Why RBI Grade B Vacancies Are Less? Trends & Expectations

Since 2021, RBI Grade B vacancies have declined from 270 vacancies in 2021 to just 40 vacancies in 2026. 

Although there was a slight increase in 2025, with 83 vacancies announced, the 2026 RBI Grade B notification recorded the lowest number of vacancies in the past decade. This naturally raises an important question: 

Why have RBI Grade B vacancies fallen from 200+ vacancies to just 40? 

In this article, I’ll discuss the possible reasons behind the decline in RBI Grade B vacancies, analyze past vacancy trends, explore future vacancy expectations, and compare RBI Grade B vacancies with those of other regulatory body exams.

Why Is RBI Releasing Less Grade B Vacancies?

To understand the possible reasoning behind the release of less vacancies by RBI, let’s take a look at the RBI Grade B vacancy (Generalist) trend of the past 13 years:

As you can see from the table above, RBI Grade B vacancies declined consistently from 2021 to 2024, falling from 270 vacancies to just 66.

Although vacancies increased slightly to 83 in 2025, the RBI Grade B 2026 notification announced only 40 vacancies for the General (DR) stream, the lowest in the past 10 years. Including the DEPR and DSIM streams, the total number of vacancies stands at 60.

So, what could be the reasons behind this sharp decline in RBI Grade B vacancies? Let’s explore the possible factors.

Reason #1: Heavy Recruitment in the Past 

One possible reason for the lower RBI Grade B vacancies in recent years is the large-scale recruitment conducted between 2021 and 2023:

• 2023 (222 vacancies)
• 2022 (238 vacancies)
• 2021 (270 vacancies)

This was a sharp increase in recruitment compared to previous years, where the number of vacancies did not exceed 166.

A likely reason for this surge was the staffing requirement of the Department of Supervision (DoS), which was established in 2019 by merging three separate supervisory departments: 

• Department of Banking Supervision (DBS)
• Department of Non-Banking Supervision (DNBS)
• Department of Cooperative Bank Supervision (DCBS)

To support the functioning of this newly integrated department, major recruitment was observed in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

By 2024, RBI may have largely completed the initial staffing of the Department of Supervision, leading to fewer vacancies. Although RBI Grade B vacancies increased slightly in 2025, the 2026 notification announced only 40 General vacancies, indicating that RBI’s current recruitment needs are much lower than in previous years.

Reason #2: No Recruitment in 2020 Due to COVID-19

Another possible reason for the unusually high vacancies in 2021–2023 is that RBI did not conduct Grade B recruitment in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, the vacancies that would normally have been filled in 2020 may have accumulated and contributed to the large recruitment drive in the following years.

• 2020: No recruitment
• 2021: 270 vacancies (highest in recent history)
• 2022: 238 vacancies
• 2023: 222 vacancies

After these pending vacancies were filled, RBI may have returned to its usual recruitment levels. This could be one of the reasons why RBI Grade B vacancies have reduced in recent years. 

Reason #3: Regular Internal Promotions

Another possible reason for the lower number of RBI Grade B vacancies is RBI’s strong internal promotion system.

RBI regularly promotes eligible employees to higher positions instead of filling all posts through direct recruitment.

As per the latest RBI promotion policy:

• 50% of Grade B posts are filled through internal promotions from Grade A officers.
• The remaining 50% of posts are filled through direct recruitment.

Since a significant portion of Grade B positions is filled through promotions, fewer vacancies may be available for direct recruitment. This could be one of the reasons why the number of RBI Grade B vacancies has remained low in recent years.

Reason #4: Possibility of RBI Grade A Recruitment

Another factor that may affect RBI Grade B vacancies is the possibility that RBI will resume direct recruitment for Grade A officers in the future.

This possibility comes from settlement-related documents between RBI and employee associations. During discussions, concerns were raised that direct Grade A recruitment could affect the promotion opportunities of existing RBI Assistants.

After these discussions, RBI stated:

“The Direct Recruitment of officers in Grade A may be resumed by the Bank anytime after the date of this Settlement as per the Bank’s requirement, while taking due care of the promotion avenues of Class III staff in the Bank.” 

This statement indicates that RBI has kept the option of direct Grade A recruitment open for future requirements.

If RBI decides to recruit Grade A officers directly, a portion of its manpower requirements may be fulfilled through Grade A recruitment, which could potentially reduce the number of Grade B vacancies.

Important Note: RBI has not indicated that Grade A recruitment would replace Grade B recruitment. If Grade A recruitment resumes, RBI may conduct both recruitments simultaneously, depending on its staffing requirements. 

Will There be Less RBI Grade B Vacancies in 2027?

Based on the vacancy trends discussed above, RBI Grade B vacancies declined significantly from 2021 to 2024, increased slightly in 2025, and then dropped again in 2026.

Looking at the recent trend, the possibility of RBI Grade A recruitment, and RBI’s current staffing requirements, a return to 200+ vacancies seems unlikely in the near future.

While it is impossible to predict the exact number of vacancies, you can expect around 40 to 60 vacancies for the General (DR) stream in the next RBI Grade B recruitment cycle.

Important Note: The exact number of vacancies will be known only when RBI releases the official notification for the next recruitment cycle.

Can RBI Grade B Vacancies Increase Again in the Future?

RBI vacancies depend on manpower requirements, retirements, internal promotions, and organizational needs. If RBI faces higher staffing requirements in the future, vacancies may increase again.

Is the Number of RBI Grade B Vacancies Too Low? Let’s Find Out

To understand this better, let’s compare RBI Grade B vacancies with those of other major regulatory body exams, such as NABARD Grade A, SEBI Grade A, and IRDAI Grade A. 

Key Observation

• Until 2023, RBI Grade B generally offered the highest number of vacancies among the major regulatory body exams.
• In 2024 and 2025, NABARD Grade A offered more vacancies than RBI Grade B. However, despite the decline, RBI Grade B still had the second-highest number of vacancies among these exams.
• In 2026, RBI Grade B announced only 40 vacancies for the General stream, its lowest figure in the past decade. Since the vacancy notifications of other regulatory bodies are yet to be released, a direct comparison for 2026 is not possible at this stage.

What Does This Mean for Aspirants?

Although RBI Grade B vacancies have declined, the opportunity pool becomes much larger when you consider other regulatory body exams alongside RBI Grade B.

The syllabi of RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A, and SEBI Grade A overlap significantly. Therefore, preparing for these exams together can substantially increase your chances of securing a regulatory body job.

For example, in 2025:

• RBI Grade B: 83 vacancies
• NABARD Grade A: 85 vacancies
• SEBI Grade A: 77 vacancies

Together, these exams offered 245 vacancies.

So, instead of focusing only on RBI Grade B vacancies, it is advisable to prepare for multiple regulatory body exams simultaneously. This approach not only expands your opportunities but also allows you to leverage the significant syllabus overlap among these examinations.

Will Less RBI Grade B Vacancies Affect the Cut-offs?

Generally, a decrease in RBI Grade B vacancies can lead to higher cut-offs because more candidates compete for fewer vacancies.

However, vacancies are not the only factor that determines the cut-off. Several other factors also play an important role:

• Difficulty Level of the Exam: If the exam is tougher than previous years, the cut-off may remain stable or even decrease despite lower vacancies.
• Number of Applicants: A higher number of applicants increases competition, which can push the cut-off higher.
• Performance of Candidates: If a large number of candidates score well, the cut-off is likely to increase. Conversely, if the overall performance is weaker, the cut-off may remain lower.

Therefore, while lower vacancies can increase competition, the final RBI Grade B cut-off depends on a combination of vacancies, exam difficulty, number of applicants, and overall candidate performance.

What Next?

Although RBI Grade B vacancies have declined in recent years, the exam remains one of the most prestigious opportunities in the regulatory sector.  

Instead of focusing on vacancy numbers, focus on your preparation. Complete the syllabus early, revise regularly, and practice previous year papers. 

You should also consider preparing for NABARD Grade A, SEBI Grade A, and IRDAI Grade A, as these exams have significant syllabus overlap with RBI Grade B. This can increase both your preparation efficiency and your chances of selection.