Detailed RBI Grade B Syllabus: Phase 1, Phase 2, and Interview

Dreaming of a career with the Reserve Bank of India? Clearing the exam for the post of RBI Grade B officer will get you there. But what do you need to clear it? Hard work for sure, but even before that, what you need most is the detailed RBI Grade B syllabus. 

Why detailed? 

“Isn’t the RBI Grade B syllabus in the official notification enough?”

No, it is not. Why?

Let’s find out in this article, which will break down the RBI Grade B syllabus of each stage of the exam. We’ll also give you a realistic timeline for this exam’s preparation. Plus, you’ll find a few unique insights around the RBI Grade B syllabus.

What is the RBI Grade B Syllabus 2025? Let’s Break it Down!

Let us first start with answering the question of why the RBI Grade B manager syllabus in the official notification is not enough. 

If you check the notification, there’s nothing mentioned for the RBI Grade B Phase 1 syllabus except for just subject names. 

If you talk about RBI Grade B Phase 2 syllabus, the topics mentioned are merely indicative. So, reading the syllabus from the notification alone wont help you. 

“What will help, then?” 

A detailed RBI Grade B syllabus, which I have given below. You can get started right away for RBI Grade B 2025 preparation without searching for it elsewhere.

To check the official syllabus, you can find it in the official RBI Grade B notification 2024.

RBI Grade B Detailed Syllabus: Phase 1

Phase 1 is objective: 200 questions, 200 marks, 120 minutes. It has four sections (Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, and General Awareness) with separate sectional timings. 

Let’s discuss the complete syllabus of each section. 

Reasoning

The reasoning section consists of 60 questions that you will have to attempt in 45 minutes. 

Here is the complete list of RBI Grade B reasoning syllabus topics:

1. Alphabetical, Alphanumeric Series
2. Coding & Decoding
3. Syllogism
4. Direction Sense
5. Inequality
6. Ranking
7. Blood Relation
8. Seating Arrangement
9. Puzzles
10. Machine Input Output
11. Statement – Assumption
12. Statement – Course of Action
13. Cause and Effect
14. Statement Argument
15. Statement Conclusion
16. Data Sufficiency 

You can read more about this by clicking on the RBI Grade B Reasoning syllabus. 

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B reasoning syllabus for the 2025 phase 1 exam.

Quantitative Aptitude (Maths)

The most talked-about section in the RBI Grade B Phase 1, which many candidates find hard to crack, is Quantitative Aptitude. 

You will find 30 questions from the following topics, which you have to attempt in 25 minutes.

1. Percentage
2. Profit & Loss, Discount
3. Ratio & Proportion
4. Simplification
5. Simple & Compound Interest
6. Time & Work
7. Pipes & Cistern
8. Number Series & Number System
9. Time, Speed, & Distance 
10. Trains & Boats
11. Mixture
12. Average
13. Ages
14. Partnership
15. Area, Volume
16. Probability
17. Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency
18. Quadratic Equation
19. Quantity Comparison

For more details, click on the RBI Grade B Quantitative Aptitude syllabus. 

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B Quantitative Aptitude syllabus for the 2025 phase 1 exam.

English

The English section in the RBI Grade B is undoubtedly the most scoring. Historically, the English section has helped many candidates clear the final cutoff of the RBI Grade B phase 1. 

You will be given 30 questions to solve in 25 minutes, and these questions will be asked from the following topics:

1. Grammar
2. Error Spotting
3. Sentence Improvement
4. Comprehension Ability
5. Comprehension passage
6. Cloze Test
7. Rearrangement
8. Para Jumbles
9. Double Fillers
10. Vocabulary – Synonyms, Antonyms, One-word Substitution, and Phrasal Verbs

To know more about the syllabus of English, visit our article on the RBI Grade B English syllabus. 

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B English syllabus for the 2025 phase 1 exam.

General Awareness (GA)

The General Awareness section is again one of the highest-scoring sections. It has the highest weightage (80 questions, 25 marks) amongst all the phase 1 sections. 

The RBI Grade B General Awareness syllabus can be broadly divided into two categories:

• Static GA
• GA Current Affairs

Below is the list of category-wise topics for General Awareness. You need to read each and every news related to these topics from the last 4-5 months of the Phase 1 exam. 

GA Current Affairs

1. National News: MoUs, summits, and major events related to India.
2. International: Summits and conferences held abroad.
3. Financial & Economics News
4. Financial Awareness: RBI and SEBI Notification and Regulations
5. Defence: Military exercises, drills, and major updates related to the defence sector of India
6. Days in News: Major events or days, along with their date and theme
7. Persons in News: Obituaries, appointments, retirements
8. Sports: Major tournaments and their winners
9. Science, Technology, and Space
10. Awards and Honours
11. Environment
12. Banking, Economy-related news
13. Reports and Government Schemes
14. Books and Authors

GA Static

1. Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers
2. National Parks and Sanctuaries
3. Airport Locations, Stadiums
4. Organisations’ Headquarters
5. Banks’ Headquarters and Taglines
6. Power Plants in India
7. Indian Dance Forms
8. Countries’ Capitals, and their Currencies
9. Important Days

Visit our RBI Grade B GA syllabus article to get more details. 

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B General Awareness syllabus for the 2025 phase 1 exam.

RBI Grade B Detailed Syllabus: Phase 2

Phase 2 mixes objective and descriptive papers, totaling 300 marks. 

It has three papers: Papers 1 (Economic and Social Issues) and 3 (Finance & Management) combine objective (50 marks) and descriptive (50 marks). 

Paper 2 (Descriptive English) is fully descriptive.

Let us look at the official RBI Grade B officer syllabus of each paper for Phase 2. 

Economic and Social Issues (ESI) 

Economic and Social Issues (ESI) is a highly unpredictable paper. The reason is that 90% of the questions in this paper are current affairs based. 

However, the RBI provides you with a syllabus with some static topics in the official notification, which I have mentioned below. 

• Growth and Development: Measurement of growth: National Income and per capita income – Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India – Sustainable Development and Environmental issues.

• Indian Economy: Economic History of India – Changes in Industrial and Labour Policy, Monetary and Fiscal Policy since reforms of 1991 – Priorities and recommendations of Economic Survey and Union Budget – Indian Money and Financial Markets: Linkages with the economy – Role of Indian banks and Reserve Bank in the development process – Public Finance – Political Economy – Industrial Developments in India- Indian Agriculture – Services sector in India.

• Globalization: Opening up of the Indian Economy – Balance of Payments, Export-Import Policy – International Economic Institutions – IMF and World Bank – WTO – Regional Economic Co-operation; International Economic Issues

• Social Structure in India: Multiculturalism – Demographic Trends – Urbanisation and Migration – Gender Issues

As you can see here clearly, the official Phase 2 ESI syllabus is just indicative.

We have broken down this syllabus further in our RBI Grade B ESI syllabus article, which will give you a clear idea of what to cover. 

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B ESI syllabus for the 2025 phase 2 exam.

Descriptive English

The Descriptive English is widely considered to be the paper that boosts your Phase 2 marks. 

In case you score low in the other 2 papers, Descriptive English marks can compensate for that if you perform well in this paper.

There is no defined descriptive English syllabus mentioned in the official RBI Grade B notification. To help you better understand the complete RBI Grade B syllabus for Descriptive English, here’s a simple breakdown. 

Generally, 3 questions are asked from the following topics:

• Essay

5 topics are given, out of which you have to choose one and write on it in about 400-600 words.  

• Precis Writing

A passage of about 400-600 words is given, which you will need to summarize in 170-180 words.

• Reading Comprehension:

A passage will be given, based on which 5 questions will be given. You need to write short descriptive answers to those questions.

To get complete information on this paper, visit our RBI Grade B Descriptive English syllabus article.

Finance & Management (FM)

Generally considered an easy paper, the Finance & Management paper is mainly static. A few questions from Finance are based on current affairs. 

The Management subject is completely static and quite easy for anyone to understand. 

Below is the RBI Grade B manager syllabus of Finance and Management mentioned in the official RBI Grade B notification.

Finance

1. Financial System

• Structure and Functions of Financial Institutions
• Functions of the Reserve Bank of India
• Banking System in India – Structure and Developments, Financial Institutions – SIDBI, EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB, NaBFID, etc.
• Recent Developments in the Global Financial System and its Impact on Indian Financial System
• Role of Information Technology in Banking and Finance
• Non-Banking System
• Developments in Digital Payments

2. Financial Markets

• Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity, etc.), functions, instruments, and recent developments

3. General Topics

• Financial Risk Management
• Basics of Derivatives
• Global financial markets and International Banking – broad trends and latest developments
• Financial Inclusion
• Alternate source of finance, private and social cost-benefit, Public-Private Partnership
• Corporate Governance in the Banking Sector
• The Union Budget – Concepts, approach, and broad trends
• Basics of Accounting and Financial Statements – Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss, Cash Flow Statements, Ratio Analysis (such as Debt to Equity, Debtor Days, Creditor Days, Inventory Turnover, Return on Assets, Return on Equity, etc.)
• Inflation: Definition, trends, estimates, consequences, and remedies (control): WPI- CPI – components and trends; striking a balance between inflation and growth through monetary and fiscal policies

The image below will let you know the most important, moderately important, and least important topics of the RBI Grade B syllabus for Finance for the 2025 phase 2 exam.

Management

Fundamentals of Management & Organizational Behaviour:

• Introduction to management; Evolution of management thought: Scientific, Administrative, Human Relations and Systems approach to management; Management functions and Managerial roles; Nudge theory 

• Meaning & concept of organizational behaviour; Personality: meaning, factors affecting personality, Big Five model of personality; concept of reinforcement; Perception: concept, perceptual errors. Motivation: Concept, importance, Content theories (Maslow’s need theory, Alderfers’ ERG theory, McCllelands’ theory of needs, Herzberg’s two factor theory) & Process theories (Adams equity theory, Vrooms expectancy theory). 

Leadership:

• Concept, Theories (Trait, Behavioural, Contingency, Charismatic, Transactional and Transformational Leadership; Emotional Intelligence: Concept, Importance, Dimensions. Analysis of Interpersonal Relationship: Transactional Analysis, Johari Window; Conflict: Concept, Sources, Types, Management of Conflict; Organizational Change: Concept, Kurt Lewin Theory of Change; Organizational Development (OD): Organisational Change, Strategies for Change, Theories of Planned Change (Lewin’s change model, Action research model, Positive model).

Ethics at the Workplace and Corporate Governance:

• Meaning of ethics, why ethical problems occur in business. Theories of ethics: Utilitarianism: weighing social cost and benefits, Rights and duties, Justice and fairness, ethics of care, integrating utility, rights, justice and caring, an alternative to moral principles: virtue ethics, teleological theories, egoism theory, relativism theory, Moral issues in business: Ethics in Compliance, Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, etc. Ethical Principles in Business: Introduction, Organization Structure and Ethics, Role of Board of Directors, Best Practices in Ethics Programme, Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, etc.

Corporate Governance:

• Factors Affecting Corporate Governance; Mechanisms of Corporate Governance 

Communication

• Steps in the Communication Process; Communication Channels; Oral versus Written Communication; Verbal versus non-verbal Communication; upward, downward and lateral communication; Barriers to Communication, Role of Information Technology.

Now, you might think that the official RBI Grade B full syllabus for FM is quite comprehensive. We would say it is still not complete. Questions from topics that are not directly mentioned in this official RBI Grade B syllabus have shown up in the past RBI Grade B papers. 

Visit this RBI Grade B FM syllabus article to check out the complete topic breakdown of the official syllabus.

RBI Grade B Interview Syllabus

The official notification for the RBI Grade B 2025 exam has not yet been released. However, we can take a look at the structure based on the 2024 notification to understand what you can expect in the interview. 

RBI Grade B interview consists of a psychometric test and interview. For the psychometric test and interview, the official RBI Grade B syllabus has not been specified, but here’s what we know so far:

Psychometric Test

The psychometric test is designed to assess your personality traits. You’ll be given a series of statement-based questions where you’ll need to choose one of five responses:

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

These questions are meant to evaluate how you view yourself in various situations, particularly in the context of work and team dynamics. Here are some sample questions you might encounter:

• I never make a mistake at work.
• I prefer working alone rather than as part of a team.
• I need little to no supervision to complete my tasks.
• I enjoy being a leader.

Interview

During the interview, the panelists will ask you questions related to your educational background, work experience (if applicable), hobbies, and current events. 

The goal is to assess your overall suitability for the RBI Grade B role and how well you can handle the responsibilities it entails.

If you want to know more about how RBI Grade B interviews are conducted, you can see our Success Stories section.

Does the RBI Grade B Syllabus Change Every Year?

Back in 2019, the RBI Grade B used to be a completely objective exam. The exam didn’t happen in 2020 due to COVID, and in 2021, the first big change happened in the pattern. 

In 2021, the RBI introduced descriptive answer writing in Phase 2 ESI and FM papers. Since then, the RBI has made minor changes in the detailed syllabus of RBI Grade B, which were not very significant. 

However, you must know what topics were added or deleted below in the past 4 years to get a fair idea about the RBI Grade B official syllabus 2025. 

These were very minor changes made by the RBI in the RBI Grade B syllabus that happened in just 2 of the last 4 years. There has been no discussion until now regarding any syllabus changes likely to happen in the RBI Grade B Manager syllabus 2025.

How Much Time Will it Take to Cover the RBI Grade B Syllabus?

With 6 months of dedicated study at 4-5 hours daily, you can confidently cover everything in the RBI Grade B officer syllabus. This timeline fits most aspirants, whether you’re starting fresh or have some background in banking exams. 

If you’re new, you might need a bit more time to tackle topics like ESI or Finance, but it’s totally doable. For those with some prep, you can focus on sharpening skills like current affairs and descriptive writing. 

The RBI Grade B manager syllabus is certainly broad but manageable. Stay consistent, and you’ll be ready to clear this exam in 6 months. 

Comparing the RBI Grade B Syllabus with Other Exams

I hope you are well-versed with the RBI Grade B complete syllabus. However, you must have a question in your mind: “How does RBI Grade B syllabus compare with other exams?”. 

This section will answer your question by comparing syllabi of other popular exams with the RBI Grade B syllabus. 

By the end of this section, you will be informed enough to choose an exam that aligns with your strength and career goals.

SBI PO vs RBI Grade B Syllabus

• Phase 1:
  
  • Both include Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and English Language with similar topics (e.g., puzzles, data interpretation, reading comprehension).
    
  • RBI Grade B includes General Awareness (80 questions, economy-heavy), absent in SBI PO Prelims. SBI PO has 100 questions (35 Quant, 35 Reasoning, 30 English). RBI has 200.
    
• Phase 2:
  
  • SBI PO covers Data Analysis & Interpretation, Reasoning, English, and General/Economic/Banking Awareness, with a descriptive English test (letter/essay).
    
  • RBI Grade B focuses on ESI, FM, and descriptive English, requiring deeper knowledge of economics and finance, absent in SBI PO.
    
• Interview:
  
  • SBI PO includes a Group Discussion and Interview, while RBI Grade B has only an Interview with a psychometric test.
    

RBI Grade B is more specialized (economics, finance), while SBI PO is broader but less technical.

To know more about the exams’ syllabus comparison, head to our SBI PO vs RBI Grade B Syllabus article.   

SEBI Grade A vs RBI Grade B Syllabus

• Phase 1:
  
  • SEBI Grade A has two papers: Paper 1 (General Awareness, English, Quant, Reasoning) is similar to RBI Grade B Phase 1.
    
  • Paper 2 (commerce, accountancy, finance, management) overlaps with RBI’s FM and ESI.
    
• Phase 2: 
  • SEBI Grade A has 2 Papers in Phase 2. Paper 1 (Descriptive English) and Paper 2 (Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, and Economics) leans more towards commerce. RBI’s ESI and FM are broader, focusing on economy and banking.
    
  • Both have descriptive English.
    
• Interview:
  • Similar focus on domain knowledge and personality.
    

SEBI Grade A requires deeper specialization in streams, while RBI Grade B emphasizes national economy and banking policy.

To get more details about the exams’ syllabus comparison, read our SEBI Grade A vs RBI Grade B Syllabus article.   

NABARD Grade A vs RBI Grade B Syllabus

• Phase 1:
  
  • NABARD includes Quant, Reasoning, English, General Awareness which is common in RBI Grade B. The Agriculture & Rural Development, Economic and Social Issues, Decision Making and Computer Knowledge in NABARD Grade A are unique.
     
  • RBI’s General Awareness is more focused on national economy. NABARD’s General Awareness is more rural economy based. 
    
• Phase 2:
  
  • NABARD’s ESI and Agriculture/Rural Development papers overlap with RBI’s ESI but focus heavily on rural economy.
    
  • RBI’s FM is unique.
    
• Interview:
  
  • Both assess domain knowledge, but NABARD emphasizes rural development.

NABARD is ideal for rural economy enthusiasts, while RBI suits those interested in central banking.

To get more information on how the exams’ syllabi compare with each other, read our NABARD Grade A vs RBI Grade B Syllabus article.

UPSC CSE vs RBI Grade B Syllabus

• Prelims:
  
  • UPSC CSE tests General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy) and CSAT (quant, reasoning, comprehension).
    
  • RBI Phase 1 is narrower, focusing on banking and current affairs.
    
• Mains:
  
  • UPSC’s General Studies (GS) papers, especially GS-III (economy), overlap with RBI’s ESI (e.g., monetary policy, globalization).
     
  • UPSC’s syllabus is vast, covering governance, international relations, and essays, unlike RBI’s specialized ESI, FM, and English.
    
• Interview:
  
  • UPSC assesses broad knowledge and personality, while RBI focuses on banking and economics.

UPSC CSE is broader and more demanding, while RBI Grade B is specialized for banking aspirants. RBI Grade B is also a great Plan B for UPSC CSE aspirants.

Know more about these exams’ syllabus comparison in our UPSC CSE vs RBI Grade B Syllabus article.

Begin Your RBI Grade B Prep Today

Alright, you’ve got the entire RBI Grade B syllabus now. Every phase, every topic, plus how the RBI Grade B detailed syllabus compares with other exams! Ready to jump into prep? This article has everything you need to cover for this exam. 

With a solid study plan and steady effort, the coverage of the RBI Grade B complete syllabus is easy. All you need to ask yourself is “How to Strategize your preparation?”. Come up with answers yourself and get started. Best of Luck!