RBI Grade B Complete Syllabus

The time window between RBI Grade B Phase 1 and Phase 2 typically falls within 25-30 days.  It is quite challenging for any student to cover the full RBI Grade B Phase 2 syllabus in such a short period. 

While some candidates with a strong background in Economics or Finance and a strong grasp of English have managed to crack the RBI Grade B Phase 2 exam by preparing in this limited time, this is quite a risky approach, which we don’t recommend. To ensure better preparedness, we recommend starting Phase 2 preparation along with Phase 1 preparation.

The RBI Grade B syllabus of ESI & FM does not change every year. In 2023, RBI revised the Phase 2 syllabus by removing some existing topics and adding some new ones. 

In ESI, RBI removed topics like Social Justice- Positive Discrimination in favour of the underprivileged, Social Movements, the Indian political System, Human Development, Social Sectors in India, and Health and Education.

In FM, RBI removed topics like Risk Management in the Banking Sector, Regulator of Banks and Financial Institutions, the Impact of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008, and the Indian response, etc. RBI also included topics like the Role of Information Technology in Banking and Finance, Non-Banking Systems, Developments in Digital Payments, etc. 

Please note that there are some topics in FM where RBI changed the title but the core topic remained the same. For example:

• Reserve Bank of India – functions and conduct of monetary policy changed to Functions of the Reserve Bank of India
• Banking System in India – Structure and concerns, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB, etc., Changing landscape of banking sector changed to Banking System in India – Structure and Developments, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB, NaBFID, etc.

We’ve created a detailed blog post titled “How to Prepare for the RBI Grade B Exam” to help you understand how to cover the RBI Grade B syllabus. In this blog, we break down a 6-month preparation strategy into manageable subject-wise segments, including weekly, daily, and study plans, allowing you to tackle the exam confidently.

RBI recently updated its syllabus in 2023, so it’s highly unlikely that there will be frequent changes. Furthermore, even if changes do occur, we expect the core subjects and topics to remain relatively consistent; however, minor variations or updates may occur.

No, the SSC CGL and RBI Grade B syllabus are different. While Phase 1 subjects share the same subject names (Reasoning, Quant, English, General Awareness) with some topic overlap, the question type and their difficulty level are vastly different.

Moreover, SSC CGL Tier 2 includes quant and English (objective) subjects, whereas RBI Grade B Phase 2 includes ESI, descriptive English, and FM subjects.

The IBPS PO and RBI Grade B Phase 1 syllabus have major similarities. Except for the absence of GA in the IBPS PO exam, both exams have English Language, Reasoning, and Quantitative subjects in the Phase 1 syllabus with almost similar subtopics.

However, both exams have different subjects in Phase 2. IBPS PO Phase 2 includes Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, English Language, Data Analysis and Interpretation, and General, Economy/Banking Awareness subjects. In contrast, RBI Grade B Phase 2 includes ESI, descriptive English, and FM subjects.

The syllabus of RBI Grade B and JAIIB are quite different with the exception of a minor overlap in topics of ESI and FM (RBI Grade B) and Indian Economy & Indian Financial System (JAIIB). These common topics are: Indian Economy, Sectors of the Indian Economy, Economic Planning in India, Globalization, Economic Reforms, Foreign Trade Policy, Climate Change, International Economic Organizations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Fundamentals of Economics, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, Types of Economies, Supply and Demand, Money Supply and Inflation, Monetary Policy and Fiscal Policy, Union Budget, Non-Banking Financial Companies, Indian Financial System, Indian Banking Structure, Financial Markets, Money Markets, Capital and Revenue Expenditure, Ratio Analysis, Balance Sheet Equation, Cash Flow and Funds Flow, etc.

No, the RBI Grade B syllabus is different from the CAIIB syllabus. While CAIIB includes Advanced Bank Management(ABM), Bank Financial Management(BFM), Advanced Business and Financial Management (ABFM), Banking Regulations and Business Laws (BRBL) compulsory subjects, RBI Grade B includes Quant, reasoning, English, and GA (Phase 1) and ESI, FM, and descriptive English (Phase 2) subjects. 

However, some topics are common for both exams, such as Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, Development of Human Resources, Derivative Products, Basel Norms, Basics of Management, and more. 

A significant portion of the SEBI Grade A Paper 1 syllabus of Phase 1 overlaps with the RBI Grade B Phase 1 syllabus. Both have the same subjects—General Awareness (GA), English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability, with almost similar topics. 

The RBI Grade B descriptive English syllabus comprehensively overlaps with the SEBI Grade A descriptive English syllabus with similar topics—essay writing, precis writing, and reading comprehension.

Moreover, the SEBI Grade A Paper 2 (Phase 1 and 2) syllabus includes 6 subjects, out of which some parts of Management, Finance, and Economics subjects overlap with the RBI Grade B Phase 2 syllabus of ESI and FM, such as Fundamentals of Management, Leadership, Human Resource Development, Communication, Financial System, Financial Markets, Basics of Derivatives, Financial Inclusion, Alternate source of finance, Fiscal Policy, Inflation, Balance of Payments, etc.

Yes, some of the UPSC CSE economics syllabus of general studies overlaps with the RBI Grade B economics syllabus. In fact, many aspirants of the civil services exam prepare and crack the RBI manager exam each year. 

Here are some of the common topics: Climate change, poverty alleviation, sustainable development, environmental issues, Indian economy, government budgeting (economic survey and union budget), monetary and fiscal policy, industrial development, globalization, IMF, World Bank, WTO, Regional Economic Co-operation, gender Issues, poverty, social justice, positive discrimination, etc.

It can <strong>vary from person to person. Some candidates find it very difficult while others can crack it in their first attempt. 

The RBI Grade B exam is quite difficult to crack if you:

• Find it difficult to memorize data 
• Do not have an economics or finance background
• Do not have clarity on priority

Cracking the RBI Grade B exam may seem easy for the candidates who:

• • • Can learn to be selective
    • Believe in themselves

   

Have clarity on why you are preparing for the RBI Grade B exam

For more information, read the article “Is RBI Grade B Tough?”

Yes. Many successful candidates come from diverse backgrounds with average marks in graduation, not necessarily finance, economics, or engineering. The key lies in focused preparation and hard work to stand out in the competition.