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‘System Manipulated to Push Recommended Candidates Forward’ AIBOBOU Exposes Promotion Bias in Bank of Baroda
The All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Union has raised strong concerns over alleged non-transparency in the promotion process at Bank of Baroda.
Author: Kalyani Mali
Published: July 24, 2025
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The All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union (AIBOBOU), has released a circular dated 17th July 2025, questioning the fairness and transparency in the annual promotion exercise of Bank of Baroda (BoB). In a detailed circular, the union highlights systemic issues involving grade opacity, biased interviews, and the influence of recommendations, urging officers to unite for fairness and accountability. The union claims that deserving officers are being denied promotions due to opaque criteria and favoritism, despite fulfilling all eligibility norms.
Read how a former AGM challenged promotion irregularities through RTI: Bank of Baroda: A Former AGM’s Legal Fight on Promotion Issues.
Opaque Promotion Criteria Undermining Merit
According to the circular, BoB’s promotion process, particularly under the merit channel, requires officers to have "A" or "AA" ratings in the past two years and an average of 75% marks over three years. However, AIBOBOU points out that officers are only informed of their grades, not the corresponding marks. This lack of transparency prevents candidates from understanding how their APAR averages are computed, leaving room for manipulation.
Image: AIBOBOU circular
Courtesy: K. Sriniwasrao
Bias in Interviews, Claims Union
The circular highlights that a minimum of 50% marks (10 out of 20) is required in the interview stage, but this round has allegedly become the management’s “playground to eliminate deserving officers systematically.” It further claims that even candidates with high written scores and strong GEMS ratings failed during interviews to make space for “recommended” officers. While HR maintains that RM/ZM recommendations carry “no weightage,” the union alleges the system is “manipulated to push recommended candidates forward.”
Undisclosed Marks and Arbitrary Decisions:
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The union underlines that:
- Written test scores are only revealed post-results, allowing potential manipulation.
- Three-year APAR averages are never shared.
- Interview marks are kept undisclosed, leading to arbitrary disqualification.
These practices, according to AIBOBOU, raise serious doubts about fairness in the process.
Call for Transparency Like in PNB
AIBOBOU contrasts BOB’s practices with Punjab National Bank’s (PNB’s) transparent approach, where interview and cut-off marks are published openly. The circular questions the credibility of BOB’s Golden Peacock Excellence Awards, alleging they may be image-building tools rather than earned recognition.
Union's Legal and Administrative Efforts:
The union states that it has:
- Sent multiple letters to BOB management,
- Filed two cases in the Rajasthan High Court,
- Lodged complaints with the Central Labour Commissioner.
Despite this, the majority officers’ association continues to endorse the current system and remains silent on key issues like staff shortage and overwork.
A Collective Call for Fairness
AIBOBOU’s circular concludes with a strong appeal for unity among officers to push back against systemic opacity and favoritism. The union urges all officers to demand full disclosure of marks—including APAR and interview scores—oppose unethical practices and sycophancy, and reject arbitrary decisions that undermine merit. It calls on officers to support the independent union committed to transparency, fairness, and dignity in BoB's promotion process.
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