Exam Pattern
NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development: Assistant Manager, Grade A (RDBS, General)
The NABARD Grade A exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Phase I
Official Grade A (RDBS) 2025 pattern| Questions | 200 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making, General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues, Agriculture and Rural Development |
| Test | Qs | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 |
| Decision Making | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 20 |
| Economic and Social Issues | 40 | 40 |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | 40 | 40 |
Timing: Single composite 120-minute timer for all eight tests combined: no sectional lock, you can move between sections freely..
Phase I has eight tests split into two groups: Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, and Decision Making are qualifying only, while General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues, and Agriculture and Rural Development (the three largest sections) decide the merit ranking used to shortlist candidates for the Mains examination. Candidates must still clear the minimum cut-off in every qualifying section to remain in contention.
Official source · checked 6 August 2026The NABARD Grade A Phase I exam pattern is 200 questions carrying 200 marks, to be answered in 120 minutes. That works out to about 36 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 8 sections are Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making, General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues and Agriculture and Rural Development. All sections share one composite timer, so you are free to move between them and spend your time where it earns most.
NABARD Grade A Phase I marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 1 mark.
- A wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is clearly worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 160 of the 200 questions and get 120 right and 40 wrong, and you score 110 out of 200.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 36 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free NABARD Grade A mock test to see where your time actually goes.
Phase II
Review pendingThe Mains examination pattern (General English, Economic and Social Issues, Agriculture and Rural Development) is under review before this stage is published.
NABARD Grade A exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in NABARD Grade A?
NABARD Grade A deducts 0.25 marks for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in NABARD Grade A?
NABARD Grade A has 200 questions. That leaves about 36 seconds per question in NABARD Grade A.
What are the total marks in NABARD Grade A?
NABARD Grade A is out of 200 marks.
How long is the NABARD Grade A exam?
NABARD Grade A runs for 120 minutes.
Does NABARD Grade A have a sectional time limit?
No. Every section shares one composite timer, so you can move between sections freely and give the slower ones more of your time.