Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Understanding RBI Grade B Phase 1

• Detailed Strategy for Each Section

  • General Awareness Strategy

  • Quantitative Aptitude Strategy

  • Reasoning Ability Strategy

  • English Language Strategy

• Study Plan (30-Day, 60-Day, 90-Day)

• Exam Weightage & Trends

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Shortcuts, Tricks & Smart Techniques

• Summary Notes

• 25 Practice MCQs

• FAQs

Introduction

RBI Grade B is one of India’s most respected career paths. Every year lakhs of aspirants attempt the exam, but only a small percentage qualify. With the right RBI Grade B preparation strategy, even a first-time aspirant can clear Phase 1 confidently. This article gives you a simple, high-yield, exam-focused plan that works across different learning levels. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced candidate, this guide will help you prepare smarter and faster.

Understanding RBI Grade B Phase 1

RBI Grade B Phase 1 is an online objective examination consisting of:

• General Awareness – 80 marks

• Reasoning Ability – 60 marks

• Quantitative Aptitude – 30 marks

• English Language – 30 marks

Total Marks: 200
Total Time: 120 minutes

You must clear both the sectional cut-off and the overall cut-off.

RBI Grade B Preparation Strategy – Section-wise (H3 Below)

General Awareness Strategy (Highest-Weightage Section)

General Awareness decides final selection because it contributes 80 marks. Your strategy should focus on:

What to Study

• Last 6–9 months Current Affairs

• Banking & Financial Awareness

• RBI Notifications

• Union Budget & Economic Survey

• International Summits, Reports, Rankings

• Government Schemes

• Static GK (very selective)

Sources

• PIB updates

• RBI website

• Ministry websites

• Economy-related current affairs

• Indian financial system notes

Trick to Score 60+ in GA

Study daily for 45 minutes and revise weekly. Focus more on Economy, Banking, Monetary Policy, and RBI functions.

Reasoning Ability Strategy

This is a high-scoring yet tricky section.

Important Topics

• Puzzles

• Seating arrangement

• Inequalities

• Syllogisms

• Blood relations

• Input-Output

• Coding-Decoding

• Direction tests

• Data sufficiency

How to Score 45+

• Solve two puzzles daily

• Practice previous patterns

• Avoid spending too much time on any single puzzle

Quantitative Aptitude Strategy

Quantitative Aptitude in RBI Grade B is moderate. Focus on:

Important Topics

• Simplification

• Average

• Percentage

• Profit & Loss

• Ratio & Proportion

• Speed, Time & Distance

• Data Interpretation

How to Score 20+

• Master formulas through repeated practice

• Solve DI sets daily

• Practice mental calculation tricks

English Language Strategy

English in RBI Grade B is easy to moderate. Prioritize accuracy over attempts.

Important Topics

• Reading comprehension

• Para jumbles

• Error spotting

• Cloze tests

• Fill in the blanks

How to Score 22+

• Read newspapers daily

• Focus on grammar basics

• Practice vocabulary revision

Study Plan Options

30-Day Study Plan (For Fast Learners)

• 3 hours GA

• 2 hours Reasoning

• 1.5 hours Quant

• 1 hour English

• Daily mock test

60-Day Study Plan (Balanced)

• 2 hours GA

• 1.5 hours Reasoning

• 1 hour Quant

• 45 minutes English

• Alternate-day mock test

90-Day Study Plan (Beginners)

• Start with fundamentals

• Weekly revision cycles

• Section-wise practice tests

Exam Weightage & Trend

Recent trends show increasing weightage of Economy, RBI circulars, Banking reforms and moderate difficulty in puzzles and DI.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring sectional cut-offs

• Not practicing enough GA

• Spending too much time on puzzles

• Giving less importance to English

• Not writing mocks from Day 1

Shortcuts, Tricks & Smart Techniques

• Attempt GA first

• Leave tough puzzles and return later

• Use elimination in English and Reasoning

• In Quant, target DI first

• Never guess blindly

Summary Notes

• GA is the game changer

• Reasoning and Quant require accuracy

• English boosts overall score

• Daily revision is essential

• Mock tests determine success

25 Practice MCQs

Q1. RBI’s Monetary Policy is prepared by the

A) Ministry of Finance
B) RBI Board
C) MPC
D) NITI Aayog
Answer: C
MPC sets the policy rate.

Q2. CRR stands for

A) Cash Reserve Ratio
B) Credit Reserve Ratio
C) Cash Retention Rate
D) Current Reserve Ratio
Answer: A
CRR is the proportion of deposits banks must keep with RBI.

Q3. Repo rate is used for

A) Overnight lending
B) Long-term loans
C) Foreign payments
D) Bank mergers
Answer: A
Repo is short-term lending to banks.

Q4. The largest component of M3 is

A) Currency
B) Demand deposits
C) Time deposits
D) Cash reserves
Answer: C
Time deposits dominate M3.

Q5. Which section saw maximum cut-off rise in recent RBI Grade B exams?

A) English
B) Quant
C) Reasoning
D) GA
Answer: D
GA cut-off showed consistent increase.

Q6. Inflation targeting in India is managed by MPC.

A) True
B) False
Answer: A

Q7. Which body regulates NBFCs?

A) IRDAI
B) SEBI
C) RBI
D) NABARD
Answer: C

Q8. LAF consists of

A) Repo and Reverse Repo
B) CRR and SLR
C) MSF and OMO
D) ARCs
Answer: A

Q9. Priority sector lending target for banks is

A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 50 percent
Answer: C

Q10. Base Year of CPI combined is

A) 2001
B) 2011
C) 2015
D) 2018
Answer: B

Q11. Which of the following is a qualitative tool of RBI?

A) Repo
B) Reverse Repo
C) Moral Suasion
D) CRR
Answer: C

Q12. Current account deficit means

A) Excess of imports
B) Excess of exports
C) Fall in forex
D) Bank deficit
Answer: A

Q13. The RTGS minimum amount is

A) 50k
B) 1 lakh
C) 2 lakh
D) 5 lakh
Answer: C

Q14. PSL includes

A) Mining
B) Agriculture
C) Tobacco
D) Betting
Answer: B

Q15. MSF is used by banks during

A) Liquidity shortage
B) Inflation
C) High fiscal deficit
D) None
Answer: A

Q16. Reverse repo absorbs

A) Inflation
B) Liquidity
C) Interest
D) Fiscal gap
Answer: B

Q17. Fiscal deficit is

A) Revenue minus tax
B) Total expenditure minus total revenue
C) Export minus import
D) GDP minus NDP
Answer: B

Q18. Bank rate is used for

A) Short-term loans
B) Long-term loans
C) Retail loans
D) Cards
Answer: B

Q19. PCA is applicable to

A) NBFC
B) Banks
C) MFIs
D) Insurance
Answer: B

Q20. Basel norms relate to

A) Hospitals
B) Schools
C) Banks
D) Railways
Answer: C

Q21. OMO involves

A) RBI buying and selling securities
B) Bank lending
C) Forex control
D) Insurance
Answer: A

Q22. SLR is maintained

A) In cash
B) In gold and securities
C) In loans
D) In forex
Answer: B

Q23. GDP at constant price removes

A) Inflation
B) Fiscal deficit
C) Trade deficit
D) Debt
Answer: A

Q24. Banking Ombudsman handles

A) Banking complaints
B) SEBI rules
C) Insurance
D) Tax
Answer: A

Q25. RBI was established in

A) 1925
B) 1932
C) 1935
D) 1940
Answer: C

FAQs

Q1. How many months of current affairs are needed for RBI Grade B?
At least 6–9 months.

Q2. Which section is most scoring?
General Awareness.

Q3. Can beginners clear RBI Grade B in first attempt?
Yes, with the right preparation strategy and discipline.

Q4. Are mock tests important?
Absolutely. They improve accuracy and speed.