The RBI is an essential banking sector regulator. It is the RBI Grade B officer recruitment examination that is the only entry point for aspirants. However, a huge number of applicants every year points to the high level of competition present in this exam. Success in the RBI Grade B exam requires thorough knowledge of the selection process and subtleties of the examinations involved. That is why it is a coveted opportunity for career aspirants.
The RBI is an essential banking sector regulator. It is the RBI Grade B officer recruitment examination that is the only entry point for aspirants. However, a huge number of applicants every year points to the high level of competition present in this exam. Success in the RBI Grade B exam requires thorough knowledge of the selection process and subtleties of the examinations involved. That is why it is a coveted opportunity for career aspirants.
Understanding the importance of a well-structured timetable, candidates are advised to begin preparing for both phases simultaneously. This not only helps in all-round development but also is a confidence builder. However, just before immersing oneself in the ocean of study materials, one needs to familiarize oneself with the RBI Grade B exam syllabus. More interestingly, getting to know the coverage that NCERT books can potentially offer itself might be a game-changer.
In this blog, we will try to decipher the important role that NCERT books play in facing the RBI Grade B exam. Entering into details of the syllabus, we intend to highlight the great insights and foundational knowledge that candidates can derive from trusted educational resources. Join us as we try to make sense of exam prep, debunking the mystery: Are NCERTs essential for cracking RBI Grade ‘B’ exams?
RBI Grade B Exam Pattern
Though waiting for an official notice, the pattern for the RBI Grade B exam for 2025 would be at least like the one followed during the previous version of the exam. To be better prepared for the exam, you can sign up for ixambee’s RBI Grade B online course to start out your preparation. The Prelims contains four sections, and the candidates are given 120 minutes to complete this stage, with a sectional time limit. Successful candidates of the Prelims phase will be permitted to take the Mains exam that is a selective examination based on certain predetermined cut-offs. The Mains exam is a part that consists of both objective and descriptive parts and is conducted in multiple shifts, and separate call letters will be issued for each shift. Every paper is allocated a particular time, which sums up to 330 minutes or five and a half hours. The format of the RBI Grade B Exam Pattern for 2025 which is expected to be similar to the previous one is provided in the details below.
| Phases and Topics in Each Phase | Exam Type | No. of marks | No. of marks | Exam Language |
| Phase 1 (Prelims) (English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, General Awareness) | Objective | 200 marks | 2 hours | Bilingual (Except the test for English language.) |
| Phase 2 (Mains) (Economic and Social Issues, English Writing Skills, Finance and Management) | Paper 1 (Objective & Descriptive)- | 100 marks | 30 minutes (Objective) & 1 hour 30 minutes (Descriptive) | |
| Paper 2 (Writing Skills)- | 100 marks | 1 hour 30 minutes | ||
| Paper 3 (Objective & Descriptive)- | 100 marks | Composite time of 2 hours | ||
| Phase 3 (Interview) | Interview | 75 marks | ||
RBI Grade B Exam Syllabus
The RBI Grade B Prelims Exam 2025 will comprise four critical tests: General Awareness, English Language, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability. Thorough knowledge of the subjects is required to ace Phase 1. General Awareness, in fact, is given considerable importance, and a candidate can prepare themselves with help from BeePedia, ixambee’s comprehensive resource that is a comprehensive resource at the disposal of the candidate catering to the general awareness content required for preparation of any regulatory body exams like RBI, NABARD, or SEBI.
You should know that the Mains phase is followed and the RBI Grade B Mains Paper 1 deals with Economic and Social issues. The syllabus varies a little from the 2024 exam; still, there are a few exclusions that are to be noted. For instance, subjects like Positive Discrimination, Social Movements, and details about the Indian Political System have been removed from Social Structure in India. Here’s the RBI Grade B Mains Paper 1 syllabus broken down in the table below:.
The Mains Paper 2 is a descriptive assessment format, focussed on the candidate’s writing abilities. This RBI Grade B Mains Paper 2 seems to check writing skills regarding effective communication. For Mains Paper 3 dealing with Finance and Management, RBI has added subjects like NaBFID, Global Financial System developments, and Role of IT in Banking and Finance. General Topics have now included Basics of Accounting and Financial Statements. Dive into the table below for more detail on the syllabus of the RBI Grade B Exam.
| Subject | Topics Expected |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Simplification and approximation, Number Series, Quadratic Equation, Number System / HCF & LCM, Ratio and Proportion, Average, Partnership, Ages, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Time, Speed & Distance, Problems on Trains, Boat and Stream, Time & Work / Pipes and Cisterns, Simple and Compound Interest, Mixture & Allegations, Permutation and Combination, Probability, Data Interpretation (DI), Caselet DI and Data Sufficiency |
| English | Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Passage Making, Error Spotting, Jumble Words, Sentence Framing, Fill in the blanks, Precis Writing, Essay Writing, Descriptive English Mock Test, Reading Comprehension in English Writing |
| General Awareness | Monetary Policies, Banking and Financial Awareness, Economic Terms, Current Affairs (BeePedia), Static GK, Financial and Economic News, Government Schemes. Agreement & Deals, Banking Terms- rates & processes, National Institutions |
| Reasoning | Puzzles, Seating Arrangement- Circular, Square & Linear, Data Sufficiency, Directions and Distance, Coding-Decoding, Blood relations, Inequality, Syllogism, Machine input and output, Verbal Reasoning, Ordering and Ranking, Arrangement and Pattern, Scheduling, Distance and Direction, Ranking |
| Economic and Social issues | Growth and Development, Nature of Indian Economy, ESI LecturesSocial structure in India, Government Schemes, Globalization |
| Finance and Management | Basics of Derivatives, RBI Circulars, Financial Markets, Section Test Finance, Extra content for Finance concepts, Finance LecturesOverview of Finance Syllabus, Financial System, General Topics in FinanceBasics of Accounting and Financial Statements, Extra content related to Banking industry, Motivation, Emotional Intelligence, Personality, Analysis of Interpersonal Relationship, Organisational Change, ConflictPerception, Introduction to Management; Evolution of management thought, Extra Readings, Leadership |
NCERT Books for RBI Grade B
A trip on the RBI Grade B exam starts with an intelligent planning, and , and NCERT books are essential resources. These books contain crucial topics for Prelims as well as for Mains. They have provided a strong core of understanding for students in English, Mathematics and Social Sciences. For an RBI Grade B exam specific discussion on which NCERT books are to be dealt with is presented below. We also recommend practicing with ixambee’s RBI Grade B Mock Tests and RBI Grade B Previous Papers to improve your skills.
- From Class 6: Social and Political Life Part 1: Social and Political Life Part 1 This is a comprehensive book of 80 pages that deals elaborately with Diversity, Government, and Livelihoods, which is required for ESI paper in RBI Grade B Phase 2. It is written in simple language with least words per page, so study material can easily be covered within two hours. The content is simple and enhances understanding, making it the perfect starting point for hopefuls who want to develop a strong groundwork for the examination.
- From Class 7: Social and Political Life Part 2: You can then move on to Class 7’s “Social and Political Life Part 2,” a 100-page book with over 70 pages of reading content. This segment places a level of stress on Equality, State Government, Gender, and Markets, refining your understanding of key concepts crucial for success in the RBI Grade B exam. These topics are important and are a manageable reading load making this book an invaluable resource, which ultimately means you get a clearer understanding of the important subjects.
- From Class 8: Social and Political Life Part 3: As you move to Class 8, focus on some select units of “Social and Political Life Part 3.” You can focus on Unit 4, “Social Justice and the Marginalized,” and Unit 5, “Economic Presence of the Government.” This focuses on selective reading within the subjects only relevant to the RBI Grade B examination, allowing you to make the most of your efforts at preparation.
- From Class 9: Democratic Politics-1 and Economics: From Class 9: In Class 9, pay special attention to “Democratic Politics-1” by studying Chapters 4, “Working of Institutions,” and Chapter 5, “Democratic Rights.” Additionally, study the Economics book-a great four-chapter book. Skip the story of village Palampur in order not to waste your time there and make maximum usage of this study session about understanding important topics for RBI Grade B exam.
- From Class 10: Understanding Economic Development: You should move onto”Understanding Economic Development” once you reach this stage. This is a very important book which covers a lot of important chapters on development, sectors of the Indian Economy, Money and Credit, Globalization, and Consumer Rights. You should spare some time for each section, so that you get a very clear understanding of the layered aspects of the questions that are important for the RBI Grade B exam.
- From Class 11: Indian Economic Development: Indian Economic Development: Take a deep dive into “Indian Economic Development” from Class 11. This fairly important book unfolds insights into critical aspects such as LPG reforms, Current Challenges, Poverty, Human Capital, Rural Development, and Employment. The subject material should be learned in its entirety; by doing so, you develop a very foundational knowledge that is critical for passing the RBI Grade B exam, so you’re prepared to face questions that cover an entire range of economic situations.
- From Class 12: Introductory Microeconomics and Macroeconomics: The final mile of preparation in Class 12 gives you two precious gems: Introductory Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. It requires meticulous reading to get a good conceptual understanding of economics. Get into the nitty-gritty of microeconomic and macroeconomic phenomena, sharpening your analytical abilities so that you’ll be ready for the subtle questions that will appear in the RBI Grade B exam. With this comprehensive approach, you are more prepared to face the twists and turns of economic theory and application.
Prepping with NCERT for RBI Grade B: Key Takeaways
Starting on an RBI Grade B exam preparation journey with the NCERT books is a strategic plan to fortify the fundamental concepts. From summary points to brief analysis, these key takeaways steer aspirants through a comprehensive approach for the exam.
- Get Closely Acquainted with NCERT: Take the help of NCERT books and get into the grassroot study with the fundamentals for your RBI Grade B exam preparation. The NCERT book has been used to teach and reinforce fundamental concepts for cracking the exam. Begin with the step by step reading of every subject, noting down points to have a strong basic concept imperative for success..
- Summary for Quick Revision: You can also make use of the summaries provided at the end of the NCERT chapters to revise effectively. These summaries are comprehensive and cover most of the important chapter topics. They also have enough information about the key points you need to know. The condensed nature of these summaries ensures that you can review essential concepts swiftly and effectively during your revision hours.
- Solver Examples for Application: Solve examples in the chapters to facilitate application to real-world problems. These examples are written in a short way that really helps with easier revision. Important points next to the solved examples are provided that really assist in using them to better appreciate the presented important information
- Online Accessibility and Simplified Language: The convenience of its online access makes NCERT books suitable for tech-savvy learners. The language used is simple, easy to understand, thus understandable by all kinds of students; concise presentation style that aids in clear understanding of fundamentals by those aiming to rebuild their basics
- In-Depth Knowledge Beyond Fundamentals: Know that though NCERT books are perfect for teaching fundamentals, in-depth knowledge is required for a comprehensive exam preparation. For these reasons, pursue in-depth knowledge concerning each topic and do more research to expand your knowledge beyond the fundamentals.
- Competitive Exam-Oriented Analysis: Think and analyze the concepts from competitive examination perspective. Refer the previous year papers to know how a topic is put in the paper and how questions are framed. Try to solve practice papers to sharpen your examination skills and study further also from other sources other than NCERT.
- Elevating Written Skills Beyond Textbooks: You can give a boost your written skills with NCERT books. You might be aware by now that NCERT books giver you enough of a foundation for you. This means that you can also improve and evolve your writing skills which means you need practice beyond textbooks. You can improve upon your writing skills stand out in the exam and communicate your ideas more effectively.
- Current Affairs and Time-Efficient Math Strategies: You need to be aware of the limits within the NCERT when it comes to providing more information regarding current affairs. You can balance out your knowledge by reading newspapers and journals. In addition to this, when you take a closer look at Maths strategies, you should be focusing on time management skills. While solved questions in textbooks are valuable, you should also try out new methods that take lesser time, which is ultimately important when it comes to the RBI Grade B exam.
Summing Up
While NCERT books are the bedrock of the preparation for RBI Grade B exams, one cannot rely on them exclusively. They offer a solid foundation but look for an added avenue to cross troublesome questions. However, daily newspaper reads and keeping abreast with current affairs are additional supplements that are totally indispensable. Conclusion NCERT books are crucial, but to perform well in the RBI Grade ‘B’ exam, it is crucial to have diversified references in the preparation strategy.
At ixamBee, we specialize in providing comprehensive online courses for government exams and online courses for government jobs. Our expertly designed courses for government jobs cater to a wide range of upcoming government exams. Whether you’re preparing for specific courses for government exams or seeking general guidance, ixamBee offers the resources like Beepedia previous year papers, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS and other mock tests to succeed in exams like RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A, NABARD Grade A, RRB NTPC, SSC MTS, NIACL Assistant, and more.
Also Read
Current Affairs Preparation for RBI Grade B Exam