RBI Officers Grade B (DR)
Recruitment 2026
Reserve Bank of India Services Board (RBISB) has notified 60 vacanciesfor Officers in Grade B (Direct Recruit) under General, DEPR, and DSIM cadres — Panel Year 2026. This page covers everything from eligibility and exam pattern to a structured preparation roadmap.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Opens | 29 April 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 20 May 2026 |
| Phase-I Online Exam (General/DSIM) | 13 June 2026 |
| Phase-I Online Exam (DEPR) | 13 June 2026 |
| Phase-II Exam (Tentative) | July 2026 |
Vacancy Breakdown
| Cadre | UR | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 20 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 45 | Includes 3 PwBD (HH/VH/OH) |
| DEPR | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13 | Includes 1 PwBD |
| DSIM | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13 | Includes 1 PwBD |
| Total | 71 | ||||||
* Backlog vacancies from previous years included. Figures subject to change as per RBISB notification.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit (as on 01-Apr-2026)
- • Minimum: 21 years
- • Maximum: 30 years (born between 02-Apr-1996 and 01-Apr-2005)
- • SC/ST: +5 years relaxation
- • OBC (non-creamy layer): +3 years
- • PwBD (General): +10 years
- • M.Phil holders: maximum 32 years
- • Ph.D holders: maximum 34 years
- • Ex-servicemen: as per rules
Educational Qualification
General Cadre
Graduation with min. 60% (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) or Post-Graduation with min. 55% from a recognised university
DEPR Cadre
Master's degree in Economics with min. 55% marks from a recognised university
DSIM Cadre
Master's in Statistics / Math / Data Science / AI & ML with 55% or 4-year Bachelor's with 60% in related fields
Application Fee
| Category | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SC / ST / PwBD | ₹100 + 18% GST | Intimation charges only |
| General / OBC / EWS | ₹850 + 18% GST | Application + intimation |
| RBI Staff | Nil | Exempt |
Selection Process
Phase-I
Preliminary Online Exam
Objective MCQ — Screening round. Shortlisted candidates appear for Phase-II.
Phase-II
Mains Exam
Combination of Objective + Descriptive papers based on cadre. Rigorous and subject-focused.
Interview
75 Marks
Conducted by RBISB. Tests personality, banking knowledge, and analytical ability.
Exam Pattern
Detailed paper-wise breakup for each cadre. Negative marking applies on all objective papers.
General CadrePhase-I (200 marks · 120 minutes)
| Section | Marks | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 40 | Composite 2 hrs | Objective |
| English Language | 30 | Objective | |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | Objective | |
| Reasoning | 60 | Objective | |
| Computer Knowledge | 40 | Objective |
General CadrePhase-II (300 marks)
| Paper | Marks | Format | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I – Economic & Social Issues | 100 | 50% Obj + 50% Desc | 3 hrs |
| Paper II – English Writing Skills | 100 | 100% Descriptive | 3 hrs |
| Paper III – General Finance & Management | 100 | 50% Obj + 50% Desc | 3 hrs |
DEPR CadrePhase-I + Phase-II
| Phase | Paper | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase-I | Economics (Objective) | 100 | 2 hrs |
| Phase-I | English (Descriptive) | 100 | 1.5 hrs |
| Phase-II | Economics — Paper I (Descriptive) | 100 | 3 hrs |
| Phase-II | Economics — Paper II (Descriptive) | 100 | 3 hrs |
DSIM CadrePhase-I + Phase-II
| Phase | Paper | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase-I | Statistics (Objective) | 100 | 2 hrs |
| Phase-II | Statistics (Descriptive) | 100 | 3 hrs |
| Phase-II | English Writing Skills (Descriptive) | 100 | 3 hrs |
Detailed Syllabus
Cadre-wise topic breakdown based on the official RBISB notification.
General Cadre — Phase-II Subjects
Economic & Social Issues
- ›Growth & Development — Measurement, Sustainability
- ›Economic Reforms in India — Liberalisation, Globalisation
- ›Social Structure in India — Urbanisation, Migration
- ›Poverty & Inequality — Measurement, Schemes
- ›Indian Agriculture — Green Revolution, Land Reforms
- ›Industry & Services — MSMEs, Make in India
- ›Union Budget — Revenue, Expenditure, Fiscal Policy
- ›India's External Sector — Trade, BoP, Forex Reserves
- ›Social Sectors — Education, Health, Sanitation
- ›Environment & Climate Change
English Writing Skills
- ›Essay Writing (broad socio-economic themes)
- ›Précis Writing
- ›Reading Comprehension
- ›Business / Official Letter Writing
- ›Report Writing
General Finance & Management
- ›Financial System — Money Markets, Capital Markets
- ›Financial Institutions — RBI, SEBI, IRDA, PFRDA
- ›Basics of Derivatives & Risk Management
- ›Company Accounts & Audit
- ›Basics of Management — Planning, Organising, Motivation
- ›Leadership & Communication
- ›Corporate Governance
- ›Ethics in Business
DEPR Cadre — Economics Syllabus
Micro & Macroeconomics
- ›Demand, Supply & Price Theory
- ›National Income Accounting
- ›Keynesian Economics — IS-LM Framework
- ›Inflation, Unemployment & Phillips Curve
- ›Monetary Policy — Transmission, Instruments
- ›Fiscal Policy — Multiplier, Crowding Out
International Economics
- ›International Trade Theories — Comparative Advantage, HO Model
- ›Balance of Payments — Current & Capital Account
- ›Exchange Rate — PPP, Mundell-Fleming Model
- ›WTO & Trade Policy
- ›IMF, World Bank, Regional Development Banks
Quantitative Methods
- ›Mathematical Economics — Calculus, Linear Algebra
- ›Basic Probability & Statistics
- ›Regression Analysis — OLS, Properties
- ›Time Series Analysis
- ›Index Numbers
Indian Economy
- ›Economic History of India since Independence
- ›Five-Year Plans & NITI Aayog
- ›Monetary & Fiscal Policies of India
- ›External Sector — Trade Policy, FEMA
- ›Agriculture, Industry & Services Sectors
- ›Banking Sector Reforms & Financial Inclusion
DSIM Cadre — Statistics & Data Science Syllabus
Probability & Statistical Inference
- ›Probability Theory — Distributions (Binomial, Poisson, Normal)
- ›Sampling Distributions — t, F, Chi-square
- ›Estimation — Point & Interval
- ›Testing of Hypotheses — Parametric & Non-Parametric
- ›Bayesian Inference
Econometrics & Time Series
- ›Linear Regression — OLS, GLS
- ›Heteroskedasticity, Autocorrelation, Multicollinearity
- ›Panel Data Models
- ›Time Series — ARIMA, ARCH/GARCH
- ›Vector Autoregression (VAR)
- ›Cointegration & Error Correction Models
Data Science & AI/ML
- ›Machine Learning — Supervised, Unsupervised
- ›Classification — Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, SVM
- ›Clustering — K-Means, Hierarchical
- ›Neural Networks & Deep Learning Basics
- ›Natural Language Processing Basics
- ›Big Data — Hadoop, Spark (conceptual)
Database Management
- ›Relational Databases — SQL Basics
- ›Data Warehousing & OLAP
- ›NoSQL Databases
- ›Database Security & Data Quality
Pay Scale & Perks
Basic Pay
₹78,450 / month
Gross Emoluments
~₹1,54,936 / month
HRA
As per city classification
DA
As per CPI index
Medical Benefits
Self + family covered
Loan Facilities
Housing, vehicle, personal
How to Prepare for RBI Grade B
A structured, topic-by-topic strategy used by successful candidates — from Phase-I basics to the interview.
The 3-Stage Strategy
Stage 1
Clear Phase-I
- ✓Daily GK: 1 RBI circular + 1 economic news item
- ✓Reasoning: 20 questions/day (puzzles, syllogisms, coding)
- ✓Quant: Focus on DI, Simplification, Series — not deep maths
- ✓English: RC + cloze tests — speed matters
- ✓Target: 140+ out of 200 to be safely shortlisted
Stage 2
Dominate Phase-II
- ✓ESI: NCERT Economics → Ramesh Singh → RBI Annual Report
- ✓Finance & Management: Prasanna Chandra + ICAI notes
- ✓English: Write one essay + one précis every 2 days
- ✓Descriptive answers: 200-250 words, structure matters
- ✓RBI's recent policy actions must be woven into every answer
Stage 3
Interview
- ✓Read RBI's latest Annual Report cover to cover
- ✓Know RBI's current stance on repo rate, inflation target
- ✓Follow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) minutes
- ✓Current affairs: last 6 months' major economic events
- ✓Practice explaining technical concepts simply
13-Week Study Plan
| Period | Focus |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Phase-I baseline — attempt mock tests, identify weak topics in GK, Quant, Reasoning |
| Weeks 3–5 | Phase-I intensive — 40 GK + 20 Reasoning + 15 Quant questions daily; revise RBI publications |
| Week 6 | Phase-I full-length mocks (5 tests), analysis and revision |
| Weeks 7–9 | Phase-II — Essay + Précis daily; ESI topic-by-topic (2 chapters/day) |
| Weeks 10–12 | Phase-II — Finance & Management syllabus; descriptive writing timed practice |
| Week 13 | Phase-II full-length mocks + Interview prep: RBI policy stances, current events |
Recommended Books & Resources
| Cadre | Subject | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| General | Economic & Social Issues | Indian Economy — Ramesh Singh (McGraw Hill) |
| General | Finance & Management | Financial Management — Prasanna Chandra + NCERT Accountancy |
| General | English Writing | RBI Grade B English Guide (Arihant) + Editorial practice |
| General | Phase-I GK | Current Affairs (last 6 months) + RBI Annual Report |
| DEPR | Micro/Macro Economics | Microeconomics — H.L. Ahuja + Macroeconomics — Dornbusch |
| DEPR | Quantitative Methods | Mathematical Economics — Chiang Wainwright |
| DSIM | Statistics | Fundamentals of Statistics — Gupta & Gupta |
| DSIM | Econometrics | Introductory Econometrics — Wooldridge |
Online Resources (Free)
- • RBI Website — Annual Report, Monetary Policy Statements, Press Releases
- • MOSPI — GDP data, National Income statistics
- • SEBI / IRDAI / PFRDA websites — Regulatory updates for Finance paper
- • The Hindu / Business Standard — Editorial reading for English writing skills
- • Bankopedia Daily Quiz — GK practice questions relevant to banking exams
Common Mistakes to Avoid
✗ Ignoring RBI publications
✓ RBI Annual Report and Monetary Policy Reports are primary sources for Phase-II answers. Non-negotiable.
✗ Only studying theory for ESI
✓ ESI questions are application-based. Connect every topic to recent Indian economic events.
✗ Underestimating English paper
✓ Paper-II is 100% descriptive. Practice structured essay writing — intro, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion.
✗ Starting Phase-II prep late
✓ Phase-II is what decides rank. Start ESI and Finance/Management from day one, parallel to Phase-I.
✗ Rote-learning for interview
✓ RBI interviewers probe depth. Understand *why* behind policies, not just what.
✗ Negative marking panic in Phase-I
✓ Attempt questions where you're 70%+ confident. Skip outright guesses — ¼ penalty applies.
Ready to apply?
Last date: 20 May 2026 · 60 vacancies · Apply at ibps.in