The SEBI Grade A Eligibility Criteria 2026 has been revised, making it important for candidates to check the latest age limit, educational qualifications, and other requirements before applying. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced changes to the General and Research Stream qualifications through the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Employees' Service) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026, dated 8 October 2026. The amendment also removes the two-year post-qualification experience clause previously listed as desirable for the Legal Stream. Candidates should understand these updates and check the applicable recruitment notification before submitting their application.
What is the eligibility criteria for SEBI Grade A 2026?
Candidates applying for the SEBI Grade A Assistant Manager post must meet the prescribed nationality, age, and educational qualification requirements. The educational criteria differ across streams, including General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, Official Language, and Engineering. The October 2026 amendment revises certain qualification requirements, particularly for the General and Research Streams.
- Nationality: Indian citizenship is generally required as specified in the recruitment notification.
- Age limit: The maximum age is generally 30 years, subject to the prescribed cut-off date and applicable relaxations.
- Educational qualification: Requirements vary according to the selected stream.
- Work experience: Experience requirements, where applicable, depend on the stream and the recruitment notification.
- Application dates: Check the official SEBI notification for the application schedule and eligibility cut-off dates.
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Download SEBI Revised Education Qualification Notice PDF
Download the SEBI Revised Education Qualification Notice PDF to check the latest changes introduced through the SEBI (Employees' Service) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026, dated 8 October 2026. The notice covers revised eligibility criteria for the General and Research Streams and the removal of the desirable experience clause for the Legal Stream. The direct link to download the PDF is provided below:
Download Revised Eligibility Criteria PDF
What is the nationality requirement to apply for SEBI Grade A exam?
To apply for the SEBI Grade A Exam, candidates must be citizens of India. Only Indian nationals are eligible to submit the application form and participate in the selection process. Applicants from other countries are not eligible for this exam.
What is the age limit to appear for the SEBI Grade A exam?
Candidates applying for the SEBI Grade A Assistant Manager post must meet the age limit specified in the official SEBI notification. As per the previous cycle's notification, the maximum age limit was 30 years as of the prescribed cut-off date. Age relaxation is available to SC, ST, OBC, PwBD, and other eligible categories as per the applicable Government of India rules.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Maximum Age Limit | 30 years as per the reference date mentioned in the notice PDF |
| Date of Birth Condition | Candidate must have been born on or after a certain specified date as per the Notice PDF |
| Age Relaxation | Age relaxation is applicable for candidates belonging to reserved categories as per Government of India rules |
What are the age relaxations for SEBI Grade A officers?
The upper age limit for SEBI Grade A can be relaxed for certain categories, with the allowed relaxation years added to the maximum age for eligible candidates. Further details are provided in the table below.
| Category | Relaxation (in years) | Maximum Age (Years) |
|---|
| General (UR) | No Relaxation | 30 |
| SC/ST | 5 | 35 |
| OBC | 3 | 33 |
| Ex-Servicemen including ECO/SSCO discharged after 5 years of service |
| – General | 5 | 35 |
| – OBC | 8 (5+3) | 38 |
| – SC/ST | 10 (5+5) | 40 |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) |
| – General | 10 | 40 |
| – OBC | 13 (10+3) | 43 |
| – SC/ST | 15 (10+5) | 45 |
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What is the SEBI Grade A education qualification required?
The educational qualifications for SEBI Grade A vary by stream. Under the amendment dated 8 October 2026, the General Stream now includes a graduation-based route with prescribed minimum marks, while the Research Stream has revised and expanded eligible disciplines. The Legal Stream continues to require a Bachelor's degree in Law, but the earlier two-year post-qualification experience clause has been removed from the regulations. The amendment does not specify changes to the educational qualifications for the IT, Official Language, Electrical Engineering, or Civil Engineering Streams.
| Stream | Earlier educational qualifications | Revised educational qualifications |
|---|
| General Stream | • Master's degree in any discipline. • Postgraduate diploma of at least 2 years in any discipline. • Bachelor's degree in Law or Engineering. • CA, CFA, CS or Cost Accountant. | • Graduation in any discipline with at least 60% marks in a course of at least 3 years completed after Class XII. • Minimum 50% marks for eligible SC/ST/PwBD candidates where posts are reserved for them. • Master's degree or postgraduate diploma of at least 2 years completed after graduation. • CA, CFA, CS or Cost Accountant. • CGPA conversion: 6.75/10 equals 60% and 5.75/10 equals 50% where the university has no conversion formula. • Certain foreign postgraduate qualifications may be accepted with the prescribed equivalence certification. |
|---|
| Legal Stream | • Bachelor's degree in Law from a recognised university or institute. • Two years of post-qualification experience as an Advocate was listed as desirable. | • Bachelor's degree in Law remains mandatory. • The two-year post-qualification experience clause has been removed from the amended regulations. |
|---|
| Information Technology (IT) Stream | • Bachelor's degree in Engineering in any branch; OR • Bachelor's degree in any discipline with a postgraduate qualification of at least 2 years in Computer Science, Computer Applications or Information Technology. | • No change specified in the educational qualification requirements under the amendment. • The earlier qualification routes remain as described. |
|---|
| Research Stream | • Master's degree or postgraduate diploma of at least 2 years in specified disciplines related to Economics, Commerce, Business, Finance, Statistics, Business Analytics, Data Science and other eligible areas. • Master's degree in Mathematics with a one-year postgraduate diploma in Statistics or a related subject. | • Master's degree or postgraduate diploma of at least 2 years in the eligible disciplines and specialisations listed in the amended regulations. • Specified areas include Public Policy and Securities Market/Capital Markets. • Statistics-related areas include Statistics, Mathematical Statistics and Applied Statistics. • Specified technology-related areas include Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics. • CA, CFA, CS and Cost Accountant are included under the specified Finance-related provisions. • Mathematics route: Master's degree in Mathematics of at least 2 years plus a postgraduate diploma of at least 1 year in Statistics. • Certain foreign postgraduate qualifications may be accepted with the prescribed equivalence certification. |
|---|
| Official Language Stream | • Prescribed Master's degree combinations involving Hindi, Hindi Translation, Sanskrit, English, Economics or Commerce. • Required language subjects at graduation level, as applicable. | • No change specified in the educational qualification requirements under the amendment. • The existing prescribed qualification combinations remain applicable. |
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| Engineering (Electrical) Stream | • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. • Certain relevant experience areas were listed as desirable. | • No change specified in the educational qualification requirements under the amendment. • The Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering remains the stated requirement. |
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| Engineering (Civil) Stream | • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. • Certain relevant experience areas were listed as desirable. | • No change specified in the educational qualification requirements under the amendment. • The Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering remains the stated requirement. |
|---|
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What are the key changes in the General Stream qualifications?
The most significant update is the introduction of a graduation-based eligibility route. Candidates who have completed a qualifying degree in any discipline can now be eligible if they meet the prescribed marks and course-duration requirements. This expands the available route beyond the earlier specified postgraduate, Law, Engineering and professional qualification options.
- Graduation route: At least 60% aggregate marks in a degree of at least three years completed after Class XII.
- Relaxed marks requirement: At least 50% for eligible SC/ST/PwBD candidates where the posts are reserved for them.
- Postgraduate route: A Master's degree or postgraduate diploma of at least two years completed after graduation.
- Professional qualification route: CA, CFA, CS or Cost Accountant, as recognised under the amended provisions.
- CGPA conversion: If the university does not provide its own conversion formula, a CGPA of 6.75 on a 10-point scale corresponds to 60%, while 5.75 corresponds to 50%, under the stated amendment provisions.
- Foreign qualifications: Certain foreign postgraduate qualifications may be accepted with the specified equivalence certification.
What are the key changes in the Research Stream qualifications?
The amendment revises and expands the list of disciplines accepted for the Research Stream. Candidates should check the exact specialisations listed in the amended regulations rather than relying on older eligibility tables. The revised provisions also clarify the Mathematics-based qualification route and include provisions for certain foreign postgraduate qualifications.
- Additional areas: Public Policy and Securities Market/Capital Markets.
- Finance-related qualifications: Eligible Finance qualifications continue to be recognised, including CA, CFA, CS and Cost Accountant under the specified provisions.
- Statistics-related disciplines: Statistics, Mathematical Statistics and Applied Statistics.
- Technology and analytical disciplines: Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, subject to the prescribed list.
- Mathematics route: A Master's degree in Mathematics of at least two years, together with a postgraduate diploma of at least one year in Statistics.
- Foreign qualifications: The specified equivalence certification may be required for eligible foreign postgraduate qualifications.
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How many attempts are allowed for SEBI Grade A posts?
There is no restriction on the number of attempts for the SEBI Grade A exam, as per the official notification. Candidates can apply multiple times, provided they continue to meet all the prescribed eligibility criteria.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Key Details |
|---|
| Nationality | Only Indian citizens are eligible to apply for the SEBI Grade A Exam |
| Age Limit | Maximum age is 30 years (age relaxation applicable as per government rules) |
| Educational Qualification | Varies by stream; includes Bachelor's/Master's degrees in fields like Law, Engineering, Finance, Economics, IT, Statistics, and Languages |
| Streams Covered | General, Legal, IT, Research, Official Language, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering |
| Experience Requirement | Not required for most streams; desirable experience needed mainly in Legal and Engineering streams |
| Application Eligibility | Candidates must meet all eligibility conditions (age, education, nationality) at the time of application |
| Attempts | No limit on number of attempts, as long as eligibility criteria are fulfilled |
| Important Note | Ineligibility at any stage can lead to cancellation of candidature |
