NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern: The NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) Grade A exam is a highly competitive examination for recruitment to the position of Assistant Manager. All the details regarding the exam pattern will be released in NABARD Grade A Notification. We have tried to cover the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern for both phases in the below subsections in a crisp and short form.
NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern 2025
The first stage of the selection process is the Preliminary Exam, which is an objective-type test. As per the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern, the Prelims exam is only for shortlisting and does not contribute to the final merit list. Candidates must focus on Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) and Economic & Social Issues (ESI) as they form a major part of the syllabus.
NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2025
Understanding the syllabus is essential for effective preparation. The NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2025 is designed to test a candidate's knowledge across a range of subjects relevant to the role of an Assistant Manager. The syllabus is different for Phase 1 (Prelims) and Phase 2 (Mains).
NABARD Grade A Phase 1 (Objective Type) Syllabus
The NABARD Grade A Phase 1 Syllabus includes objective-type questions designed to test a candidate's reasoning, quantitative skills, English language proficiency, general awareness, computer knowledge, and understanding of economic and agricultural issues. This stage acts as the qualifying round for Phase 2.
| Section | Topics Covered |
|---|
| Reasoning Ability | Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, etc. |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Data Interpretation, Simplification, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Ratio, etc. |
| English Language | Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Para Jumbles, etc. |
| General Awareness | Current Affairs (national & international), Banking Awareness, Economy, etc. |
| Computer Knowledge | Basics of Computers, MS Office, Internet, Networking, Computer Security, etc. |
| Economic & Social Issues | Indian Economy, Poverty, Inflation, Globalization, Sustainable Development, etc. |
| Agriculture & Rural Dev. | Soil, Water Resources, Agri. Economics, Rural Development Schemes, ARD Basics |
NABARD Grade A Phase 2 Syllabus
The NABARD Grade A Phase 2 Syllabus focuses on descriptive English writing skills and stream-specific subjects. For General posts, it includes topics from Economic & Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD), while for specialist streams, the syllabus is tailored to the relevant discipline.
| Paper | Topics |
|---|
| Paper I – General English (Descriptive) | Essay, Letter Writing, Report Writing, Comprehension |
| Paper II – Stream-Specific Subjects |
| - General Discipline | - Economic & Social Issues (ESI): Growth, Poverty, Inflation, Reforms, Sustainable Development, etc. - Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD): Agronomy, Soil Science, Irrigation, Animal Husbandry, Govt Schemes, etc. |
| - Other Disciplines (e.g., IT, Finance, etc.) | Questions based on professional subject knowledge relevant to the stream |
NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
Reasoning, English, Computer, Quantitative Aptitude, and Decision Making sections are qualifying in nature and the other 3 sections i.e. GA, ESI & ARD sections are merit sections. Check out some more important information on NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern below for Prelims:
- Duration: Composite Time of 120 Minutes
- Nature of Exam: Bilingual (Except English Language)
- Marking Scheme: 1/4th mark of that question will be deducted for every wrong answer.
| Name of the Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|
| Test of Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 |
| Decision Making | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 20 |
| ESI | 40 | 40 |
| ARD | 40 | 40 |
| Total | 200 | 200 |
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NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern 2025
The candidates who will clear the NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam will be able to sit for the Mains Exam. Phase 2 is considered tough and the subjects are common so it is advisable that candidates must start covering the NABARD Grade A Syllabus for Phase 2 along with Phase 1. Check the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern 2025 for Mains in the table below:
| Paper | Type | No. of Questions | Time (minutes) | Total Marks |
|---|
| Paper-1 | General English (Online Descriptive) | 3 | 90 | 100 |
| Paper-2 | Economic & Social Issues & Agriculture & Rural Development | 50% Objective - 30 Questions 50% Descriptive - 6 Questions (Attempt 4) | 30 (Objective) 90 (Descriptive) | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern (Generalist Officers)
This is the post for which maximum applications are sent to NABARD which is why the competition level becomes fierce. For the post of Generalist Officer, check out the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern 2025 below:
- The maximum marks for paper 1 (English) are 100 marks. Marks for paper 2 (ESI &ARD Objective & Descriptive) are 50 marks each.
- In paper 1, only 3 questions are asked.
- In paper 2, 30 questions are asked for objective part and 6 questions are asked for descriptive part.
| Paper | Subject | Time |
|---|
| Paper I | General English
(Descriptive) | 90 Min |
| Paper II | ESI & ARD
(Objective) | 30 Min |
| Paper II | ESI & ARD (Descriptive) | 90 Min |
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NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern (Specialist Officers & Rajbhasha)
As per the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern, in Paper 2 (Objective), some questions may carry 2 marks each and others 1 mark each. The number of questions for General English is 3, while for the stream-specific section, there are 30 objective and 6 descriptive questions.
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Time |
|---|
| Paper I | General English
(Descriptive) | 100 | 90 Min |
| Paper II | Stream Specific
(Objective) | 50 | 30 Min |
| Paper II | Stream Specific (Descriptive) | 50 | 90 Min |
Note: After the conduction of the mains exam, a psychometric test will be conducted. The psychometric test will be MCQ based for 90 minutes duration.
NABARD Grade A Interview Pattern 2025
After qualifying Phase 2 of the NABARD Grade A exam, as per the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern, candidates are first required to take a psychometric test, followed by an interview, which serves as the final selection stage.
| Component | Details |
|---|
| Psychometric Test Pattern |
| Mode | Conducted online and can be taken from home |
| Language | Available in English and 9 regional Indian languages |
| Questions | Around 100 to 120 questions designed to evaluate personality and behavioral tendencies |
| Duration | Typically takes 15–20 minutes (no strict time limit, but system tracks time, which appears in the final report) |
| Marks | Not scored; used solely for evaluative purposes |
| Interview Pattern |
| Mode | Conducted in-person at designated NABARD interview centres |
| Language | Candidates can choose either Hindi or English |
| Duration | Generally lasts between 20 to 45 minutes |
| Marks | Interview is scored out of 50 marks |
| Questions | Number and nature of questions vary depending on the interview panel |
NABARD Grade A Interview Questions (Grade A & B)
The NABARD interview checks your subject knowledge, awareness of rural development, and communication skills. Below are a few frequently asked questions with sample answers to guide your preparation.
Q1. Tell us about yourself.
Ans: I'm from [place], with a degree in [subject]. I'm interested in rural development and see NABARD as a platform to contribute meaningfully.
Q2. Why NABARD?
Ans: NABARD promotes rural growth and sustainable agriculture. I want to be part of this mission and contribute through my skills.
Q3. What does NABARD do?
Ans: It finances and regulates rural banks, supports agriculture, and promotes rural development projects.
Q4. What are the key issues in Indian agriculture?
Ans: Low productivity, poor irrigation, small land holdings, and limited market access are major concerns.
Q5. What is Priority Sector Lending?
Ans: It's a policy where banks must lend a portion of credit to sectors like agriculture, MSMEs, and education to ensure inclusive growth.
Negative Marking in NABARD Grade A
Some aspirants remain confused about the NABARD Grade A Negative Marking. The aspirants must note that there is 1/4th negative marking in NABARD Grade A. This means that in both Phase 1 & Phase 2, for every wrong answer, 1/4th of the marks assigned to that question will be the negative marking.
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Preparation Tips for NABARD Grade A 2025
A well-structured NABARD Grade A Preparation plan is key to cracking the NABARD Grade A Exam. Here are some tips to boost your preparation:
- Understand the syllabus and exam pattern: Knowing the syllabus helps you focus on important topics.
- Regular practice with mock tests: Taking regular mock tests will help you evaluate your progress and identify weak areas.
- Time management: Allocate specific time slots for each subject and adhere to a daily study schedule.
- Revision and self-assessment: Revise key topics periodically to improve retention and understanding.
