NABARD Grade A- Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Preparation
Become an officer at India's apex rural-development bank, shaping agriculture and rural finance nationwide.
NABARD Grade A is a national officer-level recruitment for the Assistant Manager (RDBS) post at the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the apex regulator and financier of India's rural economy. Officers handle project appraisal, agricultural credit, refinance and rural-development policy across a General stream plus specialist disciplines.
~100 (varies by year; 102 in 2024)
Vacancies / Cycle
General (RDBS) + Agriculture, Finance, IT, Legal, Civil Engg., Rajbhasha
Streams
3 (Prelims + Mains + Interview)
Exam Phases
~₹1,00,000–1,20,000/month gross (CTC ~₹18 LPA)
Starting Salary
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Eligibility Criteria
Education
General (RDBS): Bachelor's with min 60% (55% SC/ST/PwBD), or PG/MBA with 55%, or CA/CS/CMA/PhD. Specialist streams require the relevant discipline degree at the same thresholds.
Age Limit
21–30 years. Relaxations: SC/ST +5, OBC +3, PwBD +10, plus ex-servicemen.
Nationality
Indian citizen (or Nepal/Bhutan subject, Tibetan refugee pre-1962, PIO from specified countries).
Exam Pattern
Three stages. Phase I (Preliminary) is a 200-mark online objective test, purely qualifying - its marks do not count toward final merit. Phase II (Mains) is a 200-mark online exam with objective + descriptive papers and is merit-deciding, followed by a Psychometric Test and Interview. Final merit = Phase II (200) + Interview (50), weighted 80:20.
Phase I - Preliminary (qualifying)
Online objective (MCQ), ¼ negative marking120 min| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 |
| Decision Making | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 20 |
| Economic & Social Issues (ESI) | 40 | 40 |
| Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) | 40 | 40 |
Phase II - Paper I: General English (descriptive)
Online descriptive90 min| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Essay, précis, comprehension, drafting (3 descriptive questions) | 3 | 100 |
Phase II - Paper II: ESI & ARD
Online (objective + descriptive)120 min| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| ESI & ARD - Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 |
| ESI & ARD - Descriptive (answer 4 of 6) | 4 | 70 |
Phase III - Psychometric Test + Interview
Personal interview (psychometric test non-scoring)30 min| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Interview | - | 50 |
Key Topics & Syllabus
Reasoning
- check_circlePuzzles & seating arrangement
- check_circleSyllogism
- check_circleBlood relations
- check_circleCoding-decoding
- check_circleInequalities
- check_circleDirection sense
- check_circleData sufficiency
- check_circleInput-output
English Language
- check_circleReading comprehension
- check_circleCloze test
- check_circleError spotting
- check_circleSentence improvement
- check_circlePara jumbles
- check_circleDescriptive - essay, précis, report drafting
Quantitative Aptitude
- check_circleNumber series
- check_circleSimplification & approximation
- check_circleData interpretation
- check_circleQuadratic equations
- check_circlePercentages, ratio & proportion
- check_circleProfit & loss
- check_circleTime-speed-distance & work
General Awareness
- check_circleCurrent affairs
- check_circleBanking & financial awareness
- check_circleRBI / NABARD & regulators
- check_circleGovernment schemes
- check_circleStatic GK, awards, appointments
Economic & Social Issues (ESI)
- check_circleNature of Indian economy & growth
- check_circlePoverty, unemployment & inequality
- check_circlePopulation & migration
- check_circleGlobalization & reforms (LPG)
- check_circleEducation & health
- check_circlePanchayati Raj & rural governance
- check_circleSustainable development
Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD)
- check_circleCrops, soils, irrigation, farm mechanization
- check_circleAgricultural economics & marketing
- check_circleAnimal husbandry, fisheries, horticulture
- check_circleRural credit & cooperatives
- check_circleNABARD's role & rural financial institutions
- check_circleRural-development schemes
- check_circleAgriculture & rural insurance
Career Roles & Salary
Assistant Manager (Grade A / RDBS)
~₹1,00,000–1,20,000/month gross (basic ₹44,500)
Entry officer: project appraisal, refinance sanctioning, agricultural credit monitoring, and district/regional development work.
Manager (Grade B)
~₹1,30,000–1,50,000/month gross
First promotion (~3–5 years): supervisory oversight of schemes, credit planning and departmental functions.
AGM (Grade C) → DGM (Grade D)
~₹1,60,000–2,20,000+/month gross
Mid-senior management: divisional oversight, state-level policy execution and leadership of development programmes.
General Manager / Chief General Manager
₹2.5 L+/month gross
Top leadership: national policy formulation, regional headship and strategic direction of rural-finance mandates.
Full mock tests for NABARD Grade A
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How to Prepare
Apply online
Register on nabard.org during the application window, fill the form, upload documents, pay the fee (₹800 general / ₹150 SC-ST-PwBD), and choose your discipline.
Clear Phase I (Prelims)
Sit the 200-mark, 120-minute online objective test. Clear the sectional and overall cut-offs - it is qualifying only; roughly 25× the vacancies are shortlisted.
Clear Phase II (Mains)
Attempt Paper I (General English, descriptive) and Paper II (ESI & ARD or stream paper). These 200 marks are merit-deciding.
Psychometric Test & Interview
Complete the non-scoring psychometric test, then attend the 50-mark personal interview at a NABARD centre.
Final Merit List
Ranking is on Phase II (200) + Interview (50) = 250 marks (80:20), stream-wise and category-wise.
Document Verification & Joining
Selected candidates undergo document verification and medical fitness, then join as Assistant Manager (Grade A).
Important Dates (Tentative)
| Event | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | Typically June–July each year (tentative) |
| Online application window | ~3 weeks from notification (July–August, tentative) |
| Phase I (Preliminary) exam | Expected August–September (tentative) |
| Phase II (Mains) exam | Expected October–November (tentative) |
| Psychometric test & interview | Expected December–January (tentative) |
| Final result & joining | Expected early in the following year (tentative) |
* Dates are indicative based on historical patterns. Check the official website for confirmed dates.
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NABARD Grade A FAQ
What is the eligibility for NABARD Grade A?
A Bachelor's degree with min 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD), or a relevant PG/professional qualification, plus age 21–30 (with relaxations). Specialist streams need the matching discipline degree.
What is the starting salary of a NABARD Grade A officer?
Basic pay is ₹44,500/month; gross monthly emoluments are roughly ₹1,00,000–1,20,000 including DA, HRA and allowances, with an annual CTC near ₹18 lakh depending on posting.
Is NABARD Grade A tougher than a bank PO exam?
Generally yes. Beyond standard sections, it demands specialised knowledge of Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development, plus a descriptive Mains - making it more competitive than a typical bank PO.
How many phases does the NABARD Grade A exam have?
Three: Phase I (Prelims, qualifying), Phase II (Mains, merit-deciding), and a Psychometric Test + Interview. Final merit uses Phase II and Interview only.
How much does the interview count in final selection?
The interview carries 50 marks against Phase II's 200 - a 20% weightage in the 250-mark merit list; Phase I marks are not counted.
Is there a limit on NABARD Grade A attempts?
There is no fixed cap - candidates can appear as long as they meet the age limit (with relaxations).
What are ESI and ARD in the NABARD syllabus?
Economic & Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) are the two NABARD-specific subjects. Together they carry 80 of 200 Prelims marks and the entire merit-deciding Phase II Paper II - they are the highest-return areas to prepare.
Can a candidate without an agriculture background clear NABARD Grade A?
Yes. The General (RDBS) stream is open to graduates of any discipline, and ESI/ARD are studied from scratch by most toppers. Engineering, commerce and humanities graduates regularly clear the exam with 2–4 months of focused ESI-ARD preparation.
Is there negative marking in the NABARD Grade A exam?
Yes - ¼ (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for each wrong answer in the objective papers of both Phase I and Phase II.
How should I start preparing for NABARD Grade A?
Anchor your prep on ESI and ARD (static + current developments in the rural economy, budget and government schemes), keep bank-PO-level speed in Reasoning, Quant and English, and practise descriptive writing for Mains. PrepClever's NABARD practice sets and mock tests follow the latest pattern.
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