RBI stands for Reserve Bank of India and is the central bank of India that functions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry Of Finance, Government of India. It regulates the Indian banking system. It is the most prestigious banking organization in India and many candidates aspire to work in RBI. RBI conducts an exam to recruit officers in Grade ‘B’. This exam called the RBI Grade B exam is held in three stages, prelims, mains, and interview. It is one of the most sought-after upcoming government exams. Every year lakhs of aspiring candidates appear for this exam. RBI Grade B officers get high salaries and enjoy a good lifestyle. The competition is high but you can crack this exam with the right strategy and plan.
We discuss the preparation tips that will help you succeed in the RBI Grade B exam. But before discussing the tips, let us understand the exam pattern. You must thoroughly go through the syllabus and note down the exam pattern. Different types of exams require different approaches. It is very important to understand the pattern before you plan your preparation.
Exam pattern:
Phase 1 preliminary exam:
This is the first stage of the RBI Grade B exam and the questions are multiple-choice objective-type. This exam is held in multiple shifts. The maximum number of marks in this paper is 200 and the total duration of the prelims exam is 2 hours. Prelims exam is a screening process and hence the score obtained will not be considered in the final selection. Prelims paper consists of four sections:
The information regarding the exam date and venue will be provided in the admit cards of the candidates. The marks obtained in the prelims exam will be normalized using the equipercentile method. The number of vacancies and the total number of candidates who appeared for the exam will decide the final cutoff for passing the prelims exam.
Phased 2 mains exam:
The questions asked in the mains exam are both objective and descriptive type. The marks obtained in the mains exam are used for the final selection process. The final merit list is prepared on the basis of marks obtained in the mains and interview. The exam pattern for the mains exam is summarised in the table below:
All the questions in the mains paper will be set in both English and Hindi language except for the English language section.
Phase 3 Interview:
Candidates will be called for an interview based on the aggregate of the marks obtained in the mains paper. The interview round is carried for a total of 75 marks. The cutoff is decided by the RBI. Candidates can either choose Hindi or English as a medium for interviews.
Syllabus
After you have understood the exam pattern, you must check the syllabus. The syllabus of RBI Grade B is pretty exhaustive but do not get demotivated by that. The questions are mostly doable and the right plan will help you succeed. Refer only to standard resources. Do not try to accumulate a lot of books and study materials. You have limited time for the preparations, use that time wisely. Do not get carried away by other candidates who refer to a lot of books. The most important thing is practice. The more you practice questions, the better you will get with speed and accuracy. Select some good mock tests and practice papers. Another important resource to refer to is the previous years’ papers. These are very important. You must solve them in order to get an idea about the type of questions and important topics to focus on. Check previous years’ cutoffs too. This will give you an idea of the minimum marks you must aim for in your mock tests.
Prepare your study plan
The study plan and timetable must be unique and must suit you. Do not try to overburden yourself with fictional routines and goals. Consider your weaknesses and strengths and make a plan accordingly. While the study plan must be unique, there are some tips that you can benefit from. The most important thing to consider is to reserve time for revision in your outline. You must revise after the completion of every topic and then repeat revisions timely. Candidates make the mistake of waiting for the completion of the syllabus for revision. Since the syllabus is long, there are chances that you might forget some concepts by the end of the syllabus. So timely revision will save you from last-minute panic and efforts. Try to take some time out for relaxation. Make sure that you relax for a short duration. Continuous study without breaks can hamper your productivity. Small breaks in between can recharge you and help you maintain the flow and consistency.
Mock tests
This is very critical for the preparation for RBI Grade B exams. Most of the questions are objective. This means accuracy is important. Since there is a time limit for each section, speed is also important. Mock tests are the best way to improve and work on your speed and accuracy. The more you practice mock tests, the more you can address your issues. It will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can decide what are the topics that need more attention. Another important thing to practice is the descriptive type questions. This is not a tough section but candidates take it for granted. Like we mentioned in the exam pattern, the weightage of the descriptive section is high. So try to score maximum marks in English since this can significantly change your score. Try to be concise in your answers and do not exceed the word limit. Do not wait for the last moment to practice mock tests. You can solve section-wise mock tests to evaluate each topic separately. After giving mock tests, dedicate some time to evaluate your performance. Mock tests train your mind to function effectively during the final exam.
