CAIIB BFM Exam Tips

BFM  

The strategy for the study of Bank Financial Management which many people finds difficult to clear. If you study properly, it is easy to clear the BFM. This subject also contains 4 modules, they are;

-International Banking

-Risk Management

-Treasury Management

-Balance Sheet Management

Many people do not correlate the syllabus of the subject with day to day banking activity. So they find it difficult to score and understand this subject. But this not true, this subject is very much important which will increase your knowledge regarding top management & middle management functioning of your bank as well as banking as a whole industry.

All the modules are equally important, but you may clear the paper with three modules study also. Module A & B are relatively easy and scoring as well. Let us discuss strategy for each module.

Module A-International Banking

Important topics are Exchange Rates and Forex Business, Basics for Forex Derivatives, Documentary LC, and Facilities for Exporters & Importers

Rapid reading or bullet point reading is quite useful for this module. Practice numerical again and again.

Many numerical/case studies are asked from this module which are quite easy as compared to Module B & Module D case studies. Refer the case studies from McMillan given at the end of the topic. Also N.S.Toor book has many numerical and case studies. Questions are asked on Exchange rates, Shipment Finance etc.

Module B-Risk Management

All chapters are equally important as they are interlinked to each other. Again focus more on case studies/numericals given in Apendix at the end of chapter. Maximum case studies are asked from this module. Though short notes are useful for this module I would suggest McMillan reading for this module because some questions are twisted type for which you require details of the concept which is hard to get from short notes. RBI website contains FAQs which are quite useful for this modules, you should read them at least once.

Module C- Treasury Management

Important topics are Introduction, Types of treasury products, Treasury Risk Management, Treasury and Asset-Liability Management.

Mostly questions asked on this module are theoretical type, so through reading of McMillan is important. If you don’t get time then you can skip this module or read short notes since the weighted of this module for exam point of view is low according to me as compared to Module A&B. But those who wish to make carrier or work in treasury department, this is the best module to learn.

Module-D Balance Sheet Management

Important chapters are Components of ALM in Bank’s Balance Sheet, Capital and banking Regulation,, Capital Adequacy, Asset Classification and Provisioning Norms, Interest rate Risk management.

Though McMillan book contain sufficient material but I would suggest you to refer RBI website for this module. In this module focus more on Case Studies as compared to theoretical questions. Do not skip this module as it is much important for exam as well as knowledge point of view. No need to read McMillan line by line.

Overall you have to keep balance between theoretical reading as well as case studies/numerical since the paper would contain 40-45% case studies. N.S.Toor book contains good case studies and MCQs. Also there are many resources available on the internet from where you will get case studies for this module. After giving this paper you will realized that BFM is easier as compared to ABM and no need to worry for BFM.