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The RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis provides candidates with a precise, data-backed view of how the examination looks across shifts, which sections are most challenging, and what score range corresponds to a competitive performance. For candidates appearing in Phase 1 on June 13 (General stream) and June 14 (DEPR/DSIM stream) of 2026, the analysis from the 2024 and 2025 cycles provides the most reliable preparation benchmark available.
This page covers the complete section-wise analysis for Phase 1 from recent cycles, topic-wise observations, good attempt ranges, year-wise difficulty comparison, safe score targets for the June 2026 exam, and preparation insights for each section.
The RBI does not officially release exam analysis or memory-based question papers. All analysis presented here is compiled from aggregated candidate feedback from multiple exam centres and shifts, published post-exam by education platforms. No individual question is reproduced. This analysis is intended to guide preparation strategy, not to reproduce exam content.
| Parameter Detail | |
| Exam Year | 2025 |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Total Questions | 200 |
| Total Marks | 200 |
| Duration | 120 minutes (sectional time limits enforced) |
| Section Timing | GA: 25 min |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks per wrong answer |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Overall Good Attempts | 130 to 147 out of 200 |
| Phase 1 UR Cutoff (2025) | 107.50 out of 200 |
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Good Attempts | 52 to 60 out of 80 |
| Primary Challenge | Banking and RBI-specific knowledge; current affairs depth |
| Time per question | Approximately 18 seconds |
The GA section is the most challenging and most differentiating section in Phase 1. Questions covered:
Banking and Financial Awareness (dominant, 40-50 questions):
Current Affairs (15-25 questions):
Static GK (10-15 questions):
Key observation: The GA section heavily tests RBI-specific knowledge. Candidates who had read the RBI Annual Report, Monetary Policy Statements, and Financial Stability Report scored 58+ in GA. Those who relied only on general current affairs magazines scored 35-45. This 15-20 mark gap in a single section is the primary determinant of Phase 1 qualification.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Good Attempts | 22 to 26 out of 30 |
| Primary Challenge | Reading comprehension on financial topics; advanced vocabulary |
| Time per question | Approximately 50 seconds |
English topics observed in 2025 Phase 1:
| Topic Questions per Shift Difficulty | ||
| Reading Comprehension (2 passages) | 8 to 10 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Double Fillers | 3 to 5 | Moderate |
| Para Jumbles | 3 to 4 | Moderate |
| Error Spotting | 3 to 4 | Easy to Moderate |
| Cloze Test | 4 to 5 | Moderate |
| Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms) | 2 to 3 | Moderate |
Key observation: Reading Comprehension passages in RBI Grade B Phase 1 are 600 to 800 words long and deal with monetary policy, financial stability, or macroeconomic topics. Candidates who regularly read financial newspapers (The Hindu Business Line, Economic Times) understand these passages faster and answer inference questions more accurately. The vocabulary questions draw from a sophisticated word pool that rewards extensive reading habits.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Good Attempts | 19 to 23 out of 30 |
| Primary Challenge | Complex DI sets; time pressure with 25-minute limit |
| Time per question | Approximately 50 seconds |
QA topics observed in 2025 Phase 1:
| Topic Questions per Shift Difficulty | ||
| Data Interpretation (2-3 sets) | 15 to 20 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Number Series | 3 to 5 | Easy to Moderate |
| Simplification/Approximation | 2 to 3 | Easy |
| Quadratic Equations | 2 to 3 | Easy to Moderate |
| Arithmetic (Percentage, P/L, SI/CI, etc.) | 4 to 7 | Moderate |
Key observation: DI dominates the QA section completely (50-65% of questions). DI sets in RBI Grade B are harder than in IBPS PO because they often involve multi-step calculations combining percentage change, ratio comparison, and projection. The 25-minute time limit makes this section the most time-pressured. Candidates who solved DI sets quickly (3-4 minutes per set) completed the section comfortably; others ran out of time on arithmetic questions.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Good Attempts | 43 to 53 out of 60 |
| Primary Challenge | Complex multi-variable puzzle sets; time management across 60 questions |
| Time per question | Approximately 45 seconds |
Reasoning topics observed in 2025 Phase 1:
| Topic Questions per Shift Difficulty | ||
| Puzzles and Seating Arrangement (4-5 sets) | 22 to 27 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Syllogism | 4 to 5 | Easy to Moderate |
| Inequalities (Coded) | 4 to 5 | Easy |
| Blood Relations | 3 to 4 | Moderate |
| Coding-Decoding | 3 to 5 | Easy to Moderate |
| Input-Output | 4 to 5 | Moderate |
| Data Sufficiency | 3 to 4 | Moderate |
| Alphanumeric Series | 3 to 4 | Easy |
| Direction Sense | 2 to 3 | Easy |
| Critical Reasoning/Statement-Conclusion | 4 to 5 | Moderate |
Key observation: Puzzles and Seating Arrangement are the dominant question type in Reasoning (35-45% of questions). Puzzle difficulty in RBI Grade B Phase 1 is higher than in IBPS PO Prelims — sets often involve 3 to 4 variables (person, city, age, designation) with uncertain total entities. Candidates who attempted Syllogism, Inequalities, and Alphanumeric Series first (fast, easy marks) and then tackled puzzles scored better than those who started with puzzles and got stuck.
| Section Max Marks Good Attempts Expected Score Range | |||
| General Awareness | 80 | 52 to 60 | 47 to 57 (after negative marking) |
| English Language | 30 | 22 to 26 | 20 to 24 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 19 to 23 | 17 to 21 |
| Reasoning | 60 | 43 to 53 | 40 to 49 |
| Total | 200 | 136 to 162 | 124 to 151 |
A competitive Phase 1 score (above the 2025 UR cutoff of 107.50) was achievable with approximately 130 to 140 total normalised marks. A safe score of 130 to 145 provides a comfortable buffer.
| Year Overall Difficulty Good Attempts UR Cutoff | |||
| 2025 | Moderate to Difficult | 130 to 147 | 107.50 |
| 2024 | Moderate to Difficult | 131 to 148 | 107.50 |
| 2023 | Moderate to Difficult | 126 to 142 | 102.75 |
| 2022 | Moderate | 135 to 155 | 78.25 |
| 2021 | Moderate to Difficult | 127 to 142 | 91.75 |
The difficulty level has been consistently Moderate to Difficult in the 2021-2025 period. The sharp cutoff difference in 2022 (78.25) is explained entirely by the larger vacancy pool (294 vs 60-102 in other years), not by a difference in paper difficulty.
Based on the 2024-2025 analysis, the following section-order strategy is recommended for Phase 1:
The 2024 and 2025 Phase 1 papers had identical cutoffs (107.50 for UR), suggesting similar difficulty levels.
GA: Current affairs from the preceding 12 months continued to dominate (40-50% of GA questions). RBI-specific knowledge (regulatory circulars, monetary policy committee decisions, payment systems updates) was heavily featured. Candidates who followed RBI publications quarterly scored 10-15 marks higher in GA than those who relied only on news aggregators.
Reasoning: Puzzle complexity increased slightly in 2025 compared to 2024, with more hybrid puzzle types (combining floor arrangement with scheduling). Candidates who practised advanced puzzle sets specifically scored better.
QA: DI remained the dominant question type (50-65%). Caselet DI appeared in some 2025 shifts, adding a reading component to the calculation challenge.
English: RC passages in 2025 were on monetary policy transmission and financial inclusion — candidates who had read RBI reports on these topics found the passages familiar and answered inference questions faster.
Based on the consistent Moderate to Difficult difficulty trend (2021-2025), the June 2026 Phase 1 is expected to maintain the same difficulty band.
| Section Max Marks Expected Difficulty Target Score (UR) | |||
| General Awareness | 80 | Moderate to Difficult | 53 to 62 |
| English Language | 30 | Moderate | 21 to 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | Moderate to Difficult | 19 to 22 |
| Reasoning | 60 | Moderate to Difficult | 42 to 50 |
| Total | 200 | Moderate to Difficult | 135 to 159 |
Targeting a total of 138 to 150 for UR candidates provides a safe buffer above the projected 2026 UR cutoff of 112 to 120 out of 200.
The RBI Grade B Phase 1 2026 exam is scheduled for June 13 (General) and June 14 (DEPR/DSIM), 2026. Once conducted, this page will be updated with:
What was the overall difficulty of RBI Grade B Phase 1 in 2025? Moderate to Difficult overall. GA was the most challenging section due to the depth of banking and RBI-specific knowledge required. Reasoning was Moderate to Difficult due to complex puzzle sets.
What is a good score in RBI Grade B Phase 1? Based on the 2025 UR cutoff of 107.50, a score of 130+ (out of 200) is considered safe. With the 2026 vacancy reduction to 60 (vs 102 in 2025), targeting 135 to 145 is advisable.
Which section should I attempt first in Phase 1? Most high-scoring candidates recommend attempting Reasoning first (when focus is sharpest and the section has the highest marks), followed by GA, then QA, then English.
How many questions should I attempt to clear the 2026 cutoff? Based on the projected UR cutoff of 112-120, attempting 145-160 questions with approximately 88% accuracy produces a raw score of about 122-133 after negative marking adjustments, which is competitive.