Understanding the NABARD Grade A syllabus is crucial for every aspirant. If you are exploring multiple exam options and trying to choose the best fit, knowing the detailed syllabus will help you decide whether:
- The NABARD Grade A exam aligns with your career goals.
- Your strengths and academic background meet the exam requirements.
Moreover, if you’ve decided to prepare for this exam, understanding the NABARD Assistant Manager syllabus will help you:
- Identify the number of subjects and important topics.
- Prioritize high-weightage topics and allocate your time accordingly.
- Select the right study material that aligns with the exam requirements.
However, the official NABARD Grade A notification only includes the syllabus for ARD and ESI, so you might be wondering where to find the complete NABARD Grade A syllabus PDF.
Don’t worry! In this article, I’ll explain the full NABARD Grade A syllabus in detail.
NABARD Grade A 2025 Syllabus Overview: Let’s Break it Down!
Before jumping into the NABARD Grade A exam syllabus, it is crucial to know the NABARD Grade A exam pattern. The NABARD Grade A exam is divided into 3 parts:
- Phase 1 (Qualifying in nature)
- Phase 2 (Objective + Descriptive)
- Phase 3 (psychometric test + Interview)
To make you understand the NABARD Grade A syllabus completely, I will explain all three phases—Phase 1, Phase 2, and the interview of the exam in detail.
NABARD Grade A Phase 1 Syllabus 2025: Subject-wise Breakdown
As mentioned earlier, the official NABARD Grade A notification does not provide the detailed syllabus for Phase 1, except for the topics related to ESI and ARD. Moreover, the topics listed under ESI and ARD are indicative, and you need to cover additional key topics from these subjects.
To save you time and effort, and to ease your preparation process, my team of experts at EduTap has analyzed the NABARD Grade A previous year question papers (PYQs) in-depth to come up with an exhaustive list of chapters and topics that you must cover for each subject.
The NABARD Grade A Phase 1 (Prelims) exam is divided into 2 sections.
- Qualifying (Non-Merit) Sections: Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, and Decision Making.
- Merit Sections: General Awareness, Economic & Social Issues (with a focus on rural India), and Agriculture & Rural Development (with emphasis on rural India).
In the NABARD Grade A exam, qualifying sections require only clearing the minimum cut-off, while marks scored in merit sections alone decide your selection for the next stage.
Important Note: As per the NABARD Grade A notification, the syllabus for Economic and Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) is the same for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the NABARD Grade A exam.
Below, I have provided the subject-wise NABARD Grade A prelims syllabus:
Reasoning Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025 Exam
Starting with the non-merit sections of the phase 1 exam, let me begin by talking about Reasoning. Reasoning comes under the qualifying section of the exam comprising 20 questions of 1 mark each. I have shared here the list of chapters that you must prepare for Reasoning in the NABARD Grade A exam:
- Alphanumeric Series
- Coding and Decoding
- Syllogism
- Direction Sense
- Inequality
- Ranking and Order
- Blood Relation
- Puzzles and Seating Arrangement
- Input-Output
- Questions based on Statements
- Questions based on Data Sufficiency
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
Important Reasoning Topics: Most Repeated PYQs & Weightage Analysis
We often know the important chapters to be studied for a subject, but end up wasting time on topics that are not relevant.
After looking at the important chapters, let’s dive a little deeper and get to know the important topics from these chapters to make things easier for you. To help you identify the important topics for Reasoning for the NABARD Grade A exam, here’s a detailed analysis of PYQs of the last few years.
| NABARD Grade A Reasoning Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Puzzle | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Seating Arrangement | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Inequality | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Blood Relation | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Syllogism | NA | 2 | 2 |
| Alphanumeric Series | NA | NA | NA |
| Data Sufficiency | NA | 2 | NA |
| Direction Sense | NA | NA | 1 |
| Critical Reasoning | NA | NA | NA |
| Order & Ranking | NA | 3 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | 1 | NA |
Out of the important topics, we also need to prioritize the most important ones first and then take up the ones that are less important, and so on.
I have created categories based on the PYQ analysis, for you to follow. The topics here are categorized as the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the Reasoning subject of the NABARD Grade A phase 1 exam.
Important Note: The above list of topics is provided solely to help you streamline your preparation and make it more efficient. It does not mean that you should skip the rest of the syllabus. The idea of sharing this list is to let you know the topics that you need to prioritize. It applies to all the subjects.
Quant Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025 Exam: DI, Arithmetic & Formulas
The Quantitative Aptitude section of the NABARD Grade A exam consists of 20 questions that are 1 mark each. I have prepared and shared with you a list of chapters that you must prepare for Quantitative Aptitude. These include:
- Ratio and Proportion
- Percentage
- Profit and Loss
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Average and Age
- Time and Work
- Pipes and Cistern
- Time and Distance
- Mixture and Alligation
- Series and Quadratic Equation
- Mathematical Inequalities
- Number Series
- Data Interpretation
- Simplification/Approximation
- Quantity Comparisons
NABARD Grade A Important Quant Topics 2025
Now that you know the important chapters, let’s save you more time by helping you identify the important topics of Quantitative Aptitude for the NABARD Grade A exam. Shared with you here is a detailed analysis of PYQs from the last few years.
| NABARD Grade A Quant Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Data Interpretation | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Number Series | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Approximation | 4 | 2 | NA |
| Time & Work | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Boat & Stream | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Profit & Loss | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mixture & Allegation | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Income & Expenditure | 1 | NA | NA |
| Quadratic Equations | NA | 2 | 3 |
| Ages | NA | 1 | 1 |
| Partnership | NA | 1 | 1 |
| Compound Interest | NA | 1 | NA |
| Simple Interest | NA | NA | 1 |
| Mensuration 3D | NA | NA | 1 |
To make it more convenient, here is the list of the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the Quantitative Aptitude subject of the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam. This list is based on the PYQs analysis discussed above.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
NABARD Grade A English Syllabus 2025: Grammar, RC & Vocabulary Lists
The English section of the NABARD Grade A exam consists of 30 questions, each carrying 1 mark. Here is the list of topics that you must prepare to score well in the English section.
- Reading Comprehension
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Cloze Test
- Parajumbles
- Double fillers
- Error Detection and Sentence Improvement
- Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, One-word Substitution, Phrasal verbs)
Important English Topics for NABARD Grade A
To help you identify the most important topics of English for the NABARD Grade A exam, here’s a detailed analysis of PYQs for the last three years.
| NABARD Grade A English Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Reading Comprehension | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Word Replacement | 4 | NA | NA |
| Idiom & Phrase Use | 4 | NA | 1 |
| Error Detection | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Double Fillers | 3 | 4 | NA |
| Coherent Paragraph | 3 | NA | NA |
| Words Interchanged | 3 | NA | NA |
| Cloze Test | NA | 6 | 7 |
| Phrase Replacement | NA | 5 | NA |
| Correctly Spelt Word | NA | 4 | NA |
| Sentence Arrangement | NA | NA | 5 |
| Correct Usage of Words | NA | NA | 3 |
| Sentence Connectors | NA | NA | 3 |
Based on the PYQ analysis, we have given below a list of the most important, moderately important, and the least important topics for the English subject of the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Computer Knowledge for NABARD Grade A 2025 Exam: Shortcuts, Security & MS Office
The Computer Knowledge section of the NABARD Grade A exam has 20 questions of 1 mark each. Shared with you below is the list of chapters that you must prepare for Computer Knowledge.
- Computer Awareness
- Hardware and Memory
- Software and Operating Systems
- MS Office
- Database Management System
- Internet and Computer Security
- History and Computer & Generations
- Shortcuts
Important Computer Knowledge Topics for NABARD Grade A
After doing a detailed analysis of PYQs from the last few years, we have curated a list to help you identify the important topics for Computer Knowledge.
| NABARD Grade A Computer Awareness Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Abbreviation and Glossary | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Data Communication and Computer Networks | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Microsoft Office | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Computer Hardware | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Operating System | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Introduction to Computers | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Memory Organization | NA | 2 | 2 |
| Computer and Network Security | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | 7 | 4 | 2 |
And based on the PYQ analysis, we have further categorized these topics into the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the Computer Knowledge subject of the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
Decision Making Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025: Case Studies & Ethical Scenarios
The Decision Making section of the NABARD Grade A exam consists of 10 questions of 1 mark each. Here is the list of chapters we have shortlisted that you must prepare from Decision Making section before you appear for the NABARD Grade A exam.
- Basics of Decision Making
- Types of Decision Making
- Decision Making Models
- Decision Making Approaches
- Factors Affecting Decision Making
- Types of Problems Decision Making
Important Decision Making Topics: Bias, Models & Previous Year Trends
We have carried out a detailed analysis of PYQs since 2022 to help you identify the important topics of Decision Making.
| NABARD Grade A Decision Making Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Types of Decision Making | 4 | NA | NA |
| Techniques of Decision Making | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Decision Making Models | 1 | 2 | NA |
| Bias in Decision Making | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Conditions of Decision Making | NA | 1 | 1 |
| Process of Decision Making | NA | 1 | NA |
| Approaches of Decision Making | NA | NA | 2 |
| Basics of Decision Making | NA | NA | 1 |
| Styles of Decision Making | NA | NA | NA |
| Miscellaneous Topics (General Management, Planning, and Leadership) | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Based on the PYQ analysis, here is a list of the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the Decision Making subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Note: As mentioned above, the list of important topics is only to help you streamline your preparation and work efficiently. Nowhere do we suggest skipping the rest of the syllabus.
General Awareness Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025: Banking, Economy & Schemes
In the NABARD Grade A exam, there are 20 questions of 1 mark each for General Awareness. Shared below is a list of chapters that you must prepare for GA.
- Current affairs of the preceding 6 months from the date of examination
- National News: MoUs, summits, and major events related to India.
- International: Summits and conferences held abroad
- Defence: Military exercises, drills, and major updates related to the defence sector of India
- Days in News: Major events or days, along with its date, and theme
- Persons in News: Obituaries, appointments, retirements
- Sports: Major tournaments and their winners
- Science, Technology, and Space
- Awards and honours
- Environment
- Banking, Economy, and Schemes
- Books and Authors
- Static GA: Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, National Parks and Sanctuaries, Organizations’ Headquarters, Banks’ Headquarters, Taglines, Power Plants in India, Indian Dance Forms, Countries’ Capitals and their Currencies
Important GA Topics for NABARD Grade A: Current Affairs, Static GK & Government Reports
To help you identify the important topics of General Awareness for the NABARD Grade A exam, a detailed analysis of PYQs for the last few years was done. And here’s the result.
| NABARD Grade A GA Topic-wise Distribution of Questions | |||
| Topic | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Government Schemes | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Finance Current Affairs | 4 | NA | NA |
| ESI Current Affairs | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Banking & Finance Static | 2 | NA | 1 |
| ARD Current Affairs | 1 | NA | NA |
| Static GA | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| First in News | 1 | NA | 1 |
| Places in News | 1 | 1 | NA |
| Awards | 1 | 1 | NA |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Person in News | NA | 3 | 2 |
| Government Initiative | NA | 2 | 1 |
| Sports | NA | 2 | 1 |
| MoUs and Agreements | NA | 1 | 1 |
| Science and Technology | NA | NA | 2 |
| Reports | NA | NA | 1 |
| Books & Authors | NA | NA | 1 |
| Days in News | NA | NA | 1 |
| Defence | NA | NA | 1 |
Based on this PYQs analysis, we have also listed out the most important, moderately important, and the least important topics of the General Awareness subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
ESI Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025: Globalization, Poverty & Rural Development
Following is the syllabus given in the NABARD Grade A notification for Phase 2 of the exam. It is applicable for Phase 1 as well, considering the syllabus for ESI for both phases is the same.
- Nature of Indian Economy – Structural and Institutional features – Economic underdevelopment – Opening up the Indian Economy – Globalisation – Economic Reforms in India – Privatisation. Inflation – Trends in Inflation & their Impact on National Economy and Individual Income.
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India – Rural and Urban – Measurement of Poverty – Poverty Alleviation Programmes of the Government.
- Population Trends – Population Growth and Economic Development – Population Policy in India.
- Agriculture – Characteristics / Status – Technical and Institutional changes in Indian Agriculture – Agricultural performance – Issues in Food Security in India – Non-Institutional and Institutional Agencies in rural credit.
- Industry – Industrial and Labour Policy – Industrial performance – Regional Imbalance in India’s Industrial Development – Public Sector Enterprises.
- Rural banking and financial institutions in India – Reforms in Banking/ Financial sector.
- Globalization of Economy – Role of International Funding Institutions – IMF & World Bank – WTO – Regional Economic Co-operation.
- Social Structure in India – Multiculturalism – Demographic trends – Urbanisation and Migration – Gender Issues Joint family system – Social Infrastructure – Education – Health and Environment. Education – Status & System of Education – Socio – Economic Problems associated with Illiteracy – Educational relevance and educational wastage – Educational Policy for India.
- Social Justice: Problems of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes – socio-economic programmes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other backward classes.
- Positive Discrimination in favour of the under privileged – Social Movements -Indian Political Systems – Human Development.
- Current Economic & Social Issues.
Important Note: As I mentioned above, this is just an indicative ESI syllabus. Below, I have mentioned the important static and current affairs topics from the NABARD Grade A ESI syllabus.
Important ESI Static Topics: Fiscal Policy, Inflation & Indian Agriculture
Here I am sharing with you the list of topics that you must prepare for ESI Static.
- Growth and Development
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India
- Economic History of India – Globalisation and Privatisation
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues.
- Fiscal Policy + Monetary Policy
- Inflation
- Industrial & Labour Policy
- Indian Agriculture
- Regional Economic Cooperation
- International Economic Institutions – IMF and World Bank – WTO
- Opening up of the Indian Economy, Balance of Payments
- Multiculturalism
- Population and Demographic Trends
- Urbanisation and Migration
- Gender Issues
- Social Justice- Positive Discrimination in favour of the underprivileged
- Social Movements
- Indian Political System
- Human Development
- Social Sectors in India, Health and Education
- Rural Banking and Financial Institutions – Reforms in Banking and Financial Sector
Based on the PYQ analysis, I have shared with you here the most important, moderately important and least important topics for the ESI (Static) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Important ESI Current Affairs Topics: Schemes, Summits & Economic Data
Following is the list of topics that you must prepare for ESI Current Affairs.
- Flagship Economic Development Schemes: PM-SYM, PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, PMMY, Stand Up India, DDU-GKY, PMEGP, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
- Books and Authors
- Defence: Military Exercises, Equipment
- MoUs + Funding, Banks, Alliance, Membership
- Person in News: Awards, Appointments, Obituaries
- First in News (For ex: an initiative taken for the first time, a national organization’s first event, etc.)
- Summits and Conference
- Current Affairs: Environment and Ecology
- Data by Important Institutes: NITI Aayog, RBI, NABARD, WTO, WB, IMF, ADB, etc.
Similar to the important topics for static subject of ESI shared above, here are the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the ESI (Current Affairs) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
ARD Syllabus for NABARD Grade A 2025: Agronomy, Animal Husbandry & Forestry
The NABARD Grade A notification has the following syllabus for Phase 2 of the exam. It is applicable for Phase 1 also, as the ARD syllabus for both Phases is the same.
Agriculture: Crop Production & Agro-Climatic Zones
Definition, meaning and its branches, Agronomy: definition, meaning and scope of agronomy. Classification of field crops. Factors affecting crop production, Agro-Climatic Zones; Cropping Systems: Definition and types of cropping systems. Problems of dry land agriculture; Seed production, seed processing, seed village; Meteorology: weather parameters, crop-weather advisory; Precision Farming, System of Crop Intensification, organic farming;
Soil and Water Conservation: Erosion Control & Watershed Management
Major soil types, soil fertility, fertilisers, soil erosion, soil conservation, watershed management;
Water Resource Management: Irrigation Types & Techniques
Irrigation Management: types of irrigation, sources of irrigation, crop-water requirement, command area development, water conservation techniques, micro-irrigation, irrigation pumps, major, medium, and minor irrigation.
Farm Engineering: Machinery, Storage & Processing
Farm Machinery and Power, Sources of power on the farm- human, animal, mechanical, electrical, wind, solar and biomass, bio fuels, water harvesting structures, farm ponds, watershed management, Agro Processing, Controlled, and modified storage, perishable food storage, godowns, bins, and grain silos.
Horticulture: Post-Harvest Tech & Value Chain
Definition, meaning and its branches. Agronomic practices and production technology of various plantation and horticulture crops. Post-harvest management, value and supply chain management of Plantation and Horticulture crops.
Animal Husbandry: Breeds, Dairy & Poultry Trends
Farm animals and their role in Indian economy, Animal husbandry methods in India, common terms pertaining to different species of livestock, Utility classification of breeds of cattle. Introduction to common feeds and fodders, their classification, and utility. Introduction to the poultry industry in India (past, present, and future status), Common terms pertaining to poultry production and management. Concept of mixed farming and its relevance to socio-economic conditions of farmers in India. Complementary and obligatory nature of livestock and poultry production with that of agricultural farming.
Fisheries: Aquaculture & Marine Resources
Fisheries resources, management, and exploitation – freshwater, brackish water, and marine; Aquaculture- Inland and marine; biotechnology; post-harvest technology. Importance of fisheries in India. Common terms pertaining to fish production.
Forestry: Social Forestry & Climate Initiatives
Basic concepts of Forest and Forestry. Principles of silviculture, forest mensuration, forest management, and forest economics. Concepts of social forestry, agroforestry, joint forest management. Forest policy and legislation in India, India State of Forest Report 2015. Recent developments under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Agriculture Extensions: KVKs & Tech Dissemination
Its importance and role, methods of evaluation of extension programs, and Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK) in the dissemination of Agricultural technologies.
Climate Change: GHG, Carbon Credits & Policies
Ecology and its relevance to man, natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation. Causes of climate change, Green House Gases (GHG), major GHG emitting countries, climate analysis, distinguishing between adaptation and mitigation, climate change impact to agriculture and rural livelihood, carbon credit, IPCC, UNFCCC, CoP meetings, funding mechanisms for climate change projects, initiatives by Govt of India, NAPCC, SAPCC, INDC.
Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture and Allied Activities
Recent trends, major challenges in agriculture measures to enhance viability of agriculture. Factors of Production in agriculture; Agricultural Finance and Marketing; Impact of Globalization on Indian Agriculture and issues of Food Security; Concept and Types of Farm Management.
Rural Development: Panchayati Raj & MGNREGA
Concept of Rural Area, Structure of the Indian Rural Economy- Importance, and role of the rural sector in India- Economic, Social and Demographic Characteristics of the Indian rural economy, causes of Rural Backwardness.
Rural population in India; Occupational structure, Farmers, Agricultural Labourers, Artisans, Handicrafts, Traders, Forest dwellers/tribes and others in rural India- Trends of change in rural population and rural work force; problems and conditions of rural labour; Issues and challenges in Handlooms
Panchayati Raj Institutions – Functions and Working. MGNREGA, NRLM – Aajeevika, Rural Drinking Water Programmes, Swachh Bharat, Rural Housing, PURA, and other rural development programmes.
Important Note: As I mentioned above, this is just an indicative ARD syllabus. Below, I have mentioned the important static and current affairs topics from the NABARD Grade A ARD syllabus.
Important ARD Static Topics: Soil Health, Schemes & Current Data
Here I am sharing with you the list of important ARD Static topics that you must prepare for the NABARD Grade A exam:
- Agronomy: Production, Definition, & Meaning
- Farming System: Types of Farming
- Types of Soils and Soil Water
- Methods to prevent soil erosion
- Nutrient deficiency and symptoms
- Horticulture: Production and Branches
- Vegetative Propagation and Types
- Major Diseases and Pest
- Post-harvest method
- Animal Husbandry: Breeds, Terminology
- Milk and its properties
- Poultry: Breed and Terminology
- Fisheries: Types and Production
- Aquaculture: Breeds, types, and terminology
- Forestry and Types
- Agriculture Extension Institute and Schemes
Based on the PYQ analysis, I am sharing the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the ARD (Static) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Important ARD Current Affairs Topics: Schemes, Census & Annual Reports
Here I am sharing with you the list of important ARD current affairs topics that you must prepare for the NABARD Grade A exam:
- ARD Schemes of the last 6 months
- Flagship Agriculture Schemes (AIF, PMKSY, PMFBY, PM-KMY, e-NAM, KCC, SHC, PMMSY, NHM)
- Flagship Rural Development Schemes: PMAY-G, PMGSY, NRuM, MGNREGA, JJM, NRLM, DDUGKY
- Census: 2011, SECC, Livestock, Agriculture
- Annual Reports: MoA&FW, AH&D, NABARD, and MSP
- Latest Union Budget
- Latest Economic Survey
- Indian State of Forest Report
- Key Stats of Cooperative Banks
Based on the PYQs analysis, here are the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the ARD (Current Affairs) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 exam.
Now that you have extensive knowledge about the NABARD Grade A Phase 1 syllabus, let’s dive deep into Phase 2.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
NABARD Grade A Phase 2 Syllabus 2025: ESI, ARD & Descriptive English
The NABARD Grade A Phase 2 (Mains) exam is divided into 2 papers of 100 marks each.
- Paper I: Descriptive English
- Paper II: Economic and Social Issues (ESI) + Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD)
Let’s review the subject-wise NABARD Grade A phase 2 syllabus and its important topics.
Descriptive English Syllabus for NABARD Grade A: Essay, Précis & Letter Writing
The Descriptive English exam aims to assess your writing skills, including how well you can express your ideas and your understanding of the topic around which the questions are asked.
Here is the syllabus for descriptive English as per the official notification of NABARD.
- Essay
- Précis writing
- Comprehension
- Business/Office Correspondence
What topics do I study to prepare for descriptive English paper? You may have this question in mind. Let’s find out together.
Descriptive English Prep: Structuring Essays & Précis Tips
The English paper has 3 questions (one question each for essay and precis is asked every time, and one question is asked for either letter writing or a comprehension) and carries 100 marks in total. Selecting important topics to focus on for this subject can be a challenging task.
- The English paper holistically assesses your language proficiency, vocabulary, and topic understanding.
- A well-rounded approach is essential, prioritizing consistent newspaper editorial reading to develop vocabulary and answer typing practice to enhance your writing skills.
NABARD Grade A ESI & ARD Phase 2 Syllabus
As discussed above, the syllabus of ESI and ARD for phase 1 and 2 is the same. However, below, I have mentioned the important topics for the NABARD Grade A Phase 2 ESI and ARD
Let’s first examine the objective section of Paper 2.
Phase 2 ESI/ARD: Integrated Current + Static Topics
Here is a list of essential core topics for ESI and ARD from the syllabus given by NABARD that you must cover for Phase 2. We have also included Current Affairs topics that you need to prioritize.
Important Phase 2 ARD Static Topics: Agronomy, Horticulture & Animal Breeds
- Agronomy: Production, Definition, & Meaning
- Farming System: Types of Farming
- Types of Soils and Soil Water
- Methods to prevent soil erosion
- Nutrient deficiency and symptoms
- Horticulture: Production and Branches
- Vegetative Propagation and Types
- Major Diseases and Pest
- Post-harvest method
- Animal Husbandry: Breeds, Terminology
- Milk and its properties
- Poultry: Breed and Terminology
- Fisheries: Types and Production
- Aquaculture: Breeds, types, and terminology
- Forestry and Types
- Agriculture Extension Institute and Schemes
Based on the PYQs analysis, here are the most important, moderately important, and the least important topics for the ARD (Static) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 2 exam.
Important Phase 2 ARD Current Affairs Topics: Budget, Schemes & Census Data
- ARD Schemes of the last 6 months
- Flagship Agriculture Schemes (AIF, PMKSY, PMFBY, PM-KMY, e-NAM, KCC, SHC, PMMSY, NHM)
- Flagship Rural Development Schemes: PMAY-G, PMGSY, NRuM, MGNREGA, JJM, NRLM, DDUGKY
- Census: 2011, SECC, Livestock, Agriculture
- Annual Reports: MoA&FW, AH&D, NABARD, and MSP
- Latest Union Budget
- Latest Economic Survey
- Indian State of Forest Report
- Key Stats of Cooperative Banks
Based on the PYQs analysis of the NABARD Grade A Phase 2 exam for the subject ARD (Current Affairs), here are the most important, moderately important, and least important topics.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
Important Phase 2 ESI Static Topics: Globalization, Population & Social Justice
- Growth and Development
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India
- Economic History of India – Globalisation and Privatisation
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues.
- Fiscal Policy + Monetary Policy
- Inflation
- Industrial & Labour Policy
- Indian Agriculture
- Regional Economic Cooperation
- International Economic Institutions – IMF and World Bank – WTO
- Opening up of the Indian Economy, Balance of Payments
- Multiculturalism
- Population and Demographic Trends
- Urbanisation and Migration
- Gender Issues
- Social Justice- Positive Discrimination in favour of the underprivileged
- Social Movements
- Indian Political System
- Human Development
- Social Sectors in India, Health and Education
- Rural Banking and Financial Institutions – Reforms in Banking and Financial Sector
Based on the PYQ analysis, here are the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the ESI (Static) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 2 exam.
Important Phase 2 ESI Current Affairs Topics: PLI Schemes, MoUs & Defence Updates
- Flagship Economic Development Schemes: PM-SYM, PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, PMMY, Stand Up India, DDU-GKY, PMEGP, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
- Books and Authors
- Defence: Military Exercises, Equipment
- MoUs + Funding, Banks, Alliance, Membership
- Person in News: Awards, Appointments, Obituaries
- First in News (For ex: an initiative taken for the first time, a national organisation’s first event, etc.)
- Summits and Conference
- Science and Tech
- Sports
- Current Affairs: Environment and Ecology
- Data by Important Institutes: NITI Ayog, RBI, NABARD, WTO, WB, IMF, ADB, etc
I have shared below a list of the most important, moderately important, and least important topics for the ESI (Current Affairs) subject for the NABARD Grade A Phase 2 exam, based on PYQ analysis.
NABARD Grade A Interview 2025: Psychometric Test & Panel Guidelines
Now let’s get to know about the Phase 3 of the NABARD Grade A exam. The third phase of the NABARD Grade A exam is comprised of a psychometric test and an interview.
Psychometric Test: Cognitive Skills & Personality Assessment
After you clear the NABARD Grade A Mains examination, you will be called for a psychometric test. The purpose of this test is to assess your cognitive ability or/and personality traits.
Once you appear for the psychometric test, an evaluation is done based on your performance. This evaluation is probably handed to the interview panel to help them determine if your personality, based on the test, matches your actual personality.
Let’s break down the aspects that will be evaluated during this test:
- Cognitive Skills
- Paying Attention
- Remembering
- Processing
- Analyzing
- Judging and Evaluating
- Reasoning
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Personality Traits
- Openness
- Neuroticism
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
Please Note. This test does not carry any weightage, marks wise.
NABARD Grade A Interview Preparation: Key Questions & Language Tips
- Candidates are selected for the interview based on the Phase 2 marks only.
- The interview is conducted by a panel of senior officers to evaluate the candidate’s overall personality, and it carries a total weightage of 50 marks.
- You can choose between English or Hindi as your preferred language for the interview.
- The final selection decision is made based on the marks you score in the interview in addition to the marks of your Mains exam.
While there is no official syllabus for the interview, here are two primary aspects around which questions are generally asked:
Personality Evaluation: Strengths, NABARD Alignment & Ethics
This section can be further divided into two parts:
- You: Interviewers are known to ask questions about your personality. So, it’s important that you know a lot about yourself.
- Organization (NABARD): One of the primary objectives of the NABARD Grade A interview is to determine if you are compatible with the organization. So, there can be questions about your personality in relation to the organization, such as:
- What do you know about NABARD?
- Why do you want to become a part of NABARD?
Knowledge Assessment: Current Affairs & Core Syllabus
This section can be further divided into two parts:
- Newspaper: You can refer to newspapers to learn more about the economy and world affairs (a high-level overview would do).
- Syllabus: You can revise your entire syllabus to prepare well for your interview. However, this sub-section can be considered low-priority.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Solved PYQs
- Strategy
Final Steps to Ace NABARD Grade A 2025: Revision & Mock Tests
The detailed NABARD Grade A syllabus gives you in-depth knowledge of the subjects and important topics that need your focus.
By learning about the subjects and important topics around which questions are asked in the NABARD Grade A exam, you can customize your NABARD Grade A preparation strategy based on your strengths and weaknesses and boost your chances of clearing the exam.
