Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Exam rbi exam rbi assistant rbi grade b rbi grade c eligibility exam pattern syllabus economic social issues finance management


Introduction – RBI Exam

The Reserve Bank of India, chiefly known as RBI, is India's central bank and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It is responsible for the control, issue and maintaining supply of the Indian rupee.
  • The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
  • The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in Kolkata but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The Central Office is where the Governor sits and where policies are formulated.
  • Though originally privately owned, since nationalisation in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully owned by the Government of India.
  • The Reserve Bank of India conducts examinations for recruitment to various posts in the RBI.
  • A job in RBI bank is considered highly prestigious and hence the competition is high and equivalent to other Government exams. There are 2 ways to get recruited into RBI when we talk about getting in through an examination after your Graduation. These exams are:
    1. RBI Assistant equivalent to Assistant Manager (Grade A)
    2. RBI Grade B equivalent to Manager (Grade B)
Note:
– At regional offices in Grade C, you would probably head a department, though most likely you would be the second in command to a department head.
– At Grade D level you are a senior officer, no more originating notes, you can approve or reject proposals. In some offices, you would head several departments.

RBI Assistant Exam

The RBI Assistant exam is conducted to recruit candidates into the clerical and assistant cadre handling day to day operations of the bank.

Eligibility – RBI Assistant

RBI Assistant eligibility is a set of requirements that are stated by the conducting body for a candidate to apply for the exam. The RBI asks candidates to fulfill the following criteria for applying for RBI Assistant post:
  • Age Limits: Between 21 to 28
  • Educational Qualifications: Candidates have to attain at least an undergraduate degree to be able to appear for the exam.
  • Nationality: Only Indian Nationals and subjects of Nepal and Bhutan are eligible to appear in the RBI exam. Refugees and migrants from a few countries are also allowed if they can produce a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.




The RBI Assistant Exam consists of two stages, the Phase 1 and Phase 2 exams. The following is the basic pattern and syllabus of the exams:

Syllabus (Phase 1 – RBI Assistant)

Paper Syllabus
RBI Assistant Preliminary Exam English Language
Numerical Ability
Reasoning Ability

Syllabus (Phase 2 – RBI Assistant)

Paper Syllabus
RBI Assistant Main Exam English Language
Quantitative Aptitude
Reasoning Ability
Computer Knowledge
General Awareness
The RBI Assistant notification is expected to release by March tentatively. Aspirants looking forward to applying for the post can refer to the tentative calendar given below:

Event Tentative Date
RBI Exam Date Prelims TBA
Mains TBA

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RBI Grade B Exam

The RBI Grade B exam is conducted every year to recruit officers into the Reserve Bank. Successful candidates are inducted into the bank as officers in the following departments:
  • Direct Recruitment (DR) General Cadre
  • Department of Economic Policy and Research (DEPR)
  • Department of Statistics and Information Management (DISM)

Notification and Exam Date

The RBI Grade B notification has been released on the official website of Reserve Bank of India. The following are the important exam dates for the Grade B Officer exam:

Event RBI Grade B Exam Date
Online Registration Start Date March/April 2024
Last Date to Apply April/May 2024
Phase 1 Examination June/July 2024
Phase 2 Examination July 2024
Declaration of RBI Result TBA

Exam Highlights – RBI Grade B

Conducting Authority Reserve Bank of India
Total Number of Recruitment Stages Prelims, Mains and Interview
Number of Subjects in Phase 1 4 (English Language, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability)
Negative Marking 0.25
Total Number of Questions in Phase 1 200
Time Duration for Phase 1 Exam 120 minutes
Number of Subjects in Phase 2 3 (Economic and Social Issues, English Language, Finance and Management/ Economics/ Statistics)
Total Marks for Phase 2 300
Time Duration for Phase 2 Exam 90 minutes for each section
Total Marks and Time Duration for Phase 3 (Interview) 50 marks and there is no time limit
The candidates need to be aware of the subjects, marks carried by them and the total number of questions asked in each section. The negative marking is also there in the exam so it is advised to the candidates to take up the questions mindfully and answer them accurately to avoid losing marks. The candidates receive 1 mark for the correct answer and 0.25 is reduced and they do not receive any marks for the questions left unanswered.





Eligibility – RBI Grade B

The RBI has the following essential criteria for candidates those who want to apply for Grade B Posts.
  • Age Limits: Between 21 to 30 years for Graduates.
  • Educational Qualifications: Candidates have to attain at least an undergraduate degree to be able to appear for the RBI Grade B exam. Educational requirements and RBI cut off for marks in the highest educational qualification vary according to the department applied for, by the applicant.
  • Nationality: Only Indian Nationals and subjects of Nepal and Bhutan are eligible to appear in the RBI exam. Refugees and migrants from certain countries are also allowed if they can produce a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
  • Number of Attempts: Unreserved category candidates can appear in the exam up to 6 times.

Exam Pattern – RBI Grade B

The RBI Grade B exam consists of two written exams and an interview as described in the following table:

Examination Subjects
Phase 1 Examination English Language
General Awareness
Quantitative Aptitude
Reasoning Ability
Phase 2 Examination Economic and Social Issues
English Language
Finance and Management/ Economics/ Statistics
Phase 3 Interview General Awareness and Interpersonal Skills
Candidates must start their preparation accordingly to ace the officer cadre examination.

Paper Pattern (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

Subjects Marks Total Number of Questions
Reasoning 60 60
General Awareness 80 80
Quantitative Aptitude 30 30
English Language 30 30

Paper Pattern (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

The RBI Grade B syllabus for Phase 2 includes three main papers concerning economic and social issues. This paper comprises a blend of objective and descriptive questions.

Subject of the Paper Name of the Paper Type Time Limit Total Marks
Paper 1 Economic and Social Issues 50% Objective + 50% Subjective For Objective – 30 Minutes

For Subjective – 90 Minutes

Total Time – 120 Minutes

Objective Questions – 50 Marks

Subjective Questions – 50 Marks

Paper 2 English [Writing Skills] Subjective 90 Minutes 100 Marks
Paper 3 Finance and Management 50% Subjective + 50 % Objective Objective – 30 Minutes

Subjective – 90 Minutes

Objective Questions – 50 Marks

Subjective Questions – 50 Marks






Syllabus (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

The exam is conducted through online mode. According to the RBI Grade B exam pattern, there is a negative marking of 0.25. The candidates must be completely aware of the RBI Grade B syllabus and exam pattern of all the stages to be able to prepare an effective strategy for the most sought-after exam.

Syllabus for English Language (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

English section is considered tough by some of the candidates. If prepared effectively it is not a hard nut to crack. The foundations of the English section are vocabulary and grammar. The candidates will have to attain proficiency in these segments to perform exceptionally well. The aspirants can also practice the previous year’s papers to gain complete insights into the English syllabus.

Syllabus for General Awareness (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

The RBI Grade B General Awareness syllabus is not specific or restricted. There is no boundary for General Awareness. However, there are some essential topics from which the questions are expected in the exam. The aspirants must be brushing up on these topics and keep themselves updated on all the current happenings.
  • Indian Financial Sytems
  • Current Affairs
  • Indian Banking Systems
  • Monetary Plans
  • National Institutions
  • Banking Terms

Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

The phase-1 of the RBI Grade B syllabus poses immense competition and is also of high essentiality as this is the first step of the recruitment process. The candidates need to be well aware of the core concepts and fundamentals of the syllabus to be able to perform well in the exam. All the topics of the syllabus are of huge importance. The candidates can score well in the Quantitative Aptitude section, if the concepts are clear and similarly on the other hand the aspirants tend to lose marks in case they are not conversant with the details of the topics. The aspirants are recommended to keep practising to attain good marks in this section which will make it easier for them to crack the exam.

Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude
Approximation and Simplification Average
Compound Interest and Simple Interest Data Interpretation
Downstream and Upstream Inequalities
Mensuration Number Series
Percentage Permutation and Combination
Probability Profit and Loss
Quadratic Equations Ratio and Proportion
Speed, Distance and Time Stocks and Shares
Work and Time -

Syllabus for Reasoning (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

The reasoning section of the RBI Grade B syllabus assesses the candidates based on their logical reasoning capabilities. This section can be aced by the candidates by practicing numerous questions and previous year papers. The candidates can check for shortcuts and other techniques for solving the questions in the stipulated time frame to proceed further in the recruitment process. The detailed topics have been highlighted here:

Syllabus for Reasoning
Alphanumeric Series Analogy
Blood Relations Coding-Decoding
Data Sufficiency Direction Test
Inequalities Input-Output
Puzzles Ranking
Seating Arrangement Syllogism

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Syllabus (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

The RBI Grade B syllabus comprises of three major sections that are economic and social issues, english language and finance and management. It is recommended to the candidates to be completely aware of the segments and make notes of all the topics.

Syllabus for Economic and Social Issues (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

Syllabus for Economic and Social Issues
Measurement of Growth Growth and Development
Poverty Alleviation and Generation of Employment in India National Income and Per Capita Income
Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development Industrial and Labour Policy
Monetary and Fiscal Policy Economic Reforms in India
Role of Economic Planning Privatization
Globalization Role of Economic Planning
Opening up of the Indian Economy Balance of Payments
International Economic Institutions Export-Import Policy
IMF and World Bank International Economic Institutions
Regional Economic Cooperation WTO
Social Structure in India Multiculturism
Demographic Trends Regional Economic Cooperation
Social Justice Gender Issues
Social Movements Urbanization and Migration
Indian Political System Social Sectors in India
Human Development Indian Political System




Syllabus for English (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

The RBI Grade B syllabus for the English language assesses the candidates on their writing skills. The candidates need to enhance their writing abilities, expression and comprehension of the English language. Grammar and vocabulary are considered to be the fundamentals of the English language. The essential sections of the English language are sentence rearrangement, questions on grammatical errors, etc.

Syllabus for Finance and Management (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

The finance and management syllabus is pivotal and crucial for the exam. Check here the important topics of the finance and management syllabus for the RBI Grade B exam.
  • Management
  • Appraisal theories
  • Communication
  • Motivation theories
  • Methods of Corporate Governance
  • Factors influencing Corporate Governance
  • Role of Information Technology

Syllabus for Interview (Phase 3 – RBI Grade B)

The candidates who will be able to pass the recruitment stages of the prelims and mains by attaining minimum qualifying marks will be proceeding to the interview round. There is no specific RBI Grade B syllabus for the interview. The candidates can be asked questions pertaining to their educational background, work profile and questions related to RBI policies, etc. The personality of the candidates will be assessed by the candidates in this round. The questions can be pertaining to finances and other current affairs topics as well.

Syllabus and Exam Pattern (DEPR Post – RBI Grade B)

The exam paper for DEPR comprises the economics and English language. The economics section comprises questions about the level of Master’s Degree of any of the Central Universities. The English language syllabus comprises essays, precise writing, comprehension and business or office correspondence.

Syllabus and Exam Pattern (DSIM Post – RBI Grade B)

Subject Topics Total Marks Total Time
Paper 1 Probability, Estimation, Analysis of Variation, Multivariate Analysis, Stochastic Processes 100 Marks 120 Minutes
Paper 2 Probability and Sampling, Linear Model, Estimation, Non-parametric test, Numerical Analysis, Basic Computer Test 100 Marks 180 Minutes
Paper 3 Precise Writing, Office or Business Correspondence, Comprehension 100 Marks 90 Minutes





RBI Grade C Exam

The RBI Grade C exam is conducted periodically to recruit specialists for running day to day operations at the bank. The eligibility criteria, syllabus and educational qualifications vary based on the specialisation required by the bank. There is no fixed time of the year when the RBI Grade C notification is released. The exam pattern is based on the shortlisting of applications based on the following criteria:
  • Experience in the area of specialisation applied for
  • Education Achievement
  • Record of Service
  • Special Achievement and Awards if any
The shortlisted candidates are called for an interview. Based on the scores secured in the interview, candidates are awarded contracts by the RBI to work for them.

Preparation Tips

The candidates need to pick the right strategy and preparation methodology for cracking the exam and efficiently covering the RBI Grade B syllabus. The following tips have been curated by the experts to assist the candidates in enhancing their level of performance for the upcoming exam.
  • Go through the prescribed syllabus and exam pattern and highlight the important sections.
  • Practice the previous year’s question papers and mock tests to decode the difficulty level of the exam.
  • Lay forth an efficient strategy for the exam to be able to cover all the segments of the RBI Grade B syllabus within the stipulated time frame.
  • Revision holds enormous importance, do not miss out to revise the topics regularly.

Books for Preparation

It is highly essential for candidates to refer to the best books to cover the RBI Grade B syllabus. To ace any exam it is of utmost importance to have a clear understanding of the related topics. The list of recommended books for covering the RBI Grade B syllabus been listed below:
  • Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K.Verma
  • Magical Book on Quicker Maths by M.Tyra
  • Objective English – S.P Bakshi
  • Manorama Yearbook, Kurukshetra Magazine and Monthly G.K Digests can be referred for covering the General Awareness section.
  • Analytical Reasoning – M.K Pandey

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1: Is RBI Assistant exam conducted every year?

Ans.1: No, the exam is not conducted annually, the last RBI Assistant exam was conducted in 2017 and the RBI Assistant exam 2020 is in process. Know the dates and important information related to the exam on RBI Notification.

Q.2: Is RBI Grade B exam conducted every year?

Ans.2: Yes, RBI Grade B exam is conducted every year. Check RBI Grade B notification for regular updates.

Q.3: Is there any specified syllabus for RBI Grade B interview stage?

Ans.3: No, there is no specified syllabus for the RBI Grade B interview stage. The candidates who are selected for the interview are asked questions pertaining to their educational background and work experience. The interview questions can also be around the financial aspects and banking methodologies.

Q.4: Is the RBI Grade B syllabus tough?

Ans.4: The difficulty level of the RBI Grade B syllabus is subjective and highly depends on the preparation of the candidates. This exam poses immense competition and the candidates must prepare well to ace the exam. If prepared well the candidates can crack the exam and achieve the desired job profile. The phase 1 is of easy level and phase 2 is of moderate to difficult level.

Q.5: Can I cover the RBI Grade B syllabus in 6 months?

Ans.5: The time required to cover the RBI Grade B syllabus is again highly subjective. It is dependent on the calibre, intellect and aptitude of the candidates. However, if prepared meticulously and comprehensively the aspirants can crack the RBI Grade B syllabus in 6 months.

Q.6: What is the difference between the RBI Grade B syllabus and the IBPS PO syllabus?

Ans.6: The RBI Grade B syllabus has higher levels of similarities with the other banking exams. The syllabus of phase 2 syllabus is different. The IBPS PO syllabus does not comprise the finance and management, economic and social issues topics.

Q.7: Is RBI Grade B tougher than CAT?

Ans.7: The RBI Grade B syllabus and CAT syllabus share higher levels of similarities. In accordance with the feedback obtained from the candidates, the CAT syllabus tends to be slightly more difficult than the RBI Grade B syllabus.



Contents

RBI Exam – Introduction

Eligibility – RBI Assistant Exam

Syllabus – RBI Assistant Phase 1 (Preliminary Exam) and Phase 2 (Main Exam)

RBI Grade B Exam – Notification and Exam Date

Exam Highlights – RBI Grade B

Eligibility – RBI Grade B

Exam Pattern – RBI Grade B

Paper Pattern (Phase 1 and Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

Syllabus for English Language, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning (Phase 1 – RBI Grade B)

Syllabus for Economic and Social Issues, English Language, Finance and Management (Phase 2 – RBI Grade B)

Syllabus for Interview (Phase 3 – RBI Grade B)

Syllabus and Exam Pattern (DEPR Post and DSIM Post – RBI Grade B)

RBI Grade C Exam

Preparation Tips

Books for Preparation

Frequently Asked Questions

Aptitude Test Categories

Age Problems
Age Problems – Present Age, Current Age, Average Age
Average Problems
Average Problems – Average Squares, Natural Numbers, Even Numbers
Blood Relations
Blood Relations – Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Uncle, Aunt
Boats and Streams
Boats and Streams – Speed Boat, Speed Stream, Upstream, Downstream
Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect – Reasoning, Statements, Independent Causes
Classification
Classification – Choose the Odd One, three of the following four, alike in a certain way
Coding-Decoding
Coding and Decoding – Alphabetical Order, Series, First and Third letters
Comparison
Comparison – Sequence, Age, Elder, Younger, Taller, Shorter and Marks
Compound Interest
Compound Interest – Interest Payable, Amount, Simple Interest
Coordinate Geometry
Coordinate Geometry – Coordinates of a Point, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3, Formulas
Cube and Dice
Cube and Dice – Faces of a Cube, Faces of a Dice, Number of Cubes, Sides Painted
Data Interpretation
Data Interpretation – Qualitative and Quantitative DI Methods
Direction Sense Test
Direction Sense Test – East, West, North and South
Embedded Figures
Embedded Figures – Question Figure, Answer Figure
Figure Series
Figure Series – Question Figure, Answer Figures
Fractions
Fractions – Numerator, Denominator, Types of Fractions
Friday Math's Puzzle
Friday Math's Puzzle – Bodmas Rule, Simplification, Math Tricks
LCM and HCF
LCM and HCF – Basic Concepts, Examples, Methods, Shortcuts, Math Tricks
Mensa Reasoning Puzzles
Mensa Reasoning Puzzles – How to Solve and Reasoning Concept
Mensuration
Mensuration – Triangle, Cylinder, Volume, Total Surface Area
Mirror Images
Mirror Image – Lateral Inversion, Types of Mirror Images, Original Image
Mixtures and Alligations
Mixtures Alligations – Ratio, Quantity, Litres of Milk and Water
Number Problems
Number Problems – Fraction, Natural and Prime Numbers
Number Series
Number Series – What Number Should Come Next?
Order, Ranking and Position
Order, Ranking, Position – Left End, Right End, Answer, Explanation
Partnerships
Partnerships – Total Profit, Business, Investment
Pattern Completion
Pattern Completion – Question Figure, Answer Figure
Percentage Problems
Percentage Problems – Total Marks in Examination, Net% Change
Permutation and Combination
Permutation and Combination – How many, Letters, Word, Number
Pipes and Cistern
Pipes and Cistern – Three Pipes, Fill Tank, Answer and Explanation
Probability Problems
Probability – Bag Contains Blue Balls, Red Balls, Yellow Marbles
Profit and Loss
Profit and Loss Problems – Selling Price (SP), Cost Price (CP)
Quadratic Equations
Quadratic Equation – Algebra (x², y², a2, b2, a3, b3), Formulas
Ratio and Proportion
Ratio and Proportion – Ratio of Two Numbers, Answer, Explanation
Seating Arrangement
Seating Arrangement – Left, Right, Centre, Books, English, Hindi
Simple Interest
Simple Interest (SI) – How Much, Time, Amount, Sum of Money
Simplification
Simplification – BODMAS Rule, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction
Square Root
Square Root – Find Square, Perfect Square, Prime Factorization
Statement and Arguments
Statement and Arguments – Reasoning, Strong and Weak Argument
Syllogism
Syllogism – Statements, Conclusions, Venn Diagram
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English Study Material

Active and Passive Voice
Active and Passive Voice – Rules, Sentence Conversion, Verb, Tense
Alphabet Test
Alphabet Test – Meaningful English Word, Arrangement, Letters
Cloze Test
Cloze Test – Old Pattern and New Pattern of Cloze Test
Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules, Examples, Usage in Sentences
Error Spotting – Rules and Tips to Solve Spotting Errors
Error Spotting – Rules and Tips to Solve Spotting Errors
Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the Blanks – Types, Paragraph, Excerpt
Idioms and Phrases
Idioms and Phrases – Common Idiom and Phrase, Meaning and Examples
Multiple Meaning Words
Multiple Meaning Words or Homonyms – Examples, Question and Answer
One Word Substitution
One Word Substitution – A list of 190+ One-Word Substitutions
Para Jumbles
Para Jumbles – Reading, Paragraph Jumble, Right Sequence
Phrase Replacement
Phrase Replacement – Grammatically Correct Phrases and Sentences
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension – Examples, Question, Answer and Explanation
Sentence Completion
Sentence Completion – Types, Examples and Suitable Approaches
Sentence Improvement
Sentence Improvement – Grammar and Vocabulary Based Grammatically Corrected Sentence
Sentence Rearrangement
Sentence Rearrangement – Approaches, Sentence after the Rearrangement
Spelling Correction
Spelling Correction – Choose the Correctly Spelt Word, Spell Check, Correct Word
Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms and Antonyms – Same Meaning Words and Opposites
More English Study Material
Exam Preparation for English