The RBI Grade B Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026 is the starting point for candidates aiming to crack one of the most prestigious banking examinations in India. Reserve Bank of India conducts the Grade B exam in multiple phases, making it essential to understand both Phase I and Phase II structures in advance. Knowing the exam pattern also enables aspirants to manage time effectively and approach the examination with better clarity and confidence.
RBI Grade B Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026
A clear understanding of the RBI Grade B syllabus and exam pattern 2026 is essential for smart preparation. This guide provides a complete overview of Phase I and Phase II, along with exam pattern, important topics and tips for effective preparation. Here are the short summery of Syllabus and Exam Patter.
| RBI Grade B Syllabus 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | Reserve Bank of India |
| Exam Name | RBI Grade B 2026 |
| Category | Syllabus |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Selection Process | Phase 1 (Objective), Phase 2 (Descriptive) & Phase 3 (Interview) |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks (in objective type) |
| Language of Paper | English and Hindi |
| Official Website | rbi.org.in |
RBI Grade B Exam Pattern 2026
Cracking the RBI Grade B exam demands focused preparation across core subjects such as Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English and General Awareness. The RBI Grade B Exam pattern varies depending on the post applied for: General (DR), DEPR, or DSIM.
RBI Grade B Exam Pattern for General (DR)
Here, the candidates can check the detailed RBI Grade B Exam Pattern for all the stages of the examination. As mentioned above, the RBI Grade B Exam has three stages for General (DR). Here is the detailed RBI Grade B Exam Pattern.
RBI Grade B Phase 1
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Pattern 2026 |
|||
| Name Of The Section | No. Of Questions | Marks | Duration |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 Minutes |
| General Awareness | 80 | 80 | 25 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 Minutes |
| Reasoning | 60 | 60 | 45 Minutes |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 120 Minutes |
Note- The marks scored by candidates in the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam will not be considered in the final merit list. The merit list will be based on the marks scored by candidates in the Phase 2 exam and the interview round.
RBI Grade B Phase 2
The exam pattern for Phase II includes papers on Economic & Social Issues, English (descriptive), and General Finance & Management, as detailed in the table below.
| RBI Grade B Phase 2 Exam Pattern 2026 | ||||
| Name Of Paper | Type Of Paper | Time | No. Of Qs | Marks |
| Paper-I: Economic and Social Issues |
50% Objective | 30 Minutes | 30 Objective Questions | 50 |
| 50% Descriptive | 90 Minutes | 4 Descriptive Questions | 50 | |
| Paper-II: English (Writing Skills) |
Descriptive | 90 Minutes | 3 | 100 |
| Paper-III: General Finance & Management |
50% Objective | 120 Minutes | 30 Objective Questions | 50 |
| 50% Descriptive | 4 Descriptive Questions | 50 | ||
RBI Grade B DEPR Exam Pattern 2026
The RBI Grade B (DR) – DEPR selection process includes an Online/Written Examination followed by an Interview. Below are the key details of the exam pattern:
Interview Round
- The Interview carries 75 marks and plays a crucial role in the final selection.
- The final merit list is prepared based on candidates’ performance in Phase I, Phase II, and the Interview.
| RBI Grade B DEPR Exam Pattern 2026 | |||
| Phase | Name Of Paper | Duration | Maximum Marks |
| Phase I |
Paper – I Objective Type (on Economics) | 120 Minutes | 100 |
| Paper – II English – Descriptive (To be typed with the help of a keyboard) |
120 Minutes | 100 | |
| Phase II |
Paper – I Descriptive Type (on Economics) (Question paper displayed on computer, answers to be written on paper) | 120 Minutes | 100 |
| Paper – II Descriptive Type (on Economics) (Question paper displayed on the computer, answers to be written on paper) | 120 Minutes | 100 | |
| Interview | – | – | 75 |
| Total | 475 | ||
RBI Grade B DSIM Exam Pattern 2026
The selection process for RBI Grade B (DR) – DSIM comprises an Online/Written Examination followed by an Interview. Below are the detailed exam pattern highlights:
Important Details
- Candidates must secure the minimum aggregate marks in Paper I to be eligible for shortlisting in Paper II and Paper III.
- The Interview round carries 75 marks and is a key component of the final selection process.
- The final merit list is prepared based on candidates’ performance in Paper I, Paper II, Paper III, and the Interview.
| RBI Grade B DSIM Exam Pattern 2026 | |||
| Paper | Duration | Marks | |
| Phase I | Paper-I Statistics (Objective Type) | 120 minutes | 100 |
| Phase II | Paper-II Statistics (Descriptive Type)
(Question paper displayed on a computer, answers to be written on paper) Paper-III English (Descriptive) |
180 minutes | 100 |
| 90 minutes | 100 | ||
| Interview | – | – | 75 |
| Total | 375 | ||
RBI Grade B Syllabus 2026
- The RBI Grade B 2026 exam evaluates candidates across key areas such as General Awareness, English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning in Phase I.
- Phase II emphasizes specialized subjects like Economic & Social Issues, Finance & Management, and Descriptive English, with the structure varying by post General (DR), DEPR, or DSIM.
- For the General (DR) stream, the primary focus remains on Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, and General Awareness.
RBI Grade B General (DR) Syllabus 2026
RBI Grade B Syllabus for Phase 1 has four subjects. You can access the section-wise syllabus for RBI Grade B.
Phase I
Below is a complete breakdown of the topics covered in each section for the Phase 1 examination.
| RBI Grade B Syllabus For Phase I General (DR) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | General Awareness |
| Reading Comprehension | Puzzles | Data Interpretation | Indian Banking Systems |
| Cloze Test | Seating Arrangements | Inequalities (Quadratic Equations) | Indian Financial Systems |
| Fillers | Direction Sense | Number Series | Govt. Schemes and Policies |
| Error Detection | Blood Relation | Approximation or Simplification | Current Affairs |
| Vocabulary-based questions | Syllogism | Data Sufficiency | Static Awareness |
| Sentence Improvement | Order and Ranking | Miscellaneous Arithmetic Problems | Monetary Plans |
| Jumbled Paragraph | Coding-Decoding | Quantity Comparison (Q1 & Q2) | National Institutions |
| Phrase Replacement/ Phrase Correction | Machine Input-Output | Banking Terms | |
| Match The Column | Inequalities | ||
| Word Swap | Alpha-Numeric-Symbol Series | ||
| Word Rearrangement | Data Sufficiency | ||
| Idioms | Logical Reasoning (Passage Inference, Statement, Assumption, Conclusion, Argument) |
||
| Paragraph /Sentences Restatement | |||
| Paragraph-Based Questions | |||
| Paragraph Fillers | |||
Phase II
In the Phase 2 exam of the RBI Grade B officer, there are 3 Papers, viz.
- Paper I (Economic and Social Issues)
- Paper II (English Writing Skills)
- Paper III (General Finance and Management)
Paper 1: Economic and Social Issues
The detailed topic-wise syllabus for RBI Grade B Phase 2 Paper I for Economic and Social Issues is provided below:
|
Syllabus For Economic and Social Issues |
|
| Category | Important Topics |
| Growth & Development | National Income & Per Capita Income |
| Poverty Alleviation & Employment | |
| Sustainable Development & Environment | |
| Economic Landscape | Economic History |
| Industrial & Labour Policy Changes | |
| Monetary & Fiscal Policy (Post-1991 Reforms) | |
| Economic Survey & Union Budget Priorities | |
| Financial System | Money & Financial Markets |
| Role of Banks & Reserve Bank of India | |
| Public Finance | |
| Political Economy’s Influence | |
| Economic Sectors | Industrial Developments |
| Importance of Agriculture | |
| Services Sector Growth | |
| Globalization | Opening Up of the Indian Economy |
| Balance of Payments Explained | |
| Export-Import Policy | |
| International Economic Institutions (IMF, World Bank, WTO) | |
| Regional Economic Cooperation & International Issues | |
| Social Structure | India’s Multiculturalism |
| Demographic Trends & Analysis | |
| Urbanisation & Migration Impact | |
| Gender Issues & Social Justice | |
Paper 2: English Writing Skills
- Assess writing and comprehension skills
- Descriptive writing on topics like essay, précis, or letter writing
Paper 3: General Finance and Management
The RBI Grade B Syllabus 2026 for Phase 2 and Paper III includes General Finance and Management. We have shared the detailed topic-wise syllabus for the convenience of the aspirants:
|
General Finance and Management |
|
|---|---|
| Category | Topics |
| Financial System | Structure and Functions Of Financial Institutions |
| Functions Of the Reserve Bank of India | |
| Banking System in India – Structure and Developments, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB, NaBFID, etc. | |
| Recent Developments in the Global Financial System and Its Impact on the Indian Financial System | |
| Role Of Information Technology in Banking and Finance | |
| Non-Banking System | |
| Developments in Digital Payments | |
| Financial Markets | Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity, etc.), function, instruments, and recent developments. |
| General Topics | Financial Risk Management |
| Basics of Derivatives | |
| Global financial markets and International Banking-broad trends and latest developments | |
| Financial Inclusion | |
| Alternate source of finance, private and social cost-benefit, Public-Private Partnership | |
| Corporate Governance in the Banking Sector | |
| The Union Budget – Concepts, approach and broad trends | |
| Basics of Accounting and Financial Statements- Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss, Cash Flow Statements, Ratio Analysis | |
| Inflation: Definition, trends, estimates, consequences, and remedies (control): WPI, CPI -components and trends; striking a balance between inflation and growth through monetary and fiscal policies. | |
| Management | Fundamentals of Management & Organisational Behaviour |
| Introduction to management: Evolution of management thought | |
| Management functions and Managerial roles | |
| Meaning & concept of organisational behaviour; Personality: meaning, factors affecting personality, Big Five model of personality | |
| Perception: concept, perceptual errors. Motivation: Concept, importance, Content theories and process theories | |
| Leadership: Concept, Theories | |
| Emotional Intelligence: Concept, Importance, Dimensions | |
| Analysis of Interpersonal Relationships | |
| Conflict: Concepts, Sources, Types, and Management of Conflict | |
| Organisational Development (OD) | |
| Ethics At The Workplace and Corporate Governance | |
| Meaning of ethics, why ethical problems occur in business | |
| Theories of ethics | |
| Ethical Principles in Business | |
| Corporate Governance | |
| Communication | |
RBI Grade B DEPR Syllabus 2026
The syllabus for RBI Grade B (DR) DEPR is as per the specialisation. The syllabus pertains to core economics and is generally similar to the syllabus for a Master’s Degree in economics.
Phase 1:
The syllabus pertains to core economics and is generally similar to the syllabus for a Master’s Degree in economics.
- Paper 1: Objective Type (Economics)
- Paper 2: Descriptive Type (English)
Paper 1 Objective Type (Economics)
|
Economics |
|
| Module | Topics |
| Microeconomics | Theories of consumer demand, Production, Market Structures and Pricing, Distribution, and Welfare Economics |
| Macroeconomics | Theories of Employment, Output and Inflation; Monetary Economics; ISLM Model; Schools of Economic Thought |
| International Economics | Theories of International Trade; Balance of Payments; Exchange Rate Models |
| Theories of Economic Growth | Classical neo-classical approaches to economic growth and major theories of economic development |
| Public Finance | Theories of taxation and public expenditure, and Public Debt Management |
| Environmental Economics | Green GDP, Environmental Valuation, Environmental Policy Instruments |
| Quantitative Methods in Economics | Mathematical and Statistical Methods for Economics, Ordinary Least Squares Regression |
| Current Developments in the Indian Economy | Growth, inflation, poverty, unemployment, financial sector developments, external sector developments, fiscal developments, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, and services |
Paper 2 Descriptive Type (English)
The English paper will evaluate the candidate’s writing abilities, including their expression and comprehension of the given topic.
Phase 2
Paper 1 Descriptive Type (Economics)
Microeconomic Module
|
Microeconomic Module |
|
| Topic | Description |
| Consumer Theory | Cardinal and Marginal Utility Analysis, Consumer Surplus, Indifference Curve Analysis, Price, Income and Substitution Effects, Game Theory |
| Production Theory | Forms of Production Function; Laws of Returns to Scale; Partial Equilibrium Vs General Equilibrium Analysis |
| Market Theory | Pricing under different market structures |
| Distribution Theories | Ricardo, Marx, Kalecki, and Kaldor |
| Welfare Economics | Pareto Optimality, Schools of Welfare Thought including Arrow, Coase, and Sen |
Macroeconomic Module
|
Macroeconomic Module |
|
| Topic | Description |
| National Income Accounting | Various methods for the measurement of National Income |
| Theory of Employment and Output | Classical and Neo-classical approaches, Keynesian theory of Employment and output, Post-Keynesian developments, Business Cycles |
| Inflation | Types of Inflation, Philip’s curve, Taylor’s Rule, Lucas Critique |
| Money and Banking | Quantity theory of Money, Neutrality of money, IS-LM Model and AD-AS Models, Money Multiplier, Monetary Policy |
| Theories of Economic Growth | Theories of growth, Classical and neoclassical approaches, Theories of Economic Development |
| International trade and Balance of Payments | Theories of international trade, Determination of exchange rates, Impossible Trinity |
| Public Finance | Theories of taxation, Theories of public expenditure, Theories of public debt management |
Paper 2 Descriptive Type (Economics)
Module on Quantitative Methods in Economics
|
Module on Quantitative Methods in Economics |
|
|
Topic |
Description |
|
Mathematical Methods in Economics |
Differentiation and Integration, Optimisation, Sets, Matrices, Linear algebra and Linear programming |
| Statistical Methods in Economics | Measures of central tendency and dispersion, Probability, Time series, and Index numbers. |
| Econometrics and Advanced Applications | Regression analysis, Panel data econometrics, Time Series econometrics, Basics of Bayesian Econometrics, Basic application of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning |
The module on Indian Economy – Policy and Trends
|
The module on Indian Economy – Policy and Trends |
|
|
Topic |
Description |
| Fiscal policy in India | Evolution, scope and limitations, current trends |
| Monetary Policy in India | Evolution, Functions of the Reserve Bank of India, Monetary-Fiscal coordination, Inflation targeting, Operating framework of Monetary Policy, Current trends |
| Banking and financial sector development in India | Banks and other constituents of Indian financial markets and related developments, Current trends |
| Inflation in India | Trends and drivers |
| External sector developments in India | Exchange rate management, external debt, Balance of payments, Current trends |
RBI Grade B DSIM Syllabus 2026
RBI Grade B Syllabus 2026 for DSIM comprises three papers: Paper 1, Paper 2, and Paper 3. Candidates aspiring for the RBI Grade B 2026 DSIM Posts must be familiar with the topics to be covered in each of the papers.
Phase I — Paper I: Statistics (Objective)
|
Paper 1 |
|
| Module | Topics |
| Probability and Sampling | Definition of Probability, Standard distribution, Large and small sample theory, Analysis of Variance, Estimation, Testing of Hypotheses, Multivariate analysis, and Stochastic Processes |
Phase II — Paper II: Statistics (Descriptive)
Candidates will have ample options to answer the mandatory number of questions from a minimum of three out of the eight groups mentioned above. Here is the detailed syllabus for the RBI Grade B Syllabus for DSIM.
|
Paper 2 |
|
| Module | Topics |
| Probability and Sampling | Theory of Probability and Probability Distributions, Sampling Theory |
| Linear Models and Economic Statistics | Simple linear regression, Multiple regression, Measurement of economic inequality |
| Statistical Inference | Estimation, Testing of Hypothesis and Non-Parametric Test |
| Stochastic Processes | Poisson Processes, Markov Chains, Brownian Motion |
| Multivariate Analysis | Multivariate normal distribution, Canonical correlation analysis, Principal components analysis, Factor analysis and cluster analysis |
| Econometrics and Time Series | General linear model, Autocorrelation, Simultaneous linear equations model, Box-Jenkins models, ARCH/GARCH models |
| Statistical computing | Simulation techniques, Resampling methods, Robust linear regression, Neural Networks, Association Rules, Markov Chain Monte Carlo |
| Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques | Supervised and unsupervised pattern classification, Regression and Classification algorithms, Neural Networks, and Natural Language Processing |
Phase II — Paper III: English (Descriptive)
The English paper will be designed to evaluate the candidate’s writing abilities, including their expression and comprehension of the given topic.
RBI Grade B Interview Round
The final hurdle in the RBI Grade B selection process is the interview, which is reserved for candidates who clear both Phase I and Phase II with the required marks.
- This assessment of 75 marks gives candidates an opportunity to present their case in Hindi or English in front of a panel of five senior officers.
- The discussion usually revolves around the candidate’s academic background, professional experience and awareness of current affairs.
- After passing the interview, there is a mandatory medical examination to confirm the physical fitness of the candidate for his responsibilities as an RBI Grade B officer.
RBI Grade B Marking Scheme
The RBI Grade B 2026 Exam follows a structured marking scheme across both phases, designed to assess candidates’ accuracy, conceptual understanding, and analytical ability. Here’s a quick breakdown of the pattern and scoring system:
Phase 1 (Prelims):
- 200 questions, 200 marks, 120 minutes
- +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect answers
- Sections: Reasoning (60), English (30), Quantitative Aptitude (30), General Awareness (80)
- Qualifying only; not counted in final merit
Phase 2 (Mains):
- 3 papers: ESI, English (Writing), Finance & Management
- Each paper: 100 marks
- Papers I & III: 50% objective + 50% descriptive | Paper II: Descriptive only
- -0.25 for wrong answers in objective parts | No penalty in descriptive
Final Merit:
- Based on Phase 2 scores + Interview (75 marks)
What is the Psychometric Test in RBI Grade B?
The Psychometric Test in RBI Grade B is a personality assessment conducted by the Reserve Bank of India before the interview stage. It is used to understand a candidate’s behavior, attitude, decision-making skills, and suitability for a managerial role. This test helps the interview panel know the candidate better.
- The psychometric test is conducted online, and candidates can take it from home.
- It includes questions related to personality, work style, and real-life situations.
- No marks are given for this test, and it does not directly affect the final merit list.
- The test report may be used by the interview panel to ask questions during the interview.
- Candidates are advised to answer honestly and avoid guessing or giving fake responses.
| Related Posts | |
| RBI Grade B Salary | RBI Grade B Selection Process |
| RBI Grade B Preparation Strategy | RBI Grade B Mock Test |
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