If you are preparing for government finance exams, RBI Grade B is not your only option. India has several regulatory and development institutions. Each of them are important enough that they recruit officers through competitive regulatory body exams. The major names include RBI, SEBI, NABARD, EPFO, PFRDA, IRDAI, IFSCA, and SIDBI.
Each organisation follows its own recruitment calendar. Each notification sets its own eligibility rules, streams, vacancies, and selection process. That makes the regulatory body exams landscape difficult to track. Candidates often find old vacancy figures, outdated stream lists, or expected dates online.
This article brings the major regulatory body exams in India together in one place. It gives you a practical regulatory body exams India 2026 overview.
The status below reflects official information available in early to mid-September 2026. Recruitment updates can change quickly.
Regulatory Body Exams in India: The Complete Exam List
Here is a quick view of the eight major regulatory body exams.
| Exam | Organisation | Main Streams / Posts | 2026 Status |
| RBI Grade B | RBI | General, DEPR, DSIM | 2026 cycle underway |
| SEBI Grade A | SEBI | Seven streams | Latest cycle completed |
| NABARD Grade A | NABARD | RDBS, Legal, Protocol & Security | Latest cycle underway |
| EPFO APFC | UPSC / EPFO | APFC | Recruitment Test scheduled |
| PFRDA Grade A | PFRDA | General, Research, Actuary, Rajbhasha | Applications open |
| IRDAI Assistant Manager | IRDAI | Generalist and specialist areas | No 2026 notification |
| IFSCA Grade A | IFSCA | General, Legal, IT | No 2026 notification |
| SIDBI Grade A/B | SIDBI | General and specialist streams | No fresh 2026-27 notification |
RBI Grade B
The Reserve Bank of India recruits Grade B officers through three cadres. These include General, DEPR, and DSIM. The 2026 notification listed 60 vacancies across these cadres. RBI opened applications from April 29 to May 20, 2026. Phase I took place in June. Phase II followed in July.
RBI lists a starting basic pay of ₹78,450 per month. It also lists initial gross emoluments of about ₹1,54,936 without HRA. General and EWS candidates get six Phase I attempts. SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD candidates have no attempt limit.
RBI Grade B attracts candidates who want careers in central banking and financial policy. The General stream also shares preparation areas with several other regulatory exams. The exam covers the RBI Grade B eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, and selection process.
SEBI Grade A
The Securities and Exchange Board of India recruits Officer Grade A officers across seven streams. These include General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, Official Language, Civil Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. The latest recruitment cycle covered 2025. Phase I ran in January 2026. Phase II followed in February.
SEBI published the final selected candidates list in June 2026. The 2025 notification listed 120 posts across the seven streams. SEBI listed a Grade A pay scale that starts at ₹62,500. The minimum gross emolument at Mumbai stood at about ₹1.84 lakh without accommodation.
The SEBI eligibility changes significantly across SEBI streams. Candidates should therefore check their qualifications before choosing a stream.
The SEBI Grade A exam covers the wider recruitment structure. Candidates with specialist qualifications can also compare their options through the SEBI Grade A stream-selection guide.
NABARD Grade A
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development recruits Assistant Managers in Grade A. Its latest recruitment covered RDBS, Legal, and Protocol & Security Service.
The 2025-26 advertisement opened applications from November 8 to November 30, 2025. Phase I took place on December 20, 2025. NABARD scheduled Phase II for January 25, 2026. NABARD states a starting basic pay of ₹44,500 per month. Gross monthly emoluments cross ₹1 lakh after allowances.
The RDBS route covers several specialist subjects. Candidates should match their academic background with the current eligibility rules. The NABARD Grade A exam covers the syllabus, eligibility, and selection process for this recruitment.
EPFO APFC
The Union Public Service Commission recruits Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners for EPFO. The 2026 recruitment covers APFC only. It does not include Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer. The special advertisement No. 52/2026 announced 80 APFC vacancies.
UPSC opened applications from August 22 to September 11, 2026. The Recruitment Test will take place on December 20, 2026. This change matters for candidates who follow older EPFO recruitment patterns. Previous cycles sometimes included EO/AO and APFC together. Candidates should therefore use the current notification when planning their preparation. The UPSC EPFO APFC exam covers the eligibility, syllabus, and selection process for the APFC route.
PFRDA Grade A
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority recruits Officer Grade A through specialist streams. The 2026 notification covers General, Research, Actuary, and Official Language. Advertisement No. 03/2026 opened applications on September 3, 2026. The application window closes on September 24, 2026.
PFRDA has scheduled Phase I for October 15. Phase II will take place on November 20. The notification lists 30 posts. Eligible candidates can apply for up to two streams. Finance, IT, and Legal do not form part of the 2026 recruitment. These streams appeared in some earlier PFRDA cycles. Candidates should avoid using older stream lists for the current application. The PFRDA Grade A syllabus gives candidates a useful starting point for the current examination structure.
IRDAI Assistant Manager
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India recruits Assistant Managers for insurance regulation. Past recruitment cycles have covered Generalist, Finance, Law, IT, Actuarial, and Research areas. The latest notification on IRDAI’s official vacancies page comes from 2024. That cycle carried 45 posts.
IRDAI had not published a 2026 Assistant Manager notification during this review. Candidates should therefore avoid treating unofficial 2026 vacancy figures as confirmed. The IRDAI Assistant Manager exam covers the examination structure for candidates preparing for the next recruitment cycle.
IFSCA Grade A
The International Financial Services Centres Authority recruits Officer Grade A for GIFT City’s international financial services ecosystem. The latest recruitment cycle covered 2025. It included General, Legal, and Information Technology streams.
IFSCA published the 2025 Coding Test result in January 2026. It also published selected candidates later that month. No 2026 Grade A notification appeared on the IFSCA website during this review. Candidates interested in this route can use the IFSCA Grade A exam to understand its eligibility, syllabus, and recruitment structure.
SIDBI Grade A and B
The Small Industries Development Bank of India recruits officers in Grade A and Grade B. The recruitment includes General and specialist routes. SIDBI’s latest Grade A and B advertisement carried reference 03/Grade A and B/2025-26. It opened applications in July 2025.
The 2025 advertisement listed 50 Grade A General posts. It also listed Grade B General, Legal, and IT specialist posts. Several Grade A qualification routes require prior work experience. This requirement can make SIDBI different from other regulatory exams.
No fresh Grade A or Grade B notification for 2026-27 appeared during this review. The SIDBI Grade A and B exam covers its eligibility requirements and recruitment structure.
Which Regulatory Exam to Prepare For?
The answer depends on your qualification, interests, and preparation strengths. RBI Grade B suits candidates who want a broad central banking and economics-focused role. SEBI offers several specialist streams for candidates with relevant qualifications.
NABARD can suit candidates interested in rural development and agricultural finance. EPFO APFC offers a separate route through UPSC. PFRDA provides opportunities across General, Research, Actuary, and Rajbhasha streams in its 2026 cycle.
IRDAI and IFSCA provide other regulatory career paths. Their next recruitment dates remain important for candidates planning ahead. SIDBI also deserves attention when your qualifications and experience meet its requirements.You do not need to prepare for every exam at once. Start by identifying overlapping subjects and checking eligibility.
How Much Do These Regulatory Exams Overlap?
Several exams share common preparation areas. These often include English, reasoning, quantitative aptitude, current affairs, and financial awareness. Specialist papers create much of the difference. RBI DEPR and DSIM need specialised preparation. SEBI, PFRDA, NABARD, IFSCA, and SIDBI also change their specialist requirements by stream and notification.
A common preparation plan can save time. Candidates can build strong fundamentals first. They can then add specialist subjects for their chosen exams. This approach also helps when recruitment calendars do not line up. Candidates targeting several major regulators can also consider Regulatory Bodies Course covering RBI, SEBI, and NABARD when they want to combine common preparation areas.
Why the 2026 Notification Status Matters
Recruitment information can change from one cycle to another. PFRDA provides a clear example. Older information lists Finance, IT, and Legal among its possible streams. The 2026 notification does not include them. EPFO provides another example. The 2026 UPSC recruitment covers APFC only. EO/AO does not appear in the current notification.
IRDAI, IFSCA, and SIDBI also show why candidates should check official websites before starting exam-specific preparation. A coaching page can remain online long after a notification expires. An old article can also continue to appear for current searches. Always check the latest official notification before applying or finalising your study plan.
Regulatory Body Exams Frequently Asked Questions
Is EPFO EO/AO open in 2026?
No. The 2026 UPSC recruitment covers APFC only. It does not include EO/AO.
Does PFRDA Grade A 2026 include Finance, IT, or Legal?
No. The 2026 notification covers General, Research, Actuary, and Official Language.
Has IRDAI released its 2026 Assistant Manager notification?
No. IRDAI’s official vacancies page showed the 2024 cycle during this review.
Has IFSCA released a 2026 Grade A notification?
No. The 2025 recruitment cycle remained the latest Grade A cycle during this review.
Has SIDBI released a fresh Grade A/B notification for 2026-27?
No. SIDBI’s latest Grade A/B advertisement covered the 2025-26 cycle.
Which regulatory exams accept fresh graduates?
Several major exams offer routes for candidates without prior work experience. These include RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A, NABARD Grade A, EPFO APFC, PFRDA Grade A, IRDAI Assistant Manager, and IFSCA Grade A. SIDBI differs because several qualification routes require prior work experience. Candidates should always check the exact qualification rules in the current notification.
Where should I check the latest notification?
Check the official website of the relevant regulator or recruiting authority. For RBI, use the RBI website. For SEBI, use the SEBI website. NABARD, PFRDA, IRDAI, IFSCA, and SIDBI publish their own recruitment updates. UPSC handles the EPFO APFC recruitment.
Final Word
The regulatory body exam landscape offers several routes into India’s financial institutions. RBI, SEBI, NABARD, EPFO, PFRDA, IRDAI, IFSCA, and SIDBI each follow different recruitment patterns. The right starting point depends on your qualification and career interests. Your preparation strategy should also reflect the latest notification.
Use this regulatory body exams India 2026 map as your starting point. Then verify dates, vacancies, eligibility, and streams on the official website. That simple check can prevent weeks of preparation based on an outdated recruitment cycle.
Also Read:
SEBI Grade A: Which Stream Should You Actually Apply For?
How to Prepare for RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A or NABARD Grade A While Working a Full-Time Job
RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A or NABARD Grade A vs a High-Paying Private Job: The Real Trade-off Math
