NABARD Grade A Eligibility Criteria
Age, degree and stream requirements from the 2024 notification, checked before anything else.
This page reflects NABARD's 2024 notification. Requirements are revised almost every cycle, confirm the exact figures against the current NABARD notification on nabard.org before you rely on them to decide whether to apply.
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Who Is Eligible for NABARD Grade A?
You're eligible for NABARD Grade A if you hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates), or an equivalent postgraduate or professional qualification such as an MBA, CA, CS, CMA or PhD, and you're aged 21-30 as on the notified cut-off date. You must also be an Indian citizen, or fall under one of the other nationality categories NABARD's notification recognises. Specialist streams (Agriculture, Finance, IT, Legal, Civil Engineering, Rajbhasha) additionally require a degree in the relevant discipline at the same percentage thresholds.
Age Limit and Category Relaxations
The base age window is 21-30. Category-wise relaxations, as last notified, widen that window as follows.
General/EWS
Relaxation
None
Effective window (as last notified)
21-30
OBC (non-creamy layer)
Relaxation
+3 years
Effective window (as last notified)
21-33
SC/ST
Relaxation
+5 years
Effective window (as last notified)
21-35
PwBD
Relaxation
+10 years
Effective window (as last notified)
21-40
Ex-servicemen
Relaxation
Per government rules
Effective window (as last notified)
Per notified provision
| Category | Relaxation | Effective window (as last notified) |
|---|---|---|
| General/EWS | None | 21-30 |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | +3 years | 21-33 |
| SC/ST | +5 years | 21-35 |
| PwBD | +10 years | 21-40 |
| Ex-servicemen | Per government rules | Per notified provision |
Whether these relaxations combine for a candidate who qualifies under more than one category, an SC/ST ex-serviceman, for instance, is not stated by the source used for this page. Don't assume they stack additively. Confirm your specific case against the current notification rather than adding the years yourself.
Educational Qualification by Stream
NABARD Grade A recruits into a general stream and six specialist streams, each with its own degree requirement. The percentage thresholds are the same across every stream, a bachelor's degree needs 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD), or an equivalent postgraduate or professional qualification at 55%. What changes stream to stream is the discipline the degree must be in.
General (RDBS)
- check_circleBachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD), OR
- check_circlePostgraduate degree or MBA with a minimum 55%, OR
- check_circleCA, CS, CMA or PhD.
Agriculture
- check_circleBachelor's or postgraduate degree in the relevant agricultural discipline, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream.
Finance
- check_circleBachelor's or postgraduate degree in a relevant finance or commerce discipline, or CA, CS or CMA, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream.
See the question style before you commit to a cycle.
IT
- check_circleBachelor's or postgraduate degree in a relevant IT or computer science discipline, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream.
Legal
- check_circleBachelor's or postgraduate degree in Law, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream.
Civil Engineering
- check_circleBachelor's or postgraduate degree in Civil Engineering, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream.
Rajbhasha
- check_circleThe relevant discipline degree, at the same percentage thresholds as the General stream. This stream's exact qualifying discipline is the least confirmed detail on this page, confirm the exact title against the current notification before relying on it.
Stream-Wise Qualifying Degree, at a Glance
The table gives the discipline, not an exhaustive list of accepted degree titles, those are set by the notification.
| Stream | Qualifying degree (as last notified) |
|---|---|
| General (RDBS) | Bachelor's min 60% (55% SC/ST/PwBD), OR PG/MBA 55%, OR CA/CS/CMA/PhD |
| Agriculture | Bachelor's/PG in the relevant agricultural discipline, same thresholds |
| Finance | Bachelor's/PG in a relevant finance/commerce discipline, or CA/CS/CMA, same thresholds |
| IT | Bachelor's/PG in a relevant IT/computer science discipline, same thresholds |
| Legal | Bachelor's/PG in Law, same thresholds |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's/PG in Civil Engineering, same thresholds |
| Rajbhasha | The relevant discipline degree, confirm the exact title against the current notification |
Percentage vs CGPA: Does My Degree Count?
If your degree was graded on a CGPA scale rather than a straight percentage, here's how that maps onto the thresholds above.
- CGPA-to-percentage conversion
- Your university's own published conversion formula is what applies, not a universal multiplier. This page doesn't state a single conversion table because none is universal, use the formula your university itself provides for converting CGPA to an equivalent percentage.
- If your university doesn't publish one
- Contact your university's examination or registrar office for the official conversion certificate or formula before you assume you clear a threshold. Don't rely on a generic online conversion tool for a figure this consequential.
Nationality Requirements
- check_circleA citizen of India, OR
- check_circleA subject of Nepal, OR
- check_circleA subject of Bhutan, OR
- check_circleA Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, OR
- check_circleA person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries or specified other countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Application Fee
The source used for this page states only these two fee categories.
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹800 |
| SC/ST/PwBD | ₹150 |
Where OBC and EWS candidates fall isn't stated by the source used for this page. Don't assume either fee applies to those categories, confirm directly against the current notification before you pay.
How Many Attempts Are You Allowed?
There's no fixed cap on the number of times you can attempt NABARD Grade A. The real constraint is the age window: as long as you're within the notified age limit for your category, including any relaxation you qualify for, you can apply again in a later cycle.
Self-Check: Do You Meet the Notified Criteria?
Run through these before you register.
- checkYour age on the notified cut-off date falls within 21-30, or within your category's relaxed window.
- checkYour degree meets the percentage threshold for your category, 60% general or 55% SC/ST/PwBD, or you hold an equivalent postgraduate/professional qualification at 55%.
- checkIf you're applying to a specialist stream, your degree is in that stream's relevant discipline.
- checkYou meet one of the nationality categories listed above.
- checkYou've confirmed the application fee for your category, and flagged it for yourself if you're OBC or EWS and the fee isn't clearly stated.
- checkYou've checked the current notification on nabard.org rather than relying only on this page.
FAQs
Who is eligible?expand_more
Candidates aged 21-30 (with category relaxations) holding a bachelor's degree with at least 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD), or an equivalent postgraduate or professional qualification, who also meet the nationality requirement. Specialist streams additionally need a degree in the relevant discipline.
What is the age limit?expand_more
21-30 years as a base window. OBC gets +3 years, SC/ST +5 years, PwBD +10 years, and ex-servicemen get a relaxation per government rules, as last notified.
Can I apply without a specialist degree?expand_more
Yes, through the General (RDBS) stream, which accepts a bachelor's degree in any discipline at the same percentage thresholds. Specialist degrees are only required for the specialist streams.
Is there an attempt cap?expand_more
No fixed cap exists. The real limit is your age, you can attempt again in any cycle you fall within the notified age window for your category.
Does my CGPA count?expand_more
Yes, converted to a percentage using your own university's published conversion formula. This page doesn't apply a universal conversion table, use the one your university provides.
What is the application fee?expand_more
₹800 for General candidates, ₹150 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates, as last notified. Where OBC and EWS fall isn't stated by the source used for this page, confirm before you pay.
Next steps
- Syllabusarrow_forward
- Exam Patternarrow_forward
- Salary & Job Profilearrow_forward
- How Hard Is It?arrow_forward
Once you clear the eligibility gate, this is what Phase 1 looks like.