You have reached the right place if you are aiming to crack the regulatory body exam of SEBI Grade A. To help you streamline your prep, we are here with a comprehensive plan for both phases of SEBI Gr. A exam by our very own subject matter expert Riti Maám. Let’s get to the most important question now: How to prepare for SEBI Grade A officer exam for the generalist post?
SEBI Grade A Phase 2 Preparation Strategy & Study Plan
Let us take a quick look at the Phase 2 exam pattern so that we can plan things accordingly.
SEBI 2022 Phase 2 Exam Pattern (Mains)
(online examination consisting of two papers of 100 marks each) and
Paper 1 – 100 Marks (English Descriptive on topics like Precis Writing, Essay Writing, Reading Comprehension) (Duration – 60 Minutes).
Paper 2 – 100 Marks (Multiple-choice questions on subjects Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act and Economics.) (Duration – 40 minutes).
Important Points to Note:
- Negative marking for Paper 2 is 1/4th of the marks assigned to the question.
- Cut-off of a minimum of 30% for Paper 1 and a cut-off of a minimum of 40% for Paper 2 in Phase 2.
- Candidates would need to secure separate cut-offs in each paper as mentioned above as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 40% in the Phase 2 exam (weightage of 1/3rd for Paper 1 and 2/3rd for Paper 2) to be shortlisted for Phase 2.
SEBI Gr. A 2022 Phase-II Study Plan
Here is a 4-week study plan for taking mock tests, revising paper 2 subjects and current affairs. You can follow this schedule or can curate your own plan as per your time availability and needs.
| Week | Paper 2 Mock Tests Schedule | Paper-2 Subjects Coverage | Current Affairs Coverage |
| Week 1 | Mock Tests 1 & 2 | Management & Finance | Economic Survey Union Budget |
| Week 2 | Mock Tests 3, 4 & 5 | Commerce & Accountancy | Oct, Nov, Dec 2021 |
| Week 3 | Mock Tests 6, 7 & 8 | Economics & Costing | Jan & Feb 2022 |
| Week 4 | Mock Tests 9 & 10 | Companies Act | March 2022 |
Here is your divide between weekdays and weekends.
| Weekday: Devote the weekdays for Paper-2 subjects’ preparation. |
| Weekend: Keep it for Descriptive English preparation. (Practice using a keyboard) |
How to Cover Each Chapter of Paper-2?
| 1. Notes | Grasp the concepts using chapter-wise study notes. |
| 2. Video lessons | Whenever there is a doubt, refer to the video lessons or the revision videos. |
| 3. Topic tests | Take up/Revise the Topic Tests. |
| 4. Revision | Analyse your test performance and then go back to revising the study notes. |
Phase 2 Expert Guidance
Here in this video session, our subject matter expert Riti Maám explains in detail how to go about the SEBI Gr. A Phase 2 preparation. Check out the video to get some quick tips.
SEBI Grade A 2022 Phase 2 Online Plans
For your convenience of preparation, we have curated these two online courses. do take a look at the course offerings and decide if you need anyone.
SEBI Grade A Exam Preparation 2022 – Overall Guidance
We would jump on to the preparation strategy & study plan but before that let us quickly scan through the exam pattern and syllabus here. We would be talking here majorly about the GENERALIST Post offered in the exam notification.
1. SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern & Mode of Selection
Mode of selection shall be a three-stage process i.e.
1.1. SEBI 2022 Phase 1 Exam Pattern (Prelims)
(online screening examination consisting of two papers of 100 marks each),
Paper 1 – 100 Marks (MCQs on Quants, Reasoning, English & GA with some questions on the financial sector) (Duration – 1 hour).
Paper 2 – 100 Marks (MCQs on Commerce & Accounting, Companies Act, Finance & Management & Economics) (Duration – 40 minutes).
Important Points to Note:
- Negative marking for Paper 1 and Paper 2 is 1/4th of the marks assigned to the question.
- A cut-off of a minimum of 30% for Paper 1 (no sectional cut-off shall be there) and a cut-off of a minimum of 40% for Paper 2 in Phase 1 are required.
- Candidates would need to secure separate cut-offs in each paper as mentioned above as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 40% in the Phase I exam to be shortlisted for Phase 2.
- Marks obtained in Phase 1 shall be used only for shortlisting the candidates for the Phase 2 examination process and will not be counted for the final selection of the candidates.
Exclusive Study notes prepared by Experts:
- Commerce & Accounting (Get Notes Here)
- Management (Get Notes Here)
- Finance (Get Notes Here)
- Costing (Get Notes Here)
- Companies Act (Get Notes Here)
- Economics (Get Notes Here)
1.2. SEBI 2022 Phase 2 Exam Pattern (Mains)
(online examination consisting of two papers of 100 marks each) and
Paper 1 – 100 Marks (English Descriptive on topics like Precis Writing, Essay Writing, Reading Comprehension) (Duration – 60 Minutes).
Paper 2 – 100 Marks (Multiple-choice questions on subjects Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act and Economics.) (Duration – 40 minutes).
Important Points to Note:
- Negative marking for Paper 2 is 1/4th of the marks assigned to the question.
- Cut-off of a minimum of 30% for Paper 1 and a cut-off of a minimum of 40% for Paper 2 in Phase 2.
- Candidates would need to secure separate cut-offs in each paper as mentioned above as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 40% in the Phase 2 exam (weightage of 1/3rd for Paper 1 and 2/3rd for Paper 2) to be shortlisted for Phase 2.
1.3. SEBI 2020 Phase 3 (Interview).
- Phase 1 is qualifying in nature while the aggregate of marks obtained in Phase 2 and Interview will be considered to come up with the merit list.
- The weightage of marks obtained in Phase 2 will be 85% while the weightage of marks in the interview shall be 15%.
Important Points to Note:
- The candidate may opt for an interview either in Hindi or English.
- The weightage of marks obtained in Phase 2 will be 85%, while marks obtained in the interview shall be given a weightage of 15%.
2. Important points to keep in mind before you start preparing.
i. There is a paper-wise cut-off. So, concentrate on both papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2).
ii. At the same time, there is nothing mentioned about the sectional cut-off in both paper 1 & paper 2. Make it work to your advantage as you can score very high in any or all of the sections that you are most comfortable with and thus increase your overall marks.
iii. There will be common preparation for Paper 2 for Phase 1 & Phase 2 as the subjects and syllabus of Paper 2 (Phase 1 and Phase 2) are exactly similar which can again work to your advantage. Prepare well for paper 2 as it would help you increase your overall score.
iv. In Paper 2, there are many subjects (Costing, Commerce & Accounting, Companies Act, Finance & Management & Economics) with a total of 100 marks, and the duration is just 40 minutes. So, we could assume that the questions would be of easy to moderate level testing your basic understanding of the subjects and concept clarity.
SEBI Grade A Study Material PDF 2022 – Get Free YouTube Classes & Study Notes
3. Let us know How to Prepare for SEBI Grade A Officer Exam 2022?
SEBI Grade A Preparation Tips | Strategy | Syllabus | Pattern
3.1. SEBI Grade A 2022 – Phase 1 – Paper 1 Practice & Preparation
There are four sections:
- Quantitative Aptitude
- Reasoning Ability
- English
- General Awareness (including some questions related to the financial sector)
Marks distribution amongst these sections has been conveyed in the information handout. Take a look at the Phase 1 exam pattern as per the information handout.
Paper 1 – Important Topics
| Section | Important Topics |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 1. Data Interpretation (Percentage, Ratios), 2. Quadratic Equations, 3. Wrong Number Series & Missing Number Series 4. Problems on Ages, CI, Mensuration, Simplification, Partnerships |
| Reasoning | 1. Direction Sense, 2. Blood Relations, 3. Syllogisms, 4. Miscellaneous topics (Alphabetical Series), Inequality |
| English | 1. Reading Comprehension, 2. Cloze Test, 3. Find the error (A/B/C type, correct the highlighted part), 4. Jumbled sentences |
| General Awareness (including some questions on the Financial Sector) | 1. Current Affairs Topics like Sports, Awards, Summits & Conferences 2. Static GK: Headquarters for example financial awareness |
3.1.1. Phase 1 – Paper 1 Preparation Strategy
- The best way now to prepare for the above-mentioned sections would be through the SEBI Grade A Mock Tests.
- Most of you, I am sure, might be well aware of the basics of these topics, therefore just jump on to taking the paper 1 mock tests.
- Understand and analyze your strengths and weaknesses through these mock tests and work on them.
- If you are not confident about your preparation for Reasoning, Quants, & English, do practice these using our free resources available on Oliveboard’s YouTube Channel.
Paper 1 Mock Test Schedule
One Month Test Schedule
| Week Number | Study Plan |
| Week 1 | Mock Test No.1 |
| Week 2 | Test No.2 & Test No.3 |
| Week 3 | Test No.4 & Test No.5 |
| Week 4 | Test No.6 & Test No.7 |
| Week 5 | Test No.8 & Test No.9 |
| Week 6 | Test No.10 |
Take up a Free SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Mock Test Here
3.1.1.1. General Awareness Coverage
1. Cover the News Related to the Financial Sector for the last 5 months prior to the exam.
2. Other important news for the last 4 months prior to the exam.
3. Start reading the current affairs for the latest month because as per the trend most of the questions would be asked from the month closest to exam month.
4. Read and revise the highlights of the Union Budget & Economic Survey. You could expect 2-6 questions from these.
5. SEBI in news & everything about SEBI.
3.2. SEBI Grade A 2022 – Phase 1 – Paper 2 Practice & Preparation
3.2.1. What are the sections/subjects to be covered?
- Commerce & Accounting (Get Notes Here)
- Management (Get Notes Here)
- Finance (Get Notes Here)
- Costing (Get Notes Here)
- Companies Act (Get Notes Here)
- Economics (Get Notes Here)
3.2.2. Important Points to be kept in mind for Paper 2.
i. Don’t try to master all the sections. Just the basic understanding of topics mentioned in the syllabus would do wonders and help you score well.
ii. As time is limited, going through voluminous books could waste a major portion of your time.
iii. The key to preparing well here is Concept Clarity + Sticking to Basics.
iv. The maximum marks for paper 2 are just 100 and the time duration is 40 minutes. We could make out that there would be very fewer chances of numerical questions being asked here. Even if asked, those would be very basic and doable within seconds.
v. As the subjects in paper 2 are of the likes of Costing, Economics, Commerce & Accounting, Finance & Management, Companies Act, etc there are very fewer chances of current affairs being asked in this paper. Although there might be questions on Union Budget & Economic Survey and other important financial news.
3.2.3. Important Topics for Paper 2 Subjects
Syllabus for Commerce & Accountancy
- Accounting as a financial information system.
- Accounting Standards with specific reference to Accounting for Depreciation, Inventories, Revenue Recognition, Fixed Assets, Foreign Exchange Transactions, Investments.
- Cash Flow Statement, Fund flow statement, Financial statement analysis; Ratio analysis.
- Accounting for Share Capital Transactions including Bonus Shares, Right Shares.
- Employees Stock Option and Buy-Back of Securities.
- Preparation and Presentation of Company Final Accounts.
| Follow this Sequence for your Preparation 3 ➔ 4 ➔ 5 ➔ 1 ➔ 2 ➔ 6 |
Syllabus for Management
- Management: its nature and scope; The Management Processes; Planning, Organization, Staffing, Directing and Controlling.
- The Role of a Manager in an Organization. Leadership: The Tasks of a Leader.
- Leadership Styles; Leadership Theories; A successful Leader versus an effective Leader.
- Human Resource Development: Concept of HRD; Goals of HRD.
- Motivation, Morale and Incentives: Theories of Motivation; How Managers Motivate; Concept of Morale; Factors determining morale; Role of Incentives in Building up Morale.
- Communication: Steps in the Communication Process; Communication Channels; Oral versus Written Communication; Verbal versus non-verbal Communication; upward, downward and lateral communication; Barriers to Communication, Role of Information Technology.
| You can follow any sequence for your Management Preparation |
Syllabus for Finance
- Financial System
- Role and Functions of Regulatory bodies in Financial Sector.
- Role and Functions of Regulatory bodies in Financial Sector.
- Financial Markets
- Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity, etc.), functions, instruments, and recent developments.
- Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity, etc.), functions, instruments, and recent developments.
- General Topics
- Basics of Derivatives: Forward, Futures and Swap
- Recent Developments in the Financial Sector
- Financial Inclusion- use of technology
- Alternate source of finance, private and social cost-benefit, Public-Private Partnership
- Direct and Indirect taxes; Non-tax sources of Revenue, GST, Finance Commission, Fiscal Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM)
- Inflation: Definition, trends, estimates, consequences, and remedies (control): WPI, CPI – components and trends.
- Basics of Derivatives: Forward, Futures and Swap
| Follow this Sequence for your Preparation 2 ➔ 3 ➔ 1 |
Syllabus for Costing
- Overview of Cost and Management Accounting – Introduction to Cost and Management Accounting, Objectives and Scope of Cost and Management Accounting.
- Methods of Costing – Single Output/ Unit Costing, Job Costing, Batch Costing, Contract Costing, Process/ Operation Costing, Costing of Service Sectors.
- Basics of Cost Control and Analysis – (i) Standard Costing, (ii) Marginal Costing, (iii) Budget and Budgetary Control.
- Lean System and Innovation
- Introduction to Lean System
- Just-in-Time (JIT)
- Kaizen Costing
- 5 Ss
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
- Cellular Manufacturing/ One-Piece Flow Production Systems
- Six Sigma (SS)
- Introduction to Process Innovation and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR).
| Follow this Sequence for your Preparation 1 ➔ 2 ➔ 3 ➔ 4 |
Syllabus for Companies Act
The Companies Act, 2013 – Specific reference to Chapter III, Chapter IV, Chapter VIII, Chapter X, Chapter XI, Chapter XII, and Chapter XXVII.
Current affairs related to companies’ act are important.
Syllabus for Economics
- Demand and Supply, Market Structures, National Income: Concepts and Measurement, Classical & Keynesian Approach Determination of output and employment, Consumption Function, Investment Function, Multiplier and Accelerator, Demand and Supply for Money, IS-LM, Inflation and Phillips Curve, Business Cycles.
- Balance of Payments, Foreign Exchange Markets, Inflation, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Non-banking Financial Institutions.
3.2.3. Important Pointers for Preparation
| Phase-I – Paper-1 – QRE | Practice through topic tests, and sectional tests and finally go on to take Mock Tests. |
| Phase-I – Paper-1 – GA | Follow the monthly capsules (you can also cover these on a daily basis). More importantly, cover the news related to the financial sector. The last 4 months prior to the exam is of utmost importance. |
| Phase-I & II – Paper-2 | Start your prep with the Management section. It is easy and the syllabus is mostly static. |
| Management | The most imp. topics are Leadership, Motivation, and HRD. Expected No. of Qs. – 4 (8 marks) |
| Finance | The most imp. topics are Primary & Secondary Markets, Derivatives, Fiscal Policy, GST, Finance Commission (15th FC Report – study notes & topic-wise tests), About SEBI (Basics), and Inflation. Expected No. of Qs. – 8 (16 marks) |
| Commerce & Accountancy | The most imp. topics are Accounting Standards (Basic Definitions), Ratio Analysis, Bonus Shares, Right Shares, ESOP and Buy-back. Expected No. of Qs. – 10 (20 marks) |
| Costing | The most imp. topics are Lean System and Innovation, Methods of Costing, and Costing Techniques. Expected No. of Qs. – 10 (20 marks) |
| Companies Act | The Companies Act, 2013 – Specific reference to Chapter VIII, Chapter X, Chapter XI, Chapter XII, and Chapter XXVII. Expected No. of Qs. – 10 (20 marks) |
| Economics | The most imp. topics are Growth & Development + National Income, Monetary Policy – Refer Current Affairs, BoP, Demand & Supply, Theory of Production, Markets, and IS-LM Curve. Expected No. of Qs. – 10 (20 marks) |
| Study Plan | Keep the weekends for CA coverage, Descriptive Eng. Prep & Phase-I practice. Weekdays – Focus on Paper-2 subjects. |
SEBI Grade A Study Material PDF 2022– Get Free YouTube Classes & Study Notes
3.2.4. Phase 1 – Paper 2 Study Plan
Let us make a properly structured timetable for the subjects/sections of Phase 2 for better strategizing preparation for phase 1 – paper 2.
| Week | Phase 1, Paper 1 | Phase 1, Paper 2 | Subjects | Current Affairs |
| Week 1 | Mock Test No.1 | Mock Test No.1 | Management & Finance | |
| Week 2 | Test No.2 & Test No.3 | Test No.2 & Test No.3 | Commerce & Accountancy | July, August, Sept 2021 |
| Week 3 | Test No.4 & Test No.5 | Test No.4 & Test No.5 | Economics & Costing | October 2021 & November 2021 |
| Week 4 | Test No.6 & Test No.7 | Test No.6 & Test No.7 | Companies Act | December 2021 |
| Week 5 | Test No.8 & Test No.9 | Test No.8 & Test No.9 | Revision | Revision |
| Week 6 | Test No.10 | Test No.10 | Revision | Jan & Feb (Week 1) |
SEBI Grade A Study Material PDF 2022 – Get Free YouTube Classes & Study Notes
SEBI Grade A 2023 Online Course – FAQs
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Q.1) What are the offerings of the Video course for SEBI Gr A 2023
- Strategy Sessions on how to prepare for the examination
- Past Year Paper Discussions
Phase 1:
- Videos on Important Topics of Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English (Paper 1)
- 10 Full-Length Mock Tests for Paper 1
- BOLT magazine covering the GA section for Paper 1
- 10 Full-Length Mock Tests for Paper 2
- Video Lessons + Notes for all the sections of Paper 2 (Commerce & Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, Economics).
Phase 2:
Video Lessons + Notes for all the sections of Paper 2 (Commerce & Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, Economics)
Note: The syllabus of Paper 2 is the same for Phase 1 and Phase 2
- Live Classes for revision of the chapters
- Live Practice Sessions for all the components
- Live Classes for the Descriptive English (Paper 1)
- Full-Length Mock Tests for Paper
- Topic Tests for Paper-2 Subjects
Q.2) When will the Course start?
The course has started but you can join anytime. LIVE classes are taken for Phase 1 and Phase 2 separately.
Q.3) Do we have notes along with the videos?
Yes, there would be notes for each chapter along with the videos. But these PDFs would not be downloadable.
Q.4) Can we join the batch after the start date?
Yes, the Live Sessions already conducted would be available in the form of Recordings. So, you can watch it as and when you enrol in the course.
Q.5) Will other batches be coming up?
As this is an online course, you can join in anytime after the start date. The previously conducted classes would also be available on the dashboard. This is the only batch available for the course.
Q.6 Do I need to refer to any other sources apart from the Oliveboard material?
No. We have covered the syllabus keeping in mind the requirements of the examination. So, kindly follow the schedule and keep revising the content.
Q.7) Will there be mock tests for Phase 1 and Phase 2?
Yes.
- 10 Full-Length Mock Tests for Phase 1 (Paper 1)
- 10 Full-Length Mock Tests for Phase 1 (Paper 2)
- 10 Full-Length Mock Tests for Phase 2 (Paper 2)
- Topic Tests for Paper-2 Subjects
Q.8) Will there be classes for Descriptive English?
Yes. We will conduct special sessions to cover this paper.
Q.9) Will Economic Survey, Union Budget, etc be covered?
Yes. As part of the Current Affairs Coverage, we would be focusing on the following:
- Economic Survey
- Union Budget
- Important news articles mapped with the topics under the syllabus
- Important RBI Notifications/Circulars (For Finance Part)
- Important SEBI Notifications/Circulars (If required for the exam)
Q.10) Can we cover the syllabus well before the examination?
Yes. The Video Lessons and notes have been designed in such a way that they can be covered well before the examination.
So, this was all from us in this article of SEBI Grade A Exam Preparation & Study Plan for Grade A exam Phase 1 and Phase 2 (Paper 1 & Paper 2). We hope that you liked the approach and methodology applied here and be able to benefit from it. If you wish to take a look at the course offerings of SEBI Grade A, click on the link given below.
SEBI Grade A Online Course 2023
We at Oliveboard are here with comprehensive study courses for the SEBI Gr. A 2023 exam. The study material ranges from videos + notes for Paper 2 subjects to current affairs capsules and mock tests for Phases 1 & 2.
SEBI Grade A Course Highlights:
- Videos + Notes for Paper 2 Subjects
- CA Coverage + Descriptive English
- 50+ Topic Tests for 6 subjects of Paper 2
- 10 Phase 1, Paper 1 Full-Length Mock Tests
- 10 Phase 1, Paper 2 Full-Length Mock Tests
- 10 Phase 2, Paper 2 Full-Length Mock Tests
Get expert guidance and complete study material handy to prepare from the comfort of your homes!
Read More:
- SEBI Recruitment 2022 – Grade A Notification
- Detailed Syllabus for SEBI Grade A Officer 2022 [Phase 1&2] – Topic-Wise
- What is SEBI Grade A Salary & Job Profile in 2022?
- SEBI Grade A Preparation 2022 – Study Plan for Phase 1 [Paper 1 & 2]
- SEBI Grade A Online Course 2022 – Video Lectures, Study Notes & Mock Tests for Phase 1 & 2
- Which is better SEBI Grade A or RBI Grade B or NABARD Grade A?
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