RBI Grade B Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026 — Phase I, II & Interview
Complete RBI Grade B 2026 syllabus — Phase I objective pattern, Phase II (ESI, English, Finance & Management), salary and how to prepare for India's toughest bank officer exam.
RBI Grade B (Direct Recruit) is India's most prestigious central bank officer exam — and one of the toughest, with only 60 vacancies in 2026 against lakhs of applicants. This guide breaks down the full Phase I, Phase II and Interview syllabus.
RBI Grade B 2026 Exam Pattern at a Glance
Only 60 vacancies in 2026 (General: 40, DEPR: 12, DSIM: 8) against lakhs of applicants makes RBI Grade B one of the most competitive exams in India. Phase I is only a screening round — Phase II decides your rank.
Phase I Syllabus (200Q · 200M · 2 Hrs · −0.25)
General Awareness alone is 40% of Phase I marks — it covers Indian Economy, RBI functions and monetary policy, banking regulation, financial markets, government schemes and current affairs.
Phase II Syllabus
Paper I — Economic & Social Issues (100M)
- Growth & Development
- Inflation
- Fiscal Policy
- Balance of Payments
- Poverty & Inequality
- Social Sector Schemes
- Environmental Issues
- Globalisation
- Indian Agriculture
Paper II — English Writing Skills (100M)
- Essay Writing
- Precis Writing
- Report Writing
- Letter Writing
Paper III — Finance & Management (100M)
- Financial System
- Capital Markets
- Risk Management
- Corporate Governance
- HR Management
- Organisational Behaviour
- Communication
- Ethics & Leadership
RBI Grade B Salary & Selection
Basic pay is ₹78,450 per month, with gross monthly salary of approximately ₹1.5 lakh including all allowances — among the highest for any direct-entry government exam. Final merit is calculated as Phase II (75% weight) + Interview (25% weight).
How to Prepare for RBI Grade B 2026
- 1Phase I is a screening round only — don't over-invest time here once you're comfortably above the expected cutoff
- 2Start Economic & Social Issues and Finance & Management early — these need conceptual depth, not last-minute revision
- 3Practice descriptive writing (Essay, Precis, Report) weekly — most candidates neglect this until Phase II results are near
- 4Read financial newspapers daily for both General Awareness (Phase I) and ESI (Phase II) — the overlap is significant
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