RBI Grade B (DR) – General is one of the most demanding recruitment examinations in Indian banking: a qualifying online test, three typed-and-objective papers, and an interview. The 2026 cycle is also small. The Reserve Bank of India Services Board advertised just 40 General-cadre posts, so preparation has to be precise.
This guide is built from the official advertisement for Panel Year 2026 (Advt. No. RBISB/DA/01/2026-27, dated 29 April 2026) and its scheme of selection. It explains what the examination actually tests, then gives a preparation plan, a Phase-II time budget and an eligibility check you can reuse when the next advertisement appears.
Checked against RBI's published notices on 9 October 2026. Confirm every detail on Opportunities@RBI before acting on it.
Where the 2026 cycle stands
| Item | Official position |
|---|---|
| Advertisement | RBISB/DA/01/2026-27, dated 29 April 2026 |
| Posts | General cadre 40; DEPR cadre 10; DSIM cadre 10 |
| Application window | 29 April to 20 May 2026 |
| General: Phase-I | 13 June 2026 |
| General: Phase-II | 25 July 2026 |
| General: Phase-II result | Published 22 August 2026, listing roll numbers shortlisted for interview |
The Phase-II result notice of 22 August 2026 told shortlisted candidates that interview call letters would follow by email and that a personality assessment link would be sent first. If you are preparing now, you are preparing for the next advertisement, whose dates RBI has not announced.
The DEPR and DSIM cadres have different qualifications and papers. This guide covers the General cadre only.
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Age
You had to be at least 21 and under 30 on 1 April 2026, which meant being born between 2 April 1996 and 1 April 2005 (both inclusive). The upper limit is relaxed by up to 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC candidates where posts are reserved for them, and by up to 10, 13 or 15 years for PwBD candidates depending on category. Other relaxations, for example for some ex-servicemen, are listed in the advertisement.
Education
For the General cadre, the advertisement requires either:
- a degree with at least 60% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwBD where posts are reserved for them), or
- a postgraduate degree with at least 55% marks (pass marks for SC/ST/PwBD where posts are reserved),
in the aggregate of all semesters or years.
Worked check (illustrative): a candidate has a B.Com with 59.4% and an M.Com with 56%. The degree does not meet 60%, but the postgraduate degree meets 55%, so the candidate qualifies through the postgraduate route. A candidate with a 59.4% degree and no postgraduate degree would not qualify as a General candidate.
Attempts
General and EWS candidates who have already appeared six times in Phase-I for the post are not eligible. The advertisement places no such restriction on SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates if posts are reserved for them. The rule counts Phase-I appearances, so keep your own record of each sitting.
The selection scheme, stage by stage
Phase-I: one online paper, qualifying
Phase-I is a single objective paper of 200 marks with four tests: General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning. RBI allows 120 minutes in total, with separate time for each test. You must clear the minimum marks in each test and in aggregate to be shortlisted for Phase-II.
The advertisement does not publish the question count for each test. It refers candidates to an information handout released with the admit card, so treat any fixed split you see quoted elsewhere as unofficial until you see the handout.
Phase-II: three papers, 300 marks
| Paper | Format | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: Economic and Social Issues | Objective (30 questions) + descriptive typed answers | 30 + 90 minutes | 50 + 50 |
| Paper-II: English (Writing Skills) | Descriptive, typed, 3 questions | 90 minutes | 100 |
| Paper-III: General Finance and Management | Objective (30 questions) + descriptive typed answers | 30 + 90 minutes | 50 + 50 |
| Total | 300 |
In Papers I and III, the descriptive part offers six questions, of which you answer four: two of 15 marks and two of 10 marks. If you answer more than four, only the first four are evaluated. Answers are typed. Candidates who type in Hindi can use the Inscript or Remington (GAIL) layout. Physical calculators are not permitted.
Interview: 75 marks
Candidates are shortlisted on the aggregate of the three Phase-II papers. The interview carries 75 marks. Before it, candidates complete a personality assessment that carries no marks. The final merit list adds Phase-II and interview marks, so the maximum is 300 + 75 = 375.
Pay stated in the advertisement
Selected officers start on a basic pay of ₹78,450 a month. RBI puts the initial monthly gross emoluments, without House Rent Allowance, at approximately ₹1,54,936. HRA of 15% of pay is added if the Bank does not provide accommodation. Any "CTC" or "in-hand" figure on other sites is an estimate, not an RBI statement.
A Phase-II time budget you can practise with
The descriptive section of Papers I and III gives you 90 minutes for four answers worth 50 marks. One way to split it, as a starting point:
| Answer | Marks | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
| Long answer 1 | 15 | 25 minutes |
| Long answer 2 | 15 | 25 minutes |
| Short answer 1 | 10 | 18 minutes |
| Short answer 2 | 10 | 18 minutes |
| Choosing questions and final check | – | 4 minutes |
| Total | 50 | 90 minutes |
This is an editorial suggestion, not an RBI rule. Time yourself while typing, because handwriting speed tells you little about keyboard speed under exam pressure.
A preparation plan for the next cycle
The syllabus in the scheme of selection is long, so sequence it.
Stage 1 – foundations (first third of your time). Read the official Phase-II syllabus line by line and turn each heading into a checklist. For ESI that includes growth and development, the Indian economy since 1991, globalisation and social structure. For Finance and Management it includes the financial system, financial markets, risk management, basic accounting, inflation, management theory, ethics and corporate governance.
Stage 2 – Phase-II depth plus Phase-I speed (middle third). Use the reference list RBI itself prints in the scheme, which it calls indicative. It includes Uma Kapila's Indian economy series, Misra and Puri, Debraj Ray (listed for growth and development), Prasanna Chandra's Financial Management, Robbins and Coulter's Management, the Economic Survey, the RBI Annual Report and the Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India. Keep Phase-I practice going with short daily sectional drills.
Stage 3 – simulation (final third). Alternate full Phase-I mocks with typed Phase-II answers marked against the syllabus. After each mock, log one error type and one fix rather than only a score.
If you work full time, the same order applies; the stages simply take longer. A weekly review sheet keeps the plan honest:
Syllabus headings covered this week:
Typed answers written (ESI / F&M / English):
Phase-I sectional drills and the weakest test:
One recurring error and the fix I will try:
Official notices checked on (date):
Mistakes that cost candidates the most
- Ignoring sectional minimums in Phase-I. A high total does not help if one test falls below the minimum.
- Practising Phase-II only on paper. The answers are typed; practise on a keyboard.
- Relying on an outdated pattern. Older guides list different paper structures. Use the current scheme of selection.
- Losing count of attempts. Write down every Phase-I sitting.
For a wider comparison of RBI, SBI and IBPS routes, see our banking exam routes guide. Our current affairs hub can support your General Awareness notes, alongside RBI's own press releases.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking?
The advertisement and scheme of selection do not state a marking rule for wrong answers; RBI says detailed information is given in the information handout issued with the admit card. Read that handout before your examination.
Does RBI provide free coaching?
For the General cadre, the advertisement says the Bank will arrange free online pre-examination training for Phase-I and, for those who clear it, Phase-II. Appendix IV of the advertisement explains who may avail it.
When will the next RBI Grade B notification come?
RBI had not announced it when this guide was checked on 9 October 2026. Watch Opportunities@RBI rather than relying on predicted months.