The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Grade A examination is a tall mountain to scale for anyone who dreams of impacting agriculture and rural development. As one of the most competitive exams in this sector, NABARD demands an intimate and detailed understanding of the subject.
Anyone hoping to crack NABARD must have a detailed insight into the exam, the subject, and most importantly, the exam itself. In this blog, we have done a detailed analysis of the different means and ways of cracking the NABARD Grade A 2025. We have taken a detailed look at the syllabus, the exam pattern, and some preparation strategies to aid you in your exam preparation.
The NABARD Grade A 2025 is quite well known for its challenging nature. To clear the NABARD Grade A 2025, you need an in-depth knowledge of economic and financial principles. Those aspirants hoping to clear the exam and have a dream career with NABARD need a detailed strategy for their preparation.
You must be aware of its challenges and the different solutions that can be made for this. Doing all this needs a strategic approach and a keen knowledge of the subject. Only with that can aspirants hope for a well-rounded plan for exam preparation.
This blog is meant to be a guide that doesn’t just shed light on the different aspects of the NABARD Grade A 2025 exam. It also helps NABARD hopefuls with the knowledge and strategy they need to crack this challenging exam.
NABARD Grade A 2025 Exam: Eligibility Criteria
Before diving into the preparation strategies, it’s very important to understand the eligibility criteria for the NABARD exam from the notification. Since the recruitment drive for 2025 has begun, aspirants should take their exam preparation more seriously. The notification is out for 91 new vacancies, and if you hope to appear for the exam, you need the right eligibility for it.
For starters, those hoping to clear the exam should have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 60% marks (55% for reserved categories) or an equivalent CGPA. Additionally, there are certain educational qualifications required based on the post you have applied for. Understanding the eligibility criteria for the NABARD Grade A Exam is needed for prospective applicants who want to pursue a career with opportunities available at NABARD.
The NABARD Grade A Eligibility Criteria helps students establish a transparent pathway for preparing for the exams. For instance, the specified age range of 21 to 30 years and educational qualifications in finance, banking, and related fields create a diverse pool of applicants. Most importantly, the exam calls for fresh graduates, often without mandatory work experience requirements. The table below, outlining the key NABARD Grade A Eligibility Criteria, will help candidates evaluate their qualifications for the exam.
| Eligibility Criteria | Requirements |
| Educational Qualifications | Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from any recognized University/Institution OR Post Graduate degree, MBA/PGDM OR CA/ CS/ICWA OR Ph.D from Institutions recognized by GOI/UGC. |
| Age Limit Criteria | 21 to 30 years |
| Age Relaxation | Applicable as per government norms |
| Work Experience | Not Required |
NABARD Grade A 2025: Exam Pattern
You need to have a complete understanding of the exam pattern if you want to create a successful preparation strategy for the exam. The NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern and Syllabus consists of three phases – Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Interview. The Preliminary Exam is objective, and it evaluates candidates in English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, Decision Making and General Awareness.
The Phase 2 exam has two papers with individual timings. Moreover, the General English paper spans 90 minutes, while the Economic & Social Issues (ESI) paper is both objective and descriptive, with the objective segment lasting 30 minutes and the descriptive part lasting 90 minutes. The ESI paper focuses on Rural India for the General post and is discipline-specific for Specialist posts.
Candidates will move on to the Interview phase after they have cleared the NABARD Grade A Mains exam and secured a high grade. The Interview stage has a maximum weightage of 50 marks, and candidates shortlisted for it are in a ratio of 1:3. You can understand the NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern and Syllabus more from the table below.
| NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam Pattern | ||||
| Nature of Test | Test Name | Questions | Marks | Time Duration |
| Qualifying | Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 | Composite time of 120 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 20 | 20 | ||
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 | ||
| English Language | 30 | 30 | ||
| Decision Making | 10 | 10 | ||
| Merit-Based | General Awareness | 20 | 20 | |
| Agriculture & Rural Development (with a focus on Rural India) | 40 | 40 | ||
| Economic and Social Issues (with focus on Rural India) | 40 | 40 | ||
| Total | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours | |
| NABARD Grade A Mains Syllabus | ||||
| Subject | Type of Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| General English | Online Descriptive (Answers to be typed using keyboard) | 3 | 100 | 90 Minutes |
| Economic and Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 Minutes |
| Descriptive Type (Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards)) | 6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each] | 50 | 90 Minutes | |
| Total | 100 (Paper II) | 2 Hours (Paper II) | ||
NABARD Grade A 2025: Syllabus
You need to have an excellent idea about the NABARD Grade A exam’s syllabus if you want to clear the exam. There is a wide range of highly important topics like agriculture and rural development, economic and social issues, English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and Computer Knowledge that are a part of the exam syllabus. With this detailed understanding, aspirants will be able to plan and prepare by adjusting the time as per their knowledge and understanding of these topics.
The Phase 2 (Mains) syllabus for NABARD Grade A caters to specific streams. Paper 2 concentrates more on Agriculture & Rural Development and Economic & Social Issues for the General stream, particularly in Rural India. You should know that for all specialized posts, there is a different syllabus in Paper 2. The topics in this focus are far more on the field of expertise of the candidates. Quantitative Aptitude in Phase 1 includes various topics, which include Time and Work, Mensuration, Average, Speed, Distance and Time, Mixture and Allegations, Permutation and Combination, Probability, and more. English Language will include topics like Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and other components. General Awareness consists of Monetary Policies, Banking & Financial Awareness, and Current Affairs, which can be found in ixamBee’s BeePedia platform, while Reasoning Ability includes Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Data Efficiency, and more.
Along with this, Computer Knowledge, like the topic suggests, includes Computer Languages, Hardware, and Software, while the new subject Decision Making involves Behavioral, Managerial, and Criteria-based Decision Making. This detailed explanation of the syllabus will help candidates get a roadmap that will help them prepare for the exam better. It will also make sure that they cover all essential areas while ensuring that they are well-equipped to tackle the topics set for the NABARD Grade A exam. In addition to this, subjects like ESI, Agriculture, and Rural Development focus on important topics on the Indian Economy since Independence. Aspirants should check out the syllabus below to plan their study plans and prepare for the exam better.
| Subject | Topics |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Time and Work, Mensuration, Average, Speed, Distance and Time, Mixture and Allegations, Permutation and Combination, Probability, Data Interpretation, Ratio & Proportion, Simplification & Approximation, Percentage, Set Theory, Data Interpretation, Quadratic Equation, Number Series, Profit & loss, Boats & Stream, Simple and Compound Interest, Data Sufficiency |
| English Language | Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Passage Making, Error Spotting, Jumble Words, Sentence Framing, Fill in the Blanks, Cloze Test, Sentence Rearrangement, Idioms & Phrases |
| General Awareness | Monetary Policies, Banking & Financial Awareness, Economic Terms, Current Affairs, Static GK, Financial & Economics News, Government Schemes, Agreement & Deals, Banking terms, rates, processes, National Institution |
| Reasoning Ability | Puzzles, Seating Arrangement – Circular, Square and Linear, Data Sufficiency, Directions and Distance, Coding Decoding, Blood Relations, Inequality, Syllogism, Machine Input Output, Verbal Reasoning, Ordering and Ranking, Alphanumeric Series |
| Computer Knowledge | Computer Languages, Basic Hardware and Software, History of Computer, Devices, Viruses and Hacking, MS Office, Networking |
| Decision Making | Behaviour Decision Making,Managerial Decision making,Eligibility Criteria based decision making,Data Arrangements Based Decision making |
| Agriculture | Agriculture, Meteorology, Soil and Water Conservation, Water Resource: Irrigation Management, Farm and Agri Engineering, Plantation & Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Aquaculture- Inland and marine; Importance of fisheries in India, Basic concepts of Forest and Forestry, Recent developments under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Agriculture Extensions, Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK) in disseminating Agricultural technologies, Ecology and Climate Change, Green House Gases (GHG), major GHG emitting countries, IPCC, UNFCCC, CoP meetings, initiatives by Govt of India, NAPCC, SAPCC, INDC. Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture and Allied activities, Factors of Production in Agriculture; Agricultural Finance and Marketing |
| Rural Development | Concept of Rural Area, Structure of the Indian Rural Economy Importance and role of the rural sector in India- Economic, Social and Demographic Characteristics of the Indian rural economy, Rural population in India: Occupational structure, Farmers, Agricultural Labourers, Artisans, Handicrafts, Traders, Forest dwellers/tribes and others in rural India- Trends of change in rural population and rural workforce, Issues and challenges in Handlooms, Panchayati Raj Institutions, MGNREGA, NRLM – Aajeevika, Rural Drinking water Programmes, Swachh Bharat, Rural Housing, PURA and other rural development programmes |
| Economic & Social Issues | Nature of Indian Economy , Globalisation, Economic Reforms in India, Privatisation. Inflation – Trends in Inflation & their Impact on National Economy and Individual Income. Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India – Rural and Urban, Population Growth and Economic Development, Technical and Institutional changes in Indian Agriculture, Agricultural performance, Issues in Food Security in India, Industry – Industrial and Labour Policy, Industrial performance, Regional Imbalance in India’s Industrial Development, Public Sector Enterprises, Rural banking and financial institutions in India, Globalisation of Economy – Social Structure in India Education – Social Justice: Problems of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes – socio-economic programmes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other backward classes. Human Development, Current Economic & Social Issues. |
NABARD Grade A 2025: Best Books
To help you prepare for the NABARD Grade A exam, it is important to make use of the assistance you are provided. This means taking assistance from some of the best books available in the market. These books will help you prepare for the exam based on the detailed syllabus provided earlier.
By choosing the best books and the ixamBee resources they give, students will be better suited to preparing for the exam. For this, they can use the NABARD Grade A Study Plan, which will help them prepare better. The table below offers some information on the chosen books, along with their author and publishers, so that hopefuls can access these books.
| Paper | Book | Author/Publisher |
| Economic and Social Issues | Indian Economy | Uma Kapila or Mishra Puri |
| Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh | |
| Indian Social System | Ram Ahuja / Rawat Publications | |
| Agriculture & Rural Development | Agriculture at a Glance | R K Sharma and S K Bhoi |
| Rural Development | GPH Panel of Experts | |
| Fundamental Of Agriculture Vol 2 | Arun Katyan | |
| A Competitive Book of Agriculture | Nem Raj Sunda | |
| Finance | Financial Management | I M Pandey |
| Financial management: Theory and Practice | Prasanna Chandra | |
| Cost accounting | Grewal and Gupta | |
| Management accounting | Khan and Jain | |
| Padhuka’s Students’ Handbook on Auditing & Assurance | G.Sekar and Saravana Prasad | |
| Management Accounting | R.S.N. Pillai and V. Bagavathi | |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quicker Mathematics | BSC Publications |
| Quantitative Aptitude | RS Agarwal | |
| Class Notes | SS Bharti | |
| Reasoning Ability | A modern approach to verbal & Non-verbal reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | S.Chand | |
| Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | Arihant Publication | |
| English Language | English Grammar | Wren & Martin |
| Made Easy for English | Norman Lewis | |
| Descriptive General English | SP Bakshi | |
| Computer Awareness | Objective Computer Awareness | Arihant |
| General Awareness | Lucent GK Knowledge | Lucent Publication |
NABARD Grade A 2025: Preparation Strategies
With the NABARD Recruitment cycle for 2025 now open, this is the right time to begin your exam preparation. Now that we have talked about the exam pattern and syllabus, let us take a look at some of the tips to help you prepare for the NABARD Grade A Exam.
- Understand the Exam Pattern and Syllabus: Before you begin your exam preparation, you must try to understand the exam pattern and syllabus for NABARD. This rather basic step is quite important if you want to chart out an effective study plan. Doing this will help you allocate time efficiently. A clear understanding of the exam’s format and topics will be helpful for you. It will prepare you when it comes to planning out your exam preparation.
- Create a Realistic Study Schedule: The next step is to come up with a more practical schedule that is suitable for the remaining time before the NABARD Grade A exam. Devote enough time to each section. Make sure that you have a balanced approach to your preparation. Give importance to the topics based on your strengths and weaknesses.
- Use High-Quality Study Materials: Improve upon your exam preparation by taking time to collect high-quality study materials and recommended books. You also need to use online resources like ixamBee’s NABARD Grade A Online Course and practice papers to improve your understanding of the subject and improve your exam-solving skills.
- Focus on Basics: The simplest strategy is simply to build your basics. This means making sure that your basic knowledge in subjects like Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, and English is strong. A strong foundational knowledge in these subjects will help you lay the groundwork for tackling the more complex topics within the agricultural and rural development sections.
- Current Affairs: Another important strategy is to make sure you have a very strong base in current affairs, particularly in events that relate to agriculture, rural development, and the economy. You need to regularly read newspapers and magazines. By staying updated on current affairs topics like the Union Budget and Economic Survey, you enrich your knowledge and enhance your ability to apply relevant information during the NABARD Grade A exam.
- Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers: You need to keep up the regular practice of attempting mock tests and solving previous year papers in your NABARD Grade A exam preparation routine. NABARD Grade A Free Mock Tests by ixamBee will recreate the actual exam environment, allowing you to assess your performance. Moreover, you can gain insights into question patterns and focus on areas by systematically analyzing your performance in them and NABARD Grade A Previous Year Papers, enabling a focused improvement.
- Revision is Key: They say practice makes perfect, and we really couldn’t agree more. You need to constantly update your understanding of the topics. This can only be done by regularly revising the material repeatedly. You should try to create more concise and comprehensive notes that include all the important key concepts for easier revision.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Don’t forget to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. This can only be done by ensuring that you get adequate sleep, maintain a well-balanced diet, and be more active. When you have a harmonious lifestyle, it helps to bring about better concentration and improve your cognitive abilities. Getting good quality sleep revitalizes your mind.
- Stay Positive: You should try to maintain a positive attitude throughout your NABARD Grade A exam preparation. When you have a positive mindset, it improves your overall well-being. It also contributes to better concentration and decision-making during important moments. You need to have some level of trust in your preparation.
- Seek Guidance: Have you encountered any challenges in any section? Get some guidance from teachers, mentors, or online forums. Engaging in discussions, clarifying doubts, and seeking guidance can significantly improve your understanding of topics you don’t understand. Making use of external support ensures you have access to diverse perspectives and insights. This will help you overcome obstacles and reinforce your understanding better.
Summing Up:
If you want to crack the NABARD Grade A exam in the upcoming exam cycle of 2025, you need to have the utmost dedication, strategic planning, and effective execution of this strategy. The first steps are to understand the eligibility criteria, exam pattern, and s then you need to be clear in your understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus. The next step is to get all the study materials and online resources in your hands. After that, you need to incorporate a calm mind and focus on the topics you find challenging while being thorough in those topics you already have expertise in.
At ixamBee, we specialize in providing comprehensive online courses for government exams and online courses for government jobs. Our expertly designed courses for government jobs cater to a wide range of Upcoming Government Exams. Whether you’re preparing for specific courses for government exams or seeking general guidance, ixamBee offers resources like BeePedia, Previous Year Papers, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, and other Mock Tests to succeed in exams like RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A, NABARD Grade A, RRB NTPC, SSC MTS, NIACL Assistant, and more.
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