RBI Grade B (Officer) Recruitment 2018: Syllabus and Exam Pattern
RBI Grade B prelims examination 2018 is scheduled to be held on 16th August whereas Mains examination will be held in the month of September. Know the detailed syllabus here.

RBI Grade B Syllabus & Exam pattern (Phase I and Phase II) is available here along with important links for RBI Grade B Study material. Latest RBI Grade B syllabus (and study material) is important for the preparation of RBI Grade B (Officer) recruitment exam. Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s Central bank is all set to conduct Grade ‘B’ Officer Recruitment Exam in the month of August.
Table of Contents
RBI Grade B Syllabus Phase I: 2018 (Officer Post) |
RBI Grade B Syllabus Phase II: 2018 (Officer Post) • Paper-I: Economic & Social Issues |
RBI Grade B 2018: Vacancy
This year there are about 166 vacancies. More details about these vacancies and complete details about the RBI Grade B Recruitment 2018, please refer the article from the link given below:
RBI Grade B 2018: Exam Dates, Eligibility Criteria, How to apply & More
Exam Pattern of RBI Grade B Officer (General):
The complete RBI Grade B recruitment process is divided into three phases:
• Phase I – Online Exam
• Phase II – Online Exam
• Interview
Candidates need to clear all the phases in order to become an RBI Grade B officer.
RBI Grade B Phase I (Online Exam)
This will comprise a single Paper for 200 marks and will be held on August 16, 2018. Depending on the number of candidates, the examination may be held in multiple shifts and on some other days also. A candidate, however, has to appear for examination in only one shift on the given day.
Complete detail about the online exam is given below:
Section Name |
(No. of Questions) Maximum Marks |
Time |
General Awareness (80) |
80 (80) |
2 Hours |
English Language (30) |
30 (30) |
|
Quantitative Aptitude (30) |
30 (30) |
|
Reasoning Ability (60) |
60 (60) |
|
Total |
200 Questions (200 Marks) |
A composite time of 120 minutes will be given for answering.
Candidates, who secure minimum marks separately for each Test, as prescribed, will be shortlisted for Phase-II of the examination based on the aggregate marks obtained in Phase-I.
RBI Grade B Phase I Result 2018 will be announced tentatively within a week after Phase-I examination.
RBI Grade B Phase II (Online Exam)
The Phase-II examination will be in shifts. Candidates are required to appear for all shifts. Separate Admission Letters will be issued for each shift. The time-table for Phase II will be intimated to the candidates concerned along with Admission Letter for Phase-II.
Complete detail about this online exam is given below:
Name of Paper |
Type of Paper |
Time (Marks) |
Paper-I: Economic & Social Issues |
Objective Type |
90 (100) |
Paper II: English (Writing Skills) |
Descriptive, to be typed with the help of the keyboard |
90 (100) |
Paper-III: Finance and Management |
Objective Type |
90 (100) |
RBI Grade B Interview:
Candidates will be shortlisted for the interview, based on aggregate of marks obtained in Phase-II (Paper-I +Paper-II +Paper-III). Candidates should note that
• The minimum aggregate cut off marks for being shortlisted for Interview will be decided by the Board in relation to the number of vacancies.
• Roll No. of the candidates shortlisted for interview will be published on RBI website at appropriate time and interview call letters will be sent on registered email ID.
• Interview will be of 50 marks.
• Candidate may opt for interview either in Hindi or English.
• Final Selection will be through merit list which will be prepared by adding marks secured by candidates in Phase-II examination and interview.
RBI Grade B Phase I Syllabus
English Language: (Total Questions – 30)
Reading Comprehension |
Sentence Completion |
Sentence Correction |
Fill in the blanks (Double fillers) |
Phrase/Word Replacement |
Vocabulary |
Error Spotting |
Passage Making |
Sentence Framing |
Jumble Words |
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus (Total Questions – 30)
Data Interpretation [Double Pie-chart, Mixed DI - (Line Graph + Table -Missing Data or Pie chart + Table), Caselet] |
Ratio and Proportion |
Average |
Time and Work |
Speed, Distance and Time |
Mixture and Allegations |
Percentage |
Permutation and Combination |
Probability |
Time, Speed and Distance |
Mensuration |
Profit, Loss and Discount |
Quadratic Equation |
Simple Interest & Compound Interest |
Reasoning Ability: (Total Questions – 60)
Seating arrangement |
Data Sufficiency |
Alphanumeric Series |
Puzzle |
Syllogism |
Coding-decoding |
Inequalities |
Input - Output |
Blood Relation |
Ranking |
Direction and Sense |
Series |
General Awareness: (Total Questions – 80)
The section can be divided in five parts:
• Banking Awareness
• Organizations
• Year book
• Current Affairs
• Static GK
Important Topics in Banking Awareness
• MICR • IFSC code • CTS System • Clean Notes policy • White Label ATMs • NEFT • RTGS • Banking Correspondence agents • Kisan credit card • Definition of various RBI rates and their significance. • RBI Published notifications on its website • Hierarchies: Organizational structure of RBI • RBI intervention on currencies • RBI Committees • CBS • ECS • SWIFT • BankNET • RBINET • INDONET • Digital Signatures • Bank guarantee • Letter of Credit • Bancassurance • Banking Awareness for RBI |
Important Topics in Organizations
For organizations, you need to understand functions, jurisdictions, name of key current and past persons in positions of responsibility and geographical location. A maximum of 4 questions can be asked from this section. Read about the following:
• RBI • NABARD • Banking Ombudsman • SIDBI • Cooperative Banks • Finance Commission • CRISIL • LIC • BASEL • IBRD • IMF • SENSEX • NIFTY • Moody • S&P • Fitch • GIC |
Important Topics of Yearbook
Yearbook refers to various Government Schemes, Acts, Bills, Legislation and Budget related information. It carries 10-11 marks which mean 12-14% of marks. The following information should be covered to solve this section correctly:
(a) Acts, committees & legislation • Bank Nationalization • Information Technology Act • Narsimhan Committees • FRBM Act • Tax ceilings • Deductions • Policy changes |
Important Topics of Current Affairs
To prepare current affairs do the following: • Read pratiyogita darpan, chronicle or any other competitive magazine to brush up your knowledge. • Read Newspapers : The Hindu, Economic Times or Mint. • Read General Awareness Partiyogita Darpan. You can also use any other current affairs magazine like CST, Chronicle or Wizard. • Focus on the 5-6 most recent issues of the magazine. • Focus on the following topics within the magazine: - Indian Economy: Complete study material - International Affairs |
Important Topics of Static GK
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) • Gross National Product (GNP) • Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) • Human Development Index (HDI) • Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) • Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) • Priority Sector Lending • Credit Rating Agencies of India • Derivatives • Options • Futures • Swaps • VAT |
Paper-I - Economic and social Issues:
Growth and Development – Measurement of growth: National Income and per capita income – Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India – Sustainable Development and Environmental issues. Economic Reforms in India – Industrial and Labour Policy – Monetary and Fiscal Policy – Privatization – Role of Economic Planning. Globalization – Opening up of the Indian Economy – Balance of Payments, Export-Import Policy – International Economic Institutions – IMF and World Bank – WTO – Regional Economic Co-operation. Social Structure in India – Multiculturalism – Demographic Trends – Urbanization and Migration – Gender Issues – Social Justice : Positive Discrimination in favor of the under privileged – Social Movements – Indian Political System – Human Development – Social Sectors in India, Health and Education. |
Suggested reference material: Books: 1. Indian Economy: Uma Kapila.(Series of Books) 2. Indian Economy: Mishra Puri. (Latest Edition) 3. Growth And Development: Devraj Ray 4. Sociology: C.N. Shankar Rao News Papers: 1. Economic Times 2. Hindu 3. Business Standard Weekly/Monthly Magazines/Bulletins /Reports: 1. Economic and Political Weekly 2. Southern Economist 3. Yojana 4. Business India 5. RBI Bulletins Reports: 1. World Development Report 2. Economic Survey of India |
Paper-II -English (Writing Skills):
The paper on English shall be framed in a manner to assess the writing skills including expression and understanding of the topic. |
Paper-III -Finance and Management/ Economics/,Statistics:
Important topics of Finance (a) Financial System 1. Regulators of Banks and Financial Institutions 2. Reserve Bank of India- functions and conduct of monetary policy, Banking System in India, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM, NABARD, NHB, etc. (b) Financial Markets Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity,etc.), functions, instruments, recent developments. (c) General Topics 1. Risk Management in Banking Sector 2. Basics of Derivatives: Forward, Futures and Swap 3. Changing Landscape of Banking sector 4. Recent Developments in the Financial Sector, Portfolio Investment, Public Sector Reforms, Disinvestments 5. Financial Inclusion- use of technology 6. Alternate source of finance, private and social cost-benefit, Public- Private Partnership 7. Corporate Governance in Banking Sector, role of e-governance in addressing the issues of corruption and inefficiency in the government sector. 8. The Union Budget – Direct and Indirect taxes; Non-tax sources of Revenue, GST, Thirteenth Finance Commission and GST, Finance Commission, Fiscal Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM) 9. Inflation: Definition, trends, estimates, consequences, and remedies (control): WPI, CPI - components and trends. |
Suggested reference material by RBI: a. An introduction to Economics – A W Stonier and D C Hauge b. Monetary Theory and Public Policy – Kenneth Kurihara c. Indian Economy – Mishra and Puri d. Indian Economy – R. Dutt and KPM Sundaram e. Economic Growth and Development – Mayer and Baldwin f. Major economic newspapers and Economic and Political Weekly g. Public Finance – K K Andley and Sundaram h. Financial Management – Prasanna Chandra |
Important Topics of Management
Management: its nature and scope; The Management Processes; Planning, Organisation, Staffing, Directing and Controlling; The Role of a Manager in an Organisation. Leadership: The Tasks of a Leader; Leadership Styles; Leadership Theories; A successful Leader versus an effective Leader. Human Resource Development: Concept of HRD; Goals of HRD; Performance Appraisal – Potential appraisal and development – Feedback and Performance Counselling – Career Planning – Training and Development – Rewards – Employee Welfare. Motivation, Morale and Incentives: Theories of Motivation; How Managers Motivate; Concept of Morale; Factors determining morale; Role of Incentives in Building up Morale. Communication: Steps in the Communication Process; Communication Channels; Oral versus Written Communication; Verbal versus non-verbal Communication; upward, downward and lateral communication; Barriers to Communication, Role of Information Technology. Corporate Governance: Factors affecting Corporate Governance; Mechanisms of Corporate Governance. The questions on this section will be basic in nature. |