SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern: How Selection Works
Phase 1 screens, Phase 2 decides 85% of merit, and Paper 2 carries double weight inside it.
The SEBI Grade A exam pattern has three stages. Phase 1 is an online screening of two 100-mark objective papers and is qualifying only. Phase 2 has two 100-mark papers whose scores drive selection, weighted one-third for Paper 1 and two-thirds for Paper 2. Final merit combines Phase 2 at 85% with the interview at 15%.
Read those weightings together and the exam's centre of gravity is obvious: Phase 2 Paper 2, the stream-specific paper, is worth more to your final rank than everything else you will write combined. The full structure, stage by stage, is below.
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SEBI Grade A Pattern at a Glance
Phase 1, Paper 1 (common)
Format
Online objective, 4 sections
Duration
60 min
Marks
100 (qualifying)
Phase 1, Paper 2 (stream)
Format
Online objective, 50 questions
Duration
40 min
Marks
100 (qualifying)
Phase 2, Paper 1 (English)
Format
Descriptive, typed
Duration
60 min
Marks
100 (one-third weight)
Phase 2, Paper 2 (stream)
Format
Objective; descriptive for some streams
Duration
90 min
Marks
100 (two-thirds weight)
Phase 3, Interview
Format
Personal interview
Duration
About 30 min
Marks
15% of final selection
| Stage | Format | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1, Paper 1 (common) | Online objective, 4 sections | 60 min | 100 (qualifying) |
| Phase 1, Paper 2 (stream) | Online objective, 50 questions | 40 min | 100 (qualifying) |
| Phase 2, Paper 1 (English) | Descriptive, typed | 60 min | 100 (one-third weight) |
| Phase 2, Paper 2 (stream) | Objective; descriptive for some streams | 90 min | 100 (two-thirds weight) |
| Phase 3, Interview | Personal interview | About 30 min | 15% of final selection |
Phase 1 Paper 1: Section Breakdown
The common paper, identical for every stream:
General Awareness (incl. securities market)
Questions
20
Marks
25
English Language
Questions
20
Marks
25
Quantitative Aptitude
Questions
20
Marks
25
Reasoning Ability
Questions
20
Marks
25
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness (incl. securities market) | 20 | 25 |
| English Language | 20 | 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 25 |
| Reasoning Ability | 20 | 25 |
Questions in the format described here. No signup.
How Merit Is Calculated
Phase 1 is a gate: clear its cut-offs and your Phase 1 marks are done working. Phase 2's two papers are then combined with Paper 1 at one-third weight and Paper 2 at two-thirds. That combined Phase 2 score contributes 85% of final selection, and the interview the remaining 15%, computed stream-wise and category-wise.
Objective papers carry one-fourth negative marking. With sectional and aggregate cut-offs in Phase 1, accuracy discipline matters as much as coverage.
The 40-Minute Paper 2 Trap in Phase 1
Phase 1's stream paper gives you 50 questions in 40 minutes, less than a minute per question on subjects like accounting and Companies Act that tempt you into working things out. Speed on Paper 2 is a trained skill; untimed subject revision alone does not build it.
SEBI Grade A Pattern FAQs
Do Phase 1 marks count in SEBI Grade A final selection?expand_more
No. Phase 1 is qualifying only. Final selection is Phase 2 at 85% weight plus the interview at 15%.
What is the weightage of Paper 1 and Paper 2 in Phase 2?expand_more
Paper 1 (descriptive English) carries one-third weight and Paper 2 (the stream paper) two-thirds within the Phase 2 score.
Is there negative marking in SEBI Grade A?expand_more
Yes, one-fourth of the question's marks per wrong answer on the objective papers.
How much does the SEBI Grade A interview count?expand_more
15% of final selection, with Phase 2 contributing the other 85%. Legal and Engineering candidates may earn small experience-based bonus marks, per the notification.
Next steps
Take a full SEBI Grade A mock testSimulate both Phase 1 papers, negative marking included.