8 Essential Topics That Appear Every Year in JAIIB IE and IFS Exams

The JAIIB (Junior Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers) exam is an important exam for banking professionals aiming to advance their careers. As per the exam dates released by the IIBF, the JAIIB November cycle exam will start from 2nd November 2025 with the IE and IFS papers. Aspirants must focus on high-scoring topics of Indian Economy (IE) and Indian Financial System (IFS) to maximize their scores.

The Indian Institute of Banking and Finance often asks questions from specific topics repeatedly. Knowing these hot topics can save preparation time and boost confidence. In this blog, we have provided a structured approach for last-minute preparation along with tips, chapter-wise topics, and practice questions.

8 Essential JAIIB IE and IFS Topics

The 8 essential topics from which questions were most commonly seen in the JAIIB examinations are as follows:

1. Overview of the Indian Economy
2. Economic Planning and Reforms
3. The Indian Financial System
4. The Indian Banking System
5. Money Market
6. Capital Market
7. Priority Sector Lending and Financial Inclusion
8. Foreign Trade and Government Schemes

Chapter-Wise Important Topics for Indian Economy

The Indian Economy (IE) paper tests your knowledge of India’s economic structure, key indicators, reforms, and government schemes. Details of the important topics from the Indian Economy are as follows:

Chapter	Topics to Focus
1. Overview of Indian Economy	– Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sectors – Sunrise Sectors (Renewable Energy, Fintech, Biotechnology) – Sectoral contribution to GDP and employment – Basic understanding of Indian economic structure
2. Economic Growth & Development	– GDP, GNP, NNP, and Per Capita Income- Difference between economic growth and development – Key economic indicators – Development challenges like inflation, unemployment, and income inequality
3. Economic Planning & Reforms	– Five-Year Plans and their sectoral priorities – LPG Reforms – Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization – Policy initiatives by NITI Aayog – National economic policies and their impact on banking
4. Government Schemes & Initiatives	– Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) – Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) – Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) – Rural Development Schemes- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes
5. Foreign Trade & Payments	– Balance of Payments – Current Account & Capital Account – Foreign exchange regulations under FEMA – USD Index and global trade implications – Export-Import policies and their banking relevance

Chapter-Wise Important Topics for Indian Financial System

The chapter-wise important topics from IFS are as follows:

Chapter	Topics to Focus
1. Financial System Overview	– Structure of Indian financial system – Components: Banks, NBFCs, DFIs – Financial instruments and their utilization
2. Banking & Regulatory Bodies	– Types of banks – Public, Private, Foreign, Cooperative – Priority Sector Lending & Financial Inclusion Targets – RBI functions: Monetary Policy, Banker to Government, CRR, SLR, Repo & Reverse Repo – SEBI functions: Capital market regulation, Mutual Funds, Investor Protection
3. Insurance & Pension Sector	– IRDAI – Role in regulating insurance sector – PFRDA – Pension Fund Regulatory Authority – Insurance schemes: PMSBY, PMJJBY – Life & Non-Life insurance basics
4. Financial Markets	– Money Market Instruments – Treasury Bills, Commercial Papers, Certificates of Deposit – Capital Market Instruments – Stocks, Bonds, IPOs, Mutual Funds – Uses of these instruments and their banking relevance
5. Government Financial Schemes	– Retail Direct Gilt Scheme (RDG) – Other government investment and welfare schemes – Role in financial inclusion

Last Minute Preparation Strategy for JAIIB IE and IFS Paper

Effective preparation for the JAIIB IE & IFS papers requires a strategic approach that balances revision, practice, and time management. To help aspirants optimize their last-minute preparation, the preparation strategies are as follows:

• Prioritize High-Frequency Topics: Focus on the 8-10 most repeated topics in IE and IFS; avoid spending too much time on rarely asked topics.
• Practice MCQs and Case Studies: Solve statement-based questions, numerical problems, and case studies; attempt memory-based previous year papers to understand trends.
• Use Structured Study Material: Choose resources that provide module-wise notes, topic-wise MCQs, short & concise summaries, and full-length mock tests.
• Time Management: Allocate 2-3 hours daily for revision and practice, divide study sessions between IE and IFS, and take short breaks to maintain focus and retention.

JAIIB IE and IFS May Memory-Based Questions

Some of the important IE and IFS memory-based questions that were asked in the May JAIIB exam are as follows:

Q1. In the context of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in India, what is the minimum
shareholding percentage of the Sponsor Bank?
a) 15% b) 25% c) 35% d) 50%
Correct Answer: c) 35%

Q2. In the context of international trade finance, when an exporter sells their receivables
on a ‘without recourse’ basis through fornfaiting, what does ‘without recourse’ mean?
a) The exporter retains liability for the importer’s payment default.
b) The forfaiter can claim payment from the exporter if the importer defaults.
c) The exporter is absolved of all financial liability if the importer defaults.
d) The forfaiter only finances a portion of the receivable.
Correct Answer: c) The exporter is absolved of all financial liability if the importer
defaults.

Q3. What is the correct formula for calculating Gross National Product (GNP)?
a) GNP = GDP – Depreciation
b) GNP = GVA + Indirect Taxes – Subsidies
c) GNP = GDP + Net Factor Income from Abroad
d) GNP = GDP + Net Exports
Correct Answer: c) GNP = GDP + Net Factor Income from Abroad

Q4. What is the eligible age bracket for a new subscriber to join the Atal Pension Yojana
(APY)?
a) 18 to 40 years
b) 21 to 50 years
c) 18 to 60 years
d) 25 to 45 years
Correct Answer: a) 18 to 40 years

Q5. Question: Among the following foreign exchange management regimes/acts in India, which was introduced most recently?

a) Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA)
b) Liberalized Exchange Rate
Management System (LERMS)
c) Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)
d) Exchange Control Regulations (initial pre-FERA regime)
Correct Answer: c) Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

Key Takeaways

Topic Category	Important Points	Question Trend
Indian Economy	Primary, Secondary, Tertiary sectors; Sunrise sectors	High
Economic Indicators	GDP, GNP, NNP, Growth vs Development	High
Economic Reforms	LPG reforms, Five-Year Plans, NITI Aayog	High
Indian Financial System	Banks, NBFCs, DFIs, Money & Capital Market	High
Regulatory Bodies	RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA functions	High
Banking & Insurance	PMSBY, PMJJBY, priority sector lending	Medium-High
Foreign Trade	Balance of payments, currency, FEMA	Medium
Government Schemes	RDS, RDG, PMJDY	Medium-High

FAQs

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