SEBI Grade A Toppers Preparation Strategy for Phase 1, 2 & interview

The strategy, preparation plan and tips shared by SEBI Grade A toppers can be very beneficial for aspirants who are preparing for the next SEBI Grade A exam. What books did toppers follow? What mistakes did they commit? What challenges did they face in their preparation? In this article, we’ll be listing the answers of SEBI Grade A toppers to these questions and more.

You can go through the SEBI topper strategies, learn what worked for them, get inspiration and fine-tune your preparation strategy,

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Rajendran

• Rajenderan, a B.Tech in ECE had a clear goal in mind – to crack the UPSC civil services exam. He prepared for it from 2012-2015, but could not clear.
• In 2015, Rajenderan joined the department of higher education as an upper division clerk but kept the dream of clearing UPSC alive.
• He gave two attempts in 2016 and 2017 for UPSC but could not clear the mains.
• At the same time, Rajenderan was preparing for the RBI Grade B exam but could not clear the prelims either.
• In 2018, Rajenderan again attempted the RBI Grade B exam, but failed to clear the prelims.
• Finally, when SEBI Grade A 2018 notification came, Rajendaran grabbed this opportunity and secured an AIR 1. 

Below, he has shared his strategy and resources that helped him crack the SEBI Grade A exam in his first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Rajendran.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Srinidhi

• Coming from a non-commerce background, Srnidhi’s journey of clearing the SEBI Grade A exam was not easy.
• While managing preparation with a full-time job at TCS as a full-stack developer was quite challenging, Srinidhi took out time before work and on weekends to prepare for the exam.
• In 2021 Srinidhi attempted the SEBI Grade A exam for the first time. Unfortunately, she failed to clear the mains exam. 
• After that Srinidhi appeared for the NABARD Grade A exam and got eliminated in Phase 2
• Finally, she put in all her effort in the SEBI Grade A in 2022 exam and cleared it.

Below, she has shared her strategy and resources that helped her crack the SEBI Grade A exam.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Srinidhi. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Gopika Jain

• Gopika is a chartered accountant. Thanks to her finance background, Gopika was able to complete the preparation within 5 months.
• She started preparing for SEBI Grade A exam in 2020 and cleared the exam in her first attempt.

Below, she has shared her strategy and resources that helped her crack the SEBI Grade A exam on her first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Gopika Jain. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Shwetha Bodagala

• From being an RBI Grade B and UPSC aspirant to finally becoming a SEBI Grade A officer, Shwetha’s journey is nothing short of interesting.
• Even though Swetha hailed from a non-commerce background, she appeared for the SEBI Grade A exam.
• Support from her family and the confidence she had in her ability were the factors that helped Swetha achieve this feat. 

Below, she has shared her strategy and resources that helped her crack the SEBI Grade A exam in her first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Shwetha. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Hima Bindu

• Hima started her banking journey by preparing for bank PO exams in 2017. In June 2017 she appeared for the SBI PO exam but could not clear mains.
• In July Hima started preparing for the RBI Grade B exam but failed to clear Phase 2.
• After 2 failures, Hima’s confidence had touched rock bottom. But when the notification for SEBI Grade A came, she started her preparation and managed to crack it.

Below, she has shared her strategy and resources that helped her crack the SEBI Grade A exam in her first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Hima Bindu.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Vishnu A.

• Vishnu comes from a humble family background. He completed his education up to the 10th standard from a government school.
• Later, Vishnu completed his BTech and an MBA in finance from prestigious institutions.
• Vishnu started preparing for regulatory bodies i.e. RBI Grade B, in 2019. Unfortunately, he could not clear the prelims in the RBI Grade B 2019 and 2021 exams.
• However, with persistence and the ability to learn from his failures, Vishnu managed to clear the SEBI Grade A 2020 exam.

Below, he has shared his strategy and resources that helped him crack the SEBI Grade A exam in his first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Vishnu A. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Vikram Joshi

• From a UPSC aspirant and an ex SBI & ESIC employee to a SEBI Grade A officer, Vikram is a true inspiration for all the aspirants who have a non-commerce background.
• Vikram juggled multiple roles but managed to prepare well and clear the SEBI Grade A exam in 2020 with a full-time job.

Below, he has shared his strategy and resources that helped him crack the SEBI Grade A exam in his first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Vikram Joshi. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Mohit Gupta

• Mohit Gupta, an engineering graduate started his preparation journey for regulatory body exams like RBI Grade B in 2019.
• Unfortunately, Mohit was unable to clear the RBI Grade B prelims in 2019 and 2021.
• Despite these failures, Mohit set his focus on the SEBI Grade A exam and managed to clear the same in his first attempt.

Below, he has shared his strategy and resources that helped him crack the SEBI Grade A exam in his first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Mohit Gupta. 

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Nitin Kakerwal

• Nitin started preparing for the civil services exam after quitting his job at IOCL in 2015. Despite his dedicated effort from 2015-2017, Nitin could not clear the exam. 
• Later he took up a job at the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. But destiny had something else in store for Nitin.
• As soon as the SEBI Grade A notification came out in 2020, Nitin started to prepare for it. And this time his efforts bore fruits as he cleared the SEBI Grade A exam with just 15-20 days of preparation.

Below, he has shared his strategy and resources that helped him crack the SEBI Grade A exam in his first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Nitin Kakerwal.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Pooja Ahuja

• Coming from a law background, Pooja Ahuja managed to crack the SEBI Grade A Exam in her first attempt.
• While she was a little too hard on herself during preparation, Pooja recommends aspirants to take it easy. At the end of the day, it’s just an exam.

Below, she has shared her strategy and resources that helped her crack the SEBI Grade A exam in her first attempt.

Click on the link for the SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy by Pooja Ahuja.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy for Phase 1 Paper 1 

Here is the SEBI Grade A Phase 1 strategy followed by many toppers:

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Quantitative Aptitude

• Most toppers prefer going through the basic concepts of different chapters of Quant as the goal is to clear the cut off.
• Also, the toppers recommend learning shortcuts and tricks to improve the speed of attempting questions.
• After you have mastered the fundamentals, topper recommend practicing mock tests as it not only strengthens your concepts but also improves time management. Moreover, mock tests help you identify easier questions that you can strategically attempt first in the exam.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Reasoning Ability

• Several toppers recommend that aspirants must avoid spending excessive time on puzzles and rather focus on less time-consuming topics such as syllogisms, inequalities, direction sense, etc. 
• Attempt multiple mock tests to judge your preparation.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: English

English is a scoring subject, therefore, it’s recommended to not ignore it during your preparation. SEBI Grade A toppers recommend practicing as many English mock tests as you can. It helps you:

1. Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses: By exposing you to a variety of questions and difficulty levels, mock tests reveal areas where you excel and which require more focus.
2. Enhance Time Management Skills: Mock tests replicate the actual exam pressure, allowing you to practice completing the English section within the allotted time frame.
3. Improve Test-Taking Strategies: Regularly practicing mock tests helps you develop effective strategies for tackling different types of English questions, like spotting grammatical errors or identifying the best paraphrases.
4. Boost Confidence: Performing well in mock tests builds your confidence and reduces anxiety before the actual exam.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: General Awareness (GA)

• SEBI Grade A toppers recommend reading current affairs of 3 months preceding the exam.
• Your primary resources should be newspaper (eg. The Hindu) compilations.
• It’s crucial to make GA a part of your daily routine to score higher.
• Toppers suggest that aspirants should stick to a single source and revise it multiple times.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy for Phase 1 Paper 2

Since the syllabus for Phase 1 Paper 2 and Phase 2 Paper 2 is the same, toppers recommend holistically preparing for both phases at the same time.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Commerce & Accountancy

• Toppers recommend studying commerce and accountancy from 11th and 12th class NCERT books.
• It’s essential to gain conceptual clarity of topics.
• Many toppers refer to ICAI materials and course materials from EduTap.
• Attempt mock tests to judge your preparation.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Management

• Several toppers say management is easy to understand as well as a scoring subject
• Refer to the Organizational Behavior book, for concepts not given in the book, you can rely on Google.
• The ICAI website is another good resource.
• Make sure to attempt multiple MCQs and go through the PYQs.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Finance

• Many toppers recommend learning Finance topics like bonds, time value of money etc using the available notes. 
• If you don’t have a finance background, it’s recommended to take up relevant courses.
• Make sure to go through RBI and SEBI circulars.
• Attempt mock tests to judge your preparation.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Costing

• Costing is known for numericals. The more you practice the better you get.
• Toppers suggest referring to NCERT accountancy books to learn more about the balance sheet.
• You can also go through the ICAI materials.
• While the chances of numericals being asked are low, it’s still good to be prepared for the worst.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Companies Act

• This section is theoretical and therefore time consuming. 
• Focus on schedules, penalties, board of directors, derivatives, etc.
• Many toppers prefer referring to Google and YouTube when preparing for Companies Act
• Revision is key.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy: Economics

• According to toppers, superficial preparation won’t help and you need to understand the concepts in depth.
• Refer to NCERT MCQs if you’re new to economics.
• Also, watch YouTube videos for further clarity on topics.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy for Descriptive English

• Toppers recommend attempting multiple mock tests to identify weak areas that you can work on.
• Practice essay writing by actually typing the essays, to improve speed.
• Also, don’t ignore reading comprehension and precis writing.

SEBI Grade A Toppers Strategy for Interview

Here is the SEBI Grade A interview strategy followed by many toppers:

• Thoroughly Prepare Your Bio-Data: Your bio-data is a springboard for conversation. Anticipate questions related to your experiences and be prepared to answer them smartly.
• Understand SEBI as an Organization: Be well-versed in the SEBI history, functions, and recent initiatives. This showcases genuine interest and preparedness.
• Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Keep yourself updated on current economic affairs, financial news, and government policies impacting the banking sector. 
• Communicate with Confidence: Demonstrate strong communication skills and use clear, concise, and grammatically correct language. Practice active listening and respond thoughtfully.
• Show Professionalism: Dress formally and maintain professional behavior throughout the interview. Be polite, respectful, and enthusiastic.

Additional SEBI Grade A Preparation Tips by Toppers

Here are some additional preparation tips shared by SEBI Grade A selected candidates from their experience:

• Develop Your Study Plan: Analyze topper strategies, but don’t copy them blindly. Identify your strengths and weaknesses to create a study plan that caters to your learning style and pace.
• Optimize Time Allocation: Allocate dedicated time slots for each subject in your daily/weekly planner. Consider the difficulty level and weightage of each section when assigning time. 
• Practice Time-Bound Mock Tests: Take time-bound mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment. Analyze your performance to identify areas that need more time investment.
• Schedule Regular Revision: Regularly revise concepts and practice questions to solidify your understanding.
• Stay Motivated: Surround yourself with positive influences and celebrate your progress. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks; learn from mistakes and keep moving forward.  
• Focus on a Single Resource: Avoid referring to every source you can get your hands on. Stick to a single resource and revise repeatedly.
• Invest in a Course: Majority of the toppers did not refer to books and relied on comprehensive course material from EduTap. This is a great way towards a guided preparation, considering the extent of the SEBI Grade A syllabus.

SEBI Grade A Resources Suggested by Toppers

Majority of the SEBI Grade A Toppers referred to the following resources for cracking the exam:

1. Google Search: Simple Google search can help you understand the fundamental concepts related to finance, accounting, management, company act and more.
2. YouTube: There are multiple YouTube channels that create dedicated videos on SEBI Grade A preparation like EduTap.
3. NCERT Books and ICAI: Toppers also recommend using NCERT books and ICAI’s website to aid one’s preparation.
4. Courses: Almost every SEBI Grade A topper signed up for a course of some type for comprehensive preparation. 

Courses, like the ones created by EduTap are carefully designed to help students follow a set roadmap and streamline the entire preparation strategy. Students can access the course videos, mock tests, live sessions, concept notes all at once. This helps:

• Save time
• Prepare in a focused manner
• Cover everything important 
• Boost the chances of you clearing the SEBI Grade A exam

Note. Considering the vast nature of the syllabus and resources available out there, it’s only logical to invest in a course that organizes the necessary material at one place: SEBI Grade A Gold Course

Conclusion

By following the SEBI Grade A preparation strategy of toppers, you’ll be well-equipped to crack the SEBI Grade A exam. Remember, consistency, dedication, and the right approach are key to your success in the SEBI Grade A exam.