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The RBI Grade B Notification 2026 has been officially released by the Reserve Bank of India on April 29, 2026, on the official website at rbi.org.in. The Reserve Bank of India has initiated the recruitment process for the RBI Grade B Exam 2026 with the release of the official notification. This year, 60 Grade B (General/DEPR/DSIM) Officers vacancies will be filled. The Phase 1 exam dates for all posts have been released along with the notification PDF.
This notification marks the beginning of the recruitment cycle for the most prestigious central bank officer position in India. With only 60 total vacancies across three streams and the Phase 1 exam already scheduled for June 13 and 14, 2026, candidates who are still in the preparation phase must accelerate their readiness. The application window has already closed (May 20, 2026), but understanding the notification helps candidates who are mid-preparation understand what remains ahead and what the competition landscape looks like.
| Parameter Official Data | |
| Notification Released | April 29, 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Reserve Bank of India (RBI) |
| Post Name | Officers in Grade B (Direct Recruit) |
| Streams | General (DR), DEPR, DSIM |
| Total Vacancies | 60 |
| Application Opens | April 29, 2026 |
| Application Closes | May 20, 2026 (6:00 PM) |
| Phase 1 Exam (General) | June 13, 2026 |
| Phase 1 Exam (DEPR/DSIM) | June 14, 2026 |
| Phase 2 Exam (General) | July 25, 2026 |
| Phase 2 Exam (DEPR/DSIM) | July 26, 2026 |
| Interview | August to September 2026 (expected) |
| Starting Gross Salary | Rs 1,54,374 per month |
| Application Fee (UR/OBC/EWS) | Rs 850 |
| Application Fee (SC/ST/PwBD) | Rs 100 |
| Official Website | rbi.org.in and opportunities.rbi.org.in |
The full timeline from notification to appointment is as follows.
| Event Date | |
| Notification Released | April 29, 2026 |
| Application Window Opens | April 29, 2026 |
| Application Window Closes | May 20, 2026 (6:00 PM) |
| Admit Card for Phase 1 | Expected 10-15 days before exam |
| Phase 1 (General DR) | June 13, 2026 |
| Phase 1 (DEPR and DSIM) | June 14, 2026 |
| Phase 1 Result | Expected 20-25 days after Phase 1 |
| Admit Card for Phase 2 | Expected 7-10 days before Phase 2 |
| Phase 2 (General DR) | July 25, 2026 |
| Phase 2 (DEPR and DSIM) | July 26, 2026 |
| Phase 2 Result | Expected 30-40 days after Phase 2 |
| Interview | August to September 2026 (expected) |
| Final Result | September to October 2026 (expected) |
| Joining | October to November 2026 (expected) |
| Stream Total Vacancies Post Description | ||
| General (DR) | 40 | Officers for general banking and regulatory functions |
| DEPR | 14 | Officers for economic research and policy |
| DSIM | 6 | Officers for statistical analysis and data management |
| Category Vacancies | |
| Unreserved (UR) | 20 |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 10 |
| EWS | 4 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 4 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 2 |
| PwBD (Category C) | 1 |
| PwBD (Category D) | 1 |
| Total General | 40 |
Out of the 40 RBI Grade B vacancies for General stream, 2 vacancies are reserved for PwBD categories (1 each for Category C and Category D).
| Category Vacancies | |
| Unreserved (UR) | 8 |
| OBC (NCL) | 3 |
| EWS | 1 |
| SC | 1 |
| ST | 1 |
| Total DEPR | 14 |
| Category Vacancies | |
| Unreserved (UR) | 3 |
| OBC (NCL) | 2 |
| EWS | 1 |
| Total DSIM | 6 |
The vacancy trend for RBI Grade B Recruitment has shown a continuous decline over the last five years. The highest number of vacancies was released in 2022, while 2026 has recorded the lowest vacancy count, indicating a steady decrease in available posts over the years.
| Year Total Vacancies General DEPR DSIM | ||||
| 2022 | 294 | 238 | 39 | 17 |
| 2023 | 92 | 50 | 35 | 7 |
| 2024 | 98 | 50 | 35 | 13 |
| 2025 | 102 | 57 | 32 | 13 |
| 2026 | 60 | 40 | 14 | 6 |
The sharp decline to 60 vacancies in 2026 (from 102 in 2025) represents a 41% reduction in seats. This makes the 2026 cycle the most competitive RBI Grade B recruitment in recent history. As the number of vacancies has decreased, the level of competition is likely to become tougher, which may also lead to higher cut-off marks.
The official notification PDF is a comprehensive document that defines every aspect of the recruitment.
| Section Content | |
| Introduction | Overview of the recruitment, RBI's mandate, post descriptions |
| Vacancies | Stream-wise and category-wise vacancy table |
| Eligibility | Nationality, age, educational qualification with minimum percentage |
| Age Relaxation | Category-wise relaxation table |
| Attempt Limit | Maximum attempts per category |
| Application Process | Step-by-step online application instructions |
| Application Fee | Fee by category and payment modes |
| Selection Process | Phase 1, Phase 2, Interview stages and weightage |
| Exam Pattern | Section-wise questions, marks, duration for Phase 1 and Phase 2 |
| Syllabus Reference | Subject areas for each Phase 2 paper |
| Negative Marking | Confirmation of 0.25 marks deduction per wrong answer |
| Admit Card | How and when to download |
| Result | How Phase 1 and Phase 2 results are declared |
| Interview | Format, location, and marks weightage |
| Final Selection | How merit is computed (Phase 2 + Interview) |
| Emoluments | Salary structure, allowances, benefits |
| Service Conditions | Bond, posting, probation period |
| General Instructions | Rules on canvassing, multiple applications, conduct |
| Step Action | |
| 1 | Visit rbi.org.in |
| 2 | Navigate to "Opportunities at RBI" or the "Notifications" section |
| 3 | Find the "Recruitment of Officers in Grade B (DR) General-DEPR-DSIM 2026" link |
| 4 | Click to download the PDF |
| 5 | Save the PDF locally; read the full notification |
| 6 | Check Annexures for certificate formats and additional instructions |
The notification is also available at opportunities.rbi.org.in, the dedicated RBI recruitment portal.
| Category Fee | |
| SC, ST, PwBD | Rs 100 (intimation charges only) |
| All Others (UR, OBC, EWS) | Rs 850 |
Accepted payment modes: Net Banking, Debit Card (RuPay/Visa/MasterCard/Maestro), Credit Card, IMPS, Cash Cards, Mobile Wallets.
The fee is non-refundable. Candidates who register but do not appear for Phase 1 forfeit the fee.
Every year, the notification may carry updates. Key areas where 2026 differs from 2025:
| Aspect 2025 2026 Change | |||
| Total Vacancies | 102 | 60 | Reduced by 41% |
| General Vacancies | 57 | 40 | Reduced |
| DEPR Vacancies | 32 | 14 | Significantly reduced |
| DSIM Vacancies | 13 | 6 | Reduced |
| Phase 1 Pattern | Same | Same | No change |
| Phase 2 Pattern | Same | Same | No change |
| Salary | Rs 1,54,374 | Rs 1,54,374 | No change |
| Application Fee | Rs 850 / Rs 100 | Rs 850 / Rs 100 | No change |
| Attempt Limit | Same | Same | No change |
The primary change in 2026 is the significant reduction in vacancies, which directly impacts cutoff levels and competition intensity.
Phase 1 is a 200-mark online objective test. Candidates who clear Phase 1 are shortlisted for Phase 2 in the ratio of 1:7 to 1:10 of vacancies (i.e., 7 to 10 candidates per vacancy are called for Phase 2). Phase 1 marks are not carried forward.
For the General stream, Phase 2 has three papers (ESI, English Writing Skills, Finance and Management) totalling 300 marks. For DEPR and DSIM, two descriptive papers total 200 marks.
The interview carries 50 marks for the General stream and 25 marks for DEPR/DSIM. The interview evaluates knowledge of banking, economic policy, current affairs, and professional aptitude.
| Component Marks | |
| Phase 2 (General) | 300 |
| Interview (General) | 50 |
| Final Merit Total (General) | 350 |
The final selection and post allocation are based exclusively on the combined Phase 2 + Interview score. Phase 1 score is not part of the final merit calculation.
Based on the 2025 cycle pattern and similar years, approximately 7 to 10 candidates per vacancy are shortlisted from Phase 1 for Phase 2. For the General stream with 40 vacancies in 2026:
The actual ratio is at RBI's discretion and is announced with the Phase 1 result.
Since the application window closed May 20, 2026, candidates who applied are now in the preparation phase for Phase 1 (June 13/14) and Phase 2 (July 25/26).
| Stage Expected Date Action Required | ||
| Phase 1 Admit Card | June 1-3, 2026 (approx.) | Download from rbi.org.in |
| Phase 1 Exam | June 13 (General) / June 14 (DEPR/DSIM) | Appear at assigned centre |
| Phase 1 Result | July 5-10, 2026 (expected) | Check rbi.org.in |
| Phase 2 Admit Card | July 18-20, 2026 (expected) | Download if Phase 1 cleared |
| Phase 2 Exam | July 25 (General) / July 26 (DEPR/DSIM) | Appear at assigned centre |
| Phase 2 Result | August to September 2026 (expected) | Check rbi.org.in |
| Interview | August to September 2026 | Attend if Phase 2 cleared |
| Final Result | October 2026 (expected) | Check rbi.org.in |
| Feature 2024 Notification 2025 Notification 2026 Notification | |||
| Notification Date | April 2024 | April 2025 | April 29, 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 98 | 102 | 60 |
| Phase 1 Pattern | Same (200 marks, 120 min) | Same | Same |
| Phase 2 Pattern | Same (300 marks, 270 min) | Same | Same |
| Application Fee | Rs 850 / Rs 100 | Rs 850 / Rs 100 | Rs 850 / Rs 100 |
| Salary | Rs 1,54,374 | Rs 1,54,374 | Rs 1,54,374 |
When was the RBI Grade B 2026 notification released? The Reserve Bank of India has initiated the recruitment process for the RBI Grade B Exam 2026 with the release of the official notification on April 29, 2026.
Has the application window closed? Yes. The application window closed on May 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM. Candidates who have not applied cannot participate in the 2026 cycle.
When is the Phase 1 exam? RBI Grade B Prelims Exam has been scheduled for 13th June 2026 (General stream) and 14th June 2026 (DEPR and DSIM streams).
How many vacancies are there? 60 total: 40 General, 14 DEPR, 6 DSIM.
Is Phase 1 score counted in the final merit? No. Phase 1 is qualifying only. The final merit is based on Phase 2 (300 marks) + Interview (50 marks) = 350 marks total.
Where can I download the official notification? Visit rbi.org.in or opportunities.rbi.org.in and navigate to "Opportunities at RBI" or the Notifications section.