NISM Series X-A Investment Adviser (Level 1) (IA Level 1 / RIA)— Mock Tests & Exam Prep
NISM Series X-A (Investment Adviser (Level 1)) is a SEBI-recognised certification exam in investment advisory. The exam has 150 marks over 180 minutes, needs 60/150 to pass (negative marking of 0.25), and stays valid for 3 years.
Level 1 certification for SEBI-registered investment advisers
- check_circle1000+ exam-pattern questions
- check_circleFull-length mocks in the real 150-mark format
- check_circleWorked solution on every question
- How we compare to coaching, books & other apps
Total Marks
Duration
Pass Mark
Your Readiness
Series X-A · NISM
About This Certification
NISM Series X-A is Level 1 of the Investment Adviser certification — covering financial planning, investment products, portfolio construction, and regulatory framework. Required for all individual investment advisers registered with SEBI.
Quick Facts
- RegulatorSEBI
- Conducted byNISM
- Validity3 Years
- Negative Marking0.25%
- Fee₹3000 + GST
What You Get
1000+ Questions
Exam-pattern practice with full-length timed mocks and negative marking.
AI Smart Notes
Concise chapter summaries generated from the NISM workbook.
400+ Flashcards
Spaced-repetition for key formulas and definitions.
Doubt Forum
Get answers from mentors and past exam-takers.
Which of the following correctly calculates Net Asset Value?
Click an option to check your answer — no login required.
3 Steps to Pass Series X-A
Diagnostic Quiz
15 questions to baseline your current knowledge across all topics.
Personalized Plan
A day-by-day path built around your weak topics — not a generic schedule.
Mock & Improve
Sit full mocks and watch your Readiness Score climb in real time.
Know exactly when you're ready.
Our AI tracks your mock scores, topic mastery, and study consistency to predict your Series X-A pass probability in real time.
Concepts 92%
Regs 54%
Exam Syllabus & Topic Weightage
savings01. Financial Planning Process
Goal setting, risk profiling, financial statements, cash flow analysis
~15% weightage
storefront02. Investment Products
Equity, debt, MF, insurance, real estate, gold, alternative assets
~20% weightage
gavel03. Portfolio Construction
Asset allocation, diversification, Modern Portfolio Theory, Sharpe ratio
~20% weightage
receipt_long04. Risk Management and Insurance
Life, health, general insurance; risk management in financial planning
~15% weightage
savings05. Retirement and Tax Planning
EPF, NPS, PPF, retirement corpus calculation, tax-efficient investing
~15% weightage
storefront06. Regulatory Framework
SEBI IA Regulations 2013 (amended), code of conduct, disclosure, fee structure
~15% weightage
Free Resources
NISM Series X-A Investment Adviser (Level 1) Mock Tests
Sit free, full-length NISM Series X-A (IA Level 1 / RIA) mock tests that mirror the real exam — 150 marks over 180 minutes, 0.25 negative marking. Each attempt is auto-scored against the 60% pass mark with instant solutions, so you know exactly when you are ready.
NISM Series X-AStudy Material & Notes
Chapter-wise Investment Adviser (Level 1) study material and revision notes built from the official SEBI syllabus, with 1000+ practice questions and previous-year style MCQs to lock in every high-weightage topic.
NISM Series X-A Syllabus 2025-26
- Financial Planning Process15%
- Investment Products20%
- Portfolio Construction20%
- Risk Management and Insurance15%
- Retirement and Tax Planning15%
- Regulatory Framework15%
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Series X-A and X-B?
Series X-A (Level 1) is a prerequisite for X-B (Level 2). X-A covers foundational investment advisory concepts. X-B goes deeper into advanced portfolio management, derivatives, and complex financial instruments. Both are needed for full SEBI IA registration.
Why does Series X-A cost ₹3,000?
Series X-A costs ₹3,000 because it is a 180-minute, 150-mark advanced exam requiring significantly more preparation. This higher fee reflects the exam's depth and the seriousness of the Investment Adviser credential.
How we prepare you for Investment Adviser (Level 1)
Everyone selling exam prep tells you that you'll pass. Here is the machinery underneath the claim - six things the product does, in the order you'll meet them.
A diagnostic, before a single lesson
Fifteen questions map what you already know against the syllabus.
Most people waste their first fortnight re-reading chapters they'd already pass. The diagnostic exists so your plan starts at the gaps, not at page one.
Chapters broken into five-minute cards
The syllabus is re-cut into sessions that fit a commute, not an evening.
A 600-page workbook asks you to find an hour you don't have. Bite-sized cards ask for the ten minutes you already lose to a queue - which is why the habit survives past week two.
Practice that follows your mistakes
The engine weights questions toward the topics you keep getting wrong.
A static question bank serves everyone the same 1,200 questions in the same order. Adaptive weighting means your revision time lands where it actually moves the score.
A worked solution on every question
Not just the right option - the reasoning, and the trap you fell for.
Knowing you picked C and the answer was B teaches you nothing. Every question carries the working, so a wrong answer is the most useful thing that happens in a session.
Mocks under real exam conditions
Full length, properly timed, with negative marking where the series has it.
The exam is as much a clock-management problem as a knowledge one. A mock that doesn't reproduce the pressure tells you how you'd do in an untimed, forgiving version of an exam that is neither.
One number: your Preparedness Score
Whether you'd pass today - and which chapters are holding it down.
Every other method leaves you guessing at the only question that matters before you pay the exam fee. The score is the answer, and it moves as you do.
Why people leave the alternatives
You have four other options, and each one genuinely beats us at something. Here is the whole picture - including the rows where they win.
| Dimension | PrepCleverPrepClever | Coaching centreClassroom batch | YouTube & PDFsFree material | Other prep appsTypical case | BooksSelf-study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it costs to start | Free forever core - no card | ₹30,000–50,000 upfront | Free | Freemium; the real bank is paywalled | ₹500–1,500 per workbook |
| When you can study | Five-minute sessions, any time | Fixed batch timings, fixed venue | Any time | Any time | Any time |
| Does it know your weak areas? | Adaptive - weights toward what you miss | One pace for the whole batch | Nothing is tracked | Usually a static bank in fixed order | Nothing is tracked |
| Why was my answer wrong? | Worked solution on every question | Strong - if you can get the teacher's time | The comments section | Often an answer key only | Answer key at the back |
| Am I ready to book the exam? | Preparedness Score, updated per session | A mock rank, and instinct | No signal at all | Your raw score on the last test | No signal at all |
| Is the syllabus current? | Tracked against SEBI workbook updates | Depends entirely on the centre | Often years out of date | Varies; rarely dated on the page | Whatever the last reprint said |
| How many NISM series? | All 26 | The one or two that fill a batch | Patchy - the popular ones | Usually the popular ones | One book per series |
Rival columns describe the typical case, not every provider. A good coaching teacher will out-explain any app on the day you can actually reach them.
Rather judge it yourself? Take a free mock quiz or read a worked solution before you decide.
Ready to pass Series X-A?
Start your personalized prep today — 1000+ practice questions, free to start.