RBI Grade A Exam Pattern 2025: Phase 1, Phase 2, & Interview

Knowing the RBI Grade A exam pattern is crucial for all aspirants, whether exploring multiple exams to choose the best for you or are already interested in this exam. 

While the RBI assistant manager exam pattern has not been released yet, it’s expected to follow a 3-phase process (Phase 1, Phase 2, and Interview), similar to other regulatory body exams.

In this article, I’ll cover the key details of the expected RBI Grade A exam pattern to help you understand the: 

• Total number of papers 
• Number of subjects
• Marking scheme: Maximum marks, negative marking, etc.
• Number of questions
• Mode of the exam
• Language of the exam
• Overall and sectional timing

So, let’s dive into the latest RBI Grade A exam pattern and syllabus.

RBI Grade A Exam Pattern 2025 

Before I explain the expected RBI Grade A exam pattern, it’s important to note that the official RBI Grade A notification for generalist posts has not yet been released. 

You can check out the official RBI Grade A pattern of specialist posts on pages 6 to 9.

My team of experts at EduTap and I have analyzed the exam patterns of other regulatory body exams (RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A, SEBI Grade A, etc.)  to gain insights into the expected pattern for the RBI assistant manager 2025 exam.

Based on our analysis, here are the 3 possibilities for the RBI Grade A officer exam pattern.

Now, before understanding these patterns in detail, let’s understand the analysis behind these expected RBI Grade A exam patterns.

Regulatory Body Exam Pattern Comparison

Here’s an analysis of the exam patterns for other regulatory body exams:

As you can see, all these regulatory body exams share a common pattern, with most taking the RBI Grade B exam structure as a foundation. Here’s how the various exams have adapted it to fit their specific requirements:

• NABARD Grade A: NABARD closely followed the RBI Grade B exam pattern but added subjects like Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), Economic and Social Issues (ESI), Computer Knowledge, and Decision Making in Phase 1.
  • ARD was also included in Phase 2, reflecting NABARD’s focus as an agricultural organization.
• SEBI Grade A: SEBI adopted the RBI Grade B pattern and made Grade B Phase 1 its Phase 1 Paper 1, and incorporated its core subjects—Company Law, Accounts, Costing, Finance, Management, and Economics in Phase 1 Paper 2.
  • Additionally, it included its core subjects in Phase 2 to broaden the exam’s scope
• IRDAI Grade A: IRDAI retained the core structure of the RBI Grade B exam pattern and introduced Insurance as an additional subject in Phase 2 to reflect its specialized focus
• PFRDA Grade A: PFRDA followed SEBI’s exam pattern while adding Pension as a core subject to align with its area of expertise.

Based on this analysis, here is the RBI Grade A exam pattern you can expect in the 2025 exam.

Expected RBI Grade A Pattern

It is expected that the selection procedure of the RBI Grade A 2025 exam consists:

• Phase 1 (Pre)
• Phase 2 (Mains)
• Phase 3 (Interview)

Below, I have explained the expected RBI Grade A Phase 1, Phase 2, and interview patterns in detail. So, let’s start with understanding the expected RBI Grade A Phase 1 2025 pattern.

Expected RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam Pattern

There could be 3 pattern possibilities for the RBI Grade A Phase 1 pattern: 

1. RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam Pattern (Possibility 1)

RBI could adopt a pattern similar to NABARD Grade A for Phase 1 by including 1 paper of 200 questions, where:

• Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and English (QRE) would serve as a qualifying section.
• General Awareness, Finance & Management (FM), and Economics would be a merit-based section that determines the candidates’ scores.

2. RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam Pattern (Possibility 2)

RBI could follow a pattern similar to SEBI Grade A for Phase 1 by conducting 2 separate papers: one for qualifying sections and the other for merit-based sections.

• Paper 1: A qualifying paper comprising Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and English (QRE).
• Paper 2: A merit-based paper focusing on Finance & Management (FM), Economic & Social Issues (ESI), and General Awareness (GA).

3. RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam Pattern (Possibility 3)

RBI might adopt the same exam pattern as RBI Grade B for RBI Grade A, i.e., 4 subjects, including Quant, Reasoning, English, and General Awareness. But the difficulty level of the questions will be comparatively easier than the RBI Grade B exam.

Additional Details of RBI Grade A Phase 1 Pattern 2025

Based on the above discussion, we can expect the following:

Mode of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• RBI is expected to conduct the Grade A Assistant Manager Phase 1 exam online.

Paper Structure of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• The RBI Grade A prelims exam is expected to consist of objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs).

Nature of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• The RBI Grade A Phase 1 exam will be qualifying in nature. 
• This means the marks from this phase won’t count toward your final selection—just clearing the cut-off is enough to move forward.

Paper Language of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• You’ll get the flexibility to choose between Hindi and English to answer most of the questions, except for the English Language section, which is only available in English.

Total Number of Questions of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• The RBI Grade A prelims exam is expected to consist of 200 questions, with each question carrying 1 mark, making it a total of 200 marks.

Total Marks of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• For the total marks in RBI Grade A 2025, Phase 1 will likely carry a maximum of 200 marks, based on previous patterns.

Cut-Off Marks of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• The overall and sectional cut-off marks would be decided as per the calling ratio, which varies each year depending on the difficulty level of the exam and the number of candidates.

Negative Marking of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• Similar to any other regulatory body exams, RBI will likely implement negative marking for incorrect answers in the RBI Grade A Phase 1. 
• Each wrong answer may result in a penalty of 1/4th marks. 

Duration of the RBI Grade A Phase 1 Exam

• You are likely to get a total of 2 hours to complete the RBI Grade A Phase 1 exam, based on the format of the other regulatory body exams. 
• There may be sectional timing for each subject, so it’s important to manage time efficiently. 

Now, let’s discuss the expected RBI Grade Phase 2 pattern in detail.

Expected RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam Pattern

There could be 2 pattern possibilities for the RBI Grade A Phase 2 pattern: 

1. RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam Pattern (Possibility 1)

RBI could follow the exam pattern of NABARD Grade A or SEBI Grade A, consisting of 2 papers:

• Paper 1: Descriptive English.
• Paper 2: Finance & Management (FM) and Economic & Social Issues (ESI).

2. RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam Pattern (Possibility 2)

RBI might adopt the same Phase 2 exam pattern as RBI Grade B for RBI Grade A, with 3 individual papers, but with a comparatively easier difficulty level for the questions.

• Paper 1: Descriptive English.
• Paper 2: Finance & Management (FM) 
• Paper 3: Economic & Social Issues (ESI)

Important Note: It is expected that FM and ESI papers will include both objective and descriptive sections. 

Additional Details of RBI Grade A Phase 2 Pattern 2025

Based on the above discussion, we can expect the following:

Mode of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

• The RBI is expected to conduct the Grade A Assistant Manager Phase 2 exam online.

Type of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

It is expected that the Phase 2 exam of the RBI Grade A exam will include both objective and descriptive sections.

Paper Language of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

• You’ll get the flexibility to choose between Hindi and English to answer most of the questions, except for the English Language section, which is only available in English.

Total Marks of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

• The RBI Grade A mains exam is expected to be worth 300 marks (if it consists of 3 papers) or 200 marks (if it consists of 2 papers), depending on the pattern chosen by RBI.

Cut-Off Marks of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

• Cut-off marks of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 exam will be decided as per the calling ratio.

Negative Marking of the RBI Grade A Phase 2 Exam

• Similar to the RBI Grade A Phase 1 exam, we can expect ¼ negative marking in the objective section of the Phase 2 exam pattern. 
• However, there will be no negative marking for the descriptive section.

Candidates who qualify the RBI Assistant Manager Phase 2 exam are shortlisted for an interview.  

RBI Grade A Expected Interview Pattern 2025

Like NABARD Grade A and RBI Grade B, there is a high chance that RBI will include interviews as the final stage of the RBI Grade A officer selection process. So, you can expect a Psychometric test and an interview. Below, I have mentioned the details:

RBI Grade A Psychometric Test Pattern (Expected)

Here is what you can expect in the Psychometric test:

• Mode: The psychometric test is online for the RBI Grade B exam; we can expect the same for the RBI Grade A exam.
• Language Options: There will be multiple languages to choose from, as in the RBI Grade A, you can take the test in English or any of the 9 other Indian languages you’re proficient in.
• Number of Questions: Expect 100-120 questions to assess your personality and behavioral traits.
• Marks: Usually, no marks are allotted for the psychometric test.
• Duration: Ideally, the test should take 15 to 20 minutes. 

RBI Grade A Interview Pattern (Expected)

• Mode: The interview is usually conducted in person at various exam centers.
• Language Options: You can expect to take the interview in Hindi or English, depending on your preference.
• Number of Questions: The number of questions varies depending on the panel.
• Marks: So, you can expect either 70 or 50 marks as the RBI Grade B interview carries a weightage of 75 marks, while the NABARD Grade A interview is worth 50 marks. 
• Duration: The interview typically lasts between 20 and 45 minutes.

Final Selection as RBI Grade A Officer

The final RBI Grade A selection process is expected to be similar to most regulatory body exams. Hence, the final RBI Grade A selection will likely be based on the aggregate marks obtained in Phase 2 and the interview.

Conclusion

While the official RBI Grade A 2025 notification is yet to be released, we expect the exam to follow a structure similar to other regulatory body exams, covering subjects like Quant, Reasoning, English, General Awareness, Descriptive English, Finance, Management, and ESI. By now, I hope you have a clear idea of what to expect from the RBI Assistant Manager pattern, which will help you:

• Choose the right study materials
• Prioritize on high-weightage topics
• Manage time effectively during the exam
• Create a focused and strategic study plan
• Reduce stress and anxiety