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The RBI Grade B syllabus is significantly different from the syllabus of other banking exams like IBPS PO or SBI PO. While Phase 1 shares structural similarities with standard banking prelims, Phase 2 demands academic-level knowledge of economics, finance, management, and policy — material that goes well beyond what any banking exam coaching module typically covers. Understanding the full syllabus before beginning preparation determines whether preparation effort is directed productively or scattered across irrelevant topics.
The RBI Grade B 2026 notification was released on April 29, 2026, with Phase 1 scheduled for June 13 (General) and June 14 (DEPR/DSIM), and Phase 2 for July 25 (General) and July 26 (DEPR/DSIM). This page provides the complete official syllabus for all three streams across both phases.
| Section Questions Marks Time | |||
| General Awareness | 80 | 80 | 25 minutes |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 minutes |
| Reasoning | 60 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 120 minutes |
| Paper Type Marks Duration | |||
| Paper I: Economic and Social Issues (ESI) | Objective (50) + Descriptive (50) | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper II: English Writing Skills | Descriptive only | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper III: Finance and Management | Objective (50) + Descriptive (50) | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Total | -- | 300 | 270 minutes |
| Paper Type Marks Duration | |||
| Paper I: Economics | Descriptive | 100 | 3 hours |
| Paper II: Economics | Descriptive | 100 | 3 hours |
| Paper Type Marks Duration | |||
| Paper I: Statistics | Descriptive | 100 | 3 hours |
| Paper II: Statistics | Descriptive | 100 | 3 hours |
| Component Marks | |
| Phase 2 Total | 300 |
| Interview | 50 |
| Grand Total | 350 |
General Awareness in RBI Grade B is not the same as in IBPS PO or SSC CGL. It requires specific knowledge of the banking and financial system, RBI's structure and functions, and economic policy. Candidates who approach this section with only general current affairs preparation will underperform significantly.
| Topic Coverage | |
| RBI and Its Functions | Monetary policy, currency management, banking regulation, foreign exchange management, payment systems, banker to the government |
| Monetary Policy | Repo rate, reverse repo rate, CRR, SLR, MSF, bank rate, stance of monetary policy, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), inflation targeting framework |
| Banking Sector | Scheduled commercial banks, cooperative banks, RRBs, NBFC, payment banks, small finance banks, SIDBI, NABARD, NHB |
| Financial Inclusion | Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Mudra Yojana, financial literacy, priority sector lending |
| Capital Markets | SEBI, stock exchanges, primary and secondary markets, mutual funds, debentures, derivatives |
| Government Finance | Union Budget, fiscal deficit, revenue deficit, public debt, GST, tax policy |
| External Sector | Forex reserves, BoP, current account, capital account, FEMA, ECB, FDI, FPI |
| International Organisations | IMF, World Bank, ADB, BIS, WTO, FATF, FSB, G20 financial track |
| RBI Publications | Annual Report, Monetary Policy Report, Financial Stability Report, Report on Currency and Finance, OBICUS Survey |
| Topic Coverage | |
| Current Affairs | Last 6 to 12 months; national and international economic and financial events |
| Indian Economy | GDP, national income, inflation (CPI, WPI), IIP, economic surveys, NITI Aayog |
| Indian History and Polity | Major constitutional provisions, Parliament, Executive, Judiciary (basic; not as deep as SSC) |
| Geography | Major physical features, rivers, climate (basic) |
| Science and Technology | Major ISRO missions, defence technology, fintech developments |
| Awards and Sports | Recent major awards, international sports events |
The following topics have very high repetition in RBI Grade B GA sections and are not typically tested in IBPS or SSC exams:
| Topic Average Questions per Shift | |
| Reading Comprehension | 8 to 10 |
| Para Jumbles | 3 to 5 |
| Cloze Test | 5 to 7 |
| Fill in the Blanks (Double Fillers) | 3 to 5 |
| Error Spotting | 2 to 4 |
| Sentence Improvement | 2 to 3 |
| Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, Word Usage) | 2 to 4 |
The English section in RBI Grade B Phase 1 is more difficult than in IBPS PO Prelims. Reading Comprehension passages are longer (500 to 700 words) and deal with economic and financial topics. Vocabulary questions draw from a more advanced word pool. Candidates who have read RBI publications and economic newspaper editorials for months have a clear advantage here.
| Topic Coverage | |
| Data Interpretation | Tables, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Line Graphs, Mixed DI, Caselet DI; typically 2 to 3 sets per shift |
| Number Series | Missing term, wrong number in series |
| Simplification and Approximation | BODMAS-based; percentage-based approximation |
| Quadratic Equations | Finding and comparing roots |
| Arithmetic | Percentage, Profit/Loss, SI/CI, TW, TSD, Ratio, Average, Mixture |
| Mensuration and Geometry | Area, volume problems (occasional) |
| Probability | Basic probability (occasional) |
DI is dominant (typically 15 to 20 of the 30 questions across 2 to 3 sets). Speed and accuracy in DI calculations (percentage change, ratio, average) is the critical skill.
| Topic Average Questions per Shift | |
| Puzzles and Seating Arrangement | 20 to 25 (dominant; 4 to 5 sets) |
| Syllogism | 3 to 5 |
| Inequalities | 3 to 5 |
| Coding-Decoding | 3 to 5 |
| Blood Relations | 2 to 3 |
| Input-Output | 3 to 5 |
| Data Sufficiency | 2 to 3 |
| Alphanumeric Series | 2 to 3 |
| Direction Sense | 1 to 2 |
| Logical Reasoning (Statement-Conclusion) | 3 to 5 |
| Critical Reasoning | 2 to 4 |
Reasoning in RBI Grade B Phase 1 is significantly harder than in IBPS PO Prelims. Puzzle sets are complex (floor-based, month-year scheduling, hybrid multi-variable). Candidates who are not comfortable with 5 to 6 complex puzzle sets in 45 minutes will struggle to clear the sectional cutoff.
The ESI paper combines objective (50 marks) and descriptive (50 marks) components. The objective portion tests recall and application; the descriptive portion tests analytical depth and writing quality.
| Major Area Sub-topics | |
| Growth and Development | Meaning, measurement, theories of economic growth, sustainable development, SDGs |
| Poverty and Social Development | Poverty measurement (Tendulkar Committee, Rangarajan Committee), HDI, social indicators, government schemes |
| Indian Economy | Structure, agriculture, industry, services sector, economic reforms since 1991, GST, demonetisation impact |
| Monetary Policy | RBI's monetary policy framework, inflation targeting, MPC decisions, transmission mechanism |
| Fiscal Policy | Budget, fiscal consolidation, FRBM, medium-term fiscal policy, public debt management |
| Banking Sector | Financial sector reforms, Narasimham Committee, banking sector development, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code |
| External Sector | India's trade policy, WTO, BOP, forex reserves, current account deficit, FDI policy |
| Financial Markets | Capital market reforms, SEBI regulations, derivatives, bond markets |
| Globalisation | Impact on Indian economy, global trade patterns, international organisations |
| Industry and Services | MSME, Make in India, industrial policy, services sector growth |
| Agriculture | Green Revolution, agricultural reforms, crop insurance, e-NAM, food security |
| Infrastructure | Roads, railways, power, urban infrastructure, PPP models |
| Science and Technology | R&D, innovation, digital India, fintech |
| Social Issues | Population, education, health, gender, environment, climate change |
| Current Economic Issues | Recent developments in Indian economy covered in Economic Survey |
Questions in the descriptive portion of ESI test analytical writing and policy understanding. Typical question formats:
| Component Typical Questions Marks | ||
| Essay Writing | 1 essay (economic/social/financial topic, 600-800 words) | 40 |
| Precis Writing | 1 passage to summarise in one-third length | 30 |
| Reading Comprehension | 1 passage with analytical questions | 15 |
| Business/Official Letter or Report Writing | 1 task | 15 |
The English Writing Skills paper is evaluated on content quality, language accuracy, analytical depth, structure, and relevance. Candidates who have written essays on economic and financial topics regularly during preparation have a measurable advantage.
Topics commonly asked in Essay Writing:
| Topic Coverage | |
| Financial System | Structure of Indian financial system, regulators (RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA) |
| Financial Markets | Money market, capital market, government securities market, forex market |
| Financial Institutions | Commercial banks, DFIs, NBFCs, insurance companies, pension funds |
| Banking Regulation | Basel III norms, capital adequacy, NPA classification, PCA framework |
| Risk Management | Credit risk, market risk, operational risk, liquidity risk, ALM |
| RBI Acts and Regulations | RBI Act 1934, Banking Regulation Act 1949, FEMA, Payment and Settlement Systems Act |
| Financial Instruments | Bonds, debentures, derivatives, forex instruments |
| International Finance | IMF, World Bank, SWIFT, correspondent banking |
| Topic Coverage | |
| Organisational Behaviour | Motivation theories (Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor), leadership styles, organisational culture |
| Human Resource Management | Recruitment, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation management |
| Strategic Management | SWOT analysis, Porter's Five Forces, strategic planning process |
| Management Information Systems | Decision support systems, ERP, big data in banking |
| Ethics and Corporate Governance | Business ethics, CSR, board composition, SEBI governance norms |
| Communication | Formal and informal communication, barriers, effective communication in organisations |
Both papers are purely descriptive (essay/analytical format) and test advanced economics knowledge.
Paper I Topics: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Economics, Public Finance, Monetary Economics, Growth Economics
Paper II Topics: Indian Economic Development, Economic History, Agricultural Economics, Industrial Economics, Regional Economics, Environmental Economics
DEPR candidates must have a strong post-graduation-level foundation in economics. NCERT economics books are the starting point; standard post-graduate economics textbooks (Mankiw, Blanchard, Krugman, Samuelson) are the core preparation material.
Paper I Topics: Probability Theory, Statistical Inference, Sampling Theory, Regression and Correlation, Time Series Analysis, Index Numbers
Paper II Topics: Economic Statistics, Official Statistics in India (CSO, NSSO/NSO), Econometrics, Operations Research, Numerical Analysis, Applied Statistics in Finance and Economics
DSIM candidates must have a firm foundation in mathematical statistics at the post-graduation level.
| Priority Phase 1 Phase 2 | ||
| Non-negotiable | Banking/RBI Awareness (GA), Puzzles (Reasoning), DI (QA), Reading Comprehension (English) | ESI (full depth), Finance (banking + RBI focus), English Essay and Precis |
| Very High | Current Affairs (GA), Syllogism + Inequalities (Reasoning) | Management (OB, HRM, Strategy), Finance risk management |
| High | Arithmetic (QA), Fill in the Blanks + Error Spotting (English) | ESI descriptive writing practice |
| Medium | Number Series, Quadratic Equations (QA), Blood Relations, Input-Output (Reasoning) | Management MIS, ethics |
What is the most important section in RBI Grade B Phase 1? General Awareness (80 marks) is the highest-weight section and the most differentiating. Banking and financial awareness, RBI-specific knowledge, and current economic affairs are the key sub-areas.
How is Phase 2 different from Phase 1? Phase 1 is objective-based and qualifying. Phase 2 involves descriptive papers requiring analytical writing and policy understanding at an advanced level. Phase 2 marks (300) and Interview (50) form the final merit score.
Is the DEPR syllabus the same as the General stream? No. DEPR and DSIM streams have a common Phase 1 but separate Phase 2 papers testing advanced Economics (DEPR) or Statistics (DSIM) knowledge through descriptive examinations.
Where can I find the official RBI Grade B syllabus PDF? The official notification PDF released on April 29, 2026, at rbi.org.in contains the exam pattern and syllabus. The Phase 1 and Phase 2 subject areas are defined in the notification appendices.