answerable to the board of directors. Their main role is to prepare budgets, look for financial reports, allocate new strategies, new business avenues, etc.
Director
In public sector banks director is considered to be the most active member of a bank. The primary role of a director is promotion and managing the marketing of different banking products and services.
General Manager
The General Manager is responsible for overseeing budgets, operations, marketing strategies, and other important works of the local bank. The main duties of the general manager are to look out for various operations, schedule staff, track cash flow, and set sales goals for the team.
Chartered Accountant
This is considered to be one of the most important positions in a bank. They are responsible for ensuring financial and legal compliance. They are financial experts who can easily manage budgets, audits, taxes, and business strategies for various clients. You will need to clear the CA exam which is a long process where you have to go through the foundation course, practical training, and clear the final exam.
Branch Manager
A branch manager is an executive personnel in charge of the branch office of a bank or financial institution. A Bank manager is responsible for looking out for a particular branch and handling their various day-to-day operations.
Assistant Branch Manager
Assistant Branch Managers are responsible for assisting and providing leadership value to the bank through managing all major areas of a bank. Probationary Officers are promoted to Assistant Branch Managers first. They generally have heavy work pressure and are frequently posted in urban work areas.
Probationary Officers
A Probationary Officer (PO) post is a managerial position in a bank. Recruitment for this position is done through various exams. Some of the popular bank exams for Probationary officers are SBI PO, IBPS PO, etc. They are responsible for managing customer transactions, handling loans, drafting insurance, etc.
What is the Highest Position in a Private Bank?
The highest position in a private bank is of a Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director. They are responsible for managing the overall operations of a bank, implementing strategies, regular compilations, and more. To get to this role a high level of experience as well as educational qualifications is required.
You can reach this position after starting from an entry-level position in the bank and slowly progressing through the ranks. You will continuously need to upgrade your skills and knowledge. Build networks, develop leadership skills, and grow your knowledge of financial markets, banking operations, strategic planning, and more.
After having significant experience you can apply for senior executive roles such as Vice President (VP), Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and aim for the CEO or MD position.
How to Get to the Highest Position in a Public Sector Bank?
Getting to the highest position in a bank requires you to have enough experience and consistent performance followed by entering a decent position in the bank. Participate and clear banking exams for Probationary Officers or equivalent for multiple public sector banks and gain experience in the field.
Get promoted to the middle management roles such as Senior Manager, Branch Manager, etc. You will need to show consistent performance and continuously upgrade your skills to get to senior management roles like General Manager, Chief General Manager, etc.
Start applying for the Executive roles once you have significant experience. However, consider taking guidance from experienced professionals for a better foot. The selection for the highest position as CMD or MD undergoes rigorous assessments by the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) and other executive bodies.
Highest Post in Bank with Salary in India
Let us now look at some of the positions in a bank from highest to lowest along with their approximate salaries in the table below.
| Positions | Sector | Expected Salary (INR per annum) |
| Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) | Public Sector | 70-100 lakhs |
| MD & CEO | Both | 80 lakhs – 3 crores |
| Deputy MD & CEO | Private Sector | 70 lakhs – 2.5 crores |
| Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Both | 60 lakhs – 2 crores |
| Executive Director (ED) | Public Sector | 50-90 lakhs |
| Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Both | 50 lakhs – 1.5 crores |
| Chief General Manager (CGM) | Public Sector | 40-70 lakhs |
| General Manager (GM) | Both | 30-60 lakhs |
| Executive Vice President (EVP) | Private Sector | 35-70 lakhs |
| Deputy General Manager (DGM) | Both | 25-50 lakhs |
| Senior Vice President (SVP) | Private Sector | 30-60 lakhs |
| Assistant General Manager (AGM) | Both | 20-40 lakhs |
| Vice President (VP) | Private Sector | 25-50 lakhs |
| Chief Manager | Public Sector | 15-30 lakhs |
| Senior Manager | Both | 12-25 lakhs |
| Assistant Vice President (AVP) | Private Sector | 15-30 lakhs |
| Manager | Both | 10-20 lakhs |
| Assistant Manager | Both | 7-15 lakhs |
| Officer/Associate | Both | 4-10 lakhs |
What is the bank full level?
Lets explore what is the highest ranking bank? The highest post in public sector banks is Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). Managing Director (MD) & CEO are the top offices in private banks. They are strategic positions with responsibilities in long-term policy formulation, business expansion, stakeholder management, and compliance with regulations.
What is the Full Level of the Bank?
“Bank full level” comprehensively means the pipeline of all roles, from the very entry-level up to the highest level. As shown above, the journey generally commences from an Officer/Associate and generally goes to the MD & CEO or CMD, depending on the sector.
Career growth in banking: Steps to Progression
The growth path in banking is quite clearly defined, especially in the case of public sector banks. The answer to your question – How to become a manager in a bank?
Is here. The broad structure of this growth is:
- Access through state-level exams, such as IBPS PO, SBI PO, or Clerk.
- Progress to Manager → Senior Manager → AGM → DGM → GM, and so on.
- Promotions are given on the basis of experience, performance, leadership capabilities, and academic examinations.
Most high-level banking jobs (like MD, CEO) require vast numbers of experience and mostly government or board approval in public sector banks.
Which position is best in a bank?
It depends on what you really want. If it’s power and decision-making, then the best would be GM, ED, MD, and CEO. If you’ve got a passion for working with customers, then a Branch Manager or a Relationship Manager would be your options.
How to become CEO in bank?
- For this purpose, join an entry-level or middle-level job.
- Have relevant qualifications (like MBA, CAIIB, or certifications).
- Lead various departments while getting leadership experience.
- Acquire the strategic thinking capability and great communication skills.
- In public banks, there are several Boards like the BBB that assess candidates appointed for CMD/MD positions.
It is a long journey, but consistent progression and visibility will make this possible.
What Is Level 7 in a Bank?
In any general public sector bank, Level-7 is usually the Assistant General Manager (AGM)/ Deputy manager, based on the bank’s internal structure. Generally speaking, these would be the middle management positions that can be achieved after several promotions.
Why choose banking as a career?
- Banking affords a wonderful career path with defined growth right from the bottom-most level in a bank (Clerk/Officer) to the top-most level in a bank (CEO, MD, or Chairman).
- It is precisely this nature of a well-defined structure on bank hierarchy in India that helps one plan career trajectories and professional goals with ease.
- Banking operations, like Promotions of Officers in Bank jobs, are markedly greater compared to Clerical School, hence PO ranks higher than Clerk.
- Nevertheless, some jobs, such as Branch Manager and Risk Analyst, are said to be the hardest in a bank, but the learning advantage and experience far outweigh these difficulties.
- The top post in banking sector not only provides a lot of power but also high financial compensation and recognition in the industry..
Banking is one of the most respected, secured, and growth-oriented fields in India, offering great opportunities in both public and private banks.
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Highest Position in a Bank FAQs
Q1. What is the highest position in a bank?
Ans: The highest position in a bank is CEO (Chief Executive Officer) or MD (Managing Director).
Q2. What are the ranks in banking?
Ans: The ranks in banking are mentioned below.
Scale VII (General Manager)
Scale VI (Deputy General Manager)
Scale V (Assistant General Manager)
Scale IV (Chief Manager)
Scale III (Senior Manager)
Scale II (Manager)
Scale I (Officer)
Q3. How to become CEO of a bank?
Ans: Start from an entry-level position or a Scale I officer in a bank and keep on learning throughout the way. Grow your network and apply for open positions to keep moving forward. Maintain a good work impression and upskilling throughout the way.
Q4. Can 12th pass become CEO?
Ans: To become a CEO directly after the 12th is not possible the easy way. However, in exceptional cases when your family owns a business then you can inherit that position or start your own company to get the CEO position. In banking CEO position after the 12th is not yet possible.
