NABARD, the full form of which is National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development conducts a recruitment process every year and selects candidates based on prelims and mains tests followed by an interview. These exams test candidates’ problem-solving skills, and knowledge of current affairs, economic and social issues, and agriculture. Read on to find out all about what is NABARD exam and the selection process in detail.
Why are the NABARD Grade A and B exams conducted?
The NABARD Exam recruits candidates for various posts, such as Assistant Manager (Grade A) and Manager (Grade B). It is focused on selecting individuals who will work in areas related to agriculture, rural development, and other financial services. The exam is conducted in three phases: Prelims (objective) Mains (descriptive and objective), and an Interview.
The NABARD Grade B post of a manager is a step above the Grade A assistant manager. So, the NABARD exam for Grade B consists of an additional analytical test on Development Economics, Statistics, Finance, and Management.
NABARD Grade A Selection Process 2025
A three-tiered selection process is followed for the final selection. All the stages of the NABARD Grade A Selection Process 2025 are:
- Preliminary Exam: Phase 1 of the NABARD Grade A Selection Process consists of 8 subjects. These are Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge, Decision Making, English, ESI, and ARD with a focus on Rural India. A total of 200 questions will be asked for 200 marks. The total duration of the exam is 120 minutes.
- Mains Exam: The mains exam is divided into two papers i.e. Paper 1 & Paper 2. Paper 1 will be of General English and Paper 2 will be of ESI & ARD. Paper 1 will be online descriptive & paper 2 will be both objective & descriptive type.
- Interview: This is the final stage of the NABARD Grade A Selection Process 2025. The interview stage consists of 50 marks.
NABARD Grade A Recruitment 2025
NABARD Grade A Notification 2025 notification has been released for a total of 91 vacancies. The notification has been released and the Phase 1 exam has been scheduled to be held on 20th December 2025 followed by the Phase 2 Exam scheduled for 25th January 2026.
The notification PDF has details of the NABARD vacancies, eligibility, relaxation limits, guidelines for the application process, important documents needed, and the key areas of exam. Interested candidates should review the official NABARD recruitment 2025 notification to learn about the selection process.
NABARD Grade A Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the NABARD Grade A Selection Process through the Prelims Exam, Mains Exam, and Interview round, you must first know if you match the eligibility criteria for taking the exam.
- To sit for the NABARD Grade A Exam, you must be a graduate.
- You should be between the age of 21 and 30 years.
- You must have a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PwBD) in Bachelor’s or a postgraduate degree with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) from a recognized university.
- Any graduate with the required marks can apply for the NABARD Grade A exam.
NABARD Grade A Selection Process 2025 – Phase 1
The below table consists of the detailed NABARD Grade A 2025 Selection Process for Prelims/Phase 1.
i) Qualifying Section – Test of Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude & Decision Making
ii) Merit Section – General Awareness, Economic & Social Issues (with focus on Rural India), Agriculture & Rural Development with Emphasis on Rural India.
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
| Test of Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 |
| Decision Making | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 20 |
| ESI | 40 | 40 |
| ARD | 40 | 40 |
| Total | 200 | 200 |
The calling ratio to qualify for the main examination will be 1:25.
Is there negative marking in NABARD Grade A Prelims?
Yes, there is negative marking in the NABARD Grade A Prelims exam. For every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks are deducted from the total score. This is applicable only to the objective type questions in the Prelims. Therefore, candidates must answer carefully to avoid losing marks due to incorrect answers.
NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern
Only those candidates who qualify the prelims are eligible for the mains. Check out the post wise mains exam pattern below. Also note some common points for all posts.
- Descriptive Answers are to be typed using a keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards).
- In Paper 2 Descriptive portion, the candidates have to attempt 4 questions out of 6 questions. In these 4 questions, 2 questions attempted must be of 15 marks and 2 questions of 10 marks.
- On the completion of the mains exam, a psychometric test will be conducted. This test is mandatory.
NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern for Generalist
The candidates who will clear the NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam will be able to sit for the Mains Exam. Phase 2 is considered tough and the subjects are common so it is advisable that candidates must start covering the NABARD Grade A Syllabus for Phase 2 along with Phase 1. The details of the Mains exam pattern for the post of Generalist are as follows:
| Paper | Type of Paper | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration | Remarks |
| Paper I: General English | Online Descriptive | 3 | 100 | 90 Minutes | Answers to be typed using keyboard |
| Paper II: Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 Minutes | Some questions carry 2 marks each and some carry 1 mark each |
| Descriptive Type | 6 (Attempt any 4) • 2 × 15 marks each (higher difficulty) • 2 × 10 marks each | 50 | 90 Minutes | Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington/Inscript keyboards) |
What is the NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern for Specialist Officers?
The NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern for Specialist Officers consists of two phases, Preliminary and Main Examination. The Mains Exam includes two papers. Paper I is a General English paper of descriptive type, comprising 3 questions for a total of 100 marks to be answered in 90 minutes. Candidates must type their answers using the keyboard.
Paper II is Stream-Specific, divided into Objective and Descriptive sections. The Objective section has 30 questions for 50 marks, with some questions carrying 2 marks and others 1 mark, to be completed in 30 minutes.
The Descriptive section includes 6 questions, out of which candidates must attempt any 4, carrying a total of 50 marks to be answered in 90 minutes. Answers in the descriptive section can be typed in English or Hindi using Remington or Inscript keyboards.
| Paper | Type of Paper | No. of Questions | Duration | Remarks |
| Paper I: General English | Online Descriptive | 3 for 100 marks | 90 Minutes | Answers to be typed using keyboard |
| Paper II: Stream-Specific Paper | Objective ($) | 30** for 50 marks | 30 Minutes | Paragraph/Numerical/Application-based interpretive questions. Some questions carry 2 marks each, some 1 mark each |
| Descriptive Type | 6 (Attempt any 4) • 2 × 15 marks each (higher difficulty) • 2 × 10 marks each | 90 Minutes | Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington/Inscript keyboards) |
Notes:
- ( $ ) Paragraph-based, numerical, or application-based interpretive questions.
- ( ** ) Some objective questions carry 2 marks each and others 1 mark each.
What is the NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern for Legal Officers?
The NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern for Legal Officers includes two main papers. Paper I is a General English paper of descriptive type, where candidates have to answer 3 questions carrying a total of 100 marks within 90 minutes. The answers must be typed using the keyboard.
Paper II is a Stream-Specific Paper for the Legal stream, which has both Objective and Descriptive sections. The Objective section includes 30 questions for 50 marks, where some questions carry 2 marks and others 1 mark, to be completed in 30 minutes.
The Descriptive section consists of 6 questions, out of which candidates must attempt any 4, carrying a total of 50 marks, to be completed in 90 minutes. Answers in the descriptive paper must be typed in Hindi using
The details of the Mains exam pattern for the post of Legal are as follows:
| Paper | Type of Paper | No. of Questions | Duration | Remarks |
| Paper I: General English | Online Descriptive | 3 for 100 marks | 90 Minutes | Answers to be typed using keyboard |
| Paper II: Stream-Specific Paper | Objective | 30** for 50 marks | 30 Minutes | Some questions carry 2 marks each and some carry 1 mark each |
| Descriptive Type | 6 (Attempt any 4) • 2 × 15 marks each (higher difficulty) • 2 × 10 marks each | 50 | Answers to be typed using keyboard in Hindi (Remington/Inscript keyboards) |
Notes: ( ** ) Some objective questions carry 2 marks each and others 1 mark each.
NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern 2025 for Protocol & Security Service (P&SS)
The selection process for the Assistant Manager (Protocol & Security Service) post consists of three stages Online Examination, Psychometric Test, and Interview. The online exam is objective in nature and is designed to assess candidates’ reasoning ability, general awareness, professional knowledge, and English proficiency.
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Version |
| Test of Reasoning | 50 | 50 | Bilingual (Hindi/English) |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | English only |
| General Awareness (with special reference to Banking Industry) | 50 | 50 | Bilingual (Hindi/English) |
| Professional Knowledge | 50 | 75 | Bilingual (Hindi/English) |
| Total | 200 | 200 | Duration: 120 Minutes |
Key Highlights:
- The exam is conducted online and consists of objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- All sections, except English Language, are available in both English and Hindi.
- There is no sectional time limit; candidates can attempt questions in any order within the overall 120 minutes.
- The Professional Knowledge section carries the highest weightage, emphasizing the candidate’s defence and security background.
- Negative marking of ¼ mark is applicable for each wrong answer.
Is the NABARD Grade A Interview round compulsory?
Yes, the interview is compulsory and carries weight in the final selection process. After qualifying Phase 2 of the NABARD Grade A exam, as per the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern, candidates are first required to take a psychometric test, followed by an interview, which serves as the final selection stage.
| Component | Details |
| Psychometric Test Pattern | |
| Questions | Questions designed to evaluate the candidate’s personality and behavioral tendencies |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Marks | Not scored; used solely for evaluative purposes |
| Interview Pattern | |
| Mode | Conducted in-person at designated NABARD interview centres |
| Language | Candidates can choose either Hindi or English |
| Duration | Generally lasts between 20 to 45 minutes |
| Marks | Interview is scored out of 50 marks |
| Questions | Number and nature of questions vary depending on the interview panel |
NABARD Grade A Interview Questions (Grade A & B)
The NABARD interview checks your subject knowledge, awareness of rural development, and communication skills. Below are a few frequently asked questions with sample answers to guide your preparation.
Q1. Tell us about yourself.
Ans: I’m from [place], with a degree in [subject]. I’m interested in rural development and see NABARD as a platform to contribute meaningfully.
Q2. Why NABARD?
Ans: NABARD promotes rural growth and sustainable agriculture. I want to be part of this mission and contribute through my skills.
Q3. What does NABARD do?
Ans: It finances and regulates rural banks, supports agriculture, and promotes rural development projects.
Q4. What are the key issues in Indian agriculture?
Ans: Low productivity, poor irrigation, small land holdings, and limited market access are major concerns.
Q5. What is Priority Sector Lending?
Ans: It’s a policy where banks must lend a portion of credit to sectors like agriculture, MSMEs, and education to ensure inclusive growth.
NABARD Grade A Marking Scheme
For every wrong answer marked, 1/4th of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty in Phase I and Phase II. Cut-offs in Phase I and Phase II may be applied in two stages: (i) On scores in individual tests, and (ii) On Total Scores.
NABARD Grade A Final Selection 2025
The final selection and ranking of the applicants for the post of Assistant Manager in Grade ‘A’ (RDBS/Legal/P&SS) will be based on their performance in the Phase II Main Examination and Interview, taken together.
FAQs
Yes, the last stage of the selection process consists of an Interview round. The interview will be 50 marks.
There are three stages namely, Preliminary Exam, Mains Exam, and Interview.
Well, there is no limit on the number of attempts.
Yes, 1/4th of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as negative markings in Phases 1 & 2.
Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude & Decision Making are the sections that are qualifying in nature.
- RBI Grade B Exam Analysis 6th December 2025, Difficulty Level
- PFRDA Grade A Final Result 2025 Out, Download Result PDF
- SIDBI Grade A Selection Process 2026, Know About All Phases
- RBI Grade B Phase 2 ESI Descriptive Questions 2025, Download Free PDF
- RBI Grade B Phase 2 Preparation, Subject Wise Detailed Strategy
- RBI Grade B Phase 2 Descriptive Questions 2025, Download PDF
Hello there! I’m a dedicated Government Job aspirant turned passionate writer & content marketer. My blogs are a one-stop destination for accurate and comprehensive information on exams like Regulatory Bodies, Banking, SSC, State PSCs, and more. I’m on a mission to provide you with all the details you need, conveniently in one place. When I’m not writing and marketing, you’ll find me happily experimenting in the kitchen, cooking up delightful treats. Join me on this journey of knowledge and flavors!