RBI Grade B Preparation 2023: Tips, Strategy, Study Material

Rajalakshmi BK
Rajalakshmi BK

Updated on - Mar 18, 2024

RBI Grade B preparation include following the proper books, knowing the exam pattern, and hard work. Further, aspirants need to work on their accuracy and speed to ensure their selection in this exam. RBI Grade B study material can help the aspirants to do so and guide them for this 3-level exam consisting of Prelims, Mains, and followed by the final round, which is an Interview Round.

RBI Grade B is an all-India competitive exam and the only entry-level officer's exam conducted by the RBI. The RBI conducts this exam to select eligible candidates for the position of Grade B officers nationwide.

Table of Contents

RBI Grade B Exam 2023

The RBI Grade B exam is conducted only once every year. The RBI Grade B examination has mainly two stages followed by a personal interview. The different phases of the RBI Grade B examination are,

  • Phase 1
  • Phase 2
  • Interview

RBI Grade B exam is one of the toughest bank exams, for 120 minutes for the phase 1 exam. The RBI Grade B Phase 2 examination contains English, Economic and Social Issues (ESI), Finance and Management (FM). The English section is descriptive, whereas the Economic and social issues and Finance management sections are objective.

How to Prepare for RBI Grade B 2023?

The RBI Grade B syllabus includes the following sections mentioned above. Aspirants who wish to cover the entire syllabus must start preparing early for the exam. On average, students require at least 10 to 12 weeks, approximately 3 months, for preparation.

The following strategy can be adopted for self-preparation.

  • Break the more significant sections into smaller topics. Please choose the issues depending on their weightage and cover essential topics within the scheduled time.
  • Reading a newspaper and noting important events and dates should be a habit.
  • Solve previous year's question papers and try as many mock tests as possible.
  • Refer to important books, materials, and other textbooks.
  • Please note weak areas and practice them until it is vital.
  • Revise topics every day.

RBI Grade B Reasoning Preparation

The RBI Grade B Reasoning includes logical thinking and aptitude. The RBI Grade B reasoning questions are generally from the following major topics listed below:

  • Puzzles
  • Clocks
  • Blood Relation
  • Venn Diagrams and Graphs
  • Directions
  • Series
  • Coding and Decoding
  • Calendars
  • Visual Reasoning

Time management is the key to scoring better in the reasoning section. Candidates can also try online puzzles for practice. A good strategy should be adopted to solve the maximum number of logical problems within the time limit.

RBI Grade B Current Affairs Preparation

Current affairs is an important section in the RBI Grade B exam. Current affairs include topics from almost all sections, including politics, science, technology, and national and international events. Candidates must make a note of the critical dates. Referring to newspapers and yearbooks can help you score better. Also, revise the topics regularly to remember the important events and dates.

RBI Grade B Phase 2 English Preparation

The RBI Grade B Phase 2 English paper comprises three subsections. Subsections include the following:

  • One Essay
  • One Comprehension
  • One Precis

The RBI Grade B Phase 2 English section is descriptive, and the Essay section generally includes writing 300 to 400 words. Candidates can choose a topic from the three themes, and the essay should be to the point and have consistent words. Candidates should write and practise different topics before the actual exam.

The Comprehension part includes reading a small extract and answering the questions from the passage. Good reading and understanding of the critical concepts of the passage will help candidates do well.

The Precis section includes writing a short content piece about a topic in little words without losing the importance and quality of the content. Developing a good vocabulary will be helpful as different words can be used as a substitute for more extensive phrases. Reading can be one of the best strategies to prepare for the RBI Grade B English section.

RBI Grade B Exam Pattern

An important phase of RBI grade B preparation is to know the exam pattern of the exam. The exam pattern is crucial as it defines the structure and format of an exam gelping the candidates understand the types of questions, time allocation, and scoring criteria. 

The RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam details including the different sections, marks, and other information, are as follows:

RBI Grade B Phase 1 Exam Pattern
Sections No. of Questions Marks
General Awareness 80 80
Quantitative Aptitude 30 30
English Language 30 30
Reasoning 60 60
Total 200 200

The details of the RBI Grade B phase 2 examination are as follows:

RBI Grade B Phase 2 Exam Pattern
Sections Marks Duration
English 100 90
ESI 100 90
FM 100 90

RBI Grade B Preparation Books

The RBI Grade B preparation materials should be chosen with care. Preparing with suitable materials helps applicants score better and secure a higher rank.

The following books mentioned below can be used to prepare for the RBI Grade B exam:

  • Indian Economy by Mishra & Puri
  • Major economic newspapers and economic and political weeklies
  • An Introduction to Economics - AW Stonier and DC Hauge
  • Financial Management - Prasanna Chandra
  • Public Finance - KK Andley and Sundaram
  • Economic Growth and Development by Mayer and Baldwin
  • Indian Economy by Uma Kapila
  • Descriptive General English by SP Bakshi and Richa Sharma

RBI Grade B Preparation Materials

RBI Grade B Preparation materials are available both online and offline. The offline materials for RBI Grade B include all the books mentioned above. Besides, candidates should read at least one good newspaper daily and read reports on the exam topics. Candidates are advised to use English newspapers for preparation. Also, yearbooks for General Knowledge and Current Affairs are recommended.

Aspirants can also access online materials for RBI Grade B exam preparation. There are online coaching classes for the RBI Grade B exam.

Some of the best apps and online classes are provided by the following:

  • Anuj Jindal
  • Edutap
  • OliveBoard
  • Study IQ
  • Grade up

Candidates can also use google scholar to refer to and download articles on topics like Finance Management, Economics, Social issues, etc. Aspirants can also read essential news bulletins online. Also, some of the reference books may be available online as softcopies.

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