SEBI Grade A Streams: General, Legal, IT, Research and More
You apply to exactly one stream, Paper 2 is set by it, and there is no switching after you apply.
SEBI Grade A recruits through six streams: General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, Official Language and Engineering. You apply to one stream matching your qualification, your Paper 2 in both phases is set by that stream, and you cannot switch after applying.
The stream decision therefore happens once, at application, and it shapes everything after it: which paper you prepare, whom you compete against, and which SEBI departments your work will centre on. The 2024 cycle offered 97 vacancies across all streams.
You save ₹700 today
- Phase 1 & 2 full mocks
- Paper 2 subject banks
- Descriptive English prep
One payment, no subscription · Valid for 6 months
The Six Streams, One by One
- General
- The broadest entry route. Qualifies: Master's/PG diploma holders, Law or Engineering graduates, and CA/CFA/CS/Cost Accountants. Paper 2 spans Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act and Economics.
- Legal
- For LLB holders. Officers work on enforcement, adjudication and the regulatory drafting that a securities regulator runs on.
- Information Technology
- For B.E./B.Tech/MCA/M.Sc/MBA in IT, CS or Electronics. Market surveillance and the regulator's own systems are the natural home.
- Research
- For Master's holders in Economics, Commerce, Business, Finance or Statistics. The analytical stream behind policy work.
- Official Language
- For Master's in Hindi with English at degree level, serving SEBI's official-language obligations.
- Engineering
- For B.E./B.Tech in Civil or Electrical, the narrowest and most cycle-dependent stream.
How to Choose When You Qualify for More Than One
Many candidates qualify for two streams: a commerce postgraduate fits General and Research; a law graduate fits General and Legal. The practical tiebreakers are vacancy count, which the notification publishes stream-wise each cycle, and which Paper 2 you can genuinely go deepest in, since Paper 2 carries two-thirds of Phase 2's weight. Merit is prepared stream-wise, so your competition is only the pool inside your stream.
Paper 1 is common to every stream. Start there. No signup.
No Switching After You Apply
The stream you select at application is final for that cycle, because Paper 2 is stream-specific from Phase 1 onwards. If you are torn between two streams, resolve it before the application window, not inside it; the 2024 window ran barely two and a half weeks.
SEBI Grade A Streams FAQs
How many streams does SEBI Grade A have?expand_more
Six: General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, Official Language and Engineering. Each has its own qualification requirement and its own Paper 2.
Which SEBI Grade A stream has the most vacancies?expand_more
Stream-wise counts are published per notification and vary by cycle; the General stream is typically the largest pool. The 2024 cycle offered 97 vacancies across all streams combined.
Can I change my stream after applying?expand_more
No. Paper 2 is stream-specific, so the stream chosen at application holds for the whole cycle.
Is the Paper 1 exam different across streams?expand_more
No. Phase 1's Paper 1 and Phase 2's descriptive English paper are common to all streams; only Paper 2 differs.
Next steps
Start free SEBI Grade A practiceNo signup. The common paper is the same whichever stream you pick.