The RBI Grade B 2026 application window closed on 20 May 2026. If you submitted your form for any of the 60 Officer posts across General (40), DEPR (10), and DSIM (10) cadres — Phase 1 of the selection exam is now just over two weeks away. The Reserve Bank of India has fixed 13 June 2026 for the Phase 1 examination for General candidates and 14 June 2026 for DEPR/DSIM aspirants.
This is the highest-paying entry-level officer recruitment in Indian banking — basic pay starts at ₹55,200 in pay scale 55200-2850(9)-80850-EB-2850(2)-86550-3300(4)-99750, with total CTC including all allowances and HRA touching ₹1.50 lakh per month in metro postings. With Phase 1 acting as a brutally competitive filter (typical Phase 1 cut-off historically lands at 100+ out of 200), the next 16 days decide your year.
RBI Grade B 2026 — Confirmed Schedule
- Notification: Released April 2026 by Reserve Bank of India via opportunities.rbi.org.in
- Application window: 29 April – 20 May 2026 (closed)
- Application correction window: 25 – 26 May 2026 (closed)
- Phase 1 — General: 13 June 2026
- Phase 1 — DEPR / DSIM: 14 June 2026
- Phase 2 — Mains: 25 – 26 July 2026
- Interview: To be notified
- Total vacancies: 60 (General 40, DEPR 10, DSIM 10)
Phase 1 Exam Pattern: The Single Paper That Cuts 95% Of The Field
Phase 1 (Preliminary) is a single online objective paper for 200 marks in 120 minutes. It has four sections:
- General Awareness: 80 questions × 1 mark = 80 marks | 25 min sectional limit
- English Language: 30 questions × 1 mark = 30 marks | 25 min sectional limit
- Quantitative Aptitude: 30 questions × 1 mark = 30 marks | 25 min sectional limit
- Reasoning: 60 questions × 1 mark = 60 marks | 45 min sectional limit
Total: 200 questions, 200 marks, 120 minutes. Negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer. Each section must individually clear the sectional cut-off — and the aggregate cut-off — to qualify for Phase 2.
The 16-Day Sprint Plan (28 May – 12 June)
Days 1–4 (28–31 May): Diagnostic + Foundation Patching
- Take one full Phase 1 mock under exact 120-minute conditions on Day 1. Do not look at the answer key for 24 hours.
- Day 2 morning: detailed mock analysis. Tag every wrong/skipped question into one of four buckets — concept gap, silly error, time crunch, panic skip.
- Days 3–4: rebuild any concept area where you scored below 50% in the mock. Bias your effort toward General Awareness (80 marks weightage is decisive).
Days 5–10 (1–6 June): Sectional Velocity Drills
- Two sectional mocks per day at strict timer — one in your strong section, one in your weak.
- GA: revise 6 months of RBI publications, Union Budget 2026-27 highlights, Economic Survey themes, key policy rates. The RBI explicitly tests banking-and-financial-system awareness — generic current affairs alone is insufficient.
- Reasoning: 45 minutes is generous for 60 questions but only if puzzles and seating arrangements are practised daily — they consume 60% of section time if rusty.
- Quant: prioritise Data Interpretation (2 DI sets = 10 marks in 8 minutes if drilled) and Number Series.
- English: Reading Comprehension + Cloze Test contribute ~18 of the 30 marks. Two RC sets daily.
Days 11–14 (7–10 June): Full-Mock Rhythm
- One full Phase 1 mock daily at the actual exam slot timing.
- Analyse same evening. Maintain a “stupid mistakes” diary — re-read it before every subsequent mock.
- Stop learning new GA topics from Day 11. Pure revision only.
Days 15–16 (11–12 June): Taper
- 11 June: one final mock in the morning, light revision of your one-page GA cheat sheet in the evening, in bed by 22:00.
- 12 June: NO mock. Only re-read your stupid-mistakes diary and current affairs one-pager. Pack your admit card, ID, photographs, and exam-day kit before 18:00.
Phase 1 Cut-Off Realities You Must Plan For
Based on RBI Grade B historical disclosures, indicative Phase 1 aggregate cut-offs (out of 200) have hovered:
- General: 98–112
- OBC: 92–105
- SC: 78–88
- ST: 72–82
- EWS: 90–100
Plan to attempt 130–140 questions with ~85% accuracy to safely clear General. Section-wise minimums (sectional cut-offs) historically sit around: GA 24, English 9, Quant 9, Reasoning 18 — but treat these as floors, not targets. You need cushion everywhere.
Phase 2 — What You’re Earning Your Way Into
If you clear Phase 1, Phase 2 (25–26 July 2026) for General candidates consists of three papers, each 100 marks:
- Paper-I — Economic and Social Issues: 50% objective + 50% descriptive, 120 minutes total.
- Paper-II — English (Writing Skills): Fully descriptive (essay, précis, comprehension, business letter), 90 minutes.
- Paper-III — Finance and Management: 50% objective + 50% descriptive, 120 minutes.
DEPR and DSIM aspirants sit specialised papers in their respective domains (economics for DEPR; statistics for DSIM). Cleared Phase 2 candidates proceed to the interview (75 marks). Final merit weighting: Phase 2 + Interview, with Phase 1 used only as a qualifying filter.
What If You Did Not Apply?
The 2026 window has closed and there is no second notification this panel year. Your alternative pathways from now until December:
- SBI PO 2026 — notification expected June-July, prelims around September.
- IBPS PO/MT-XV 2026-27 — calendar already out, prelims October 2026.
- SBI Clerk 2026 — notification expected July-August.
- NABARD Grade A / SIDBI Grade A — typically notified August–October.
Pay, Posting, And Why RBI Grade B Is Worth The Grind
RBI Grade B Officer is, by both cash compensation and career trajectory, the most aspirational entry-level posting in Indian central banking:
- Basic pay (start): ₹55,200
- Gross monthly (metro): ~₹1.49–1.50 lakh including DA, HRA, special allowance, grade allowance
- Postings: Across RBI regional offices — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, with smaller offices in tier-2 capitals.
- Career path: Grade B → Grade C → Grade D → CGM → ED → DG. Promotions are time-and-performance bound.
Final Mile Checklist Before 13 June
- Download Phase 1 admit card the moment it goes live (RBI typically releases 10 days before exam — track opportunities.rbi.org.in from 3 June).
- Verify exam centre allocation; plan travel/stay if it is outside your home city. Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru centres book out fast.
- Print two copies of the admit card plus a valid government photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, Driving Licence, Passport, or Voter ID).
- Carry two passport-size photographs matching the one uploaded in the application.
- Reach the centre 60 minutes before reporting time — biometric verification queues are real.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 1 exam?
Phase 1 for General candidates is on 13 June 2026. Phase 1 for DEPR and DSIM candidates is on 14 June 2026.
How many vacancies are notified in RBI Grade B 2026?
60 vacancies in total: 40 in General cadre, 10 in DEPR (Department of Economic and Policy Research), and 10 in DSIM (Department of Statistics and Information Management).
What is the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam pattern?
A single objective paper of 200 marks in 120 minutes, across four sections — General Awareness (80 questions, 25 min), English (30 questions, 25 min), Quantitative Aptitude (30 questions, 25 min), and Reasoning (60 questions, 45 min). Negative marking is 0.25 per wrong answer, with sectional and aggregate cut-offs.
What is the RBI Grade B 2026 Phase 2 exam date?
Phase 2 (Mains) is scheduled for 25 and 26 July 2026. Only candidates who clear Phase 1 sectional and aggregate cut-offs will be called.
What is the starting salary of RBI Grade B Officer?
Basic pay starts at ₹55,200 per month. Gross monthly compensation including DA, HRA, special allowance, and grade allowance is approximately ₹1.49–1.50 lakh in metro postings.
What if I missed the RBI Grade B 2026 application deadline?
The 20 May 2026 deadline has passed and there is no re-opening for this panel year. Alternative officer-cadre opportunities in 2026 include SBI PO, IBPS PO/MT-XV, NABARD Grade A, and SIDBI Grade A.
Want a personalised 16-day Phase 1 sprint with daily mock analysis? Call 7033005444 or visit Govt Exam Gurukul — our RBI Grade B mentors include former bank officers and Phase-2 cleared aspirants.
