To crack the NABARD Grade A 2024 exam, you need access to updated, reliable, and affordable study material. This article provides a comprehensive list of high-quality free study material and other online and offline resources for the NABARD Assistant Manager exam of 2024.
Before delving into the free NABARD Grade A preparation material, it is essential to familiarise yourself with the exam pattern and syllabus for each phase.
NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern and Syllabus
While the pattern and syllabus will help you understand the different stages of the exam, the subjects in each stage, the marking scheme, etc, the Previous Year’s Question Papers will help you define the scope of the syllabus, identify the most important topics, assess your strengths, and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Let’s now come to the topic at hand, i.e., where you can access and download free study material for the NABARD Grade A 2024 exam.
NABARD Grade A Phase 1 Free Material
The NABARD Grade A Phase 1 (Prelims) stage is a single paper comprising 200 objective questions divided into 2 broad sections:
- Qualifying (Non-Merit) Sections: Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude and Decision Making
- Merit Sections: General Awareness, Economic & Social Issues (with focus on rural India) and Agriculture & Rural Development (with emphasis on rural India).
Important Note: Shortlisting of the candidates for the Mains (Phase 2) exam is based on marks scored in the merit sections only.
Let’s now look at the free resources for the merit and non-merit sections of the phase 1 exam. Kindly note that some videos for the non-merit sections may be a bit old. However, the fundamentals of the various subjects remain the same and are useful for the 2024 exam as well.
Free Study Material: Non-Merit Sections
This section provides a list of free video resources for all the non-merit subjects of the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Reasoning Study Material
Here are some free video resources for Reasoning:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Puzzles and Sitting Arrangement | Watch Now |
2 | Inequality + Direction Sense | Watch Now |
3 | Syllogism & Blood Relations | Watch Now |
4 | Marathon Video | Watch Now |
5 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Note: Visit the official website of IndiaBIX for MCQ practice of Reasoning. |
Quantitative Aptitude Study Material
Here are some free video resources for Quantitative Aptitude:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Simplification & Number Series | Watch Now |
2 | Profit & Loss + Time & Work + Time, Speed, & Distance | Watch Now |
3 | Quadratic Equation & Data Interpretation | Watch Now |
4 | Marathon Video | Watch Now |
5 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Note: Visit the official website of IndiaBIX for MCQ practice of Quantitative Aptitude. |
Computer Knowledge Material
Following are some free video resources for Computer Knowledge:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Marathon Video | Watch Now |
2 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Note: Visit geeksforgeeks website for detailed theory on the Basics of Computers and its Operations. |
Decision Making Study Material
Here are some free video resources for Decision Making:
English Study Material
Here are some free video resources for English Phase 1:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Error Detection & Sentence Improvement | Watch Now |
2 | Comprehension + Cloze Test + Rearrangement | Watch Now |
3 | Marathon Video | Watch Now |
4 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Note: Reading editorials from English newspapers such as The Hindu & The Economic Times will help you improve your vocabulary and reading speed. |
Free Study Material: Merit Sections
The merit sections are a crucial part of the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam, so it is important to focus your preparation here.
General Awareness (GA) Study Material
Aspirants can refer to the following sources for the subject of General Awareness.
- Press Information Bureau
- Any standard newspaper such as The Hindu
- General Awareness NABARD Preparation Video Lecture Playlist
Economic and Social Issues (ESI) Study Material
ESI can be further divided into ESI Static and Current Affairs. The weightage of ESI Static is not very high in Phase 1 as well as Phase 2 of the exam. It is current affairs that comprise a large chunk of the questions asked in ESI.
The most important topics under ESI current affairs are as follows:
- Latest Union Budget and Economic Survey
- Reports + Rankings/Indices
- Summits + Conferences
- Government Schemes
- Important Committees + Commissions
- GDP Forecasts
- Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) & Census
The recommended sources for ESI current affairs are listed below:
S.No. | Name of Resource | Website | Free Videos | Remarks |
1 | Press Information Bureau | Visit Website | Watch Now | (for Govt. reports and schemes) |
2 | Economic Survey | Visit Website | Watch Now | (the given resource is for year 2023; make sure to study the survey and the budget for the exam year) |
3 | Union Budget | Visit Website | Watch Now | |
4 | Census of India | Visit Website | – | – |
5 | Newspapers | The Hindu | – | (or any newspaper with a designated agriculture news section) |
Businessline | – | |||
The Economic Times | – | |||
6 | Vikaspedia | Visit Website | – | (provides content in many regional languages making it student-friendly) |
7 | PRS Legislative Research India | Visit Website | – | – |
8 | Official Website of NABARD | Visit Website | – | – |
The most important sources for ESI static are as follows:
S.No. | Name of the Resource | Video |
1 | Economy 2023 by Mrunal Patel | Watch Now |
2 | ESI Static Marathon VIdeo | Watch Now |
3 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Additionally, aspirants can also refer to the following resource for ESI static.
Important Note: Aspirants need to remember that official websites and theoretical resources are often exhaustive. They need to be covered selectively based on the subject topics given in the NABARD Grade A syllabus and a thorough analysis of the PYQs.
Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) Study Material
Like ESI, Agriculture and Rural Development notes can be further divided into ARD Static and Current Affairs.
Important topics to be covered for ARD current affairs are listed below.
- Latest Agriculture census, Livestock census, & Handloom census
- Latest Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) released
- Latest advance estimates released
- Schemes
- Reports
- Annual Report of NABARD
The recommended sources for ARD current affairs are listed below:
S.No. | Name of Resource | Link | Remarks |
1 | Press Information Bureau | Visit Website | (For Govt. reports and schemes) |
2 | Krishi Jagran | Visit Website | – |
3 | BusinessLine | Visit Website | (or any newspaper with a designated agriculture news section) |
4 | Official Websites of Ministries | Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) | (given are a few examples of syllabus-concerned ministries/organisations) |
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) | |||
National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development (NABARD) | |||
5 | ARD Current Affairs | Watch Now | – |
The most important sources for ARD static are as follows:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Fisheries | Watch Now |
2 | Cropping System and Cropping Pattern | Watch Now |
3 | Rural Development | Watch Now |
4 | Marathon Video | Watch Now |
5 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Additionally, aspirants can refer to the following resources for ASI static theory. Do note that the listed websites can be exhaustive. Candidates are advised to filter topics based on the syllabus and PYQs.
Next up, we have study material resources for Phase 2 of the NABARD Grade A exam.
NABARD Grade A Free Study Material: Phase 2
The NABARD Grade A Phase 2 comprises two papers of 100 marks each:
- Paper-I: General English (Descriptive)
- Paper-II: Economic and Social Issues (ESI) & Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD)
Descriptive English Study Material
The descriptive English paper broadly covers the following topics:
- Essay Writing
- Letter Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Precis Writing
- Report Writing
An important point to note here is that candidates need to practise on a keyboard to ensure a good typing speed. The paper is held online and practising using the keyboard will benefit you.
Here are some free video resources for Descriptive English:
S.No. | Topic | Video |
1 | Essay & Report | Watch Now |
2 | Precis | Watch Now |
3 | Letter | Watch Now |
4 | Syllabus Marathon | Watch Now |
5 | Previous Year Questions | Watch Now |
Do note that these videos are a bit old, however, Descriptive English being a static subject, the fundamentals remain the same and are useful for the 2024 exam.
ESI + ARD Study Material
The syllabus list and preparation material recommendations remain the same for NABARD Grade A Phase 1 and Phase 2 for ESI and ARD.
However, do note that Phase 2 Paper 2 is divided into 50% objective and 50% descriptive questions.
NABARD Grade A Important Books
If you want to do well in the NABARD Grade A exam, good study materials are a big help. Our list of NABARD preparation books, written by experts, helps you understand important topics well.
Phase 1 + 2 Important Books
We’ve added links to buy the mentioned books to make them easy to get. Some books might also be available for free online as PDFs, in Google drives, or you can borrow them from libraries or friends.
Here are the recommended books for NABARD Grade A Phases 1 and 2:
Phase | Subject | Book/s | Author/Publisher | Link |
Phase 1 (Non-Merit) | Reasoning | A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | RS Aggarwal | Buy Online |
Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations (First 9 Chapters) | RS Aggarwal | Buy Online | |
English | English Grammar & Composition | Wren & Martin | Buy Online | |
Computer Knowledge | Computer Awareness | Arihant | Buy Online | |
Decision Making | Principles & Practices of Management | TN Chhabra | Buy Online | |
Phase 1 (Merit) | General Knowledge | General Knowledge | Lucent | Buy Online |
Phase 1 (Merit) + Phase 2 | Economic & Social Issues | Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh | Buy Online |
Introductory Macroeconomics (11th + 12th) | NCERT | Buy Online | ||
Social Problems in India | Ram Ahuja | Buy Online | ||
Agriculture and Rural Development | Fundamentals of Agriculture (Part 1 + 2) | Arun Katyayan | Buy Online | |
Agriculture at a Glance | RK Sharma | Buy Online | ||
Competitive Book for Agriculture | NemRaj Sunda | Buy Online | ||
Elements of Agricultural Engineering | Dr Jagadeeshwar Sahay | Buy Online | ||
A Textbook of Animal Husbandry | GC Banerjee | Buy Online | ||
Handbook of Fisheries | ICAR | Buy Online |
Remember to pick the right topics from the books, websites, and other resources we mentioned. Match what you’re studying with what’s in the NABARD Grade A syllabus and past year’s questions.
Now that you have a good list of important NABARD Grade A materials, let’s look at the best course available to clear the NABARD Grade A officer exam.
EduTap NABARD Grade A Online Coaching
EduTap offers a 15-day free starter pack for NABARD Grade A exam beginners. It’s a comprehensive resource created by experienced teachers to help you prepare effectively. This course includes videos on different subjects, study notes, practice tests, and more.
This pack gives you a glimpse of what preparing for the NABARD Grade A exam is like. Over 15 days, you’ll learn,
- why NABARD is a sought-after place to work,
- what the exam format is,
- who can apply, and
- what topics you need to study.
We’ll also discuss how challenging the exam can be. This free course also covers detailed content for Economic and Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) in line with the latest pattern.
Click here to access the NABARD Grade A FREE Starter Pack by EduTap.
Other Free NABARD Grade A Study Material by EduTap
YouTube Channel: EduTap – Regulatory Bodies Examinations
Telegram Channel: EduTap – RBI | NABARD | SEBI | PFRDA | EPFO
Now that we have a comprehensive and carefully curated list of study resources and preparation notes, let’s look at our expert-recommended preparation strategy for the NABARD Grade A exam.
Preparation Strategy for NABARD Grade A 2024
In this section, we’ll outline a simple, step-by-step strategy to help you prepare effectively over nine months. You can tweak this preparation plan as per your requirements.
Let’s get started!
Days | Slot 1 (4 hours) | Slot 2 (4 hours) |
60 Days | Agriculture & Rural Development | Reasoning |
Quantitative Aptitude | ||
45 Days | Economic & Social Issues | Quantitative Aptitude |
Descriptive English (Phase 2) | ||
30 Days | Computer Knowledge + Decision Making | Descriptive English (Phase 2) |
English (Phase 1) | ||
60 days | Current Affairs | English (Phase 1) |
Revise Agriculture & Rural Development + 1 Answer Writing per day | ||
35 days | Revise Economic & Social Issues + 1 Answer Writing per day | |
35 days | Revise Quantitative Aptitude + Reasoning + English (Phase 1) |
Following is an approximate breakdown of the above 9-month NABARD Grade A study plan, highlighting subjects covered in each month:
First 60 Days
- Your main focus for the first 60 days in the first slot of 4 hours would be the coverage of the static syllabus of Agriculture & Rural Development.
- The focus for the second slot would be Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. You can divide the two subjects for about 30 days each.
Next 45 Days
- With about 45 days kept aside for Economic and Social Issues, you should be able to thoroughly cover the important static syllabus for Phase 2 as well.
- During the 2nd slot, Quantitative English and Descriptive English should be your priority.
Following 30 Days
- Dedicate the first slot of the day to Decision Making and Computer Knowledge for the next 30 days.
- Continue to practise typing Descriptive English essays, letters, and precis.
- During the 2nd slot, include MCQs of English (Phase 1) as well.
Next 60 Days
- With the majority of the syllabus covered, you are now left with Current Affairs. We recommend following EduTap’s Playlist for quick and updated syllabus coverage.
- During the second slot, as your English syllabus is now well-prepared, start drafting a revision plan.
- You can begin by revising the ARD syllabus through summary sheets and practice writing at least 1 answer every day.
Next 35 Days
- Continue covering the Current Affairs.
- For your second slot, take up revision of ESI with 1 answer writing practice every day.
Last 35 Days
- By now you should be confident about your preparation for NABARD Grade A 2024.
- Keep focusing on the current affairs for the 1st slot.
- Take up revision of QRE for the second half.
Important Note:
- Make sure to consistently practise answer writing on all topics covered in the syllabus.
- Practice typing answers for Descriptive English on a keyboard only.
- Include time slots for revision at regular intervals.
- Take regular mock exams to get a feel for the exam format and to identify your areas of weakness.
It is important to stay positive and confident throughout your preparation for the competitive NABARD Grade A 2024 exam.
Conclusion
The right study material will advance you towards NABARD Grade A exam success. It acts as a compass, guiding you through the vast syllabus and helping you focus on important topics. We understand that the syllabus can be exhaustive. However, having a thoughtfully curated list of books, insightful notes, informational videos, and challenging mock tests can help ease the process.
FAQs
The NABARD Grade A Phase 1 comprises 200 questions divided into 8 sections, with 5 qualifying and 3 merit-based sections.
The syllabus for Economic and Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) is the same for both phases, so you can use the same study material.
Practice typing on a keyboard, read newspaper editorials, and stay updated on current affairs for Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) and Economic and Social Issues (ESI).