RBI Grade B 2026: Complete Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Selection Process

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducts the highly anticipated RBI Grade B 2026 examination, serving as a premier banking entry point in India. Aspiring candidates looking to build a career in the central bank must understand the structure, timelines, and specialized requirements across streams. For detailed updates, you can also review the RBI Grade B Mains Admit Card 2026 - Access and Download Here once released.

RBI Grade B 2026 Examination Schedule

Mark your calendars for the upcoming recruitment cycle. The RBI Grade B 2026 Preliminary examinations are scheduled for June 13th and 14th, 2026. Following this, the RBI Grade B 2026 Mains examinations will take place on July 25th and 26th, 2026. All phases of the exam are conducted online.

Exam Summary and Highlights

Here is a quick checklist summarizing the essential parameters of the RBI Grade B Exam Pattern 2026: Detailed Breakdown:

RBI Grade B Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026- Summary

• Bank: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
• Exam Name: RBI Grade B 2026
• Type of Exam: General (Prelims)- Objective; General (Mains)- Objective & Descriptive; DEPR/DSIM- Objective & Descriptive; Interview (For all posts)
• Exam Dates: Prelims- 13th & 14th June 2026; Mains- 25th & 26th July 2026
• Mode of Exam: Online
• Total Marks: Prelims: 200; Mains: 300; Interview: 75
• Total Questions: Prelims: 200; Mains: 60 (MCQs) and 15 Descriptive (to be attempted 11)
• Negative Marking: Phase 1: 1/4th marks (.25 marks); Phase 2: ¼th for objective type & no negative marking for descriptive paper
• Selection Process: For General- Prelims, Mains and Psychometric Test & Interview; For DEPR/DSIM- Online/ Written Examination and Psychometric Test & Interview

Phase 1 (Prelims) Structure for General Stream

Phase 1 for General DR covers English Language, Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness, carrying a total of 200 marks and 200 questions. Negative marking applies at 1/4th marks (.25 marks) for objective types (-0.25 for 1-mark questions and -0.50 for 2-mark questions).

Phase 2 (Mains) Structure for General Stream

Phase 2 for the General stream comprises Economic & Social Issues (ESI), English (Descriptive Writing), and Finance & Management (FM). Negative marking applies to objective parts (1/4th), while descriptive papers have no negative marking.

Syllabus Topics for General Stream

Reasoning Topics

• Logical Reasoning
• Alphanumeric Series
• Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test
• Data Sufficiency
• Coded Inequalities
• Seating Arrangement
• Puzzle
• Tabulation
• Syllogism
• Blood Relations
• Input Output
• Coding Decoding

Quantitative Aptitude Topics

• Simplification
• Profit & Loss
• Mixtures & Alligations
• Simple Interest & Compound Interest & Surds & Indices
• Work & Time
• Time & Distance
• Mensuration – Cylinder, Cone, Sphere
• Data Interpretation
• Ratio & Proportion, Percentage
• Number Systems
• Sequence & Series
• Permutation, Combination & Probability

English Language Topics

• Reading Comprehension
• Cloze Test
• Para jumbles
• Miscellaneous
• Fill in the blanks
• Multiple Meaning /Error Spotting
• Paragraph Completion

General Awareness Syllabus

• Current Affairs
• Indian Financial Systems
• Indian Banking Systems
• Monetary Plans
• National Institutions
• Banking Terms

Paper 1- RBI Grade B Economic & Social Issues (ESI) Syllabus

• 1. Foundational Economic Concepts: National Income Accounting, Schools of Economic Thought, Economic Growth and Development, Human Development, Sustainable Development
• 2. Indian Economic Development: Historical Context: Nature of Indian Economy, India’s Economy on the Eve of Independence, India 1947–1991: Macro Economy, Agriculture, Industry, Services, External Sector, Economic Reforms, Indian Economy Post-1991 – Macro Economy, Agriculture, Industry, Services, External Sector
• 3. Public Finance and Macroeconomic Policy Frameworks: Public Expenditure and Receipts, Public Debt, Fiscal Policy, Federal Finance, Inflation, Indian Taxation System, Planning Period in India (Five-Year Plans)
• 4. Social Welfare and Developmental Challenges: Poverty, Unemployment, Population Growth and Demographic Issues, Health, Education, Gender, Positive Discrimination, Multiculturalism, Urbanisation and Migration
• 5. Banking Systems, Financial Institutions, and Development: Key International Economic Institutions, Role of Banks and RBI in the Development Process, Rural Credit and Microfinance

Paper 2- English Syllabus

• 1. Professional Essay Writing: Economic and financial issues, Social or contemporary developments, Governance and public policy, Technology and society, Environmental concerns, Ethical or abstract themes
• 2. Precis Drafting: A long passage is given and candidates are required to condense it into a precis of about 170–180 words reflecting the essence without adding personal opinions.
• 3. Descriptive Reading Comprehension: Candidates are presented with a passage followed by five targeted questions that demand analytical and structured written responses.

Paper 3- Finance and Management Syllabus

• 1. Banking & Financial System Architecture: Regulators of Banks and Financial Institutions, Reserve Bank of India- functions and conduct of monetary policy, Banking System in India – Structure and concerns, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB, etc., Changing landscape of banking sector, Impact of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08 and the Indian response
• 2. Global Finance and Financial Market Trends: FinTech, Global Financial Markets and International Banking, Impact of Global Financial Crisis, Recent Developments in Digital Payments
• 3. Public Finance and Government Economic Policies: Inflation, FDI, FPI and Disinvestment, GST, Indian Taxation System and Public Expenditure, FRBM Act and Finance Commission, Alternate Sources of Finance, PPP and Social Cost–Benefit
• 4. Corporate Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis: Basics of Accounting, Preparation of Company Final Accounts, Cash Flow Statements, Ratio Analysis
• 5. Management Fundamentals & Organisational Behaviour: Introduction to management, Evolution of management thought, Scientific, Administrative, Human Relations, Systems approach, Management functions and roles, Nudge theory, Organisational behaviour, Personality (Big five model), Reinforcement, Perception, Motivation (Maslow, Alderfer, McClelland, Herzberg, Adams, Vroom), Leadership theories, Emotional Intelligence, Transactional Analysis & Johari Window, Conflict, Organisational Change (Kurt Lewin), Organisational Development (OD)
• 6. Leadership Dynamics and Managerial Competencies: Leadership, Authority and Power, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Decision Making and MBO, Organisational Conflict
• 7. Organisational Development and Business Ethics: Organisational Change and Group, Organisational Development, Nudge Theory, Ethics, Corporate Governance

DEPR and DSIM Stream Patterns and Syllabi

Specialized streams like Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR) and Department of Statistics and Information Management (DSIM) follow dedicated examination formats.

DEPR Structure

DSIM Structure

Paper I: Statistics Syllabus

• Definition of Probability
• Standard distribution
• Large and small sample theory
• Analysis of Variance
• Estimation
• Testing of Hypotheses
• Multivariate analysis
• Stochastic Processes

Paper-2: Statistics

• Probability and Sampling
• Linear Models and Economic Statistics
• Statistical Inference: Estimation, Testing of hypothesis and Non-parametric Test
• Stochastic Processes
• Multivariate analysis
• Numerical Analysis and Basic Computer Techniques

Selection Process and Final Merit List

The selection process varies slightly by stream:

• General: Prelims, Mains, Psychometric Test, and Interview.
• DEPR/DSIM: Online/Written Examination, Psychometric Test, and Interview.

Candidates must undergo a Psychometric Test prior to the interview, which is non-qualifying. The interview carries 75 marks for all posts. Ultimately, final selection is determined by a merit list based on the combined scores of the Phase-II exam and the interview.

Official Resources

For deeper reference, you can download the official Official RBI Grade B Syllabus PDF.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the criteria of selection for RBI Grade B?

Ans. Candidates must successfully navigate three stages: Phase 1 (Prelims), Phase 2 (Mains), and the final Interview process.

Q2. Is RBI Grade B Syllabus same for General & DEPR & DSIM?

Ans. No, the syllabus is specialized and differs between the General, DEPR, and DSIM posts to align with their specific operational requirements.

Q3. What is the mode of RBI Grade B Exam?

Ans. The RBI Grade B examination is conducted exclusively in an online format.

Q4. How many times is the RBI Grade B Exam conducted?

Ans. The RBI Grade B recruitment examination is held annually.