RBI SO Eligibility 2025-26, Age Limit, Educational Qualification

The Reserve Bank of India has released the RBI SO Notification 2025–26 for the recruitment of 93 vacancies for posts under Groups C, D, and E. The reference date for the eligibility criteria for RBI SO 2025–26 is decided post-wise and is assessed as on 1st December 2025. Candidates must fulfil the nationality requirements, age limit, educational qualification, and relevant work experience prescribed for the specific Specialist Officer post. In this blog, we have provided all the details about the RBI SO age limit, educational qualifications, work experience, and more.

What is the eligibility criteria for the recruitment of RBI SO?

The eligibility criteria for the recruitment of RBI Specialist Officers (SO) include nationality, age, education, and work experience as on the cut-off date mentioned in the notification. A candidate must be an Indian citizen or belong to other eligible categories such as subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, or persons of Indian origin with a valid eligibility certificate.

The age limit differs for each post, generally ranging between 25 and 45 years, with age relaxation available for reserved categories. Candidates must have the required educational qualification from a recognised university and relevant professional experience, as these posts are meant for experts.

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Nationality	– Citizen of India, or – Subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or – Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, or – Person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries for permanent settlement – Non-Indian citizens must have a valid eligibility certificate from the Government of India
Age limit	– Minimum and maximum age varies by post – Most posts require candidates to be between 25–40 years or 30–45 years – Age relaxation is applicable for SC/ST, OBC, Ex-servicemen, and PwBD candidates as per rules
Educational qualification	– Degree from a recognised university is required – Qualifications are post-specific and may include Master’s degrees, engineering degrees, or professional courses like CA
Work experience	– Relevant work experience is mandatory – Experience requirement generally ranges from 3 to 15 years, depending on the post
Documents	– Candidates must upload valid educational certificates and experience letters during the application process

What is the required nationality criteria to appear for the RBI SO?

To apply for the RBI Specialist Officer (SO) post, a candidate must satisfy the nationality conditions laid down by the Reserve Bank of India. Indian citizens are directly eligible, while certain other categories such as candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, and persons of Indian origin are also allowed, subject to conditions. Candidates who are not Indian citizens must hold a valid certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Without this certificate, final appointment will not be granted.

Eligible Category	Nationality Requirement
Citizen of India	Indian nationals
Subject of Nepal	Must meet RBI eligibility conditions
Subject of Bhutan	Must meet RBI eligibility conditions
Tibetan Refugee	Must have entered India before 1 January 1962 for permanent settlement
Person of Indian Origin	Migrated from specified countries with intent to permanently settle in India
Certificate Requirement	Mandatory for all non-Indian citizens

What is the post wise age limit for the RBI Specialist Officer post?

The post-wise age limit for RBI Specialist Officer (SO) recruitment varies depending on the nature, seniority, and grade of the post. The age is calculated as on 1st December 2025. Most Grade C specialist posts have an upper age limit of 40 years, while senior supervisory and faculty-level posts allow candidates up to 45 or 62 years. The minimum age generally ranges between 21 and 30 years, depending on the role. Age relaxation is applicable for reserved categories as per RBI and Government of India rules.

Post No.	Post Name	Minimum Age	Maximum Age
1	Data Scientist – DIT	25	40
2	Data Engineer – DIT	25	40
3	IT Security Expert – DIT	27	40
4	IT System Administrator – DIT	27	40
5	IT Project Administrator – DIT	27	40
6	AI / ML Specialist – DIT	27	40
7	IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DIT	27	40
8	Network Administrator – DIT	27	40
9	Project Manager – Premises	21	40
10	Market & Liquidity Risk Specialist – DoS	30	40
11	IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DoS	28	40
12	Operational Risk Analyst – DoS	30	40
13	Analyst (Credit Risk) – DoS	30	40
14	Analyst (Market Risk) – DoS	30	40
15	Risk Analyst – DoS	30	45
16	Accounts Specialist – DoS	30	45
17	Risk Assessment & Data Analyst – DoS	25	45
18	Policy Research Analyst – DoS	25	45
19	Business & Financial Risk Analyst – DoS	25	45
20	Data Engineer-I – DoS	28	40
21	Data Engineer-II – DoS	28	40
22	Data Analyst (Micro Data Analytics) – DoS	28	40
23	Banking Domain Specialist – DoS	28	40
24	Data Scientist (Data Modelling) – DoS	28	40
25	Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	30	40
26	Senior Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	35	45
27	Data Scientist (Advanced Analytics) – DoS	28	40
28	Credit Risk Specialist – DoS	30	40
29	Programme Coordinator (CoS)	40	62

What is the age relaxation criteria of an RBI Specialist Officer?

The age relaxation criteria for RBI Specialist Officer (SO) posts are decided as per the cut-off date of 1st December 2025. The maximum age mentioned for each post applies to General category candidates, while eligible candidates from reserved categories, PwBD, ex-servicemen, and RBI staff can avail age relaxation as per rules. SC/ST candidates can get up to 5 years and OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates up to 3 years of relaxation, provided the post is reserved. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are eligible for 10 to 15 years of relaxation depending on their category, subject to an overall maximum age cap of 56 years.

Category	Maximum Age Relaxation Allowed	Important Conditions / Notes
SC / ST	Up to 5 years	Applicable only if the post is reserved for SC/ST
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	Up to 3 years	Applicable only if the post is reserved for OBC
PwBD – General	Up to 10 years	Post must be identified as suitable for the disability
PwBD – OBC (NCL)	Up to 13 years	Includes OBC relaxation + PwBD relaxation
PwBD – SC / ST	Up to 15 years	Includes SC/ST relaxation + PwBD relaxation
Maximum age for PwBD (all categories)	56 years (cap)	Age cannot exceed 56 years as on 01-12-2025
Ex-servicemen	Up to 5 years	Minimum 5 years of military service completed
Ex-servicemen – Programme Coordinator (CoS)	No relaxation allowed	Age relaxation not applicable for this post
Cumulative Relaxation	As applicable	Allowed only for SC/ST/OBC candidates who are also PwBD or Ex-servicemen
RBI Staff Candidates	As per RBI rules	Relaxation as per RBI Master Circulars
Other categories	No relaxation	No additional relaxation beyond notified rules

What is the educational qualification required for the RBI SO?

The educational qualification for the RBI Specialist Officer (SO) varies depending on the post applied for. Candidates are required to possess a relevant graduate or postgraduate degree in disciplines such as Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Mathematics, or Commerce.

Certain specialist posts also require professional qualifications like CA, ICWA, MBA (Finance), MCA, or equivalent certifications. The qualification must as per with the specific technical, analytical, or domain requirements of the post as prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India.

Sl No.	Post Name	Essential Educational Qualification
1	Data Scientist – DIT	Master’s in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Data Science / Finance / Economics OR BE/B.Tech in Computer Science
2	Data Engineer – DIT	BE / B.Sc / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA
3	IT Security Expert – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA (Information Security specialization)
4	IT System Administrator – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA
5	IT Project Administrator – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / BBA / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA / MBA
6	AI / ML Specialist – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA OR Bachelor’s in Mathematics / Statistics
7	IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA (Information Security / IT Risk / Cyber Security)
8	Network Administrator – DIT	B.Sc / BE / B.Tech / M.Sc / M.Tech in CS / IT / Electrical & Electronics OR MCA
9	Project Manager – Premises Dept	Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering + Microsoft Project Management Professional Certificate
10	Market & Liquidity Risk Specialist – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Economics / Finance / Commerce OR MBA / PGDBA / PGPM / PGDM (Finance)
11	IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DoS	BE / B.Tech / ME / M.Tech / MSc in CS / IT / Cyber Security / Digital Forensics OR MCA
12	Operational Risk Analyst – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Data Analytics / Quantitative Modelling
13	Analyst (Credit Risk) – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Finance / Economics
14	Analyst (Market Risk) – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Finance / Economics
15	Risk Analyst – DoS	PG Degree / Diploma in Statistics / Applied Statistics / Economics / Finance / Management
16	Accounts Specialist – DoS	CA / ICWA
17	Risk Assessment & Data Analyst – DoS	Master’s Degree in Economics / Finance / Statistics / Mathematical Statistics / Mathematical Economics / Econometrics / Applied Statistics & Informatics
18	Policy Research Analyst – DoS	Master’s Degree in Economics / Finance / Statistics / Mathematical Statistics / Mathematical Economics / Econometrics / Applied Statistics & Informatics
19	Business & Financial Risk Analyst – DoS	Master’s Degree in Economics / Finance / Statistics / Mathematical Statistics / Mathematical Economics / Econometrics / Applied Statistics & Informatics
20	Data Engineer-I – DoS	Bachelor’s in CS / IT / Data Science / AI / ML / E&T OR PG in Statistics + DCA OR MCA
21	Data Engineer-II – DoS	Bachelor’s in CS / IT / Data Science / AI / ML / E&T OR PG in Statistics + DCA OR MCA (Oracle Certified Professional mandatory)
22	Data Analyst (Micro Data Analytics) – DoS	Master’s Degree in Statistics / Economics / Econometrics / Finance / Quantitative Economics
23	Banking Domain Specialist – DoS	CA OR MBA (Finance) + 3 yrs bank accounting experience OR PG in Economics / Statistics / Commerce + PGPM/PGDM (Finance) + 3 yrs bank accounting experience
24	Data Scientist (Data Modelling) – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Mathematics / Data Science / Econometrics
25	Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Finance / Economics OR MBA / PGDBA / PGPM / PGDM
26	Senior Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Finance / Economics OR MBA / PGDBA / PGPM / PGDM
27	Data Scientist (Advanced Analytics) – DoS	PG Degree in Economics / Statistics / Mathematics / Data Science OR MBA (Finance) OR BE/B.Tech/M.Tech in CS OR MCA
28	Credit Risk Specialist – DoS	PG Degree in Statistics / Econometrics / Mathematics / Mathematical Statistics / Finance / Economics OR MBA / PGDBA / PGPM / PGDM
29	Programme Coordinator (CoS) – DoS	Postgraduate Degree in Economics / Finance

What is the required work experience of a RBI Specialist Officer?

The work experience required for an RBI Specialist Officer depends on the post applied for and the level of responsibility involved. In general, candidates are expected to have relevant professional experience in their specialised field, such as IT, data science, cyber security, risk management, finance, economics, or banking operations.

Most posts require between 3 to 7 years of prior work experience, preferably in banks, financial institutions, NBFCs, consulting firms, or other reputed organisations, while senior roles demand higher experience and strong domain expertise.

Post Name	Essential Work Experience
Data Scientist – DIT	Minimum 4 years’ experience as a Data Scientist, preferably in a financial institution, handling big data, ML, analytics, and modelling
Data Engineer – DIT	Minimum 4 years’ experience in database management, data pipelines, ETL, analytical databases, and big data platforms in banks / financial services / reputed firms
IT Security Expert – DIT	Minimum 5 years’ experience in Information Security roles involving firewalls, IDS/IPS, vulnerability management, security policies in banks / financial services / reputed companies
IT System Administrator – DIT	Minimum 5 years’ experience in Mainframe / Virtualisation / Oracle / DB2 systems in banks / financial services / reputed organisations
IT Project Administrator – DIT	Minimum 5 years’ experience in IT Project Management, handling end-to-end project implementation in banks / financial services / reputed organisations
AI / ML Specialist – DIT	Minimum 7 years’ experience in AI/ML lifecycle including data prep, feature engineering, model training, deployment, and production systems
IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DIT	Minimum 5 years’ experience in IS Audit / SOC operations / IT security risk assessments / data centre security / application security
Network Administrator – DIT	Minimum 5 years’ experience in network design, implementation, monitoring, and troubleshooting in banks / financial services / reputed companies
Project Manager – Premises Dept	Minimum 5 years’ experience as Project Manager in construction projects (large office / residential buildings) after graduation
Market & Liquidity Risk Specialist – DoS	Minimum 7 years’ experience in banks / NBFCs / financial services, including 3 years in Treasury or Risk Management
IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in IS risk assessment, SOC operations, IT audits, data centre security, or application security
Operational Risk Analyst – DoS	Minimum 3 years’ experience in Operational Risk Management functions of large banks / top-layer NBFCs
Analyst (Credit Risk) – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience as Credit Analyst in a Scheduled Commercial Bank
Analyst (Market Risk) – DoS	Minimum 3 years’ experience as Dealer / Trader in Treasury or Investment Bank
Risk Analyst – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in credit / market / liquidity risk modelling in banks / systemically important NBFCs / rating agencies
Accounts Specialist – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in banks / financial institutions, including 2 years in Treasury Operations or Credit Risk
Risk Assessment & Data Analyst – DoS	Minimum 3 years’ experience in handling big data / analytics / statistical tools in the financial sector
Policy Research Analyst – DoS	Minimum 3 years’ experience in research or teaching in banking / finance / economics
Business & Financial Risk Analyst – DoS	Minimum 3 years’ experience in research-oriented roles in banking / finance or teaching
Data Engineer-I – DoS	Minimum 7 years’ experience in data engineering roles in banking / financial services
Data Engineer-II – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience as Oracle / SQL / PL-SQL Developer in a financial institution
Data Analyst (Micro Data Analytics) – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience as Data Analyst, including 3 years in credit risk modelling using AI/ML
Banking Domain Specialist – DoS	Minimum 7 years’ experience in general banking operations, with CBS and banking data exposure
Data Scientist (Data Modelling) – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in data analytics, visualization, NLP, and risk modelling in banks / large financial companies
Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in liquidity / ALM risk management, consultancy, or academic research (with domain expertise)
Senior Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	Minimum 7 years’ experience, including 3 years practitioner-level experience in liquidity / ALM risk modelling
Data Scientist (Advanced Analytics) – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in data analytics, NLP, modelling, and risk analytics in banks / financial institutions
Credit Risk Specialist – DoS	Minimum 5 years’ experience in credit risk management / modelling in banks / NBFCs / consultancy firms
Programme Coordinator (CoS) – DoS	Minimum 10 years’ teaching experience in banking/finance OR 15 years’ banking experience with at least 3 years as faculty

What is the job profile of a RBI specialist officer?

The job profile of an RBI Specialist Officer (SO) involves handling highly specialised and technical roles that support the Reserve Bank of India in its core functions of regulation, supervision, policy formulation, and technology management. RBI SOs work in areas such as information technology, data science, cyber security, risk management, economics, finance, and banking supervision, where they analyse data, manage systems, assess risks, and provide expert inputs for decision-making. Their role is primarily desk-based, analytical, and policy-oriented, with responsibilities that directly contribute to the stability and efficiency of India’s financial system.

Post Name	Job Profile
Data Scientist – DIT	Develop data science solutions for RBI using structured and unstructured data; apply ML, big data, forecasting and optimization models; support policy formulation through analytics and early-warning systems
Data Engineer – DIT	Design, build, and maintain analytical databases and data pipelines; ensure data governance and quality; support data scientists; create dashboards and reports
IT Security Expert – DIT	Design and manage secure IT infrastructure; monitor and respond to cyber incidents; conduct risk assessments and audits; manage security vendors and ensure regulatory compliance
IT System Administrator – DIT	Manage and maintain mainframe and virtualised systems; ensure system availability, DR/BCP operations, access management, performance tuning, and vendor coordination
IT Project Administrator – DIT	Manage end-to-end IT project implementation; ensure application availability and disaster recovery; coordinate across IT teams; maintain documentation and SLAs
AI / ML Specialist – DIT	Design, develop, and deploy AI/ML models; build production-ready ML systems; extract insights from data to support decision-making and organisational objectives
IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DIT	Monitor and investigate security incidents; conduct IS audits; perform risk assessments; ensure confidentiality and integrity of IT systems and data
Network Administrator – DIT	Design, configure, and manage RBI’s network infrastructure; monitor network performance; ensure security, availability, and troubleshooting of network systems
Project Manager – Premises Dept	Monitor construction projects; track timelines and risks using project tools; coordinate with offices and project owners to ensure timely and quality completion
Market & Liquidity Risk Specialist – DoS	Assess market and liquidity risks of banks; evaluate treasury operations and investment portfolios; review risk limits and internal control frameworks
IT – Cyber Security Analyst – DoS	Conduct onsite and offsite IT examinations; monitor cybersecurity risks; review compliance of supervised entities; support cyber risk supervision
Operational Risk Analyst – DoS	Analyse operational risk data; assess risk models used by banks; identify key operational risks; recommend mitigation actions
Analyst (Credit Risk) – DoS	Conduct onsite and offsite supervision of banks; evaluate credit risk frameworks; act as inspecting officer under senior supervision
Analyst (Market Risk) – DoS	Supervise market risk exposure of banks; assess trading and treasury activities; perform inspections and risk analysis
Risk Analyst – DoS	Build and validate risk models; conduct scenario and sensitivity analysis; assess financial risks and support regulatory decisions
Accounts Specialist – DoS	Analyse balance sheets and cash flows; support accounting standards implementation (Ind AS / IFRS); assist in treasury and credit-related analysis
Risk Assessment & Data Analyst – DoS	Review supervisory rating models; analyse large datasets; refine risk indicators to improve supervisory assessment accuracy
Policy Research Analyst – DoS	Conduct policy research; develop supervisory strategies; analyse global supervisory practices and support policy formulation
Business & Financial Risk Analyst – DoS	Conduct peer reviews and horizontal risk assessments; analyse financial statements and risk frameworks of supervised entities
Data Engineer-I – DoS	Acquire, validate, and manage supervisory data; build databases and analytical systems; identify systemic issues through data analysis
Data Engineer-II – DoS	Develop SQL-based programs and automation tools; optimise data workflows; generate insights through automated analytics
Data Analyst (Micro Data Analytics) – DoS	Develop and deploy credit risk models using micro-level data; clean and analyse datasets; support compliance and supervisory analytics
Banking Domain Specialist – DoS	Analyse banking operations data; identify regulatory non-compliance; support supervision of credit, liquidity, AML/KYC, and operational risks
Data Scientist (Data Modelling) – DoS	Build statistical and analytical models; analyse bank-level data; support early-warning systems and policy decisions
Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	Evaluate liquidity and ALM risk models; conduct offsite and onsite assessments; identify risks and recommend corrective actions
Senior Bank Examiner (Liquidity Risk) – DoS	Develop and evaluate liquidity stress-testing models; assess system-wide liquidity risks; support supervisory and regulatory processes
Data Scientist (Advanced Analytics) – DoS	Apply advanced analytics and NLP; develop data models; identify early-warning indicators for banking risks
Credit Risk Specialist – DoS	Evaluate credit risk models and practices; conduct inspections; assess credit portfolios and recommend mitigation measures
Programme Coordinator (CoS) – DoS	Design and deliver training programmes; develop case studies; coordinate faculty; support learning in supervision, regulation, and financial stability

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