Exam Pattern
RBI Grade B Exam Pattern
Reserve Bank of India: Grade B Officer (DR), General Cadre
The RBI Grade B exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Phase I
Official RBISB/DA/03/2025-26 pattern| Questions | 200 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 80 | 80 | 25 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 25 |
| Reasoning | 60 | 60 | 45 |
Timing: Each of the four sections has its own separately timed window (25/25/25/45 minutes): sectional lock, no shifting unused time between sections..
Phase I is an objective screening stage for the General cadre. Candidates must secure minimum marks separately in each section as well as in aggregate to be shortlisted for Phase II, which comprises Economic and Social Issues, English (Writing Skills), and Finance and Management. Phase I marks are not carried forward to the final merit list.
Official source · checked 6 August 2026The RBI Grade B 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 4 sections are General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning. All 4 sections are separately timed, so time saved in one cannot be carried into another. You cannot bank minutes by rushing an easy section.
RBI Grade B 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 RBI Grade B mock test to see where your time actually goes.
Phase II
Review pendingThe Phase II pattern (Economic and Social Issues, English Writing Skills, Finance and Management) is under review before this stage is published.
RBI Grade B exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in RBI Grade B?
RBI Grade B 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 RBI Grade B?
RBI Grade B has 200 questions. That leaves about 36 seconds per question in RBI Grade B.
What are the total marks in RBI Grade B?
RBI Grade B is out of 200 marks.
How long is the RBI Grade B exam?
RBI Grade B runs for 120 minutes.
Does RBI Grade B have a sectional time limit?
Yes. RBI Grade B times its sections separately, so time left over in one section cannot be spent on another. Plan a per-section budget before you sit it.