RBI Grade B exam analysis is crucial to understand subject-wise difficulty levels, evolving question patterns, and topic-wise weightage.
Preparing without analysing RBI Grade B papers may cause you to overprepare low-weightage topics or underestimate high-scoring areas. This often results in a misalignment between preparation strategy and actual exam requirements.
In this article, I’ll share a detailed RBI Grade B exam analysis of the past 5 years along with the cut-off comparison, allowing you to set realistic expectations for upcoming RBI Grade B exams.
RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Analysis of Past 5 Years
Below, you’ll find the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam analysis of the past 5 years, including subject-wise difficulty level, cut-offs, and topics-wise distribution of questions:
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Difficulty Level | |||||
| 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 |
| Overall | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate |
Key Takeaways
- Quantitative Aptitude is mostly difficult, so focus on the basics and attempt selectively.
- Reasoning Ability difficulty changes, so attempt easy and familiar questions first.
- The English Language is mostly moderate, so it can be a scoring section with regular practice.
- General Awareness stays moderate to moderate-difficult, but with a good hold on current affairs, it can be a high-scoring section.
- Overall, the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam remains moderate to difficult, so a smart, subject-wise strategy and balanced preparation are essential.
RBI Grade B Phase 1 Cut-Offs Analysis of Past 5 Years
Below, you’ll find the RBI Grade B cut-off analysis of Phase 1 of the past 5 years:
| RBI Grade B Phase 1 Cut-Off Analysis (General/UR) | |||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Quant (30) | 9 | 7.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Reasoning (60) | 18 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 12 |
| English (30) | 9 | 7.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6 |
| GA (80) | 24 | 20 | 12 | 12 | 16 |
| Overall (200) | 77.50 | 67.25 | 54.25 | 63.75 | 66.75 |
Key Takeaways
- Quant has a low cut-off, so accuracy with selective attempts is enough.
- Reasoning has a high cut-off, making it an important scoring section.
- English has a stable cut-off and can be cleared with basic preparation.
- GA has the highest cut-off and plays a key role in Phase 1 selection.
- The overall cut-off is rising, so balanced performance across all sections is necessary.
RBI Grade B Quant Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the quant analysis of the past 5 years RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise Quant Questions | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Data Interpretation | 13 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 7 |
| Number Series | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Quadratic Equations | 4 | NA | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Data Sufficiency | 3 | NA | 2 | NA | 8 |
| Profit & Loss | 2 | NA | NA | 1 | NA |
| Compound Interest & Simple Interest | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Time & Distance | 1 | 1 | NA | NA | 1 |
| Income & Expenditure | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | NA |
| Time & work | 1 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Quantity Comparison | NA | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Age & Partnership | NA | 1 | 1 | NA | 2 |
| Mensuration 2D | NA | 1 | 1 | NA | NA |
| Ratio & Proportion | NA | 1 | NA | NA | 1 |
| Boat & Stream | NA | NA | 1 | 1 | NA |
| HCF & LCM | NA | NA | 1 | NA | NA |
| Mensuration 3D | NA | NA | NA | 1 | NA |
| Percentage | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Data Interpretation is the most important topic and appears every year with high weightage.
- Number Series and Quadratic Equations are asked regularly and need basic, accurate preparation.
- Arithmetic topics appear irregularly, so selective preparation with clear concepts is enough.
- Topics like Mensuration, HCF–LCM, and Boats & Streams are rarely asked and can be low priority.
RBI Grade B Reasoning Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the reasoning analysis of the past 5 years of RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise Reasoning Questions | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Puzzle | 19 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 10 |
| Seating Arrangement | 9 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 18 |
| Critical Reasoning | 8 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 |
| Input Output | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Data Sufficiency | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Syllogism | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Inequality | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Direction Sense | 3 | 3 | NA | NA | 1 |
| Alphabets | 3 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Coding Decoding | 1 | NA | 5 | NA | 1 |
| Order & Ranking | NA | 3 | NA | NA | 3 |
| Alphanumeric Series | NA | NA | 2 | NA | 2 |
| Blood Relation | NA | NA | NA | 3 | NA |
| Miscellaneous | NA | 3 | NA | NA | NA |
Key Takeaways
- RBI asked the majority of the questions from the Puzzles and Seating Arrangement. Hence, they must be prepared thoroughly.
- Critical Reasoning, Input–Output, Data Sufficiency, and Syllogism appear regularly and need clear concepts and practice.
- Other topics appear irregularly, so Reasoning requires smart topic selection rather than full syllabus coverage.
RBI Grade B English Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the English analysis of the past 5 years of RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise English Questions | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Reading Comprehension | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
| Cloze Test | 6 | NA | NA | NA | 5 |
| Error Detection | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Idiom & Phrase Use | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Words Interchanged | 3 | 3 | 4 | NA | 4 |
| Odd One Out | 2 | NA | NA | 2 | NA |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | NA |
| Correct Usage of Words | 1 | NA | 4 | NA | NA |
| Sentence Combination | 1 | NA | NA | 3 | NA |
| Double Fillers | NA | 4 | NA | 3 | NA |
| Sentence Connector | NA | 3 | NA | 4 | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Reading Comprehension has the highest weightage and is the most important part of the English section.
- Error Detection and Idioms & Phrases are asked regularly, so basic grammar and usage must be clear.
- Other topics vary each year, making English a moderate and scoring section with balanced preparation.
RBI Grade B GA Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the General Awareness analysis of the past 5 years RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise GA Questions | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| General Awareness* | 26 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 31 |
| Static | 14 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 12 |
| ESI Current Affairs | 13 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 13 |
| RBI Notifications | 9 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
| Reports | 8 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 5 |
| Finance Current Affairs | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Schemes | 3 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
| Union Budget | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2 |
*It includes GA topics that are asked exclusively in Phase 1, such as first in news, defense news, sports, science, technology, and space, awards and honors, environment, etc.
Key Takeaways
- GA is mainly current-affairs based, with high weightage from first in news, defence, sports, science & technology, space, and awards.
- Current affairs from ESI, Finance, Reports, and RBI Notifications are also crucial for GA, so regular current affairs preparation is essential.
- Static GA also appears every year, making it a support area that should not be ignored.
RBI Grade B Phase 2 Exam Analysis of Past 5 Years
Below, you’ll find the RBI Grade B Phase 2 exam analysis of the past 5 years, including subject-wise difficulty level, cut-offs, and topics-wise distribution of questions:
| RBI Grade B Phase 2 Difficulty Level | |||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Economic and Social Issues | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Descriptive English | Moderate | Moderate | Easy | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate to Difficult |
| Finance and Management | Moderate | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Overall | Moderate to Difficult | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Key Takeaways
- ESI has become more difficult in recent years, with a greater focus on analytical and current-affairs-based questions.
- Finance and Management show changing difficulty levels, so both concepts and practical understanding are important.
- Descriptive English remains moderate and scoring, but requires clear structure and regular writing practice.
- Overall, the RBI Grade B Phase 2 exam is moderate, requiring balanced preparation across all papers.
RBI Grade B Phase 2 Cut-Offs Analysis of Past 5 Years
Below, you’ll find the RBI Grade B Phase 2 cut-off analysis of the past 5 years:
| RBI Grade B Phase 2 Cut-Off Analysis (General/UR) | |||||
| 2025* | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Phase 2 | – | 173.50 | 169 | 171.25 | 187.75 |
| Final selection | – | 226.75 | 229 | 234.50 | 252.25 |
*The RBI Grade B Phase 2 2025 cut-offs are not available yet and will be released after the final results are declared.
Key Takeaways
- Phase 2 cut-offs have stayed mostly stable over the years, showing a similar difficulty level each year.
- Final selection cut-offs have come down compared to 2021, indicating a change in scoring and exam difficulty level.
RBI Grade B ESI Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the Economics and Social Issues analysis of the past 5 years RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise ESI Questions (Objective) | ||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Government Schemes | 16 | 10 | 12 | 30 |
| ESI Current Affairs | 6 | 3 | 8 | 14 |
| Finance Current Affairs | 5 | NA | NA | NA |
| Reports | 3 | 17 | 3 | 6 |
| ESI Static | NA | NA | 7 | NA |
Key Takeaways
- Government schemes dominate the ESI paper, making them the most important and high-weightage area.
- Current affairs (ESI + Finance) form a major portion, showing a clear shift towards dynamic and application-based questions.
- Static ESI has reduced sharply in recent years, indicating that preparation should be current-affairs heavy with selective static coverage.
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise ESI Questions (Descriptive) | ||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| International Financial Institutions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Current Affairs, Scheme Smart Cities Mission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Monetary Policy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Multiculturalism | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Priorities & Recommendations of Economic Survey and Union Budget | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Gender Issues | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Industrial Developments in India | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Monetary Policy since Reforms of 1991 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Urbanisation and Migration | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Financial System | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Economic History of India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Indian Money and Financial Markets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Social Sectors in India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- ESI Descriptive questions cover a wide range of topics, with no fixed pattern followed every year.
- Current affairs, government schemes, and policy-related themes have gained importance in recent years.
- Social and development issues like poverty, gender, environment, and urbanisation are asked repeatedly.
- Due to changing topics each year, holistic preparation of the ESI syllabus is required rather than selective study.
RBI Grade B Descriptive English Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the Descriptive English analysis of the past 5 years RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise Descriptive English Questions | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Essay | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Precis | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- The pattern of Descriptive English is fixed, with Essay, Precis, and Reading Comprehension asked every year.
- Time management is important, so regular practice is needed to complete the paper on time.
- With no negative marking, Descriptive English offers a high-scoring opportunity and should not be neglected.
RBI Grade B FM Analysis of Past 5 Years
Here is the Finance and Management analysis of the past 5 years of RBI Grade B exams:
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise Finance Questions (Objective) | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Primary and Secondary Market -Debt Market | 3 | 6 | NA | 8 | 13 |
| Alternate Sources of Finance | 3 | NA | 2 | NA | NA |
| Ratio Analysis | 3 | NA | 1 | NA | NA |
| Banking System in India – Structure and Developments | 2 | 4 | NA | 6 | NA |
| Financial Institutions | 2 | NA | 1 | NA | NA |
| Financial Inclusion | 1 | NA | 5 | NA | NA |
| RBI and Its Functions | NA | 1 | NA | NA | NA |
| Non-Banking System | NA | 1 | NA | NA | NA |
| Development in the Digital Payment System | NA | 1 | NA | NA | NA |
| Corporate Governance in the Banking Sector | NA | NA | 5 | NA | NA |
| Fiscal Policy | NA | NA | 1 | NA | NA |
| Forex Market | NA | NA | 1 | NA | NA |
| PPP | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6 |
| FinTech | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6 |
| Union Budget | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3 |
| Changing Landscape in Banking Sector | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1 |
| Miscellaneous | 1 | 4 | NA | 5 | 0 |
Key Takeaways
- Core banking and financial system topics such as debt markets, banking structure, financial institutions, and alternative sources of finance appear consistently, making them priority areas.
- Topic weightage varies significantly year to year, indicating that Finance requires broad-based preparation rather than selective study.
- Recent trends show a growing focus on practical and application-based areas like ratio analysis, financial inclusion, and digital payment systems, reflecting real-world relevance.
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise Management Questions (Objective) | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| General Management | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ethics | 3 | NA | 2 | 1 | NA |
| Motivation | 1 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Communication | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Leadership | NA | 1 | 2 | NA | NA |
| Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Behaviour | NA | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 |
| Corporate Governance | NA | NA | 1 | 8 | NA |
| Personality and Perception | NA | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fundamental of Organisational Behavior | NA | NA | NA | 6 | 4 |
| Organisational Change | NA | NA | NA | 1 | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- General Management and Motivation consistently carry higher weightage, making them the most important topics to prepare.
- Ethics and Communication appear regularly, indicating the need for conceptual clarity in value-based and behavioural areas.
- Several topics show year-wise variation, suggesting that Management requires conceptual understanding across the syllabus rather than selective preparation.
| RBI Grade B Topic-wise FM Questions (Descriptive) | |||||
| Topics | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Communication | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Organization Change | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Functions of RBI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Role of IT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Financial Institutions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Union Budget | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ethics | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Leadership | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Risk Management | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Basics of Derivatives | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equity | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Current Affairs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Personality & Perception | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| General Management | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| FinTech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Global Financial Crisis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Concept of Reinforcement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Corporate Governance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- FM Descriptive questions cover many topics and do not follow a fixed pattern each year.
- Current affairs and areas like IT, FinTech, and policy issues have become more important.
- Ethics and Communication are asked regularly, so basic concepts must be clear.
- Since topics change every year, overall FM preparation is needed rather than selective study.
Final Thoughts
The RBI Grade B exam analysis of the past 5 years shows that the exam is competitive and strategy-driven. Phase 1 demands accuracy and strong current affairs preparation, while Phase 2 focuses on conceptual clarity, analysis, and writing skills.
For effective RBI Grade B preparation, you should prioritise these high-weightage topics, revise current affairs regularly, practise descriptive answers, and take exam-oriented mock tests to improve your chances of selection.
