The RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 (Prelims) examination is scheduled for 13th June 2026. Make sure your application is submitted and admit card is downloaded well in advance.
Last Date to Apply Online & Fee Payment - 20th May 2026 (6 PM)
The last date to submit the online application and complete fee payment is 20th May 2026 by 6:00 PM. Do not wait till the last moment - apply early to avoid technical issues.
Official Notification Released & Online Application Started - 29th April 2026
RBI officially released the detailed Grade B 2026 notification on 29th April 2026. The online application window also opened on the same day on the official RBI portal.
Preparing for the RBI Grade B exam requires the right study resources that clearly cover the complete syllabus and help you build strong conceptual understanding. A well-planned preparation includes simple notes, standard books, video lectures, and regular mock test practice to improve accuracy and speed. Using structured study material such as PDFs, online courses, and practice tests can help you strengthen your basics and track your progress step by step. In this blog, we have provided the RBI Grade B exam pattern, subject-wise recommended books, and other important resources to support your preparation in a clear and effective way.
Which study material should you use for RBI Grade B?
Preparing for the RBI Grade B exam requires the right study material to cover all subjects effectively. You need resources for General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues (ESI), Finance and Management (FM), Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and English. Using proper books, online courses, mock tests, previous year papers, and current affairs sources will help you understand concepts better, practice regularly, and track your progress. Choosing the right material ensures a balanced preparation and improves your chances of scoring well in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the exam.
Subject
Recommended Material (Books & Sources)
Key Tips (Quick View)
Quantitative Aptitude
Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma Magical Book on Quicker Maths by M. Tyra Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by R.S. Aggarwal How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
• Focus on: Percentages, P&L, SI/CI, Time & Work, TSD, Ratio, Mixtures • Practice: 15 arithmetic questions + 1 DI set daily • Prioritise high-weight topics
English Language
High School Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
• Read 2 editorials per week • Practice 10 grammar questions daily • Focus: RC, Para jumbles, Fillers, Error spotting • Improve reading speed and comprehension
Reasoning Ability
Magical Book on Puzzles by K. Kundan Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
• Solve daily puzzles: Linear, Circular, Floor, Box, Distribution • Practice 10 standalone questions (Direction, Blood Relation, Coding-Decoding) • 2 well-practiced puzzles can clear cut-offs
General Awareness (GA) / ESI
The Hindu The Indian Express Mint Newspaper Monthly current affairs magazines RBI updates
• Cover last 6 months current affairs • Focus on schemes, budgets, reports, surveys • Revise RBI, IMF, World Bank updates regularly • Maintain short notes for quick revision
Finance & Management
RBI & SEBI circulars Business newspapers Finance & Management books
• Focus: financial system, bonds, derivatives, statements • Management topics: ethics, leadership, governance • Track updates from RBI and SEBI regularly
When are the RBI Grade B phase 1 and phase 2 exams scheduled?
The Reserve Bank of India has released the RBI Grade B Exam 2026 Phase 1 and Phase 2 dates along with the official notification PDF. Phase 1 (Prelims) will be held in June 2026, while Phase 2 (Mains) is scheduled for July 2026. The exact dates vary for the General, DEPR, and DSIM streams. Candidates should note these dates carefully and plan their preparation in advance, as timely preparation is important to perform well in both stages.
Event
General (DR)
DEPR
DSIM
Phase 1 Exam Date
13 June 2026
14 June 2026
14 June 2026
Phase 2 Exam Date
25 July 2026
26 July 2026
26 July 2026
How to use the RBI Grade B Study Materials effectively?
RBI Grade B free study material includes detailed topic wise notes, eBooks, mock tests, and previous year papers. To use the study material effectively, follow the below mentioned steps:
For Phase 1 of the RBI Grade B exam, there are four sections such as General Awareness, Reasoning, English & Quantitative Aptitude. For Phase 2, the candidates will have to prepare English (Descriptive), ESI & FM.
Sections
Total Questions
Marks
Reasoning
60
60
General Awareness
80
80
English Language
30
30
Quantitative Aptitude
30
30
Total
200
200
The phase 2 of the exam consists of three papers, which are objective and descriptive in nature.
The next step in your RBI Grade B preparation is to choose the right and trusted study materials. Good quality PDFs for subjects like Economic & Social Issues (ESI), Finance, Management, and Descriptive English will help you build a strong base for the exam. These study materials explain important topics in a simple and easy way. They include clear notes, short summaries, and practice questions that make learning easier. They also help you improve your answer writing skills, which is very important for the descriptive paper. Candidates can download the RBI Grade B Notes PDF, which is prepared as per the latest syllabus and exam pattern of the Reserve Bank of India, from the direct link given below for free.
We all know how important it is to prepare current affairs and topics that are in the news for the RBI Grade B Exam. We have taken this initiative to help you with free PDFs on the topics that are currently in the news.
Candidates who are preparing for the upcoming RBI Exam, are advised to check the RBI Grade B 2026 Complete Guide where they will find each and every detail of the examination.
What does RBI Grade B practice include for aspirants?
RBI Grade B is one of the most important regulatory exams for aspirants preparing for India's central banking sector. To help candidates revise effectively, practice quizzes and PDFs are designed in a simple format covering key topics from Phase 1 and Phase 2 syllabus.
Explore the RBI Grade B Booklist by Toppers, curated from the preferred books and study materials of successful candidates. This list of RBI Grade B Study Material offers valuable guidance to help you prepare smartly and boost your chances of clearing the exam with confidence.
Section
Recommended Books / Material
Finance
- Monetary Theory and Public Policy - Kenneth Kurihara
- Indian Economy - Mishra & Puri
- Economic Growth and Development - Mayer and Baldwin
- Financial Management - Prasanna Chandra
- Major financial newspapers- International Business - Hill and Jain
- RBI Annual Report, Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India, etc.
- Economic Survey
- Material sourced from the RBI website
Management
- Management - Stephen P. Robbins & Mary Coulter
- Organisational Behaviour - Robbins Stephen P, Judge T.A., Vohra
- Human Resource Management - Dessler Gary, Warkkey Biju
- Fundamentals of Human Resource Management - Decenzo and Robbins
- Business Ethics - Velasquez Manuel G: Concepts and Cases- Business Ethics - Fernando A.C.: An Indian Perspective- Business Ethics - Crane Andrew & Matten Dirk
- Business Ethics & Corporate Governance - Ghosh B N
Besides referring to the study notes and eBooks and books, you must not forget to solve RBI Grade B previous year papers. They offer unique insights on the pattern of questions, their frequency, and difficulty level. Click the link below to download free PDF of previous year papers.
A part of your preparation should also include the list of the RBI Grade B Study Material for ESI as per the Reserve Bank of India. We have listed the suggested material below.
Hi, I’m Aditi, a creative writer at Oliveboard and the voice behind the content you see here. I focus on making JAIIB, CAIIB, and UGC NET exam topics simple and easy to understand. My aim is to share helpful tips and clear guidance that can make your preparation less stressful and more effective. I am here to help you through the exam journey so you can feel confident and ready to take on the challenge. My focus is to support all aspirants by creating content that’s friendly, trustworthy, and designed to help you succeed with confidence.
FAQs
The RBI Grade B Study Material 2026 includes topic-wise notes, free PDFs, mock tests, eBooks, previous year papers, and recommended booklists for all subjects in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the exam.
To use the material effectively:
Understand the exam syllabus and pattern.
Download topic-wise PDFs.
Follow a structured booklist.
Solve previous year papers.
Regularly take mock tests for practice.
Books by authors like Ramesh Singh, Prasanna Chandra, Kenneth Kurihara, Stephen Robbins, and M.K. Pandey are widely recommended. Economic Survey, RBI reports, and current affairs magazines are also helpful.
Yes, free full-length mock tests for Phase 1 and Phase 2 are part of the study material. They simulate the actual exam environment and help improve speed and accuracy.
Absolutely. Solving past papers helps you understand the exam pattern, question types, and difficulty level. It also aids in time management and identifying weak areas.
