The first shift of the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 Exam concluded at 10:30 AM on 13 June 2026.
Based on feedback from aspirants who appeared for the exam, the overall difficulty level was moderate and largely in line with last year’s paper. The exam pattern and question types were largely in line with previous years, with no major surprises for well-prepared aspirants.
To get a clearer picture, I spoke with several candidates who appeared in the first shift. Based on their feedback, I have analysed the subject-wise difficulty level of the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam and compared it with previous years.
RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis 2026: Overall Difficulty Level
The overall difficulty level of the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 exam was Moderate.
For comparison, here is the overall difficulty level of the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam over the last 6 years:
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis Overall Difficulty Level (Past 5 Years) | |
| 2021 | Moderate |
| 2022 | Difficult |
| 2023 | Difficult |
| 2024 | Moderate |
| 2025 | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2026 | Moderate |
- Decoded Syllabus
- Cut-off Marks
- Subject-wise Sources
- Solved PYQs (since 2019)
RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis 2026: Subject-wise Difficulty Level
Here is the subject-wise difficulty level of the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 exam:
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis Subject-wise Difficulty Level | |
| Subject | Difficulty Level |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | Moderate to Difficult |
| English Language | Moderate |
| General Awareness | Moderate |
Key Takeaways
The overall difficulty level of the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 Exam was Moderate.
Quantitative Aptitude (Moderate)
- The Quant section was of moderate difficulty.
- Unlike last year, which featured 4 questions on Quadratic Equations, this year’s paper included questions on Simplification and Approximation.
- Three Data Interpretation sets were asked:
- Table DI
- Line Graph/Table DI
- Caselet DI
- Good Attempts: 10–12 questions
English Language (Moderate)
- The English section was easier than last year.
- Most questions were lengthy and required careful reading.
- Good Attempts: Around 20 questions
Reasoning Ability (Moderate to Difficult)
- The Reasoning section was moderate to difficult.
- The question pattern was largely similar to previous years.
- No new or unexpected topic was introduced.
- Candidates familiar with RBI Grade B reasoning patterns would have found the section manageable.
- Good Attempts: 25+ questions
General Awareness (Moderate)
- The GA section was not as lengthy as last year’s paper.
- Around 5–6 questions were directly related to RBI notifications and circulars.
- Like previous years, very few questions were asked from government schemes.
- The section was dominated by:
- Static GK
- Phase 1 specific GA
- Most current affairs questions were from March, April, and May 2026.
- Good Attempts: 35–40 questions
Expected Overall Good Attempts: 95–100+ questions, depending on accuracy.
For comparison, the table below shows the subject-wise difficulty levels of the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam over the past 5 years.
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Difficulty Level (Past 5 Years) | |||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Quant | Moderate to Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate |
| Reasoning | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate |
| English | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Difficult |
| GA | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate | Moderate |
- Decoded Syllabus
- Cut-off Marks
- Subject-wise Sources
- Solved PYQs (since 2019)
Conclusion
Based on the initial feedback from candidates, the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 Exam was of moderate difficulty overall. Among all sections, Reasoning Ability was the most challenging and ranged from moderate to difficult, while General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language were of moderate difficulty.
While the exact cut-off will depend on factors such as the number of vacancies, exam difficulty, and candidate performance, aspirants who maintained a balanced attempt with good accuracy should remain optimistic.
As more detailed feedback becomes available, I will share a detailed topic-wise breakdown of all subjects, including the number of questions asked from each topic, section-wise analysis, and good attempts.
