Preparing for the IFSCA Grade A exam is not only about mastering finance subjects. The General Awareness (GA) section plays a decisive role in clearing Phase 1. Many serious aspirants miss the cutoff only because GA is treated lightly or prepared in an unplanned way.
In this blog, we have provided details about what GA means for IFSCA Grade A, what exactly you need to study, how to prepare step by step, and how to revise smartly.
What is the importance of General Awareness section in IFSCA Grade A?
The General Awareness section in IFSCA Grade A tests whether you understand what is happening in the financial system of India and the global economy. In simple words, it checks if you are aware of current financial events, government actions, and economic developments that directly or indirectly affect financial markets.
Unlike other exams, GA in IFSCA Grade A is finance-heavy and regulation-oriented. You are not expected to mug up random facts. You are expected to understand why an event matters.
| Topics | What it includes |
| Current Affairs | National and international events with financial relevance |
| Financial Awareness | Banking, capital markets, insurance, fintech |
| Economic Issues | Indian economy, global economy, growth, inflation |
| Government Schemes | Financial sector schemes and initiatives |
| Regulatory Updates | RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, IFSCA notifications |
| Static GK (Limited) | Reports, indices, organisations linked to economy |
Questions are mostly current-based, so staying up to date is important. You may get MCQs based on budgets, recent reports, policy changes, global economic summits, or recent news related to financial institutions.
Why is GA a scoring yet risky section in IFSCA Grade A?
GA is considered a scoring yet risky section in the IFSCA Grade A exam because it can work both in your favor and against you. If prepared well, GA helps you score quickly as most questions are direct, factual, and based on repeated current affairs themes, with no calculations involved. However, the same section becomes risky due to its wide and undefined syllabus, heavy focus on recent events, and negative marking. Random guessing, poor revision, or incomplete coverage often leads to confusion and loss of marks, making smart planning and regular revision essential for success.
Also Check: IFSCA Grade A Exam Pattern
How to prepare for IFSCA Grade A GA section?
The GA section in IFSCA Grade A mainly tests your awareness of financial current affairs, regulatory developments, government schemes, and economic trends. Preparation should be focused, regular, and finance-oriented rather than broad GK-based study. Instead of memorising facts, you must understand why a news item matters to the financial system. Consistent revision and practice are more important than reading multiple sources. A structured approach helps you score well and clear the Phase 1 cutoff.
| Area | What you should do |
| Current Affairs | Cover the last 6 months, with maximum focus on financial and economic news |
| Regulatory Bodies | Study IFSCA, RBI, SEBI, IRDAI roles, guidelines, and recent updates |
| Government Schemes | Focus on financial sector schemes (inclusion, digital finance, MSMEs) |
| Reports & Indices | Revise major reports by IMF, World Bank, NITI Aayog, WEF |
| Study Material | Use monthly GA compilations and revise them multiple times |
| Practice | Attempt GA quizzes and mock tests and analyse mistakes regularly |
How should you include GA in your daily IFSCA Grade A preparation routine?
GA preparation works best when done daily in small doses instead of weekly overload.
| Activity | Time |
| Read daily current affairs | 20–25 minutes |
| Revise notes | 10–15 minutes |
| Practice MCQs | 10–15 minutes |
What is the IFSCA Grade A phase 1 GA syllabus?
Understanding the IFSCA Grade A GA syllabus clearly helps you avoid wasting time on irrelevant topics.
| Broad Area | Topics Covered |
| General Knowledge | Important facts with economic relevance |
| Current Events | National and international importance |
| Economic & Social Development | Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics |
| Commerce | Trade basics, business environment |
| Accountancy | Accounting principles (basic awareness) |
| Management | Management concepts in news |
| Finance & Costing | Financial terms, costing basics |
| Indian Economy | GDP, inflation, fiscal policy |
| Global Economy | IMF, World Bank, global trends |
| Five-Year Plans | Planning background and relevance |
| Government Schemes | Financial sector schemes and reforms |
How much current affairs should you cover for IFSCA Grade A GA?
One of the most common doubts is “How many months of current affairs are enough?” For IFSCA Grade A, you should ideally cover last 6 months of current affairs before the exam, with extra focus on the last 3 months.
| Time Period | Importance |
| Last 1–3 months | Very high |
| 4–6 months | High |
| Beyond 6 months | Low (only major events) |
What are the most important GA topics for IFSCA Grade A?
The General Awareness (GA) section of the IFSCA Grade A exam focuses on topics that are closely linked to the financial system, economic developments, and regulatory environment. Not all GA areas carry equal weight, and preparing everything broadly can waste valuable time. To score well, candidates must prioritise topics that are frequently asked and highly relevant to IFSCA’s role in international financial services. Understanding these high-impact GA topics helps in focused preparation and improves accuracy in the exam.
| Topic | What to study |
| IFSCA | Role, powers, recent guidelines |
| RBI | Monetary policy, reports, digital initiatives |
| SEBI | Market reforms, investor protection |
| Government Schemes | Financial inclusion, digital finance |
| Budget & Economic Survey | Key highlights only |
| Reports & Indices | IMF, World Bank, NITI Aayog |
Best Books for IFSCA Grade A GA Preparation
Choosing the right books is important to cover all topics in the General Awareness section of the IFSCA Grade A exam. While online current affairs and PDFs help with daily updates, books help you build a strong base in financial and economic awareness.
| Book Title | Why It’s Useful |
| Lucent’s General Knowledge | Good for static GK topics like geography, polity, etc. |
| Banking Awareness by Arihant Publications | Covers basic banking and financial terms in easy language |
| Economic Survey + Union Budget Summary | Must-read for government policies and budget facts |
| Manorama Yearbook | Useful for general awareness and yearly current updates |
| RBI/SEBI/IFSCA Annual Reports (Official websites) | Crucial for understanding regulatory updates |
What is an effective 30-day GA study plan for IFSCA Grade A?
Here’s a well-structured 30-day plan to help you complete the GA preparation on time.
| Days | What to Focus On |
| Days 1–5 | Start reading daily current affairs + revise last 2 months’ monthly compilations |
| Days 6–10 | Focus on Financial Awareness + RBI, SEBI, IFSCA roles and updates |
| Days 11–15 | Revise static GK topics: headquarters, international bodies, economic summits |
| Days 16–20 | Study important government schemes, Budget highlights, and global reports/indexes |
| Days 21–25 | Start taking full-length GA quizzes + revise notes every day |
| Days 26–30 | Focus only on revision and mock tests. Analyze performance and work on weak areas |
FAQs
The GA section tests your knowledge of current events, financial markets, international banking, government schemes, and updates from regulators like RBI, SEBI, and IFSCA.
The GA section is very important because it carries significant marks and helps you clear the cutoff. It also tests your awareness of financial regulations and global economic trends.
Focus on recent national and international current affairs, financial awareness, reports from IMF and World Bank, government schemes, and regulatory updates from IFSCA, RBI, and SEBI.
Read daily current affairs from reliable sources, revise monthly GA compilations, understand roles of regulatory bodies, practice MCQs, and revise notes weekly.
Books like Lucent’s General Knowledge, Banking Awareness by Arihant, Economic Survey & Union Budget summaries, Manorama Yearbook, and official RBI/SEBI/IFSCA reports are highly recommended.
Spend at least 1-2 hours daily on GA preparation, focusing on current affairs, financial news, and quizzes to build both knowledge and speed.
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