The NABARD Grade A exam is a prestigious examination in India that provides an opportunity to become an Assistant Manager at NABARD. NABARD’s primary mission is to improve the rural economy by promoting sustainable agricultural and rural development.
The recruitment process for the Grade A position consists of three stages: the Preliminary Exam, the Main Exam, and the Interview. Each stage assesses candidates’ knowledge, skills, and suitability. The Preliminary Exam is an objective-type test, followed by the Main Exam, which includes objective and descriptive questions. Finally, candidates who clear both exams are shortlisted for the Interview stage.
Candidates interested in the NABARD Grade A exam should regularly check the official notification for the latest updates on exam dates, syllabus, and other essential details. The official website provides all the necessary information for applicants.
Latest Updates:
| Name of organization | National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development |
| Abbreviation | NABARD |
| Chairman | Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala |
| Category | Government job |
| Office location | Mumbai |
| Official website | www.nabard.org |
| Conducting Authority | National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) |
| Name of the Post | Assistant Manager Posts |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Phases of Exam | Prelims Mains Personal Interview |
| Number of Vacancies | 100-150 (Expected) |
| Application Dates | To Be Announced |
| Prelims Exam Date | To Be Announced |
| Mains Exam Date | To Be Announced |
| Mark Distribution of Each Phase | Prelims: 200 Marks (2 Hours); Objective Mains: Paper 1 – 100 Marks, Duration: 1 Hour 30 Minutes (Descriptive) Paper 2 – 100 Marks, Duration: 2 Hours (Objective + Descriptive) Interview – 50 Marks |
| Office Website | https://www.nabard.org/ |
The NABARD notification is yet to be released for its Grade A Officer recruitment for the year 2025. The NABARD Grade A Officer selection process consists of two phases. The first phase is the Preliminary Exam, a written exam consisting of multiple-choice questions. The second phase is the Mains Exam, which is a descriptive exam that tests the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the banking sector. However, candidates can refer to the notification from the previous year.
| Events | Dates |
| NABARD Grade A Notification 2025 | October 2025 (Expected) |
| Online Application Start Date | To Be Announced |
| Last Date to Apply Online | To Be Announced |
| Last Date to Pay Fees | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Admit Card 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam Date 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Prelims Result 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Score Card 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Mains Admit Card 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Date 2025 | To Be Announced |
| NABARD Grade A Interview Date 2025 | To Be Announced |
The NABARD Grade A Assistant Manager vacancies for various disciplines will be officially released by NABARD along with a detailed notification PDF. In the previous recruitment cycle, NABARD announced 102 vacancies for Assistant Manager under the Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS) and Rajbhasa disciplines. Once the NABARD Grade A Vacancy 2025 notification is issued, discipline-wise details will be updated accordingly. Meanwhile, candidates can refer to the table below to check the NABARD Assistant Manager Vacancy 2024 distribution across different categories.
| Discipline | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS |
| Assistant Manager – Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS) | |||||
| General | 23 | 07 | 03 | 12 | 05 |
| Chartered Accountant | 02 | — | — | 01 | 01 |
| Finance | 03 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 01 |
| Computer/ Information Technology | 09 | 01 | 01 | 05 | — |
| Agriculture | 01 | — | — | — | 01 |
| Animal Husbandry | 01 | — | — | 01 | — |
| Fisheries | — | — | 01 | — | — |
| Food Processing | — | — | — | 01 | — |
| Forestry | 01 | — | — | — | — |
| Plantation & Horticulture | 01 | — | — | — | — |
| Geo Informatics | — | — | — | 01 | — |
| Development Management | 01 | — | 01 | 01 | — |
| Statistics | — | — | 01 | — | 01 |
| Civil Engineering | 01 | — | — | 02 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | 01 | — | — | — | — |
| Environmental Engineering/Science | 01 | — | 01 | — | — |
| Human Resource Management | 01 | 01 | — | — | — |
| Total | 45 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 09 |
| Assistant Manager – Rajbhasa | |||||
| Total | 01 | 01 | — | — | — |
| Grand Total | 46 | 11 | 10 | 26 | 09 |
The Application is accepted in online mode. Before proceeding, apply with the correct details and submit the NABARD Grade ‘A’ application fee online.
| Category | Application Fee | Charges | Total Fee (excluding GST) |
| SC/ST/PWD | NIL | 150/- | 150/- |
| General (Others) | 700/- | 150/- | 850/- |
Any applicant must read all the instructions carefully to ensure all the eligibility criteria are fulfilled before applying for the post. Any false/incorrect information, and if the candidate does not fit under specific eligibility criteria, will be cancelled at the interview/joining stage.
NABARD Grade A sets forth an age limitation. The applicant must be at least 21 and not over 30 years old as of July 2025. Age relaxation will be given in specific categories:
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| SC/ST (PWBD) | 15 Years |
| OBC (PWBD) | 13 Years |
| General (PWBD) | 10 Years |
| SC | 5 Years |
| OBC | 3 Years |
NABARD requires candidates applying for different posts to have other qualifications. There are a total of 11 departments for which these candidates can apply. Read below to learn about a few of these departments and their required qualifications.
| Post/Department Name | Education Qualification |
| General | Bachelor’s Degree in any field from an accredited university with a minimum passing score of 50%, a Post Graduate degree with a minimum of 50% or a Ph.D., or be a Chartered Accountant/Cost Accountant/Company Secretary with a Bachelor’s degree, or have a two-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Management/full-time MBA from a GOI/UGC-recognized institution with an undergraduate degree in any subject. |
| Agriculture | A Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture with a minimum of 50% marks or a Postgraduate Degree in Agriculture/Agriculture (Soil Science/Agronomy) with a minimum of 50% marks. |
| Agriculture Engineering | To be eligible for this position, applicants must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Engineering with at least a 50% average or a Postgraduate Degree in Agriculture Engineering with a minimum of 50%. |
| Animal Husbandry | Applicants need to hold either a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Sciences / Animal Husbandry from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks in the aggregate or a Post Graduate degree in the same field with a minimum of 55% marks. |
| Fisheries | To be eligible for this position, applicants must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from an accredited University or institution with a minimum of 60% marks or a Postgraduate degree in Forestry with a minimum of 55% marks. |
| Forestry | A person must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture/Agronomy/Soil Science with a score of at least 60% for PWBD applicants (55%) or a Postgraduate Degree in Agriculture/Agronomy/Soil Science with a minimum of 55%. |
| Plantation/Horticulture | To be eligible for this role, applicants must have either a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture from any recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks OR a Post Graduate degree in Horticulture with a minimum of 55% marks. |
| Land Development/Soil Science | To be eligible for this role, applicants must have either a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture from any recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks, OR a Post Graduate degree in Horticulture with a minimum of 55% marks. |
| Water Resources | To be eligible for the position, a bachelor’s degree in Hydrology/ Applied Hydrology or Geology/ Applied Geology with Hydrogeology/ Irrigation/ Water Supply & Sanitation as one of the subjects with a mark of 60% or a postgraduate degree in Hydrology/ Applied Hydrology or Geology/ Applied Geology with Hydrogeology/ Irrigation/ Water Supply & Sanitation as one of the subjects with a mark of 55% or above. |
| Finance | Candidates who have achieved a minimum of 50% marks in a BBA (Finance/Banking) or BMS (Finance/Banking) or a two-year full-time PG Diploma in Management (Finance) or a full-time MBA (Finance) degree from institutions/universities recognized by Government of India/ UGC or Bachelor of Financial and Investment Analysis with 45% marks for SC/ST/PWBD applicants are eligible to apply. |
| Computer/Information Technology | To be eligible for the position, applicants must hold a Bachelor’s or Post-Graduate Degree in Computer Science, Computer Technology, Computer Applications, or Information Technology, with a minimum of 50% marks. |
Some Universities/Institutes do not award classes or percentages of marks and allot Aggregate Grade Points (e.g., CGPA/OGPA/CPI, etc.). If the University/Institute defines criteria for conversion of Aggregate Grade Points into Class and/or percentage of marks, the same will be accepted. However, where the University/Institute does not define criteria for conversion of Aggregate Grade Points into Class and/or
percentage of marks, the undefined parameter(s) would be worked out as under:
| CGPA/CPI/OGPA / any Grade in 10 Point Scale | Aggregate percentage | Class |
| 6.75 | 60% | First |
| 6.25 | 55% | Second |
| 5.75 | 50% | Second |
| 5.25 | 45% | Second |
NABARD Grade A officers are responsible for developing rural areas and agricultural and allied activities by providing credit and other agriculture and rural development facilities. They are also responsible for the formulation of policies and the promotion of agricultural and rural development. The salary details for NABARD Grade A officers are as follows: The Basic Pay is Rs. 28,150/- per month. The Gross Salary of NABARD Grade A officers is around Rs. 70,000/- per month. The salary of NABARD Grade A officers increases with their years of experience and performance.
| Particulars | Details |
| Pay-scale | Rs.28150-1550(4)-34350-1750(7)–46600–EB-1750(4)-53600-2000(1)-55600 |
| Basic Pay | Dearness Allowance, Local Compensatory Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Grade Allowance |
| Additional Allowances | Dearness Allowance, Local Compensatory Allowance, House Rent Allowance; Grade Allowance |
| Gross Emoluments (Approx) | Rs. 70,000/- (present rate of dearness allowance) |
| Initial Monthly In-hand Salary | Rs. 63,000/- (approx) |
One of the reasons why candidates select a career at NABARD is that it provides excellent growth opportunities, and one can earn well.
Other Benefits:
To learn about the NABARD Grade B salary structure, click here.
We have mentioned below the job role for candidates applying for the Specialist Position in NABARD Grade A
NABARD Grade A admit cards for prelims, mains, and interviews will be released individually on the official website. Candidates can get their admit card by logging in with the registration number or roll number and date of birth or password. Candidates cannot enter the exam centre without their NABARD admit card.
NABARD Grade A is a prestigious examination. The selection process consists of three stages – The Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and the Interview. The Preliminary Examination is an objective type of examination that tests the candidate’s knowledge in the areas of English Language, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness. The Main Examination is a descriptive type of examination that tests the candidate’s knowledge in the areas of their specific stream of choice. Economics & Social Issues, Agriculture & Rural Development, and English Writing Skills
| Sections | Total Marks(No. of questions) | Category |
| Test of Reasoning | 20 | Qualifying Section |
| English Language | 30 | Qualifying Section |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | Qualifying Section |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | Qualifying Section |
| Decision Making | 10 | Qualifying Section |
| General Awareness | 20 | Merit Section |
| Eco & Soc. Issues (with a focus on Rural India) | 40 | Merit Section |
| Agriculture & Rural Development (with emphasis on Rural India) | 40 | Merit Section |
| Total | 200 |
The total Time to complete the exam will be 120 minutes. Shortlisting of candidates for the Main exam will be based on marks scored in the Merit section only.
Candidates who qualify the Preliminary Exam will be invited to appear for the NABARD Grade A 2025 Mains Examination.
NABARD Grade A 2025 Mains Exam Pattern for Generalist Post
| Paper | Subject | Type | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | English Language | Descriptive | 3 | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper II | Economic & Social Issues, Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 minutes |
| (Choose 4 out of 6 descriptive questions) | Descriptive | 4 (out of 6) | 50 | 90 minutes |
he exam pattern for the NABARD Grade A 2025 Mains Examination for Specialist Officers is as follows:
| Paper | Subject | Type | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | English Language | Descriptive | 3 | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper II | Stream-Specific Subject | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 minutes |
| (Choose 4 out of 6 questions) | Descriptive | 4 (out of 6) | 50 | 90 minutes |
For every wrong answer marked, 1/4th of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty in Phase I and II. Phase I and II cut-offs may be applied in two stages : (i) On scores in individual tests, and (ii) On Total Scores.
The Interview is the final stage of the selection process, which tests the candidate’s overall suitability for the post. The Interview tests the candidate’s knowledge, communication skills, presence of mind, analytical skills, and leadership qualities. The NABARD Grade A interview Date 2025 will be anounce soon.
The NABARD Grade-A syllabus is also divided into sections. We will discuss the syllabus according to the stages involved in this exam. So we will first start with the NABARD Grade-A syllabus for prelims.
Before preparing for any exam, getting familiar with the syllabus is essential. Candidates should review the NABARD Grade A syllabus to create a study plan. NABARD Grade A recruitment’s first phase is the Preliminary exam. This will be an eight-section online exam with an objective format. Below is a detailed NABARD Grade A syllabus for each section.
| Section | Topics |
| Test of Reasoning | Puzzles; Logical Reasoning; Direction; Seating Arrangement; Order and Ranking; Blood Relations; Coding-Decoding; Machine Input-Output; Syllogisms; Data Sufficiency; Inequalities; Alpha-Numeric symbol series; and also, Number and System Conversions |
| English Language | Passages; Reading Comprehension; Idioms & Phrases; Sentence Rearrangement; Error Spotting; as well as Synonyms |
| Computer Knowledge | Basic Hardware & Software; Computer Languages; Networking; Virus & Hacking; History of Computer; Devices; MS Office; and also, DBMS |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Inequalities; SI & CI; Approximation and Simplification; Problems on Age; Profit and Loss; Data Interpretation; Time & Work; HCF & LCM; Distance, Speed and Time; Probability, Mensuration; Permutation & Combination; as well as Ratio & Proportion |
| General Awareness | Science- Discoveries; National & International Current affairs; Awards & Honours; Sports; Important days; Budget; Countries and its Capitals; Books and the Authors; and also International and National Organizations |
| Economic and Social Issues | Nature of Indian Economy; Structural and Institutional Features; Economic Reforms in India; Economic Underdevelopment; Privatization; Measurement of Poverty; Opening up the Indian Economy; Policy of Population in India; Globalization; Inflation; Agriculture- Characteristics/ Status; Poverty alleviation and employment generation in India; Population Trends; Population Growth & Economic Development; Regional imbalance in India’s industrial development; Non-institutional and institutional agencies in rural credit; Issues in Food Security in India; Technical and Institutional changes in agriculture; Reforms in Banking/Financial sector; Industrial and Labor Policy; Industrial Performance; Agricultural Performance; Multiculturalism; Rural financial and banking institutions in India; WTO; World Bank; Globalization of Economy; Role of International Funding Institution; Social Justice; as well as Regional Economic Cooperation |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | Agriculture Cropping Systems, Agronomy Factors affecting crop production, Precision Farming, Organic farming, Agro Climatic Zones, Problems of dryland – seed processing & seed village Meteorology – crop-weather advisory; weather parameters Farm and Agri Engineering: Soil and Water Conservation – soil fertility, Major soil types, soil erosion, soil conservation, fertilizers, watershed management Plantation & Horticulture – Definition and its branches. Water Resource – Irrigation Management: sources of irrigation, types of irrigation, crop-water requirement, etc. Agronomic practice and techniques used to produce various planting and horticultural crops. Post-harvest management: value & supply chain management of Plantation and Horticulture crops. Animal Husbandry Fisheries: Forestry – Basic ideas of Forest and Forestry. Principles of silviculture, forest management, and forest economics. Agriculture Extensions: Its value and role, methods of evaluation of extension programs. Ecology and Climate Change ; Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture |
Phase 2 consists of 2 papers with 1 descriptive and 1 Objective + Descriptive. Paper I will be a Descriptive English in which you will be asked to write an essay, a letter, a report, a comprehension, and a paragraph. Paper II for the Generalist profile will be objective + descriptive and cover Economic & Social Issues, Agriculture, and Rural Development.
| Section | Topic |
| Paper I – English | English (Writing Skill); Formal Letter; Informal Letter; Report Writing; Letter Writing; Paragraph Writing; Comprehension; as well as Essay Writing |
| Paper II (a) – Economic and Social Issues Paper II (b) – Agriculture and Rural Development | Nature of Indian Economy; Structural and Institutional Features; Economic Reforms in India; Economic Underdevelopment; Privatization; Measurement of Poverty; Opening up the Indian Economy; Policy of Population in India; Globalization; Inflation; Agriculture- Characteristics/ Status; Poverty alleviation and employment generation in India; Population Trends; Population Growth & Economic Development; Regional imbalance in India’s industrial development; Non-institutional and institutional agencies in rural credit; Issues in Food Security in India; Technical and Institutional changes in agriculture; Reforms in Banking/Financial sector; Industrial and Labor Policy; Industrial Performance; Agricultural Performance; Multiculturalism; Rural financial and banking institutions in India; WTO; World Bank; Globalization of Economy; Role of International Funding Institution; Social Justice; as well as Regional Economic Cooperation Agriculture Agronomy Water Resource Farm and Agri Engineering; Plantation & Horticulture Animal Husbandry Fisheries Forestry Agriculture Extension: Ecology and Climate Change Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture and Allied activities |
The illustrative syllabus for Main Examination – Paper II for Grade A (RDBS)- Specialised Disciplines at Sr. will be uploaded on the website.
To learn more about the NABARD Grade B Syllabus and Exam Pattern, Click Here.
Checking the result from NABARD’s official website is an effortless task. Carry out the following steps to get the NABARD Grade A results:
NABARD usually uploads the scorecard a few days after the announcement of results. Candidates can download it from the official website. For this purpose, candidates require their roll numbers and date of birth details to log in. The details available in the NABARD scorecard are as follows:
If some candidates get the same marks, then the ranking of candidates will be based on the following terms:
| Post | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | CAT.B | CAT. C | CAT. A | CAT. E |
| Agriculture | 46.25 | 31.50 | 28.00 | 40.75 | 29.00 | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| General | 53.50 | 44.00 | 41.50 | 45.75 | 31.75 | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Agriculture Engineering | 40.00 | 15.50 | – | 16.00 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Fisheries | 22.00 | 23.00 | – | 19.25 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Animal Husbandry | 27.25 | 21.00 | – | 21.00 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Forestry | 27.00 | 30.50 | – | – | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Plantation/Horticulture | 24.75 | 14.75 | – | 21.50 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Water Resources | 20.75 | – | – | 18.75 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Land Development/Soil Science | 36.25 | – | – | 15.50 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Finance | 16.75 | 8.75 | 11.75 | 8.25 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Computer/Information Technology | 26.25 | 9.25 | – | 8.50 | – | 14.25 | 37.50 | 38.75 | 12.75 |
| Rajbhasha | 23.50 | 10.25 | – | – | 19.75 | – | – | – | – |
| Category | RE | EL | CK | QA | DM | GS | ES | AR |
| Unreserved and EWS | 3.75 | 11.25 | 3.25 | 5.00 | 1.25 | 3.00 | 4.50 | 6.50 |
| OBC, ST, SC, OBC PWBD | 1.25 | 7.50 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 1.00 | 1.75 | 1.00 | 3.00 |
NABARD offers an attractive salary with various perks:
NABARD provides a rewarding career with competitive pay, benefits, and long-term growth.
In conclusion, the NABARD Grade A exam is an excellent opportunity for individuals seeking to work with a leading institution focused on rural development. With a structured recruitment process, including the Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview, it offers a clear path to becoming an Assistant Manager at NABARD. Candidates must stay updated with the official notifications for important details like exam dates and syllabus.
By preparing well for each stage of the exam, candidates can improve their chances of success. The NABARD Grade A exam offers a chance to join an organization dedicated to strengthening the rural economy and promoting sustainable development. For individuals passionate about rural development and making a positive impact, a career at NABARD is both rewarding and meaningful. Candidates should stay focused, follow the official updates, and be ready for each stage to achieve their goal of becoming an Assistant Manager.
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NABARD Grade A officer’s basic monthly pay is Rs. 28,150/-. The Gross Salary of NABARD Grade A officers is around Rs. 70,000/- per month, including all allowances and benefits.
The results for all stages will be available on the official website. Candidates can check their results by entering their roll numbers. After accessing the website, they can view their scores and performance for each stage of the exam once the results are officially published.
As of now, NABARD has not opened its recruitment process for 2025. Any official notification is yet to be released, so aspirants should wait for the announcement on NABARD’s website.
NABARD usually announces recruitment every year for roles like Grade A, Grade B, and Development Assistants, though the timing and number of vacancies depend on its staffing needs.
Grade A officers are responsible for policy-related functions at NABARD, while Grade B officers are responsible for operational and developmental functions. Grade A officers possess higher qualifications and experience and are responsible for larger projects and more complex tasks. Grade B officers generally deal with smaller projects and are responsible for implementing the policy decisions taken by Grade A officers.
Cracking NABARD Grade A in 3 months is doable if you’re smart with your prep—give extra attention to ESI and ARD, stay updated with current affairs, and build your basics strong. Stick to a daily plan, take regular mocks, and revise smartly for both phases.
Authored by, Shivam Singh
Competitive Exam Strategist
Shivam specializes in breaking down complex academic and technical concepts into engaging, student-friendly formats. From curriculum-aligned blogs to explainer content, his goal is to make learning both accessible and enjoyable.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
