The State Bank of India Probationary Officers' Examination held all over the country last Sunday saw many students not being allowed to sit for the exam. The main reason behind these students getting barred from appearing in exam has been the absence of either call letter or fee receipts with them.

These documents have been marked as compulsory documents for eligibility to appear in exams.

"We did not have the call letter so they debarred us from giving the exam. Usually if a student does not have the call letter of the bank, he can sign an undertaking and appear for the exam. Then while appearing for the interview, they can produce all documents that were not brought to the exam hall. But this is the first time that such a strict action has been taken. We were not aware of the rule change," a group of students in Nagpur said.

AM Doyle, chief manager (HR) of SBI, said, "They had been informed of all the formalities way before the exams. While coming to the exam centre they have to bring their original fee receipt, call letter, bio data form and identity proof. Even if one of these documents is missing then there is no way they can be allowed to appear for the exam. It is a rule which is followed across the country, hence we, at the Nagpur centre, cannot make any exception."

He said that the basic problem arises due to lack of attention paid by students in reading instructions set by the bank for the exam.

"There are candidates who were supposed to appear for exams conducted by our associate banks, but still they came to our centre. It is a problem that occurs every year just because students don't read instructions," said Doyle.