I’m Sarvesh, and I’ve been working in the banking sector for the last 25 years. For the past 15 years, I’ve been in the IT department of a Mumbai-based cooperative bank. Over the years, I’ve worked across almost every domain in banking. But one thing remained pending for a long time, CAIIB.

I had cleared JAIIB almost 10 years ago. After that, because of office projects and personal responsibilities, CAIIB kept getting postponed. Every year I would think, “I’ll do it next time.” Slowly, that next time turned into years.

Honestly, one big reason was fear. Everyone says CAIIB is very tough. Especially papers like ABFM and BFM. Even people who never attempted it talk about how difficult it is. That fear settles in your mind. I realized I was stepping back without even giving it a proper attempt.

Then I decided that if I am working in banking, I should at least complete JAIIB and CAIIB. At this stage of my career, increments did not matter much. I wanted to update my knowledge. Banking changes daily. RBI circulars, new regulations, new systems. If we don’t keep learning, it becomes difficult to stay relevant.

After a long gap, studying again was not easy. The preparation I did in these six months was more than what I did in 10th and 12th. I joined Oliveboard around July when their foundation batch started. What helped me the most was the structure. First foundation for concepts, then revision batches, then crash course and practice. It did not feel like a random preparation. It felt guided.

My routine was simple but consistent. Evening classes after office, even after travelling. Then waking up around 4.30 or 5 in the morning for revision. For the first few months, I focused only on understanding concepts. I did not jump into solving hundreds of MCQs. In CAIIB, options are tricky. If your concepts are not clear, you get confused between combinations.

Module-wise tests and mocks helped a lot later. That regular testing created pressure in a good way. I also made it a point to read RBI circulars regularly. The exam language feels similar. If you are comfortable with regulatory language, half the fear goes away.

For elective, I chose HRM. I work in IT, but I felt HRM was more manageable and overlapping with other subjects. That worked well for me.

When I finally cleared CAIIB, the feeling was something else. After such a long gap, achieving this gave me a different level of confidence. Even colleagues started looking at me differently. But more importantly, I proved to myself that it’s never too late.

My biggest learning is this, do not assume it is impossible before trying. Give six focused months. Yes, you will need to sacrifice some weekends and functions. But try to clear it in a serious attempt instead of carrying it forward for years.

And even after CAIIB, don’t stop. Banking keeps evolving. If we don’t update ourselves, it becomes difficult to survive in this field.

If I could do it after 25 years in banking and a long study gap, you definitely can. Just start. Don’t let fear decide for you.

CAIIB JOURNEY WITH OLIVEBOARD