National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam Pattern
| Sl. No. | Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Test of Reasoning | 20 | 20 | 120 min |
| 2 | English Language | 30 | 30 | 120 min |
| 3 | Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 | 120 min |
| 4 | Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 | 120 min |
| 5 | Decision Making | 10 | 10 | 120 min |
| 6 | General Awareness | 20 | 20 | 120 min |
| 7 | Economic & Social Issues (Rural India) | 40 | 40 | 120 min |
| 8 | Agriculture & Rural Development (Rural India) | 40 | 40 | 120 min |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 120 min | |
Duration - 120 min. [2 hours]
Language- English and Hindi.
NABARD Grade A Main Exam Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Type | Questions/Tasks | Marks | Duration | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General English | Online Descriptive Test | 3 Questions (Essay, Precis Writing, etc.) | 100 | 90 minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using a keyboard |
| Paper II | Economic & Social Issues & Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective Type | 30 | 50 | 30 minutes | - |
| Descriptive Test | 6 Questions (Attempt 4) | 50 | 90 minutes | Answers to be typed in English or Hindi (Remington/Inscript KB) |
NABARD Grade A Prelims Syllabus
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Test of Reasoning | Input-Output, Coding-Decoding, Number and Alphabet Series, Puzzles & Seating Arrangement, Syllogism, Data sufficiency, Statement based questions (Verbal reasoning), Inequality, Miscellaneous Questions, Blood relations |
| English Language | Reading Comprehension, Cloze test, Spotting the errors, Sentence improvement, Fill in the blanks, Sentence rearrangement, Para Jumbles, One Word Substitution |
| Computer Knowledge | Networking, Input-output devices, DBMS, MS Office, Internet, History of computers & generations, Shortcuts, Computer Hardware |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Data Interpretations, Quadratic Equations, Number Series, Simplification/ Approximation, Data Sufficiency, Arithmetic Questions, Quantity Comparisons, Mathematical Inequalities |
| Decision Making | Analytical Reasoning, Situation-based Questions, Decision-Making Scenarios, Problem-solving Skills |
| General Awareness | Current Affairs (National & International), Banking, Economy, and Insurance Awareness, Awards and Honors, Sports, Important Government Schemes, Recent Appointments, Science & Technology |
| Economic & Social Issues (focus on Rural India) | Nature of Indian Economy, Inflation, Poverty Alleviation & Employment Generation, Population Trends, Rural Banking & Financial Institutions, Globalization, Social Structure in India, Education & Social Justice, Positive Discrimination for Underprivileged |
| Agriculture & Rural Development (focus on Rural India) | Agriculture: Agronomy, Cropping Systems, Seed Production, Meteorology, Soil Conservation, Water Resources, Farm Engineering, Plantation & Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Forestry, Agriculture Extensions, Ecology & Climate Change; Rural Development: Concepts, Rural Development Programs, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Rural Credit, SHGs, NGOs |
| Name of Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Nature of Indian Economy | Structural and Institutional features, Economic Underdevelopment, Opening up the Indian Economy, Globalization, Economic Reforms in India, Privatization |
| Inflation | Trends in Inflation & their Impact on National Economy and Individual Income |
| Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India | Rural and Urban, Measurement of Poverty, Poverty Alleviation Programs of the Government |
| Population Trends | Population Growth and Economic Development, Population Policy in India |
| Agriculture | Characteristics / Status, Technical and Institutional Changes in Indian Agriculture, Agricultural performance, Issues in Food Security in India, Non-Institutional and Institutional Agencies in rural credit |
| Industry | Industrial and Labour Policy, Industrial performance, Regional Imbalance in India's Industrial Development, Public Sector Enterprises |
| Rural banking and financial institutions in India | Reforms in the Banking/ Financial sector |
| Globalization of Economy | Role of International Funding Institutions, IMF & World Bank, WTO, Regional Economic Cooperation |
| Social Structure in India | Multiculturalism, Demographic trends, Urbanization and Migration, Gender Issues, Joint family system, Social Infrastructure, Education, Health and Environment |
| Education | Status & System of Education, Socio-Economic Problems associated with Illiteracy, Educational relevance and educational wastage, Educational Policy for India |
| Social Justice | Problems of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, Socio-economic programmes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other backward classes, Positive Discrimination in favour of the underprivileged, Social Movements, Indian Political Systems, Human Development |
NABARD Grade A Mains Syllabus – Agriculture & Rural Development
| Name of Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Definition, meaning, and its branches; Agronomy: Definition, meaning, scope; Classification of field crops; Factors affecting crop production; Agro Climatic Zones; Cropping Systems: Definition and types; Problems of dry land, Seed production/processing/village; Meteorology: weather parameters, crop-weather advisory; Precision Farming; System of Crop Intensification; Organic farming |
| Soil and Water Conservation | Major soil types; Soil fertility; Fertilizers; Soil erosion; Soil conservation; Watershed management |
| Water Resource | Irrigation Management; Types & Sources of irrigation; Crop-water requirement; Command area development; Water conservation techniques; Micro-irrigation; Irrigation pumps; Major, medium, and minor irrigation |
| Farm and Agri Engineering | Farm Machinery and Power; Sources of power on the farm: human, animal, mechanical, electrical, wind, solar, biomass, biofuels; Water harvesting structures; Farm Ponds; Agro-Processing; Controlled/modified storage, perishable food storage, godowns, bins, grain silos |
| Plantation & Horticulture | Definition, meaning, and branches; Agronomic practices and production technology; Post-harvest management, value and supply chain management |
| Animal Husbandry | Farm animals and their role in the Indian economy; Husbandry methods; Livestock breeds and classification; Common feeds and fodders; Poultry industry: past, present, future; Mixed farming; Complementary livestock/poultry production |
| Fisheries | Fisheries resources; Management and exploitation (freshwater, brackish, marine); Aquaculture; Biotechnology; Post-harvest technology; Importance in India; Common fish production terms |
| Forestry | Basic concepts of Forest and Forestry; Silviculture, mensuration, management, forest economics; Social forestry, agroforestry, joint forest management; Forest policy and legislation; Recent developments under MoEFCC |
| Agriculture Extensions | Importance and role; Evaluation of extension programs; Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in dissemination of agricultural technologies |
| Ecology and Climate Change | Ecology relevance; Causes of climate change; GreenHouse Gases (GHG), major emitters; Adaptation vs Mitigation; Climate impact on agriculture & rural livelihoods; Carbon credit; IPCC, UNFCCC, CoP; Funding mechanisms; Initiatives by Govt: NAPCC, SAPCC, INDC |
| Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture and Allied Activities | Recent trends; Major challenges; Measures to enhance viability; Factors of Production; Agricultural Finance & Marketing; Globalization impact & Food Security; Farm Management concepts and types |
| Rural Development | Concept of Rural Area; Structure of Indian Rural Economy; Importance of rural sector; Economic, Social & Demographic characteristics; Causes of Rural Backwardness; Rural population; Occupational structure; Farmers, laborers, artisans, traders, forest dwellers/tribes; Trends in rural population & workforce; Problems of rural labour; Challenges in Hand-looms; Panchayati Raj Institutions – functions & working |
NABARD Grade A Mains Syllabus – Information Technology
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Information Technology | Introduction to Software; Data Structure through ‘C’ and ‘PASCAL’; Elements of Systems Analysis and Design; Numerical and Statistical Computing; Data Communication and Networks; Object-Oriented Computer Architecture; Object-Oriented Systems; Computer Fundamentals; File Structure and Programming in COBOL; Database Management Systems; Software Engineering; Accounting and Finance on Computers; Operating Systems; Intelligent Systems; Relational Database Management Systems |
NABARD Grade A Selection Process
| Stage | Mode | Marks / Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Examination (Phase 1) | Online Objective | 200 Marks / 120 Minutes | Test basic knowledge and aptitude |
| Mains Examination (Phase 2) | Online Objective & Descriptive | 200 Marks / 210 Minutes | Assess in-depth subject expertise |
| Interview (Phase 3) | Personal Interview | 50 Marks | Evaluate overall suitability and skills |
NABARD Grade A Educational Qualifications
| Discipline / Service | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| RDBS (General) | Bachelor’s degree in any subject (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%) or Post Graduate/ MBA/ PGDM (min 55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%) or CA/CS/CMA/ICWA or PhD |
| Chartered Accountant | Bachelor’s Degree + Membership of ICAI |
| Company Secretary | Bachelor’s Degree + Associate/Fellow Membership of ICSI |
| Finance | Bachelor’s in Finance/Banking, or PG Diploma/MBA/MMS (Finance) + Bachelor’s, or Bachelor of Financial & Investment Analysis, or Membership of ICAI/ICMAI/CFA (USA)/FRM (GARP) |
| Computer/IT | Four-year Bachelor’s in Computer Science/Engineering/IT/Electronics/AI/ML etc. (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%) or relevant PG (55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%) or Graduate + DOEACC B Level (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%) |
| Agriculture Engineering | Bachelor’s in Agriculture Engineering (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%) |
| Plantation/Horticulture | Bachelor’s in Horticulture (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%) |
| Fisheries | Bachelor’s in Fisheries Science (60%, ST/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, ST/PWBD 50%) |
| Food Processing | Bachelor’s in Food Processing/Food Tech./Dairy Tech. (60%, SC/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, SC/PWBD 50%) |
| Land Development/Soil Science | Bachelor’s in Soil Science/Agriculture/Environmental Science (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%) |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor’s in Civil/Structural Engineering (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%) |
| Electrical Engineering | Bachelor’s in Electrical, Electronics, Power Systems (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%) |
| Media Specialist | PG in Mass Media/Mass Communication/Journalism (55%, PWBD 50%) |
| Economics | PG in Applied Economics (55%, SC/PWBD 50%), Economics must be main subject all years |
| Legal Service | Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) recognised by UGC & Bar Council of India (min 60%) or LLM (55%) |
| Protocol & Security Service | Officer with minimum 10 years commissioned service (Army/Navy/Air Force) holding Ex-Serviceman ID Card (5 years for PWBD); Short Service Commissioned Officers: 10 years continuous service (to be completed by 31.10.2026) |
NABARD Grade A Salary
| Pay Component | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|
| Initial Basic Pay | 44,500 |
| After 4 Increments its near about | 54,500 |
| After 7 Increments its near about (Entry Level) | 74,450 |
| After 4 More Increments its near about | 85,850 |
| Final Increment (after 17 yrs its near about) | 89,150 |
Career Progression & Promotional Hierarchy
| Level | Designation | Typical Timeframe | Basic Pay (₹) Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade A | Assistant Manager | Entry | ₹44,500 – ₹89,150 |
| Grade B | Manager | 5–7 years | ₹55,200 – ₹99,750 (approx.) |
| Grade C | Assistant General Manager (AGM) | 12–14 years | ₹68,925 – ₹1,28,995 |
| Grade D | Deputy General Manager (DGM) | 18–20 years | ₹79,500 – ₹1,46,000+ |
| Grade E | General Manager (GM) | 25+ years | ₹1.2L – ₹1.8L+ (approx.) |
| Executive | Chief General Manager (CGM) | Based on selection | ₹1.5L – ₹2.0L+ |
| Executive | Executive Director / Director | Rare (by GOI) | As per Govt norms |
Grade A Roles & Responsibilities
| No. | Role / Responsibility | Simple Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Implement Government Schemes | Carry out programs like PMFBY (crop insurance) and Watershed Development. |
| 2 | Prepare Credit Plans | Make district and state-level plans for agricultural and rural loans. |
| 3 | Monitor Banks | Oversee co-operative banks and RRBs, provide refinance support. |
| 4 | Promote SHGs & FPOs | Support Self Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organizations for financial inclusion. |
| 5 | Strengthen Rural Cooperatives | Train and provide financial support to rural cooperative societies. |
| 6 | Appraise RIDF Projects | Evaluate and monitor Rural Infrastructure Development Fund projects. |
| 7 | District Coordination | Work under District Development Managers to manage district-level activities. |
| 8 | Collaborate with Stakeholders | Coordinate with local administration, banks, and NGOs for rural development. |
| 9 | Policy Research | Study and suggest improvements in rural finance systems. |
| 10 | Promote Agritech & Fintech | Encourage new technology solutions in agriculture and rural finance. |
| 11 | Supervise Rural Banks | Guide banks to improve transparency, compliance, and operations. |
| 12 | Financial Literacy Camps | Educate rural and semi-urban households about finance and banking. |
| 13 | Promote Digital Banking | Encourage the use of mobile banking, digital payments, and doorstep services. |
Grade A Age Limit Relaxation
| SNo. | Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SC / ST | 05 years |
| 2 | OBC | 03 years |
| 3 | Person with disabilities (General) | 10 years |
| 4 | Person with disabilities (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| 5 | Person with disabilities (OBC) | 13 years |
NABARD jobs 2026, career, prelim & main exam, age limit, salary, all details are given properly.
NABARD Grade A Mains Syllabus – Economic & Social Issues