NABARD Grade A Formula Sheet
Ten formulas, what each one is for, and a worked example.
NABARD Grade A rewards knowing how agriculture and rural projects are measured. Agriculture & Rural Development uses intensity and productivity ratios, project appraisal uses cash-flow measures, and Economic & Social Issues adds macroeconomics.
These ten formulas cover all three, with a worked cropping-intensity example.
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The 10 Formulas
1
Formula
Cropping intensity
Expression
Gross cropped area ÷ Net sown area × 100
Use it for
How many times the same land is cropped in a year.
2
Formula
Irrigation intensity
Expression
Gross irrigated area ÷ Net irrigated area × 100
Use it for
Use of irrigated land across seasons.
3
Formula
Crop yield (productivity)
Expression
Production ÷ Area harvested
Use it for
Output per hectare, such as tonnes per hectare.
4
Formula
Benefit-cost ratio
Expression
PV of benefits ÷ PV of costs
Use it for
Accept an agricultural project if the ratio is above 1.
5
Formula
NPV
Expression
PV of benefits − PV of costs
Use it for
Project worth in absolute terms.
6
Formula
Debt service coverage ratio
Expression
Cash available for debt service ÷ Debt service due
Use it for
Repayment capacity of a farm or rural enterprise loan.
7
Formula
Fiscal deficit
Expression
Total expenditure − (Revenue receipts + Non-debt capital receipts)
Use it for
Government finances (ESI).
8
Formula
GDP growth rate
Expression
(GDPₜ − GDPₜ₋₁) ÷ GDPₜ₋₁ × 100
Use it for
Growth of the economy or a sector (ESI).
9
Formula
Real interest rate
Expression
(1 + Nominal) ÷ (1 + Inflation) − 1
Use it for
Return after inflation (ESI).
10
Formula
Growth rate (CAGR)
Expression
(End value ÷ Start value)^(1/n) − 1
Use it for
Average yearly growth across several years in a DI table.
| # | Formula | Expression | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cropping intensity | Gross cropped area ÷ Net sown area × 100 | How many times the same land is cropped in a year. |
| 2 | Irrigation intensity | Gross irrigated area ÷ Net irrigated area × 100 | Use of irrigated land across seasons. |
| 3 | Crop yield (productivity) | Production ÷ Area harvested | Output per hectare, such as tonnes per hectare. |
| 4 | Benefit-cost ratio | PV of benefits ÷ PV of costs | Accept an agricultural project if the ratio is above 1. |
| 5 | NPV | PV of benefits − PV of costs | Project worth in absolute terms. |
| 6 | Debt service coverage ratio | Cash available for debt service ÷ Debt service due | Repayment capacity of a farm or rural enterprise loan. |
| 7 | Fiscal deficit | Total expenditure − (Revenue receipts + Non-debt capital receipts) | Government finances (ESI). |
| 8 | GDP growth rate | (GDPₜ − GDPₜ₋₁) ÷ GDPₜ₋₁ × 100 | Growth of the economy or a sector (ESI). |
| 9 | Real interest rate | (1 + Nominal) ÷ (1 + Inflation) − 1 | Return after inflation (ESI). |
| 10 | Growth rate (CAGR) | (End value ÷ Start value)^(1/n) − 1 | Average yearly growth across several years in a DI table. |
Worked Example: Cropping Intensity
A district has a net sown area of 100 hectares, and 50 hectares are cropped twice in the year.
- 1
Gross cropped area
100 + 50 = 150 hectares.
- 2
Cropping intensity
150 ÷ 100 × 100 = 150%.
- 3
Read it
On average, each hectare carries 1.5 crops a year.
Real Phase 1 sections, including ESI and ARD. No signup.
Gross Means Counted Every Time
Gross cropped area counts a plot once for each crop grown on it. Net sown area counts it once. Most intensity questions test whether you know which is which.
FAQs
Is NABARD Grade A maths-heavy?expand_more
Phase I has a quantitative aptitude section, but the formulas specific to NABARD come from Agriculture & Rural Development and ESI.
What BCR is acceptable?expand_more
A benefit-cost ratio above 1 means benefits exceed costs. Lenders usually want a comfortable margin above 1.
Where do these formulas appear in Phase II?expand_more
Mainly in the descriptive ESI and ARD papers, where you may need to explain or compute them.
Next steps
Take a full NABARD Grade A mock testFull Phase 1 mocks on this exact syllabus, scored instantly.