Cracking RBI Grade B: How To Be in Top 0.13%: Jignesh Kumar Khadela (JIGA JVK)

Cracking RBI Grade B: How to be in top
0.13%
Jignesh Kumar Khadela (JIGA JVK)
(AIR-9, 2018 Batch)
(Grade B New Recruits Interacting with Ex-Governor and DG during induction)
1. The ‘WHY’ of the Job and The Competition

2. On Phase-I
3. On Phase-II( Including Memory based questions since 2015)
4. On Interview
5. On Failing and Keeping Oneself Motivated
6. Interview Transcripts of Applicants
7. About Me
1. The ‘WHY’ of the Job at RBI and the Competition
1.1 The Intellectual Part (Courtesy RBI Web)
Wider Canvas
You get an opportunity to work on a wider canvas of operations, you are involved in
formulation of policies having nationwide implications. You get a multi-disciplinary job
content and an opportunity to contribute to nation building
Team up with the Best
You get to be a member of a team that shapes the financial policies. You work with the
government and top level financial minds. You work with international organizations to
contribute to thinking on global best practices
Spearhead the Reforms
You initiate and monitor reforms and changes in India's financial environment and
manage an economy in transition. Your job offers the challenge of driving a nation on
the move.
Go Global
You get an opportunity to interact with some of the brightest minds across sectors of
economy and across the globe. You even negotiate treaties with multi lateral bodies or
guide other emerging economies. In domestic seminars and conferences you represent
your institution and internationally you represent your country.
Touch the lives of millions
Your everyday job can make a difference to a farmer, a small entrepreneur, an exporter,
an industry, a financial entity, or even a common man.
Do Research that Matters
You do research that induces policy changes. You have information and data at your
fingertips.
Courtesy: Target RBI
If you are driven by any of the above, RBI has a job that offers:
1.2 The Materialistic Part
This May Motivate You
1 Gross Salary Slip Component: Around Rs.85000
2 Other Allowances (Petrol, Telephone, internet allowance,
Sodexo Coupon etc: Rs 20000-22000
3 2 or 3 BHK Accommodations at All Metro Cities with
amenities like Garden, Gym, Security(Monetary value can
range from 30K to 60K depending upon place of posting)
4 Leave Fare Concession for Foreign Tour(This makes up
good deal in CTC terms)
5 Opportunity to get education at Some of the finest
institutions in the world
6 Housing/Car Loans at Concessional Rate ( at almost half
the EMI of commercial rate loan)
7 Training Opportunities at the places like Federal Reserve,
WB, IMF , Bank of England among others
8 Opportunity to work with/assist Governor, DG and other
eminent economists
9 Promotion opportunities to rise to the rank of DG,
ED,CGM
10 Opportunities to get deputations in Finance Ministry,
Public Sector Banks, Other Prominent Financial
Institutions/Regulatory Bodies
11 Cost reimbursement for courses like CFA, FRM and
increments for CAIIB,JAIIB
12 Other Misc Allowances
In CTC terms, the package can easily go above 15 lacs
conservatively and is slated to go up in wage revision that
is due from the year 2017.
That was a heck of a rosy talk. Now let me take you through the not so rosy part of it
1.3 The Competition
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest
lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the
slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a
gazelle: when the sun comes up, you’d better be running”.
-Christopher McDougall
Though one's failing may not be as dramatic as implied (getting killed!!) in the above
quote, if taken in right perspective, if you fail at giving justified attempt at the exam, you
stare at life time of selling of otherwise unsalable insurance or mutual fund products
(true in case of Bankers) or you stare at life time of job at site that you have now grown
to detest (engineers with site jobs) or monotonous cubicles (IT/ITes guys) or you stare
at joblessness or subpar job that is not in tune with the degree or institution where you
did your education(the IIT/IIM &other prestigious institutions grads). I want you to
channelize your current job frustrations into a burning desire to make a difference.
When low on Motivation, I used to imagine myself 5-10 years down the line in my
present job (Public Sector Banker) and how mediocrity will take over my zeal to make a
difference. Soon a not so rosy or almost bleak scenario will be emerging in my
imaginations and I will run to read the voluminous Economic Survey!! This is also a way
to keep oneself motivated and use this whenever you run out of Motivation Ammo. Now
take a look at the competitive landscape:
Year Total Took Took Took Selected

Applicants Phase-I Phase-II Interview
2015 117996 74661 2836 606 134
2016 167021 105715 3234 680 163
2017 150571 93701 3320 573 145
2018 157947 95109 2762 585 127
(Source: RBI RTI reply)
Roughly 60% of those who register actually show up on the exam day. Roughly top 3%
of those appearing in Phase-I clear the hurdle and move to Phase-II exam. Roughly 20%
of those taking Phase-II get to appear for interview. Roughly 1/4th of those taking
interview get to write such strategy documents or success stories!!
Roughly 0.08% of those taking pain (uploading handwritten declaration etc!!) to register
actually get to hear from RBI in the end. Roughly 0.13% of those who actually take
phase I exam make it to the enviable list.
That’s not quiet rosy stuff at all. So now that you have understood the competition, you
can’t do anything but smart work to outperform the competition. My purpose in
designing this lengthy compilation is to expose you to all those things, methods or
practices that worked for me and for many of the selected candidates, and to equip you
with all that may work for you. I feel knowing the dynamics of the selection process is
perhaps equally, if not more, important than doing volumes of reading, solving or
memorizing (Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four
sharpening the axe…Abraham Lincoln). Allow me to sharpen your axe through this
lengthy compilation before you knock down that tree (Grade B Exam).
1.4 Notification and Time Lines

Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Notification 05-Oct- 18-July- 03-May- 03-July-2018 Start Preparing
2015 2016 2017 without any
Date
speculations
Phase –I 21-Nov- 04-Sep- 17-June- 16-Aug-2018 on dates to
2015 2016 2017 be in that
0.13%
Phase-I 01-Dec- 08-Sep- 30-June- 05-Sep-2018
selected pips.
Result 2015 2016 2017
It takes at
least 3-4
Phase-II 07-Dec- 19-Sep- 07-July- 15-Sep-2018
months of
2015 2016 2017
real good
Phase-II 23-Dec- 26-Sep- 13-July- 08-Oct-2018 preparation to
2015 2016 2017 have justified
Result
attempt
Interview 01-Apr- 17-Feb- 13-Nov- 20-Feb-2019 unless you
Result 2016 2017 2017 have
preparation
Final Mark 12-Apr- 06-Mar- 29-Nov- 08-Mar-2019 backgrounds
sheet 2016 2017 2017 like Civil
services
exam etc
I neither subscribe to the school of thought nor get I excited by how a person made in
the list of selected candidates by preparing just for 15 days or last week. If you feel
motivated by rosy stuff like that(cleared in 15 days etc), then you are conveniently
ignoring the hundreds who have been preparing for months now and perhaps missed by
0.5 marks or so. We never get to hear from these people who couldn’t make to the list
as they won’t be sharing any strategy or sources they referred. This is what is called
‘SURVIVAL BIAS’ in the behavioral finance. But we get carried by few candidates who
made the cut in 15 days preparation (conveniently ignoring their 1-2 years of preparation
of Civil Services exam, or CAT/XAT exams preparation or two years of MBA that put
them ahead in the FM subject). I firmly believe that 3-5 months of real good preparation
is a must to have justified attempt at the exam or you will end up missing by few marks.
I wish that doesn’t happen to you. Roll up your sleeves!
1.5 Online Resources, Groups, Apps and Websites
I know many are not very comfortable reading in Online Mode or from PDFs or Apps.
The first thing that you need to change is this predilection for Hard Copies or Print
Materials or Books. If you are not reading from under mentioned resources in online
mode, you are at disadvantage as compared to those who are doing so. The reason is
much of what is tested in competitive exams nowadays is very dynamic in nature and
the online resources (enlisted hereunder) are better positioned to address this need of
dynamic content. And thus it is becomes very important to become accustomed to
screen reading and breaking the cognitive barrier of a disliking for screen reading. Here
is the list of some of the most important avenues for qualitative dynamic content:
The most important source is the OneNote Link where many of 2018 Batch candidates’
strategies have been complied at one place and a Quora Blog of 2016 Batch:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Au3NUTZHmyHQjUsR_VXKZ4qIpCJw (2018 Batch Initiative)
https://rbigrb.quora.com?ch=3&share=396067ef&srid=8M8a (2016 Batch Initiative)
1. Install Telegram (If not already) and Join these groups:
https://t.me/rbi2k18, https://t.me/rbigradebexamresources,
https://t.me/RBI_Grade_B_DR
(Go to media section of these groups and you will find all the materials and resources that you
ever may need!)
2. Install the Apps--- Adda247, Grade Up, GK Today ( For Phase-I)
3. Install the Apps Civils Daily, Unacademy, Mrunal ,IAS Baba and Insights
IAS( For Phase-II)
4. Install the App- Google Keep for Keeping Notes
5. Join the following FB Groups
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rbimanager/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1864158403895094/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/892893897518645/
6. Few websites
https://www.investopedia.com (For important Economic and Finance Concepts)
www.arthapedia.in (For Govt Schemes/ Policies--Helpful for ESI)
http://managementstudyguide.com/ ( For Management)
1.6 Sumit Rai, IAS (AIR 54, 2018) on Managing Your
Preparations while Working
First of all, you need to have a mindset about your current job. It should be treated as a
temporary phenomenon in your life. Assume that it is just a job, it is not something where you
want to spend your entire life. Your passion and that burning desire for civil services (read RBI)
should be your guiding criteria at your work place. So, treat your job as it is: It is secondary to
your preparation. By this I don’t mean that you became too negligent at work. That should not
be the case and an aspiring civil servant should never do that. You should have that adequate
level of efficiency and professionalism and you should be able to complete all your deliverables
within time. But you should avoid all those other things which can be otherwise utilized for your
preparation (Social gatherings, frequent parties, Office gossip, extended lunch hours etc.). Don’t
run after appraisals. Even if you get a bad one, it is not the end of your life. A little sacrifice is
needed for a noble cause.
Do not let anyone know in the office that you are preparing. Prepare in silence, let success roar.
There are practical problems especially in private sector, so it is better that you keeps this as
your little secret.
After you come back from office, plan your time judiciously. Divide your time between optional
and GS( read Phase-I and Phase-II for RBI) and read accordingly. Also, don’t expect that you will
run at super efficiency every time. There will be days where you won’t feel like reading anything.
It is ok to feel that way and it is ok to not read anything on that day. What is not ok is making it a
too recurrent phenomenon. At that point of time you have to tell yourself: No, that’s not how my
story is going to end. Fall you must, but fail you shouldn’t. So, buck up, come out of comfort
zone and start reading.
Weekends are God’s gift to you – use them to your fullest.
Social media: Since you have time constraints, you should stay away from social media as
much as possible. Instead read newspapers and do productive things. I was away from
facebook for a long time, didn’t use whatsapp much and got active only after this year’s result.
So everything can wait: Say this to yourself.
Your mobile is your best friend, and it is more so for working-travelling aspirants. You can read
on flights, in trains, in office washrooms if you have that one companion. So make your mobile
your library. You should be able to access Laxmikanth pdf(read Management or Finance Text)
within 30 seconds, read your optional notes and should be able to make online notes on
evernote (or any other platform). So, a good investment in mobile with lots of storage space is
recommended.
Avoid conflicts at workplace as much as possible. It is not good for your preparation if you are
disturbed. Keep your eyes always on UPSC.
Be respectful and kind, everyone you meet is fighting a different battle. So be a little kinder, it is
what makes you humane. Help someone at work; it will make you feel good. It helps in civil
services preparation (read RBI ) somehow—blessings and positive energy.
2. On Phase-I
Approximately 2500-3000 candidates make cut in this phase out of 90000+ that take
this exam. That's like top 3 % moves to next phase and thus it becomes extremely
important to ensure that you get to be in those 3% before you invest huge amounts of
time and resources in Phase II stage which is the biggest contributor in the final merit.
2.1 Knowing the Exam: Sections and Cut Offs

Year 2015 2016 2017 2018
Sections
Max Cut Max Cut Max Cut Max Cut
Marks Off(G) Marks Off(G) Marks Off(G) Marks Off(G)
Quant 30 7.5 30 7.5 30 4 30 7.5

GA 80 20 80 20 80 16.5 80 20
Reasoning 60 15 60 15 60 11 60 15
English 30 7.5 30 7.5 30 6.75 30 7.5
Total 200 88.5 200 98.5 200 78 200 105.75
Sectional Cut 25% of Max 25% of Max Varying % 25% of Max

off basis Marks Marks Section wise Marks
Difficulty level Moderate Moderate Difficult Easy-Moderate
Appeared 74661 105715 93701 95109

Candidates
Passed 2836 3234 3320 2762
candidates
Passing % 3.79% 3.05% 3.54% 2.90%
 The exam format for the Prelim has remained the same for all the years as depicted in
the table and likely to remain so this year too.
 It is really important to score well in the GA to take your score above overall cut which
far higher and likely to soar further due to intensifying competition. The key here is to
wrap up the GA section quickly in about 15 Minutes.(You either know or don’t know
answer and thus no point in second guessing or elimination etc)
 There is no Section Wise Time allocations prefixed and thus you can fix them as per
your strengths and weaknesses
 Quant section is more of hurdle to clear than a scoring one except for the year 2018
when it was moderate to easy and one could have scored well if Quant is one’s
strength.
 Sectional cut of is roughly 25% of Max score of the given section.
Now lets me sharpen your axe with section wise detailed strategies:
2.2 The Quant
Know the Game: Analysis of what’s tested
Year /Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018
Series (Find Wrong Type) 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs
Data Interpretation DI 10 Qs DI 10 Qs DI 10 Qs DI 10Qs

&Caselet
(1 Missing DI) (1Missing DI) (Time & Work DI) (1 Missing DI)
Caselet 5 Qs Caselet 5 Qs Caselet DI 5Qs No Caselet!
Data Sufficiency(Quant -- 5 Qs 5 Qs 5Qs

I >Qaunt II types)
Arithmetic** 10 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs 10Qs
30 Qs 30 Qs 30 Qs
Total 30 Qs
Difficulty(On a Scale 8/10 8/10 9/10 6/10

of 10)
Difficult Difficult Difficult Moderate
Good Attempts 12-14 12-14 10-12 15-17
Good Score 9-11 9-11 8-10 13-15
Cut off Marks-GEN 7.5 7.5 4 7.5
Ideal Time to allot 30 Min 30 Min 30 Min 30 Min
**Arithmatic Topics-Work&,Time,Time and Speed, Compound Int,

Partnership,P&L,Permuation and Combination, Probability, Geometry and
Mensuration only) No need to do Number System or Trignometry etc
Playing the Game (The Most Important Things)
 As you can see in the table, the Quant section has fairly been on similar lines. The
only change was in 2018 when the difficulty level was perhaps varied and was
little on lower side. Otherwise, Quant has been a challenging section and more of
a hurdle. It is extremely important that you clear sectional cut off here because
more often than not many have failed in getting quant sectional cut off cleared
while scoring above the overall cut off.
 Practice Practice and Heck lot of Practice. The practice should be in timed
conditions(Cut off time or timers) and should result in improvement in accuracy
as well as speed. While practicing quant questions, just don’t take unlimited time
or heck lot of time in one or just a few questions. Take a set of questions from
multiple topics instead and attempt them in limited time. This will force you to
select only few questions from the set and abandon others. Once you have
attempted these, analyze whether your question selection was right or you could
have done better. Analyze whether you need to speed up or doing well enough.
Use timers or cut of time limits invariably to monitor your progress or to red flag
your weaknesses.
 Allot around 30 minutes and ensure to attempt enough questions to score more
than 8 marks if the quant section is really difficult (the one like in 2017 when cut
off was mere 4 marks) or 10 in other scenario. It highly unlikely that the cut off
will go above 10. If the exam is very much easier…then you will know while
attempting questions and thus must aim for 12+. This strategy is for those who
find quant challenging and not for those who have mastered it or had preparation
background of exams like CAT/XAT/FMS who must have aim to score around 15
in any case.
 Practice 50-100 questions each of the arithmetic topics (Work& Time, Time and
Speed, Profit and Loss, Partnership, Compound Interest, Geometry and
Mensuration, Permutation and Combination and Probability) of difficulty level
(>6/10). Practice more if you are unable to quickly form equations. Roughly 10
questions are asked from these Arithmetic Topics and you need to get only 3-4
right. Don’t try to do all of them. At least 2-3 questions will be almost undoable
or doable after heck lot of time. Don’t fall for them. It is as important to leave
the difficult/time consuming questions as it is to get the easier ones done in
lesser time.
 There are around 5 Questions of Number Series--mostly asking to find incorrect

in the given Series. Practice roughly 200 odd questions of difficulty (>6/10) and
you will get the knack of all type of patterns. Here also you must know that at
least 1 or 2 will be undoable. So you must aim to get 3 right quickly and move on
without wasting Time.
 The next important topics tested are Data Interpretation (Including Missing DI,
Tabular or Pie Chart etc often involving Arithmatic topics like Work, Speed Time
etc)and Data Sufficiency(Quantity I>Quantity II type). Put together these topics
account for 15 questions or 50% of the quant as can be seen in the analysis in
the above table. Again the strategy here is similar to that discussed in the
previous passage. Of the 5 questions in Data Sufficiency, 1-2 will be undoable.
Skip them (I don't know how to emphasize this more) This is very much
Important given the difficulty level of 2016 & 2017 quant papers.2018 Paper was
relatively easier and one could have perhaps tried to do many or all of the
questions of Data Interpretation or Data Sufficiency).But RBI is known for trying
variations in difficulty level and you must adapt to this in exam Hall. In short..Do
easier Vale 2-3 questions from each topic and move on(attempting 12-13
questions will see you through) If the exam is on easier side(like 2018) ...then
aim to attempt around 15-17 and move on.
 Quant in RBI Prelim is more of a hurdle to clear than a scoring section. It can be
scoring for those who have prepared for CAT/XAT spending hours practicing
typical questions.
 Good source of practicing quant questions are the Quizzes in Grade Up

app(specifically designed for SBI PO Mains or IBPS PO Mains level) and in
Bankers Adda app.
 Also take at least 10 sectional tests of Quant and 10 Full length Mock tests
(PracticeMock and Olive board are two good source of Mocks) of Prelim exam.
Don't read too much into your Mock Scores as these mocks are tougher than the
real Grade B exam. But you must aim to be among top 3% of the mock takers and
thus must aim to get at least 97 Percentile. Analysis of mocks is perhaps more
important than taking the mock test. Analyze which of the easy questions you
skipped which you shouldn't have or you attempted which you shouldn't have.
Stick to time management. No point in scoring highest in a particular section
while failing sectional cut off by a whisker in other section. Decide on order of
sections and time allocation based on your strengths and weaknesses.
 Many are suggesting Arun Sharma’s CAT Guide for Qaunt. However, practicing
quizzes from Grade Up and Banker Adda (Quizzes for RBI Grade B, IBPS PO
Mains and SBI PO mains are of the same level of difficulty) shall suffice.
 If you find Quant difficult and need coaching, then here is the link of Free
Online YouTube classes of Meritshine
(https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhuF3CfgKa3ZrsRyMg4EEDRmMq0Lw
Ezfv)The tutors are finest tutors (IIM Alumnus) with wonderful explanations.
Total 84 Videos of approx 150+ Hours of Teaching. Though this designed for SBI
PO, the quant and reasoning section of RBI Grade B are similar in difficulty and
topic wise and thus the coaching will work in my judgment. The best part is these
classes come at no cost and you will benefit immensely.
2.3 Reasoning
Year/Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018
Input-Output 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs
5Q+5Q
LR: 1)Puzzles 5Q+5Q 5Q+5Q 5Q+5Q
5Q+5Q+5Q
2) Arrangement 5Q+5Q 5Q 5Q+5Q
Data Sufficiency 5Q 5Qs 5Q 5Qs
Critical 10 Qs 10Qs 10Q 10

Reasoning(Arguments,
Assumptions,Course of action,
Strenthen-weaken,Candidate
Selections)
Syllogism(Often Reverse 5Qs 5Qs 7Qs 5Qs

Syllogism)
Coding Decoding 5Qs 5Qs -- -
Inequality(Often in Data 5Qs 5Qs 4Qs 3Q

Sufficiency Form)
Others(Blood Relations, 5Qs 10Qs 9Qs 7Qs

Direction Sense etc)
Total 60 Qs 60 Qs 60 Qs 60 Qs
Difficulty(On a Scale of 8/10(Moderate 8/10(Moderat 9/10(Difficult) 7/10(Moderate)

10) to Difficult) e to Difficult)
Good Attempts 30-35 30-35 22-25 30-35

Good Score Around 30 Around 30 Around 20 Around 30
Cut off Marks-GEN 15 15 11 15
Ideal Time to allot 45-50 Min 45-50 Min 45-50 Min 45-50 Min

As can be seen in the table, except for few minor changes, the paper style and format
has remained largely similar for all the years. Following are the most important things to
remember:
 Start attempting section from relatively easier topics like Syllogisms,

Inequalities, input-outputs, Data Sufficiency and Critical Reasoning followed by
sets of Puzzles and Arrangement Sets. Starting with easier topics will boost
confidence and increase accuracy.(there is risk in starting with puzzles that you
may get stuck up in a puzzle and end up wasting a lot of time which will
adversely impact your entire 45-50 minutes that you give to reasoning section).
The puzzles and arrangements are often challenging and can actually eat up
huge time if wrongly chosen. So it is best to keep them at the last. Remember out
of the total 4-5 puzzles and seating arrangement sets, 1 or 2 will be insanely
difficult and are best left unattended. Aim to get one set correct if the paper is
overall difficult and two if it is on easier side.
 Practice at least 100 Input-output and coding decoding sets to get good speed
and accuracy.
 Syllogisms are the easiest part of the LR section. So to make it little difficult, the
RBI (IBPS) has started asking reverse syllogism. Practice the reverse syllogisms
(you are given conclusion and are asked to find the underlying sentences from
which the conclusion follows.
 Critical reasoning is known for its less than satisfactory accuracy as it often gets
subjective. So one thing that I find important is the more you read the subjective
question and try applying elimination techniques etc, the more time you waste
without accuracy actually improving. So you may get it wrong even after
additional time investment of few seconds or a minute. So the best strategy is to
mark that option as answer which immediately struck you after first reading or
analysis and moving on(holds true for all course of action or strong or weak
argument type questions).
 About 4-5 questions in critical reasoning are of type where you are given a
passage followed by question like which of the following will weaken or
strengthen the argument/premise given in the passage or what is the flaw in the
argument or which of the following logically follows from the argument given the
para. If practiced well, even these questions can be attempted with fairly good
accuracy and less time. So practice about 100 such passage based questions
(available in GMAT Guides) and you should be good to go.
 Try allocating around 45 Minutes and aim to attempt around 30-35
questions. I again emphasis not to get stuck up in a Puzzle or arrangement set in
the beginning as it can affect your entire subsequent exam duration. Scan all the
puzzles/arrangement sets before finalizing which one to attempt.
 Selecting which puzzle/arrangement set to attempt is the MOST CRUCIAL factor.
Give a brief and quick read to the question para. Look for number of
variables. The more variables, the greater the complexity. Same way, look for
proportion of direct sentences(for e.g Person F, who is an engineer, stays on 4th
Floor) as compared to indirect sentences(for e.g The Person F ,who is not doctor
,stays on floor immediately above that of Architect)
 If you find reasoning difficult and need coaching, then here is the link of Online
YouTube classes of Meritshine
(https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhuF3CfgKa3ZrsRyMg4EEDRmMq0Lw
Ezfv)The tutors are finest tutors with wonderful explanations. Total 84 Videos of
approx 130+ Hours of Teaching. Though this designed for SBI PO, the quant and
reasoning section of RBI Grade B are similar in difficulty. The best part is these
classes come at no cost and you will benefit immensely. I am neither promoting
this channel/ coaching institute nor going to benefit in anyway.
2.4 English
Year&Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018
Reading 10Q 10Q 12Qs 7Qs

Comprehsion
5Qs
Errors in Sentences 5Q 5Qs 5Qs
Others 5Q 3Qs 3 3Qs Sentence

Connectors
(Parajumbles) (Paracompletion) (Idioms&Pharases)
5Qs Parajumbles
Close Tests 5Q 7Qs _ 6Qs
Fillers/Double Fillers 5Q 5Qs 5Q 4Qs
30 Qs 30 Qs 30 Qs
Total 30 Qs

of 10)
Easy Moderate Difficult Moderate
Good Attempts 19-22 18-20 12-14 15-17
Good Score 18-20 17-19 10-12 13-15
Cut off Marks-GEN 7.5 7.5 6.75 7.5
Ideal Time to allot 25 Min 25 Min 25 Min 25 Min

 As can be seen in the table, the RBI (IBPS) has changed the pattern of the
questions in recent years. Even the difficulty level has also gone up. The Novel
questions include Sentence Connectors, Correct use of Phrases and Novelty in
otherwise traditional Closet questions. In Sentence Connectors, a phrase is given
with many sentences in two columns. You need to find out which sentences can
be connected from the two columns with the use of the given sentence. Refer the
Memory Based Papers that are given in the table.
 The Novel questions have this unique capability to separate the muggers from
well read individuals. Unless you are well read and know the English really well,
you will struggle to answer these novel questions. This is where UPSC aspirants
have edge over others. They are well read and tend to perform well here without
any special preparation in this section. It is thus very important to read news
paper religiously(Business Standard or The Mint and The Hindu)
 Practice roughly 50 or more questions of all the topics mentioned in the above
table. Practice more any of the topic where you think your accuracy sucks!
 Allot around 25 Minutes of time and attempt first the quick questions (Fillers or
Error spotting etc) before you attempt RC. The RCs being asked nowadays are
also challenging in that the questions asked in RCs are also having options like 1)
Only 1 and 2 follows or 2) Only 2 Follows 3) All Follow. With this kind of options,
the answering becomes difficult. Also give a brief read to initial lines of 2-3
passages to ascertain whether the topic is some ABSTRACT topic and if so skip
it.
 Start reading editorials from the HINDU or Insights Editorials or IAS Baba Current
Affairs Daily where they select few relevant editorials from Major News Papers
daily. This will help not only English for Phase –I but also in Phase-II English, ESI
and FM as well.
 Attempt quizzes in the Bankers Adda and Grade Up App in time bound manner
for all the topics enlisted in the above table and try to get the best ranks in all
the quizzes that you attempt(Grade up and Bankers Adda gives rank to the all
the aspirants who take the quiz.
 Take at least 10 sectional tests of 30 Questions in Simulated environment and
analyze your performance.
2.5 General Awareness
Year&Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018

Around 10Qs Around 10Qs Around 10Qs
Static GK Around 10Qs
Current Affairs Around 45Qs Around 45Qs Around 45Qs Around 45Qs
Banking and Eco Around 25Q Around 25Q Around 25Q Around 25Q
Awareness
80 Qs 80 Qs 80 Qs
Total 80 Qs
4 Months B4 4 Months B4 Exam 4 Months B4

Current Affairs Time 4 Months B4 Exam Exam
Exam

of 10)
Easy-Mod Easy-Mod Easy-Mod Moderate
Good Attempts 60-65 60-65 60-65 55-60
Good Score 55+ 55+ 55+ 50+
20 16.5 20
Cut off Marks-GEN 20
Ideal Time to allot 15-17 Min 15-17 Min 15-17 Min 15-17 Min

 It is really important that your GA score is at least 55 for you to take your score
above OVERALL CUT OFF. Given how competitive the exam is becoming and cut
off rose to 105.75(Last year), It is GA which contributes maximum to the overall
cut off. As can be seen in the table, Static Awareness roughly is tested for around
lowly 10 Marks, Banking and Economic Awareness for around 25 Marks and the
rest from Current affairs of 4 months prior to the exam week.
 First of all, as I mentioned/emphasized earlier also, it is really important that you

get done with the Cognitive Barrier of disliking for screen reading. You just don’t
get all the dynamic and good quality content in Printed or Hard Material Form.
 It is also very much important that you don’t give more than 15 to 17 Minutes in
this section. You can really bring down time taken in attempting 80 question from
20-25 Minutes to as low as 13-15 Minutes. Here is how I did this: I read monthly
compilation of GK Today (Only the index part and highlights from the compilation
which makes up around 15-20 Pages) and Daily CA update from Bankers Adda
App. After reading from these two sources, I attempted GK Daily quizzes from
three apps namely Grade Up, Bankers Adda and GK Today. This I did for total of 4
months before exam. This system in my view is not only effective in covering the
ground (important news) but also helps in simultaneous revision and retention
rate goes up significantly. The most important news will be covered by all three
apps and thus will get repeated as you practice the quizzes and gets deep into
your head. Some important News Item that Banker Adda has not covered may be
covered by Grade up or GK Today thus covering you from missing a potential
question. I ran through these quizzes more than 2 -3 times ( GKToday has all
300-350 question of a given month in its app at one place and I used to take
around 45 minutes in quickly attempting these 300 questions). Now armed with
this much of practice, you will know the answers before you complete reading
the entire question (happened with me in Mocks and actual exam).
 Another important thing to do while doing these quizzes is to set time
lines(say for eg complete March Month Quiz retaking by this week ) and attempt
the quizzes with competitive mindset by aiming to get 10 out of 10
correct or 15 out of 15 Correct( not easy in first attempt though) in the daily
quizzes that you attempt. The Bankers Adda and Grade Up gives rank for every
quiz that you attempt. So aim to get finest rank and or the top most rank
every time in your first or second attempt of the quiz. This way the entire GK
preparation can be made into a fun filled practice instead of plain & boring
reading of monthly compilations. Plain reading of Current Affairs compilations is
not sufficient and it may happen that ALL STUFF IN YOUR HEAD becomes
KHICHDI immediately before exam(Happened with me before and I hope you
relate to this phenomenon) and you feel like JUST ANOTHER UNPREPARED
CHAP and start thinking about next attempt or how you ruined your this attempt.
GK Reading without enough of quizzes or MCQs can get you confused in
options( for eg in recent appointment question you may end up mixing up Rajiv
Kumar with Rajinder Kumar or some similar sounding name which IBPS is very
fond of giving in other options.) If you have practiced many quizzes in the
competitive spirit as narrated above, you will be quick to spot only the relevant
option and you won’t even have to look at other options let alone getting
confused. Thus antidote for this KHICHDIWALI feeling is heck lot of quizzes in
competitive spirit. I was part of a Whats App group where it was compulsory to
conduct monthly one quiz and those not doing so used to get expelled(not
happening now though!). Amazingly all 50-60 members used to conduct quizzes
and some of the finest quality MCQs and discussions used to come up/ happen
in the group). These discussions/MCQs helped more in Phase-II than in Phase-I.
You can be part of some such group where you get these MCQs or Discussions.
 For the banking and financial awareness, reading the FAQ section of RBI section
is very important as it helps not only in Phase-I but also in Phase-II. It is very
comprehensive section and you will know heck lot more just by reading it. For
latest developments in Financial Sector, I used to GOOGLE with words ‘ RBI IN
NEWS’ or ‘SEBI IN NEWS’ and search results will bring up all the related news
items from which to prepare your notes. Besides, the Bankers Adda and Grade up
App has these daily quizzes under the head ‘ Banking and Financial Awarenss’
and you can attempt for up to 4 months preceding the exam week.
 Though Static Awareness forms very insignificant portion, it is important to get at

least 5-7 marks in the static part. Here is why: Out of Total of 80 Questions,
at least 7-10 will be undoable or no one would know their answers. So you now
have only about 70 questions to get your desired 55-60 score. Static part in my
view is most difficult of all. You have to memorize countless National Parks,
Sanctuaries, Rivers, Temples, Cricket and other grounds, Currencies and Capitals
of tens of countries, Days and Themes to mention a few. Banker’s Adda Capsule
2019 for IBPS or SBI PO (It will be out just before SBI PO or IBPS Mains) is very
good source for static and banking awareness questions. Though it is just about
80-100 pages, each page is jammed with loads of stuff and it is very challenging
to retain all the stuff. Read this capsule about 3-4 times.
3. On Phase II
Now if you are competitive enough to make the cut in the Phase-I, this is the most
important (merit weight wise) phase in the selection process. I see my target audience
declining by whopping 97% and only a handful of people(less than 3000!!) will actually
get to or need to read what I am about to write further. This Phase stands for 300 Marks
out of Total 350 Marks that the final merit list is based on. It is the phase in which you
can outwork your competition (with head start in preparation) and even make your
selection almost certain even with average performance in the interview (interviews
often go haywire!). At least four applicants made the cut this time with interview marks
around 17-18. The cutoff of this phase is perhaps the most misleading indicator of
anything. That is to say if you score cut off marks or marks around cut off, you need
to score as high as 48 out of 50 in interview to find your name in that cute little PDF of
selected people. It thus goes without saying that you need at least 20 marks more than
the cut off to have real good chance at final selection. So most important thing or goal
for us now is to score 20 more than likely Cut Off. Let me show you cut off trends (GEN
Category) for you to judge the likely midnight oil that you need to burn!
Year 2015 2016 2017 2018
197 176.75 196.75

Phase-II Cut Off* 201.25
(Out of 300)
Final Cut Off 244 225.5 245.75 248.5
(Out of 350)
Last Person in Phase- 47 48.75 49 47.25

II Merit Needs Marks
in Interview
* No sectional cut off in Phase II
So let’s take 205 as likely cut off and set goal of 225 in Phase-II(Now if the Phase-II is
difficult than past years, the cut off will go down but for practical purposes, let’s go with
this 225 number). That comes to 75 per subject! That’s staggering! Let me take you to
subject wise detailed strategies or important things to get this magical score of 75 in all.
I know only a handful will do what I am about to say. This has always been that way. We
perhaps always know what is to be done for attaining the stated goal, but just DON’T DO
as wholeheartedly. Let’s get to actually doing something than these big strategy talks,
planning stuff or material gathering.
3.1 Economic and Social Issues
Year&Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018
Conceptual/Static /From Course √ √ √ √

Outline
√ √ √
Old Govt Schemes ×
(5 Broad areas)
√ √ √ √
Contemporary Govt Schemes
√ √ √ √
Important Committees/Taskforce
& their recommendations.
√ √ √ √
Major Reforms/Policy
Changes/Eco Events (BREXIT) (FDI (BRAP)
reforms/NITI
Agenda)
√ √ √ √
Indexes/Reports/Ranks
√ √ √ √
Other Current Affairs
√ √ √ √
Budget and Eco Survey
√ √ √ √
Numbers-GDP/CAD/FD/CPI etc
&Estimates predicted by
IMF/WB/CSO/RBI etc
Important Acts/Laws/Bills/ √ √ √ √
Constitional Articles (MRTP (Mitakshra (RTE Act/Other

Act) Law) Bills)
Difficulty(On a Scale of 10) 7/10 8/10 8/10 8/10

Good Score 70+ 70 + 3 70 + 3 70 + 3
No Cut Off No Cut Off No Cut Off No Cut Off

Cut off Marks-GEN
Refer the Refer the end Refer the end of Refer the end
Memory Based Questions end of the of the section the section of the section
section

 Read and Revise all the developments covered under the above broad
heads for time covering 6 months backwards from the Phase-II exam.( i.e
you must know all committees and their recommendation, growth estimates
predicted by major institutions like IMF,WB CSO etc and the likewise for all major
heads given in the table).I used compilations of Vision IAS + GKTODAY+PIB
Summaries for Current Affairs.
 The Exam has two types of questions: the 2 Markers- Usually a passage is given
with a few important things concealed or not explicitly stated and you have to
answer questions that follow the passage. More often than not these passages
are extracts taken from newspapers or PIB or Govt. Scheme documents. It is
thus really important that you read PIB, News Papers and Govt Schemes
from the concerned Ministry’s website. For eg in the year 2018, they asked
about JSSK scheme in very depth like the number days hospitalization support
given under scheme etc. This level of depth is not covered in any of the Govt
Scheme compilations ( Edutap, IAS parliament or GKTODAY or Vision) . Since the
Govt schemes account for more than 15 marks in ESI, It is most important that
you read from any of the compilations mentioned above but add your own notes
by Googling more details from internet or the nodal ministry of that scheme. The
other type questions 1 Markers are relatively easy or straight forward MCQs just
like those in Phase-I.
 Old Govt schemes are a lot and pose a challenge as to which ones to do. One
way to approach this is to take 5-7 most flagship schemes under the broad areas
namely Poverty Alleviation(for e.g MNREGA is flagship scheme among old
schemes), Employment Generation( for e.g PMRY,SGRY, SJSRY asked in 2017,),
Health(for e.g ICDS asked in 2015,JSSK asked in 2018) Education and other
social justice related/Social issues related(for SC/ST upliftment, adolescent girls
empowerment etc). This shall give you around 25-30 old schemes which you
need to read well.
 Another Most Important Thing is The 2 Markers test your knowledge in very deep
level. So superficial level of reading without taking notes won’t help much. For
e.g the questions in FDI reforms in the 2017 exam tested the candidates on
detailed policy prescriptions (like FDI clearance in how many days or which
ministry to act as nodal ministry and the like). 2016 paper asked by how many
points the Sensex fell on the Brexit referendum result or the vote% against and in
favor of Brexit or Which part of UK voted which way. This is crazy level of details
being tested!! One more question in 2017 tested on intricate details of the then
newly launched NITI AYOG’s Goals and Mission document. So major take away
from this is that you need to get 10-15 most important developments from every
month and make notes with minute details. This is true only for major
developments having far reaching implications on our economy (like the ones
stated above..namely Brexit or FDI reforms).
 The Most Important thing is to actually read all the topics enlisted in the above
passage and retain the stuff in the head. To retain the stuff, it is really important
that you REVISE what you read. REVISION is the KEY. I don’t know how to
emphasis this aspect. Standard way to approach this is to read fixed/limited
sources and attempt MCQs from that portion. Revise this one more time and
final revision in the week before exam is the way to go.
In absence of revision, please note that all your numbers or bullet points etc will
get mixed up in your head (KHICHDI) and you will feel like going MAD.
Immediately upon reading, make your own notes (I used GOOGLE KEEP App) to
make notes and read the notes multiple times.
 Reading News Paper is very much important. You can go with The Hindu and
MINT or Business Standard. Most importantly make notes of important
articles/News Items( Refer the telegram channel (RBI/SEBI Resources) which
sifts the important news articles and shares in the channel)
 Read the Budget and Economic Sources from the original FinMin documents
rather than summary or highlights. Thoroughly go through the Finance minister’s
Budget Speeches. Preserve the copy of News Paper of the day following the
budget and read it 2-3 times. Original Economic Survey reading can be
challenging task. You can instead read the highlights given in the survey
itself(Italics) and browse through all important charts/tables/boxes.
The most important thing after reading this is to find as many MCQs( of eco
survey and budget) as you can through various websites/coaching institutions
and attempt them.
 Make sure you know about all the important indices (HDI, Ease of Doing Business
etc) at least following things: Published by, Important Parameters, Topped by,
India’s Rank and India’s Performance (Comparative Analysis). Just try to
remember these things for all major indices or those that got published in last 6
Months. At least 2-3 questions are always asked on important indices.
 Even after doing all these, it is felt by many that they couldn’t cover enough
ground or may miss out on important development. To this end, I had set a
target of doing 5000 MCQs (as Advised by Radhey Baid of 2016 Batch) on
Current Affairs and Topics covered by course outline from various sources like
insights daily quiz, ‘Civil Daily’ daily quiz, IAS Baba daily quiz( only Economic and
Social Issues), Mrunals MCQs from App. I got 55 in 2017 exam and failed to get
selected. So I decided to go extra mile and did all these (narrated above) and
could get 74(78 was the highest among selected candidates) in ESI this year.
 There is no special book/text for social issues and politics( Laxmikant and Ram
Ahuja text are too big and ROI is very low as only dynamic questions are likely to
come) topic of the course. The best way to prepare for this portion is to read
Politics and Social Issues Vision IAS monthly magazine for last six months.
 Read all the memory based questions of all four years (2015-2018) starting
from next page and you shall get an idea as to what is exactly being tested.
Memory Based Questions: 2015- 2018
ESI (2015)
1. MRTP to competition act 2002

2. What is impossible trinity?
3. What is good health as defined by WHO?
4. ESI 5 marker - FSLRC head, recommendations and not given dissent by -
3 qns combined-5 mark
Harvard humanitarian award in 5 marker (3 qns) - Kailash Satyarthi---5 mark
India's share of export and import in years 2013 and 2014 along with 2
more questions on export destinations and export products in decreasing
order - 5 marks
5. BBBP----women education & protection
6. Countries in export order and ........as per continent
7. Payment bank cannot do
8. Twitter Samvad
9. CAD & FD
10. Female literacy rate
11. Contribution of agriculture in employment & whether the area under is
changing..............
12. Sarbanes–Oxley Act-------------corporate governance.................
13. GST subsumes which tax question..............
14. Some article related question asked.....article 12,14,15,16,29.......
15. HDI rank.............
16. Corruption index
17. Export and import percentage...........
18. HRIDAY full form......
19. AHSA full form...............
20. Kailash Satyarthi question.............
21. Tourism contribute how much percentage.....
22. Order of contribution manufacture, gems and jewelry, agriculture.
23. FDI 2014-15...............
24. Data interpretation GDP values:
25. Niti Aayog vice chairman
26. What is inclusive growth, financial inclusion means.
27. Full form of AMRUT
Economic and Social Issues:

In this, there were in all 51 questions. Paper was easy as most of the
questions were related to the current events.
The break-up of the questions are as follows:
a) 15 questions- 1.5 mark each
b) 19 questions- 2.5 mark each
c) 6 questions- 5 mark each
ESI 2016
(1 Markers)
1. Rank in ease of doing business = 130
2. Human Capital Index topped by - Finland
3. Current National Income 2015-16 as per CSO estimates = 93,314
4. MSME database & finance facilitation launched by ? = Jaitley
5. NIIF budget allocation = 4000 crore
6. Number of statutory towns & cities in Swachh Bharat Mission =
4,041 statutory towns
7. Ex-officio chairperson of MPC = RBI Governor
8. What is deflation = decreasing Inflation
9. India has received largest loan from world bank under which category =
Sanitation, water, flood
10. Most vibrant sector for FDI inflow and employment = Service
11. Amitabh kant committee = e commerce
12. Employee compensation(Amendment)Bill 2016 = from Rs 5000 to
13. 2015-16 GDP growth at constant prices = 7.6
14. ISA is led by India and ? = France
15. Fiscal Deficit Target for 2016-17 = 3.5%
16. Trade facilitation is related to - WTO
17. Brics Policy Planning Dialogue was held at ? = Patna
18. DISHA = for monitoring central sector scheme
19. Shankar AcharyaCommittee = for review of financial year
20. Himayat scheme budget allocation = Rs 17001 crore
21. Number of members in estimates committee = 30
22. NGT cancelled power Plant in Tawang in which state? = Arunachal
Pradesh 23. tarang,deep apps
24. Blended ethanol
25 Sustainable development concepts came from?
26 Fiscal policy include taxation and....
27 Target for Ujawala
28 Wef's annual india economic summit. Not a co-chair- Kaushik Basu
2 Markers
A passage on Kudankulam nuclear power plant movement followed by 3

questions
1. Movement related to? Nuclear Power, coast etc

2.For social movement what is required? Group of leaders, etc...
3.With which country: - Russia
A passage on Urbanisation, rural development and Migration followed by

following questions
4. Schemes in this regard – PMAY, SMRUM
5 Solution lies in – Developing rural and small towns .
A passage on Wealth inheritance-mitakshara law(3 ques)

6. Rita would find problem if what – she was married, If died before 2004,
7. Which states Mitakshara law = Assam, MH, WB = (MH,WB)
8 Which law = 2005 amendment
Questions on IMF(2 ques)
9. Member Countries = (189)

10 New Currency included = (Chinese Reniminbi)
A passage on Monetary Policy Committee(2 ques)
11 Reporting = 3 Quarters, to government

12 no of members-6
A passage on Indian Economy-Liberalisation, Inclusive Growth, Inequality(3

ques)
13. Passage related to – Measuring poverty line, imp of inclusive growth
in India
14 Meaning of relative poverty –
15 scheme not related to poverty
A passage on Skill development for tribal youth (5 ques)
16 Scheme for forest resources – VKY

17 Scheme in this respect targets – employment, desire,
entrepreneurship, industry demand
18 Study conducted by – 3 institutes given

19. Govt fund arrangement for tribal development - National Scheduled
Tribes Finance and Development Corporation
20 Passage highlight – One obvious option was given – don’t remember
A passage on Foreign Trade Policy(3 ques)
21 . Export target - $900 billion

22 MEIS scheme countries catagorisation into – 3 groups
23 SEIS scheme rewards at – 3 and 5 %
A passage on Brexit/EU (3 ques)
24 Vote % = 51.89% to 48.11% in favour of leaving.

25 Who did not want to leave = Scotland and N Ireland
26 Indian Stock Market crashed by = 1,090 points
A passage on Employee Pension Scheme (4 ques)
27 EPS long form =Employee Pension Scheme

28 Government scheme in this regard – PMRPY
29 Minimum limit of something =
30 Government allocation in Budget (Not sure abt this question) 12.RBI-
measures in bond market (2 ques) i. ii.
2017 ESI
2 markers
1. Gender inequality index rank( Passage on Gender Inequality followed by
2Qs)
2. Parameters for the index
(Passage on Old Schemes followed by 3 Questions)

3. Jawahar rozgar yojana is answer..(question was jawahar samriddi
yojana modified into)
4. Works undertaken under the scheme
5. Jawahar rozgar yojana Indira awaz yojana restructured into which
scheme
(Passage on NITI AYOG followed by 2 Questions)

6. Niti ayog. 3 year agenda related question..plan implementation time.
7. Niti ayog 3 year agenda is related to which sectors
(Passage on Social Movement followed by 3 questions)

8. Social movement in Rajasthan for right to information..background was
given…movement organization was asked
9. Movement was fought for which parameters
10. Rti was passed in which year
(Passage on Monetary Policy Committee followed by 3 questions)

11. Monetary policy framework-total 3 questions- committee head
12. Experts appointment
13. Band of inflation
( A Passage on FDI reforms followed by 4 questions)

14. FIPB –which board was removed?
15. Regarding countries of concern- how is FDI regulated through such
countries
16. IN how many days FDI proposal should be passed-
17. Why did government implemented it ?—to boost make in India
18. A passage explaining concerns of startup implementing maternity bill-
1st question- index regarding the issue mentioned in the passage
19. Which of the following schemes help in regarding the issues mentioned
in passage- options Kishore yojana, standup startup India, matritva yojana.
It was all
20. Match the following was given…left side recent bills such as
finance,employee compensation,maternity-to be matched with appropriate
one regarding the issue mentioned in passage
21. Paris based think tank was mentioned in the passage- its estimate for
India for 2019 was asked
22. Passage based on Warangal- identify the scheme-HRIDAY
23. Cities names were given..chose one which was not
identified—aurangabad was odd one out
24. A passage based on WTO- central Asia regional organization was
started by which bank- ADB
25. Startup scheme passage- identify the scheme
26. Which sector will be gained through it-MSME
27. NREGA nodal ministry-not sure 1 or 2 marker
28. DIPP under which ministry-commerce
29. IIP revision passage-3 questions total- why base year is revised?
30. Identify true statement-regarding IIP revision
31. Introduced index for capital goods creation-name it
32. Scheme related to adolescent girls was asked-identify the scheme
based on passage
33. App designed for them-saathiya salah
34. In regarding to maternity passage- it was mentioned that India was
placed in same bracket as Iceland and some other country- a question was
asked highlighting the issue mentioned in the passage and specific rank of
India regarding that issue index was asked(India score in index was given
too-0.63)
35. Passage on UNCTAD- report published by it
1 MARKERS
1. Brundlandt commission
2. Asean summit place
3. Secc census- % of rural households in India
4. Cry report- people without access to clean drinking water
5. HDI released by
6. GDP-DEPRECIATION=
7. Market value of final goods and services produced in a year is called
8. D in FSDC
9. Which country has signed information exchange agreement with 40
countries (not sure of number)
10. Which country decided to opt out of paris climate framework
11. Committee to review FRBM
12. FRBM helps in –fiscal prudence
13. Arvind panagriya committee to collect comprehensive unemployment
data
14. Total women workforce participation rate
15. BOP meaning
16. 2016-17 4th quarter growth
17. Dairy development fund allocation
18. India will overtake CHINA population in which year
19. Which PSU was approved for restructuring in may
20. 2 cities Of India identified as dense
21. No of sdg goals and targets
22. Ease of doing business ranking published by
23. CEZ full form
24. Total population of youth aged between 15-30 who are not under any
employment education or training
ESI 2018
*2 Markers*
1 Passage About scholarship scheme for NRI and Overseas Indians(ECR

means Emigration Check Required Countries and include Gulf and Middle
East countries) : Scheme doesn't cover which of the discipline : Ans:
Medicine
2 Scholarship Portal under the scheme scheme : spdcindia.giv.in

3 Scheme Name: Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children
4 Features of scheme
All options correct except for the one stating food charges covered
5 Total numbers of Scholarship and that reserved for ECR countries Ans
150:50
6 Passage about JSSK Identify the scheme name : Janani Shishu Suraksha
Karyakaram)
7. Hospitalization for how many days for sick new born children : 30 Days
8 Diet provided for Normal and C-section Delivery for 3 and 7 Days
respectively
9. The Scheme was launched from Mewat District in Haryana
(http://nhm.gov.in/janani-shishu-suraksha-karyakram.html)
10. Passage about GNI with Blanks. The question was about who releases
the estimates: Ans MOSPI(As CSO under MOSPI)
11. Which will fill the gap(Reffering to the 165 lakh crore which is GNI) ?
Ans GNI
12. How per capita computed?

Ans The option with GNI/ Population
13 Passage About IMF and RBI. Which rate is being referred? Ans Repo
14 The rate was increased to 6.5%
15 The Headline Inflation rate refered in the passage : CPI Index
16 Which of the following can be the reason for the caution (Options were
1991 Reforms / High
Manufacturing Cost/Govt Ownership of PSBs/ Labour market something )
17 Name the organisation releasing the report : Ans IMF
18 Passage based on Swarjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana(Launched in

April 1999): Name the scheme :Ans Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana
19What is true about of the scheme

Ans The option containing Capacity Building, Trading and Skill
Development, Credit training etx( as the subsidy amount of 7500 given is
incorrect. 7500 is the investment limit and not subsidy limit. Moreover
other option gave ceiling of Rs 10000 for minor Irrigation project is also
INCORRECT as there is no such ceiling prescribed under the scheme.)
20 Features about the scheme

Option with No Involvement of PRI and establishing MACRO enterprise
were incorrect (as PRIs are part of the scheme and the scheme aims at
building MICRO enterprises not MACRO)
21 Passage about the scheme: SCHEME OF GRANT IN AID TO

VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WORKING FOR SC : Name of
the scheme : As above
22: Which ministry? Min of Social Justice and Empowerment
23 Eligibility Criteria for the organization Correct Answer: All of the above
(Options were Registered under Society Act 1960, Indian Red Cross and its
Branches and Section 25 of Companies Act)

24 Which is covered under the scheme?
(Option were 1) Building rent 2) Scholarship for foreign studies abroad for
Orphan children
ONLY 3) Stipend given students
Ans is 1)& 3) (Overseas scholarship not admissible claim. Refer the below
excerpt from official
scheme Doc from MSJE
24 Which is covered under the scheme?

(Option were 1) Building rent 2)Scholarship for foreign studies abroad for
Orphan children
ONLY 3) Stipend given students
Ans is 1)& 3) (Overseas scholarship not admissible claim. Refer the below
excerpt from official
scheme Doc from MSJE
25 One question about the above scheme objective
26 One passage about FRBM, Fiscal Deficit based on Budget Speech :

Name of the committee head : N K Singh
27 Debt to GDP and Operational parameter : Ans is None of the above

(While 40% was in one of the options, it had both Fiscal Deficit and Revenue
Deficit in the second blank. While Govt has adopted ONLY FISCAL DEFICIT
as the operational parameter). This many may get wrong.
28 FRBM paves the way for : removal of Ad-hoc Bills, Ways and Means
Advance Limit, Short Term
29 Fiscal Deficit refers to

Ans All Govt Expenditure - All Govt receipts except borrowings
30 Passage About Ease of Doing, BRAP

Question about The state ranked last : Meghalaya
31 The report name BRAP: Business Reform Action
32 Number of Points in BRAP: 372
33 DIPP Collaboration with which institution: World Bank
34. Feedback Taken from : Ans All of the given options
1 Markers*
1) Proportion of people below poverty line refered as : POVERTY GAP

2) SDG Targets are to be achieved by : 2030
3) First Multilateral Organization having its secretariat in India : ISA
4) Poverty due to sudden Health Issue or Calamity and temporary in Nature :
Situational Poverty.
5) Budget Allocation for Operation Green :500 Crores
6) Cumulative Deduction in budget to Salaried Class : 40000
7) Allocation for Infra in Budget :5.97 Lac Crore
8) Consumer Goods are also refered as : Final Goods
9) HDI is released in Annual Report of : UNDP
10) Budget Speech of FM stated that Agricultural Exports of India are
____against potential of 100 Billion: 30 Billion
11) The First P in PPP= Purchasing Power Parity

12) Impact of Globalization on Family, Work and Culture etc can termed as :
SOCIAL GLOBALIZATION
13) TRIPS monitored by : WTO
14) First state in India to have conducted comprehensive survey to
ascertain the extent of Multidimensional Poverty in the state : AP
15) Macro Economic theory doesnt involve : Analysis of specific Company

16) GDP measure Perspective : Consumer Perspective (GVA is Producers
Perspective)
17) National income is Ans Final of Goods produced + Receivable from
abroad
18) which of the following is true about Fiscal Policy : Ans None of the
given options (All narrated Monetary Policy aspects!)
19) Question about Rural Development scheme : Rashtriya Gram Swaraj
Abhiyan
20)_______ imposed for generating revenue and protecting domestic
industries : Tariff
21) Trade measures aimed at protecting domestic sector refers to :
Protectionism
22) Study of Price impact due to change in price other goods - Cross
Elasticity
23) Institution established in 1945 : IMF
While world Bank focus more on Poverty reduction etc, the question
mentioned securing stability, monetary co operation etc which comes
under IMF'S PURVIEW
24.GDP calculation doesnt include :

Options (Govt outlay /Pvt Inventory/Investment/Exports /None)
24 Population that maximizes the country's Growth and Development

: Optimal Population
25 Objective of the Scheme HRIDAY
Ans : Preservation of Heritage
26 Inflation theory which combines both the Pull Back and Push Back to
explain the inflation
(Options were Market Power Theory, Mark up theory, Bottle Neck theory,
Monetary Theory,
None of the given options
Ans Mark up Theory (Got this one wrong!!)
27 The revised Fiscal Deficit Target is 3.3% against the earlier target of 3%.
( This is ESI 1 Marker. The FM one marker was the what is the Fiscal Deficit
Target for Year 2018-19? Here Ans is 3.3%
3.2 Finance and Management
* FINANCE
 The FM paper comes in either 55: 45 or 45:55 or 50:50 in terms of weight for
Finance and Management. Thus both the subjects are roughly of equal
importance.
 Again like I mentioned in ESI analysis, the 2 Markers are in a passage form
followed by 2-3 questions and 1 marker questions are relatively straight forward
one liners.
 While the Finance Part contains often dreaded Numerical of around 10-15 marks,
the most recent exam had only one numerical. Progressively the numericals
have declined over the years. The numericals are however easier than those
contained in any of the mocks (Especially KMN Online mocks!). If you attempt
KMN Online Mocks and get score of 40 Marks, don’t panic and get mad. Similarly
I was getting average score of 70 in Mocks( Oliveboard and Practice Mock), I got
a good score of 90 in the real exam. So while it is important to attempt mocks,
just don’t worry about the low scores that you may get as these tests always on
higher side of difficulty level.
 Since many are concerned over numerical, I have analyzed the numerical topics
tested over years hereunder:
2015 2016 2017 2018

Bond Valuation Bond Valuation questions PE Ratio
Ratio Anlysis(2Q) questions (2 Qs) (2Qs)
72 rule numerical
Derivative Numerical Breakeven point
calculation
Incremental CRR
PVBP Numerical Cash from Operating Numerical
(Present Value Activities
BasisPoint)
Capital Gearing Ratio Capital Adequacy Ratio

Numerical
NPV Sum
WACC
Futures Position Profit
 Now you have got fair idea about the numerical topics. Understand the above
concepts and practice roughly 20+ numerical on each of the above topics. The
most important topics for numerical are Ratios, Cost of Capital, Derivatives, Bond
Valuation, Equity Valuation, Time Value of Money, Cash Flow Statements and
Breakeven analysis. These things are covered well in the P C Chandra Book
(suggested by RBI). Even the Edutap People have compiled good material for FM
containing the numericals etc in very comprehensive manner.
 Thoroughly read Budget, Economic Survey, Finance Commission Report
Highlights, FAQs on RBI Site, Important RBI circulars( Large Exposure Framework
related questions asked in 2016 were from RBI circular that came recently then)
 1-2 Questions were asked on Monetary Policy Committee almost in all past 3
years exam and thus read all the matters related to MPC in depth including the
most recent monetary policy statement pdf that RBI uploads on the web.
 Read highlights of important reports by RBI, IMF, World Bank etc and keep notes
of the news articles that come in financial dailies when these reports are
published. Many a times news extract (say from business standard or economic
times) related to publication of important report is directly given in the passage
form in 2 marker questions.
MANAGEMENT
 The most important topics namely Motivation, Leadership, Performance

Appraisal and Communication are to be done from 2-3 sources followed by many
MCQs from these topics.
 I read PC Tripathy( Principles of Management) and Stephen
Robins( Management) strictly as per syllabus.
 I did more than 2000 MCQs from management topics. I used to get MCQs from a
group where it was mandatory to conduct a quiz per month. All 50+ members
used to conduct quiz on FM and ESI topics. I collected all the questions from the
group and took them in my Google Keep note and revised on time before exam.
You can get MCQs from materials freely provided by Grade B coaching
institutions and Mocks provided by Oliveboard, Practice Mock and Grade Up. I
subscribed these mocks and solved all papers (30 mocks amount to 1950
questions!!)
 Make sure you know meaning of all of these (Topic: Communication)—Kinesics,
Haptics,Vocalics, Proxemics, Chromesics,Oculesics.Objectics,
Olfactics,Gustorics,Gestics, Facsics, Paralanguage as one was asked in past
three years exam.
 The options are very close and often ambiguous. Good grasp of definitions or
underlying differences of management concepts or by which different names
they are known is very important. You can read the book MANAGEMENT by
Stephen Robbins and Mary Coulter( PDF available on web). The book is very
voluminous but you just need to read the definitions given in the Boxes on the
pages and all the tables or depictions to understand the many more concepts.
 Aim to know vast many novel concepts in Management as RBI this year asked
many novel and unexpected questions like KANBAN, Just-in Time, Control
Systems and EOQ to mention a few. I feel you must set a target of knowing
minimum 500 Management concepts( in brief like definition, Meaning and
Purpose) like MBO, JIT, EOQ, Cybernatics etc.
 Go through the Memory based questions of previous years (2015-18) given in the
following pages to better understand what is being tested.
Memory Based Question Paper: FM (2015)

1. Despotic leader - with options W Churchill, Idi Amin, JF Kennedy, Raja
Ram Mohan Roy
2. NABARD expansion
3. CPI expansion
4. NHB - objective
5. Capital of RBI - 5 Cr, 100 Cr, 50 Cr, 500 Cr
6. RBI superintendence and managing of business - Board of Directors,
Central Govt, Central BoD, Local BoD
7. A question related to staffing and another related to communication
8. One more 5 marker in FM gave a big list of philosophies of an org and
the options were - Corp Gov, Vision and Mission Statement, Organizational
Structure and one more
9. FRBM full form
10. MBO
11. Organizational chart
12. What is foreign currency future swap?
13. Whether risk is reduced or transferred......................
14. MUDRA related question
15. What is financial inclusion?
16.1 April -31 march called as
17. PMJDY a/c-------cheque issue cost how much....
18. SDR Currency Basket
19. PIIGS
5 mark:
20. CAD-31 march 2018
21. Corporate Governance
22. HRD
23. CAPM
24. OPERATIONAL RISK
25. Statement analysis Numerical: .44 increase
26. Cross currency calculation
27. Performance appraisal
28. A Numerical on Ratio Analysis
29. FIPB
30. Soiled NOTES are replaced by whom
31. Organizational chart
32. RBS-Risk Based Supervision
33. Leader
34. D/E and current asset ratio.........long term and short term ability......
35. Hedging therefore focuses on transferring the risk of drastic price
changes to other parties in the market.
36. Staffing related Question
37. Communication
38. Decision tree
39. A question regarding morale..
Finance & Management

In this, there were in all 51 questions. All questions were doable and related
to the current events.
The break-up of the questions are as follows:
a) 20 questions- 1 mark each = 20 Marks
b) 25 questions- 2 mark each = 50 Marks
c) 6 questions- 5 mark each = 30 Marks
FM(2016)
1) Disinflation
2)Rotary club test in ethics : four way
3) lateral thinking concept given by : Edward debono
4) Foregin Trade Policy Questions: Exports rewards Under SEIS scheme :
3%, 5%
5)Export Target to be achieved : 900 bn $
6)Categories of countries done in : 3 Categories
6)decision tree developed by : vroom and yetton
7)outbound skills related question
8)SEBI 2015 amendement (disclosure and listing ) replaced clause 49
9) Negotiation technique which results in Win Win for both parties :
Collaboration
10)Segment clause reporting , clause 19 something
11) HRD committe
12) Treasury bills : not a component of MCLR
13)Cash from Operating activities: Numerical Answer :216000
14)Ratio Analysis Numerical : Ans 78000
15) Ratio Analysis Numerical: Ans 104
16) Derivatives Numerical: RS 625 profit
17) Break even point Numerical : Ans 2000 BEP
18) Oculesics in Communication
19) 3 Questions about MPC - Governor : ex officio
20)Report to govt for not meeting it for 3 quarters .
21)6 members MPC
22) HR champion : articulate vision , bussiness mastery , administrative
expert
23) Three ratios : 1.20 ..... 2.40 something
24) Job Specific competencies
25) Bond Value Numerical 1060 / other than those in the options- Bond
valuation
26)Perpetual bonds: no maturity
27) Nostro
28) Value of a derivative derived from
29)risk reward
30) risk premium
31)ICAAP
32)Capital adequacy Numerical : 9 cr (100 cr)
33) Herzberg 2 factor theory
34)Key Personal Attribute for future managers as per Harvard Study

35) Zero Coupon Bond
36) Metric which combines ratios in assessment of credit risk : Altman's Z
37) 360 deegre appraisal
38) Severity Leniency error
39)Job enrichment
40) HR outsourcing
41)Negative beta
42) RBI functions
43)Theory X
44) Transactional analysis Parent ego and child ego******
45) Fringe benfits unlimited need : Herzberg
46)Mary Parker Follet
47)Repo rate
48) 1951
49)NSDL, CDSL
50)Compound interest
51)Halo Effect
52) Peter Drucker
53)Systemic risk : failure of entire system
54)CSR provision : 2% of average profit
55)Hybrid Organisation
56)Functional Competencies
57)Transactional analysis(Help on question )*****
58)To decide financial strength of Bank..all except : Contingent Liabilities
59)Normally permitted lending limit
60)25000 cr specified borrowers under large exposures framework of RBI
unveiled recently
61) Job satisfaction : consequence of too many applications
62)Not an advantage of corporate governance : the cost part was the answer
FM (2017)
1.Difference between primary and secondary market.

2. Difference between payment and small bank
3.what differentiates a company from another- core competencies
companies goals,skills, vision mission is identify in- options were
functional,organisations,technical competencies
4.statement regarding equity theory and asked to identify the theory
5.statement based on goal setting theory and asked to identigy the theory
6.who regulates disclosure requirements(something similar to it)- I guess
its sebi
7.leadership theory in which manager shares decision making with his
colleagues
8.what does a leader do in transformational leadership-
9.a leader who is visible all the time and motivates his team
10.- which kind of leadership
a leader who has power to correct the mistakes and even provide rewards
when they perform well
11.according to fayol double command is a source of_________- conflict
12.MBO also known as –management by results
13.A bond which doesnot give any coupon payments
14&15::2 questions based on capital convertibility – how does it affect the
economy
Options were given-chose among them
which comes under capital account convertibility
16 Futures Some(Margin Money) and return calculations
17.How does one transfer price risk?
18.Which among these is generally not done out of the counter exchange
19.Which would drive all the team together towards a common goal-
motivation
20&21//2questions based on corporate governance passage- recent
committee was to consider which among the following issues
21Committee name
22.A question based on peertopeer lending –you need to identify which
was true
23Financial inclusion doesn’t includes which among the following- savings
account, subsidies benefits etc- answer is subsidies
24.Options were given chose which properly defines annuity
25.A numerical based on CRR- if present bank has X money and has 20%
CRR limit –if the limit is increased identify the amount of money in the
market
26.Wacc numerical
27.Numerical based on identify the interest if you receive 90 in total in an
year based on 45 principle amount
28.Rule 72 numerical-
29.250 is converted into 1000 in 16 years-identify the rate of return
30.Another numerical where 400 converted to 800 –identify the years
31.Systemic risk coefficiety is identified through which among the
following-beta
32.Reduction in import quota is considered as which reform
33. CRAR was given- we need to identify the capital equivalent based on
BASEL AND RBI limit
34.One numerical based on a construction company cash flow- initial
investment 4000 crore—cash flow statement was given for 5 years-you
need to identify if project is financially sustainable or not –if it is then why
35.What is assumption in internal rate of return--- it is reinvested
36.Managerial leadership is also known as—transactional,strategic and two
other options
37.A passage based on BARS—WHAT does A Stand for –anchor
38 After identifying the critical incidents in BARS ,whats the next process—I
think its graphic rating scale
39.What is known as ability in a person which can be developed or not
developed—skill,aptitude,expertise were options
40.How does government reduce its debt – options were selling
government bonds, printing currency
41.Kind of leadership where a leader allows subordinate to take decisions
in a defined limits
42.A leadership where leader shares decision making with his colleagues
43.Bargaining technique where employees bargain for bonus in relation to
productivity
44.What does paralanguage mean
45.Communication through eye movements-oculesics
46.A passage was given regarding assessment center- question was asked
if assessment center was a center or a process or a result
47.What does make an employee feel connected to his company even
during downturn- emotional connect
48.What is the first step in decision making-identify objectives
49.A process of steps where job is defined and necessary qualifications
are prescribed- job analysis
50.Similar question on job analysis where a job needs to be identified
51.A discount rate problem where discount rate is given and an amount is
given.need to identify the years
52.A process in which a cooperative is concerted into a stock company-
demutualization
53.Decision making process is a cognitive psychoanalytical –
psychoanalytic process
54.Group dynamics definition was given—we need to identify it based on
the statement
55.A process where employee identifies himself and is determined and
motivated to work- self determination theory
56.A question based on non verbal language-will it create positive first
impression or negative first impression- we need to identify false
statement among 5 options
57.A question based on consol- don’t remember correctly
58.UPI question- identify the wrong statements
59.Which among this is not a solvency ratio-options were debt to equity
ratio,liquid ratio,quick acid test ratio, both liquid and quick acid, interest rate
returns
FM (2018)
2 markers
1 Departmentation based on unique occupational speciality or PROCESSES

- ANS : Process Departmentation(Verified!)
2 Investory Management system with focus on Minimizing holding,

ordering storage and stock out costs = EOQ
(Explanation: In inventory management, economic order quantity (EOQ) is

the order quantity that minimizes the total holding costs and ordering costs.
It is one of the oldest classical production scheduling models. The model
was developed by Ford W. Harris in 1913, but R. H. Wilson, a consultant
who applied it extensively, and K. Andler are given credit for their in-depth
analysis)
3 PE Numerical = HDFC BANK

(Explanation: 2060/67=30 Times which was highest among options)
4 CCIL Question Ans all except future and option vala option (Astroid
Platform, FX Clear, and one more option - These 3 are correct)
5 Question about Rs breached 70 and RBI actions = Sell Dollar/Buy

Gsec/Sterilize
6 1:1 issue of bonus:
Ans no change in Tangible Net Worth
7 Use of Cards for Inventory Management: Kanban
8 Order of claims in waterfall structure IBC

Ans: insolvency costs, secured creditors, Govt dues
9 IBC covers ALL-Individuals, Partnership Firms, LLP and Companies
10 DRT =Individuals, Partnership firms and NCLT=Companies, LLPs

11 Basel 3 Capital components CET1, Tier 2 and Capital Conservation
Buffer (Many are Mentioning types of capital... It was clearly mentioned
COMPONENTS of capital under BASEL 3 which includes CCB. If type was
asked then Tier 1 Tier 2 would have been correct)
12 Basel 3 Risks: Market Credit and Operational Risk
13 Basel 3 Pillars: Capital Requirement, Supervisory Review and Market

Discipline
14 As per Budget announcement: Corporates to raise _______capital

through Bonds =25%
15 Education loan under Priority sector Domestic 10 Foreign 20lacs
16 Housing loan in Metro (Loan 35 lacs, Project Cost 45) Non Metro (Loan
25 Project Cost 30)
17 Priority sector: 40% 18% Farmers
18 RBI Inflation target 4%+-2% RBI Answerable Central GoI
19 Repo Injects Liquidity Rev Repo Sucks Liquidity
20 Resolution Plan Approved By NCLT
21 Return on Investment measure of : Profitability
22 The most important factor driving prices : EPS
23 Concern for Production and Concern for People: Ans Managerial Grid
24 Leadership theory where leaders have complete trust in Subordinates

and seeks frequent suggestions from them and use them constructively =
Ans Participative Style (Refer the Likert's Four styles of leadership. Those
saying Consultative are INCORRECT. In consultative theory.Leaders only
Partly trust followers!!)
25 Subordinate's perception that the supervisor has power to punish or

withhold key resources
- Coercive Power
26 Leadership theory where leader removes obstacles to reach objectives:

Path Goal Theory
27 Decision metric under which the worst outcome is selected among

many and the worst pay off related with the outcome is used in decision
making :
Max-Min
28: Which of the following is not motivation factor as per Herzberg's theory :
Interpersonal Relations
29 Control system which automates the process of control: Cybernetics
30 Burns theory in which Leader and Follower helps each other to move to
higher level of Motivation and morale: Transformational leadership
31 Liquidity Management Tools used by RBI - ALL EXCEPT Interest rate

Swaps
32 Flexible Organization without defined lines - Boundary less organization
33 Organization Structure using both Functional and Divisional structure:

Matrix Organization
34 Control methods which involves speculating deviations rather than
comparing variations after completion of the activity = Ans None of the
above (Feed-forward control is the right answer
(The options were Reactive, Concurrent, Feedback Control, None, one more
option)
35 FRBM paved the way for removal of Ad Hoc Bill, Ways and Means
Advance Limit, and Short term
* 1 Markers
1 Inventory Control System in Materials Management which Focuses on

increasing productivity: Either Inventory Control or Quality Control
2 Which of the following is Not a Hygine Factor : Recognition
3 Control technique which attempt to identify what can possibly go wrong
and try to minimize the occurrence before the activity is initiated : Feed-
forward control
4 OCR in Banking : Optical Character Recognition
5 Appraisal by Supervisor, Subordinate Colleagues: 360 Degree
6 Theory where the person compares inputs and output with co workers:
Equity Theory
7 Power to reward, promote or grant key resources: Reward Power
8 The Managerial Grid theory given by: Blake Mouton
9 Udaymi Mitra Launched by SIDBI : To improve availability of credit to

MSMEs
10 PPP mostly used to funds: Large Infra Projects
11 Ratio of Output Input within Time with due consideration for quality is ::
PRODUCTIVITY
12 UPI is monitored by : NPCI
13 R in ERG stands for RALATEDNESS
14 The fiscal deficit target for the year 2018-19 is 3.3%
15 Maximum GST rate is: 28%
16 Written Statement containing the Why and How Particular job is done,
roles and Responsibilities etc is: JOB DESCRIPTION
(Written statement is Job Description. All those saying Job Design... Job
design and Job Analysis are process and result of that in written statement
form becomes Jon Description. This isnt open for discussion. Answer
Locked.!!)
17. Revised series of WPI Base Year: 2011-12
18. Maximum time for resolution without extension is : 180 Days(270

Incorrect!)
19.First Stage in Kurt Levine's Change Management Model : UNFREEZE
20 Communication flowing in every direction without any one controlling it:

Grapvine
21 Way to raise capital online bypassing regulations : Crowdfundig
22 Stocks Bonds etc are maintained by : DEPOSITORY
23 Making unethical practices known to outsiders : Whistle Blowing
24. Leadership theory that says leaders are born and not made: Trait
Theory.
25. Authority responsible for achievement of Key Organizational Goals -

Line Authority
26. Leadership style when leader is sensitive about followers' feeling but
what prevails is leader's wish Paternalistic Style
(Explanation :The way a paternalistic leader works is by acting as a parental
figure by taking care of their subordinates as a parent would. In this style of
leadership the leader supplies complete concern for his followers or
workers. In return he receives the complete trust and loyalty of his people.
Workers under this style of leader are expected to become totally
committed to what the leader believes and will not strive off and work
independently. The relationship between these co-workers and leader are
extremely solid.)
3.3 English
The English is perhaps least practiced or prepared subject among all and perhaps highly
unpredictable in terms of marks one can get. The selected candidates had detailed
discussion on how to get maximum score. We asked English top scorers among the
selected candidates and the major points that emerged are given in the section below.
Year&Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018

1Q(40 Marks) 1Q(40 Marks) 1Q(40 Marks)
Essay 1Q(50 Marks)
Precise 1Q(50 Marks) 1Q(30 Marks) 1Q(30 Marks) 1Q(30 Marks)
Comprehension ___ 1Q(30 Marks) 1Q(30 Marks) 1Q(30 Marks)
3Qs 3Qs 3Qs

Total 2Qs

of 10)
Easy-Mod Easy-Mod Easy-Mod Easy-Mod
Good Score 70+ 70+ 80+ 2 65+
Playing the Game: The Most Important Things

As you can see in the table, Phase-II English paper has become fairly predictable. Only
the assessment or marking remains unpredictable. From discussions with top English
scorers this year, below are the most important takeaways for getting 70+ (conservative
marking scenario) or 80+ (liberal marking scenario).
 Avoid grammatical and spelling errors. This is the most important thing among
the many things that you can do. The answer copies must be run through
SPELCHECK/GRAMMERCHECK through computer only and thus it will underline
all spelling error or grammatical error before even the assessment by human
evaluators start. Now too many red underlining can prompt the evaluators to give
you huge penalties.
 DO: write short and simple sentences; use your own words; maintain the flow
(words like "however", " as a result ", etc., can be used to connect the
arguments); practice essay/precise/RC on computer;
 Typing Speed and Time Management: It is really important that you have good
typing speed. It happened with many that they could write answers to
comprehension questions in 1 or 2 sentences in haste at the end due to time
mismanagement. Some people forgot to give suitable title to the precise in the
haste. Just keep proportionate break up in mind and adjust your pace
accordingly. So for e.g keep time break up in mind as per mark weight..for e.g
give essay 35 Minutes( 40 Marks), Precise 25 Minutes(30 Marks) and RC 25
Minutes(30 Marks) and last 5 Minutes for Proof reading and corrections.
 Having statistics, quotes, maintaining unbreakable flow, giving perceptible
structure, logical conclusion, simple English, using administrative and economic
vocab (wherever necessary) and most of all using "Keywords" is desirable.
Within the paragraph, using format of "thesis statement + supportive
facts/figures from authentic sources + giving opinion" should be the way to go
for Essay.
 DON'T: breach the word limit; make grammatical/typo/spelling mistakes; don’t
use uncommon abbreviations.
 Write short and simple sentences; use your own words; maintain the flow (words
like "however", " as a result ", etc., can be used to connect the arguments);
practice essay/precise/RC on computer;
 Practice 10-15 essays beforehand on the trending topics. It helps in completing
paper on time and recheck the mistakes twice or thrice. Use a quote in the
introduction and one in the end. Memorise 15-20 quotes, so that you can use at
least 2 of them. Structure is very important.
 Pray to God!!! Yes you read it right!! Even after doing all you can, a lot still
depends on God and Luck.
 Go through the Memory based question papers given in the next section.
PRECIS WRITING: THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS (From Web)
1. Determine the theme if the passage very carefully: It is very important to find out the
central idea or the theme of the passage. Soon you will be analyzing the passage to
separate the major points from the minor ones, and the various points become major
only in relation to the central or main theme of the passage.
2. Précis is not the reproduction of important sentences: Don’t from your precis by

reproducing a few sentences and deleting others. Precis writing is not the art of
selection and deletion; it is the art of remodeling.
3. Brevity is good but not at the cost of clarity: Brevity is the soul of precis writing. But
brevity is not to be achieved at the cost of clarity. If the addition or retention of a few
words adds to the clarity of your precise, they should be included by all means.
Excessive economy, leading to ambiguity or obscurity, must be avoided.
4. Your précis ought to be intelligible even to a person who has not read the original
passage: This is extremely important. He who is familiar with the original passage, of
course, enjoys an additional advantage. He is in a position to compare the two versions
and find out how far you have faithfully reproduced the facts or preserved the spirit of
the original passage. But he who has not read the original passage has to judge your
performance only from what you have written.
5. Use your own language: Précis has to be written, as far as possible, in your own
words. Precis writing is a test as much of your comprehension as of your expression.
Besides, while summarizing the original ideas you will often find that language of the
passage is more a hindrance than a help. You cannot help retaining a few significant
phrases or technical terms but be sure that sentence structure is entirely your own.
6. Precis is always written in the third person: If the author has used the
autobiographical form of narration or description, you should change the form. You
should begin your precis with ‘The author says…’ Secondly, you should avoid the use of
direct speech in your precise. The use of indirect speech will make it more compact. Be
careful of all the rules of indirect speech if the original passage is in direct speech.
7. Use your discretion if the passage contains statistical information: If the

statistical figures have been included to corroborate certain generalised facts, you can
safely omit them. But if the figures are basic to the very understanding of the general
drift of the passage, they have to be retained.
8. Observe Proportion: Your precis should be well proportioned. Each part of the original
passage should be dealt with according to its relative importance and not according to
the space assigned to it.
9. No comments, please! You are not supposed to give any comments, appreciative or

critical, on the ideas expressed in the passage. Your job is to interpret faithfully and not
to evaluate the mind of the author. You are reproducing – briefly and relevantly – and
not creating.
10. Reduce the passage to its one-third: Unless otherwise indicated, you are supposed
to reduce the passage to one-third of its original length.
Tips for writing Precis( Source 2 from Web)
Number of words in Precis should of 1/3 of the actual paragraph

Don't change the central idea of paragraph
Retain the keywords of the paragraph
Don't waste your time in counting words, instead count lines.
Your precis should be completed in one paragraph only
Avoid weak sentences
Common mistakes
Don’t give suitable title.
Don't give your personal opinion
Don't use any idiom of your own
Never conclude anything of your own
Never assume anything
Memory Based Question Papers: English 2015
English: One question was on Essay writing (50 marks) and One Question
was Precise writing (50 marks).
(a)The Essay topics which were asked in today's exam :( The students have
to write the essay of about 400 words)
1. Is India need bold capital investment?

2. Gold Related Scheme
3. Is progress possible without peace?
4. Will china's downturn help India?
5. Climate catastrophe are due to man's wild construction.
(b) Precise Writing: (The students have to write the Precise of about 400
words)
English( 2016)
1 . Write essay on any one of the following:

 Essay - Impact of GST on common man
 Farmer suicide and Farm Distress
 Efforts and Progress in promotion of e-banking in India
2. Write Precis of the passage and give suitable title. It was based on
animal testing for product development
3 RC followed by 5 questions based on banking
English ( 2017)
There were only 3 questions in this paper. First question required the candidates to
write an essay (40 marks, only 300 words allowed), second question was to write a
précis (30 marks, 170 words) and question 3 was reading comprehension (30 marks).
Essay Topics
Non-Performing Assets Management

Is India ready for digitization in the face of cyber threats like ransomware
SBI and other bank merger
Nuclear Power and India
English (2018)
Essay writing 300 words (40 Marks) – 1 out of 5 topics given below:
Advantages of UPI over money transfer

Financial Literacy is needed for all Age Groups
Crowdfunding – the new phenomenon in financing
Positive and negative effects of demonetization on the Indian economy
Measures for promoting microfinance in India
Precis 150 words( 30 Marks)
Environmental pollution – China’s Impact and other developing countries
Comprehension ( Marks)
Passage on technology and banking

5 questions on the passage were asked
4. On Interview
If you can make it to this small list of 500-600 odd people, believe me you have
something in you that will take you places in life and you are cut for bigger things. But
the war is on( Reminds me of GOT..War is on even after the Nightking moonwalks) and
sadly a large chunk of this elite group will be reduced to 1/4th of its original strength and
will be knighted 122nd batch!! So let me take you through the most important things to
be a member of 122nd Batch of Grade B Officers of Reserve Bank of India.
* Know about RBI all that you can
You should be well aware of the organization you are aspiring to work with. Therefore,
read about the history, organizational structure, departments and functions etc. of the
RBI. The most reliable source for this would be the documents available on the website
of RBI itself. Thoroughly prepare RBI Web(FAQs+Speeches +Functions of RBI).
* Specifically prepare the question ‘Why RBI’ and ‘Tell me something about yourself’
These two questions are perhaps the most frequently asked questions in RBI interview.
You must think through and write down answer in your own words and rehearse
multiple times so much so that your answer doesn’t appear rehearsed one. In the
question ‘ Why RBI’, you can highlights the facts or positives like RBI provides
opportunity to work with some of the sharpest brains and think tanks in the economic
landscape, varied and diverse assignment across many of its crucial dept like FMD, DBS
etc, opportunity to participate in the economic policy making of the nation to mention a
few. For the question ‘Introduce Yourself’, try to market yourself briefly in 1 minute
showcasing all your academic credentials, work experience, and other highlights from
your biodata.
*Mock interviews and Mirror Mocks

Prepare for 500 questions from your Biodata and answer them in impromptu or
simulated environment (say in front of Mirror or your friend taking mock). Appear for at
least 2-3 Mock Interviews preferably at some coaching institutes to simulate the real
interview and get expert feedback on some issues that you may have but couldn’t
possibly know all on your own.
* Excellent Communication skills are almost pre-requisite and as important as Concept

clarity.
Many can clear the written with impressive scores but still fail at interviews for this
single reason: inability to speak coherently or with clarity. If you are not able to speak
with clarity or grammatically correct and coherent sentences, you have the perfect
recipe for score in 20s! If this is the case, practice speaking as much as you can on
relevant topics with friends or with your very own self.
* Prepare well Finance & Economics related issues: You should be able make a ‘2
Minute impromptu speech’
You should be well aware of the current happenings in finance and economy both in
India and the world. Also, you should be aware of the recent trends and issues in the
banking sector. The chairman during this year asked majority of the candidates one
question wherein he will give a topic to the interviewee and asked to make a ‘ 2 Minute
Imprompt speech’ on the topic. While many struggled or were put off or went blank in
this type of question, if you know how to deal with this impromptu, you could have
nailed this. For any given topic to make ‘ Impromptu Speech’, just have broad structure
in mind like this : start with meaning/ definition, relevance or purpose or the ‘ WHY’ of
the topic, move on to ways to deal with or suggestions in the conclusion part. With this
structure in mind, you can speak on any topic of relevance that you have read on or you
know of. So have this structure in your mind so that you don’t go blank when some
novel term or concept is asked as Impromptu Speech Topic.
For current economic and banking sector developments, you will have to rely on two
sources:
1. Newspapers: Follow 3-4 newspapers daily. You can read economic times, business
standard and economy/ money section of Livemint. Do not just read the articles but
critically analyze them. Many of the times you will not understand the terminology/
jargons used. Google the same instantly. Do not focus much on facts. The focus here
in the interview stage is on concept clarity then your ability to ‘read & retain’ the stuff.
2. RBI Speeches: This section is frequently updated on RBI’s website. This is one place
for very comprehensive content on current issues. These speeches are mostly
delivered by Executive Directors, Dy. Governors and Governor in a lucid language and
are very informative. I would recommend you to go through the speeches of the past 4
months. That would give you a fair idea of the happenings in the financial sector in the
recent past. Again, make short notes for revision before the interview. The interview
panel was asking frequently to many candidates about RBI website, which section they
liked or which speeches they went through or major take away from the speech that you
had read.
* Your present job (if you are a working professional)
For most of the candidates the interview is centered on their present job and the
biodata. Since you are the best judge of what you are doing, I would leave it to you to
prepare yourself for this part. Make sure to know broad/macro developments in the
industry you are working or some major developments having far reaching implications.
You must know about the workings or broader impact of recent developments ( say for
eg Impact of Trade Wars or growing protectionism on IT Industry) and in turn to your
company and the economy as whole. A Banker candidate must know how striking
down of 12th Feb circular of RBI by SC will impact the stress resolution process which
has already seen many failures in S4A, AQR or CDR/SDR and 5/25 rule.
* Your Biodata
You have to submit a biodata form before the interview in which you mention the
academic details, your work experience, hobbies/ interests, details of high academic or
professional qualifications, particulars of prizes/ medals/ scholarships etc. and your
achievements in extra-curricular activities. Again, these things are individual specific
and you are the best judge to decide about its preparation. Prepare your Bio-data well,
especially hobby or anything catchy in your Bio-data. You can literally drive the interview
in your familiar terrain by carefully planting all those things that know well or that you
know can be asked. There is one section in biodata which say ‘ Additional particulars
that candidate many like to furnish’. You can use this to highlight anything catchy in
profile.
* Other Important Things
Be and look cordial. Try to smile with the beginning of your answer. Even if you don’t
know answer then also don’t become nervous and stay calm. Make good eye contact
with all the panelists during the interview. Though interviews are highly subjective and
have an element of luck too, but I think eye contact and smile are important aspects.
Smile as often as you can during interview not in a creepy way but humble, sincere way.
Even say ‘sorry’ with a smile when you don’t know the answer of the question posed.
Don’t beat around bush for the questions you don’t know. Either ask ‘Can I guess’ (for
questions you are not sure but confused among two or more probable answers) or
otherwise say ‘I am sorry sir I will update myself about that’. Listen attentively and
respond sincerely. Also, do not analyze the interview during the interview. Just move
with the flow.
* Go through the around 45 interview transcripts that are given in the last section and
get the feel of the likely questions that you may be asked
Wishing you all the best!!

5. On Failing and Keeping Oneself Motivated
Here I have borrowed two detailed write ups -both of these are write ups by UPSC
aspirants. Reading this will help at times when you are feeling down on motivation or
when you have failed at some competitive exam or interview. Please read these gems
and you will develop a mindset of a winner. You will relate with the entire struggle and
issues a person in a race for competitive exam goes through very succinctly narrated in
these write ups.
5.1 Anudeep Durishetty(AIR 1 UPSC 2017)

My UPSC Journey: From Despair to Destiny
Sometime in February 2016, UPSC declared that I had failed in the Civil Services
Examination. That was my fourth attempt and third failure. The result didn’t seem as
bad then, convinced as I was of my own supreme ability and UPSC’s blatant bias. My
inner voice immediately went about searching for excuses. “I must have flunked the
language paper. Or some clerical mistake? Surely I must have been wronged!”
I eagerly looked forward to my mark sheet, mostly to confirm my own prejudice. When
the mark sheet finally arrived, the scores read as follows, starting with marks in Essay:
100,81,71,73,77,93,85. A grand total of 580, way behind the cutoff. If there were an
individual cut off for each paper, I would have probably failed in all of them.
Thus at the end of four grueling attempts and five years of toil, there I was. I get my
worst result in the year I had worked the most. In that moment, the marks didn’t seem
so bad— I knew I had failed that year anyway. What difference does a mark sheet make?
But like a potent poison slowly making its way to my head, it was only in the hours and
days later, I could truly grasp the scale of my defeat. I didn’t just miss the cut, I was
nowhere near the competition. My failure was undeniable and total, and it shook me to
the core.
Most of us begin our Civils preparation treating it only as an exam. But slowly and surely,
as we face hurdles and endure suffering, the exam takes center stage and getting
through it becomes our only objective. So when we are defeated in this exam, we
almost feel defeated at life. And so it was with me.
The failure crept inward into other aspects of my being. It eroded my drive, confidence
and morale. Both professionally and personally, I turned indifferent and under confident.
My day to day life became lethargic, timid and was one of mere existence— I was a
walking dead man. And within no time, I unconsciously fell into the most crushing of
traps: I was convinced that I am not good enough.
This is the sinking feeling every failed aspirant goes through. No one comes into the
preparation thinking of giving this exam twice. That is why for many of us, first failure
comes across as shocking, the second humbling and the third absolutely devastating. I
was indeed devastated.
At that point in 2016, for me to give another attempt was to risk another failure, and I
couldn’t afford it. I wanted to save whatever little confidence that was left in me. I
simply didn’t have the courage to carry on, and I knew I had hit a dead end. Within days, I
decided to quit. I packed my papers, bundled my books, cleaned my shelves and
dumped them in an obscure corner just so that I don’t even accidentally catch the sight
of them— for they represented symbols of my inadequacy and collapse.
From that abyss, it took me a couple of months to recover. I realized that life was slowly
drifting away, and I didn’t want to standby as a mere spectator. I focused on work, learnt
taxation laws, pursued my interests diligently and took up meditation as a hobby. In
meditation, the central objective is to see things clearly. And I did begin to see things
clearly.
I realized that I was so absorbed in this relentless exam cycle that I didn’t recognize my
own hubris. For all my failures, I kept blaming UPSC, the examiner, my optional, my pen,
the clerk entering the marks on the system— everything and everyone apart from me.
Blaming UPSC or someone else only gave me a false sense of satisfaction, made me
feel good about myself, and did not in any way help my cause. Thus, instead of
wallowing in self-pity and victimhood, I decided to own up to my failures and accepted
that I failed because I didn’t deserve. Once I had accepted this, the inner voice that was
so adamantly justifying my failings simply faded away.
The break helped me see that my failure was not that I couldn’t clear in previous
attempts, but that I had learnt nothing from it. Year after year I kept repeating the same
mistakes. I toiled hard, but hardly made any progress: I was running on a ground that
was fast shifting beneath me.
*****
In December 2016, eight months after my debacle, I sat down to think hard and think
deep to understand why I failed. It was not an exercise to avenge my defeat, I just
wanted to know why.
Prelims couldn’t have been a problem— I always got a good score. Personality test was
ruled out too: in the only interview I had given, I got 204. The conclusion was inevitable—
I sucked at Mains. It stood like an impenetrable wall against which I had been hitting my
head all these years. So I drilled deeper to diagnose my problem.
I downloaded toppers’ answer booklets and invested endless hours going through them.
After a while, one thing became evident: Their answers weren’t in any way extraordinary
(If you see my answers now, you’d realize the same). I zeroed in on the fact that it
wasn’t because of lack of knowledge, and that my failings lay elsewhere.
My optional scores were a big problem too. I’ve always felt my optional Public
Administration was treated unfairly. But this time I faulted no one, and I had to do
something about it.
In Jan 2017, I decided to take up Anthropology. It was a bold decision: I hardly had 9
months to prepare an entirely new subject. On the other hand, I loved Anthro and it
ignited my spirits and breathed intellectual fire into my otherwise dull preparation cycle.
Against that thick, impenetrable wall in front of me, now I had a small chisel. The
challenge was daunting, but I kept reminding myself a quote from the film Shawshank
Redemption: “Time and pressure. That’s all it really takes.”
I’ve always believed that Sports represent a microcosm of our lives and I’ve taken
inspiration from many athletes. Roger Federer’s resurgence in 2017 couldn’t have come
at a better time. I kept telling myself: After being written off by everyone, if he could
come back and win it at 36, why can’t I?
*****
In July 2017, I enrolled at the ForumIAS academy for GS and Essay mains test series
(online mode) and wrote my first test on 26-08-2017. I timed the clock, took the test
from my home and wrote all answers at my usual writing speed. In a paper I took 3 hr
42 minutes to finish, I scored 87. The problem was clear as daylight.
I didn’t lose heart but worked to improve. The next test took me 3 hr 20 min; and finally
by the end of 4th test, I could finish my papers within 3 hours.
The comments and assessment on my papers from ForumIAS mentors were incredibly
helpful. I worked on their feedback to improve my answer content and presentation.
Also, during this time I came across Forum user Prajit Nair’s answer booklets and they
were absolute gold. I adapted my writing style based on his answers. Points over
paragraphs, simplicity over sophistication. Overtime, I’ve learnt to put dense, quality
content in fewer words and tighter sentences.
All through this rigorous exercise, my aim was not to clear the exam with a top rank (it
never really occurred to me), but to prove a point to myself that I am not a loser at this
exam. The battle was intensely personal.
And so I practiced and practiced hard. On workdays I used to take out at least 3 hrs for
preparation, and on weekends I slogged by the sweat of my brow.
Just before my Mains exam in Oct 2017, securing a top rank was never on mind. The
immediate, burning goal in front of me was only this: in those 3 hours, for those 20
questions, I’ll answer and answer them well.
Which I did. When I walked out of that examination hall on Nov 3, 2017, I knew I gave my
best shot.
*****
When the final results were declared on April 27, 2018, the immediate feeling I had was
one of overwhelming disbelief. No one expects to top the exam, especially after failing
so many times.
It’s only after sometime that the gravity of the accomplishment finally sinks in. And
when it did finally sink in for me, I was slowly overtaken by a feeling that was much
more precious. The emotion wasn’t one of ecstasy, but one of contentment. It was a
feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction that I had won this personal battle.
After my results, when I went back to my hometown, I had people who came up to me,
pulled me close, cupped my face in their hands and told me that they are so
overwhelmed with joy as if their own son has topped this exam. The happiness I sensed
seeing their faces is much much more than what I had felt on the day of my results. And
in that moment I told myself this: all the effort, all the pain and all the suffering was well
worth it.
Today, at the end of my UPSC journey, I stand with a firm newfound belief: when you
own your failures, you become a better person. And when you work hard to overcome
them, you win. And win big.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
5.2 Akand Sitra on Clearing Exams and Being Happy

You will find many such success stories of people who have cracked the exam. They
are posted everywhere across the internet. Read them and get motivated and have full
sense of optimism. :)
But, let me answer the "other side" of the coin.

How wonderful is the journey in *not* becoming an IAS Officer.
Well, allow me to give my brief history here.
Civil Services 2013 - Interview Fail.

Civil Services 2014 - Mains Fail.
Civil Services 2015 - Prelims Fail.
RBI Manager Post 2015 - Interview Fail.
SSC CGL 2015 - Tier 2 Fail.
Every year, I almost reach the Final stage of some or the other exam and then get kicked
out in the end. I have missed the Final List by a few marks, every single time.
So close, yet so far.
Three years of studies. Did I waste my time? Has it been a wonderful journey? Am I
happy? Many unanswered questions for my simple life.
What exactly is "happiness"? Various definitions for various scenarios.
Every year, 10 Lakh people apply for the Civil Services Examination. Who exactly is
happy amongst them?
More than 5 Lakh people fail to attend the Prelims. They either forget, or have family
obligations or other work related tensions. The fact that they have applied for the exam
means that they have a dream to become a Civil Servant. And the fact that they could
not even attempt, would surely make them unhappy.
More than 4.85 Lakh people who take the Prelims examination fail to clear it. Some
must have studied, some must have given it for timepass. Irrespective of the intention,
they would be unhappy to fail an exam.
Out of the 15000 who clear Prelims and write Mains, more than 12000 fail to clear
Mains. They must have written those tough 9 papers for over 5 days after preparing for
more than a year. Ofcourse they will be very sad when they see that they didn't clear
Mains.
2000 people out of the 3000 who give the interview will not be shortlisted for the final
list. They would be shattered. Most of them lose it by a few marks, and their careers
have taken a setback of more than a year now. So close, yet so far.
900 people of these 1000 who get selected would be unhappy as they did not get their
dream IAS post. I have many friends in ITS, IIS, IRTS etc. who are disillusioned now
because they are just glorified Group A posts. (Indian Trade Service, Indian Information
Service, Indian Railway Traffic Service etc.) They felt that Civil Services gets it's charm
only because of IAS, IPS and IFS. All others are normal sarkaari naukris. So, are they
happy? If they got 1 mark extra, they would become IAS officers, it will prick their souls
for the rest of their lives. So close, yet so far.
Out of the Top 100, the bottom 30 would be unhappy because they would get cadres
they don't like. Someone would want a Mumbai posting, but they would get a Nagaland
or some far off post where they don't speak the language or understand the customs.
For the rest of their lives. Even though they are IAS officers, they would be stuck in a
foreign land. One mark more, and they would have got their Home states or some metro
city. Just one mark. So close, yet so far.
So out of 10 Lakh people, 9.99950 Lakh are unhappy. For some or the other reason.
With various degrees of unhappiness.
Should we define our state of mind based on external events which are out of our
control?
Should we base our levels of happiness based on successes in examinations?
Should we be sad about things which cannot be changed?
I don't know. You decide.
I shall tell you how I feel.
After slogging for 3 long years, without a source of income, living off my parents' money,
in my gloomy room, and not doing anything productive as such, I feel I have internal
mental satisfaction.
Yes. I am at peace with myself. I have transformed a lot in this journey. I have had many
experiences which have changed me, for the better.
In 2013, back when I was in college, I was this goofy, immature kid who was the clown
of the class. I was annoying, funny and noone ever took me seriously. I was made fun of
by the whole college.
And then, I started my preparation.
For Civil Services, I had to study - Indian History, World History, Geography, Polity,
Economics, Environment, Ethics, Public Administration, Sociology, Current Affairs,
International Issues, Science and everything else under the sun.
In these three years, you can say that I did an MA in all these subjects. MA in 10
different areas. :D
Then, for SSC CGL, I studied Maths, English, Reasoning, Logic. That too at a high level. I
did practice a lot. So, maybe add BA in 3 different areas.
And for RBI, I again did MA in Banking, Finance, Insurance, Economics and Monetary
systems. I studied all the CFA material, did many Coursera lectures, and studied all RBI
reports in depth.
End of three years, I was transformed from this goofy, immature kid to this mature,
knowledgable adult. Now when I meet my friends, they are in a state of shock to see
this change. I can talk about any topic, any subject at length. I can have productive
debates and can have an opinion on everything. I sound smart when I talk. :P They
genuinely *respect* me now.
What more do I want?
Thanks to writing so many examinations I had cleared one. A good job with the Ministry
of Home Affairs. (Legally obliged not to tell which one)
At the end of this journey, I have a decent 60k paying Central Government Officer Post.
At the end of this journey, I have found love. One who understands me, one who
supported me at my worst. One who has always been there.
At the end of this journey, I gained respect from everyone I know. Friends, parents,
family, relatives and Quora.
At the end of this journey, I am more mature, knowledgeable and aware.

At the end of this journey, I understood that Life is neither fair nor unfair. Life is just life.
That's it.
Everytime I failed to clear an Exam, I thought I hit rock bottom. I was sad and depressed.
I was frustrated. Then the next failure came, and then the next, and then I realized that
there is no such thing called a "rock-bottom".
There is no point in getting frustrated for things which are not in my hands. There is no
point in being sad for your fate. I learnt that I should be happy for what I already have,
and that has been a huge relief for me. I have been so much better since this realization,
and have been much more productive.
Have I failed all these examinations? Yes.

Have I failed in life? Heck, No.
I love my life. Even if I am not successful, I am internally happy.
I may not have everything I want, but I do have everything I need.
What more could I ask for?
So, yes, this has been a wonderful journey. A wonderful experience. A wonderful ride.
But is this the ending? No, I have only just begun.
6. Interview Transcripts
6.1. Carpediem:
RBI interview Transcript
Background
-Civil Engineering
-worked 18 months as Business Analyst
Questions
1. Why did u leave the job?

He said since u worked in data analytics, let's start with data. Started
asking me abt recent GDP back series data issue?
2.Who publish GDP numbers?
3.What is the issue?
4.How 2 data sources are converged and some more technical counter
question which I don't remember
5.Some questions on RBI website and various disclosures and who is the
target audience?
6.Financial Inclusion?
7.What is the level of FI in India? (Data)
8.Suggest various measures for Financial Inclusion and also asked criteria
of tier 6 as a follow up que.
9.What are the impediments in Financial Inclusion
6.What schemes Govt is running and how far they are successful?
11.What are various Financial Regulators?
12.Who regulated misc. Financial institutions or new ones and then what all
new institutions?
13.P2P lending and Account Aggregators comes under which category as
per RBI?
14.What are account Aggregators?
15.What is P2P lending?
16.Why they should be regulated?
17.What are recent RBI guidelines wrt P2P lending?
--No questions from BioData

--Only 4 members were there today and all were very cordial.
6.2 Vikash Raj

Profile 2016 B.Tech Graduate, working in PSU
As soon as I entered, even before sitting--
Q1. What is your current salary? What will be you get in RBI?
• Before listening the answer, start with why you people want to switch jobs
and all these
Q2. Asked about 1991 crisis. Sub-prime crisis
Q3. Who is the culprit of Sub-prime crisis? (Regulators, Politicians or Rating
agency, was it an intellectual failure?)
Q4. We study all the books from US and most of the economist from US. If
they will fail, how we are going to survive. (got grilled)
Q5. East Asian Crisis (couldn’t answer properly)
Transferred to lady member
Q1. What are denominations of notes RBI print?
Q2. Why do we need coins?
Q3. What is policy for RBI for mutilated and soiled notes?
Q4. What is plastic note?
Q5. What is formula to derive what is denomination of notes and how many
notes of a particular denomination will be printed?
Transferred to third member
Q1. Asked about RBI Ranchi and questions based on district.
Q2. Functions of RBI.
Q3. How RBI is bankers of banks?
Forwarded to Fourth member
Q1. Why do we need banking regulator, if most of the banks are owned by
government?
Q1. About RBI act, Banking Regulation Act.
Q2. Recently Gov. Urjit patel said that `RBI is not able to regulate PSB
properly, which act he is referring to? (Told about all the act I remembered
but he is not for all option)
6.3 Keshav Kumar Gupta (SELECTED CANDIDATE)

Profile: B.Tech, 3 year workex in Finance and academic research, Level 1
CFA
Chairman+3 members
5 December
Chaiman
1. Why did you shift to your previous job? (Acad research)
2. Why did you leave the job?
3. Have you given any other exam?
4. Did you clear?
5. Why not?
6. Regarding ILFS issue: who is at fault?
7. Are credit rating agencies at fault or auditers?
8. Any recent news (today's) on who has been found to be at fault?
9. What do you know about East Asian crisis?
6. What lessons do we learn from it?
M1 (Lady)
11. What risks do RBI face?
12. What regulatory controls does it have over banking systems?
13. Any suggestions for additional regulatory required?
M2
14. So you like traveling, where all you have traveled?
15. Did you find anything common across all these places in India?
16. Have you ever visited any bank branch in your hometown?
17. How did you find the proficiency of employees?
18. Any Queries they are not able to resolve?
19. ATM closure issue, heard about it?
20. Is it an issue if few ATMs close down?
21. Considering India is moving towards digital economy, why are ATMs
still required?
M3:
22. So you like bird watching, what are the national parks you visited
around Delhi?
23. Have sightings gone down? Are we able to see migratory birds?
24. Do you agree there is a shortage of liquidity for NBFCs?
25. Yesterday a private large NBFC suggested a simple but effective
solution? Aware of it? (Wasn't)
26. What are sources of finance for NBFC?
27. Which debt instruments do they issue?
28. How can they benefit from getting banking licenses?
29. Recently another profitable NBFC was given Banking license as well?
Okay you may go.
6.4 Prem Kumar
Background: Mining Engg (2018)
Chairman: You have a good academic record and only 21 years of age why
RBI?
C: Section 7
C: Viral acharya should have given that speech in public or not?
C: Distinguish between the aims of fiscal and monetary policy?
Lady Member (M1):

Which department of RBI would you like to join?
M1: Explain monetary policy function of RBI
M1: Tell some functions of RBI
M1: Role of RBI In financial inclusion
M2: He asked me if you are appointed in currency dept having large

manpower what can you contribute? (In context of me being a mining engg)
M2: Explain corporate social responsibility
M3: Which measure/instrument USA took to control effects of global

financial crisis 2008
6.5 Vikas Prasad
2nd to go, 15 min
1. Questions about education, college.
2. Would you stay in this job, have you decided?
3. Last few books you have read, names.
4. Name the famous quizzes and quizmasters in India.
5. Details about startups, angel investors
6. Hedging
7. Sterilization
8. Money laundering
9. When exactly is MSF used over Repo?
6. Venture capitalists.
Light discussions over the said questions, couldn't answer no. 9. Chilled
out board.
6.6 Anonymous
Background - Software engineer , Nit Jalandhar (2013) , UPSC prep ,
Taught in a coaching
Transcript -
1.When did you complete your graduation?
2. When after that
3. Mpc meet - by what ratio was it voted?
4. 7 risks highlighted in meet
M1 (lady)
1. RBI has so many functions, where do you see yourself (IT background+
digitalisation so payment and settlement which comes under issuer of
currency role )
2. Payment and settlement not under currency issue (gave explanation
about payment and settlement board wherein RBI said it was in issuing
currency role )
3. Cloud computing
4. How can it be used in banks
M2
1. What subjects did you teach
2. What else you do in free time
3. Did you not think about French as a profession
4. Do you read newspaper, which one, why Hindu
5. What is digital currency
M3 (south Indian )
1. Fiscal slippages
2. Fiscal deficit
3. Formula for FD
4. Do you think government will reach it's target
4. How can we reduce it
One member was missing.
6.7 Ratnil Srivastava

Chairman
1. Why should we take you?
2. What does the term "vision" imply in supervision, in terms of your
experience in bank?
3. What vision is required at the level of a branch office in a bank?
4. Name 4 types of risks.
I listed 4 risks. Then he asked me to list 5 more and make it 9.
Ma'am
1. Basel 3
2. Ccb and ccyb
M1
1. Sovereign gold bond campaign (mentioned on my biodata)
2. New changes in sgb
3. Why was sgb introduced?
M2
1. Is the gold monetization scheme still active?
2. Difference between the 2
3. Why is it not receiving popularity?
I don't think it's very helpful to anyone. But this is it.
6.8 Anonymous 2
Left: Lady, Karuappa, {Chairman}, Old guy, Young guy: Right
C: what are your academic qualifications

Me: BE IT
C: what experience do you have professionally?
Me: none
C: what is your birth year?
C: So what were you doing after your graduation?
C: what was the main argument behind starting the RBI?
Me: Hilton Young commission, Gold Standard/
C: tell me from which central bank, RBI's conception was inspired?
Me: not sure
C: What is the act of RBI called?
Me: RBI Act 1934
C: and when RBI started operations?
Me: April 1935
C: tell me 3 changes in RBI Act since it's inception
Me: RBI got nationalized in 1949/
C: means what?
Me: previously it was a shareholders bank but/
C: what are the implications of nationalization?
Me: objective of the bank can also be shifted to nation's development.
C: tell me other two developments
Me: 2016, monetary policy agreement
C: tell me some legal shift between 1949 to 1980s-90s
C: who wrote the book "poverty and unbritish rule"
Me: Dadabhai Navroji
C: book written by BR Ambedkar regarding finance which was regarding RBI?
Me: "the problem of rupee". It was presented before the Hilton Young
commission
C: who is financial sector regulator?
Me: RBI in general and Sebi for derivatives
K: what are derivatives
Me: dematerialized securities
-------
Y: so what were you doing after graduation?
Me: preparing for various competitive examinations..
Y: what specifically?
Me: 4 attempts of UPSC
Y: optional in upsc?
Me: geography
Y: how does geography affect the economy of country? Esp about Africa
Y: have you read the book "xyz resources development etc"
Me: no sir... But I can make out from the name that it must be about
argument that most naturally resource rich countries are also poor ones.
Y: which department of RBI do you want to work for?
Me: two departments of RBI, the dept of Payment & Settlement & Fin
inclusion
Y: after DeMo, what was the effect on payment & settlement systems?
Y: tell me potential bottleneck with PPIs.
Y: some financial inclusion initiatives of govt
Me: Jana Dhana Yojana.
------------------
L: why financial inclusion?
Me: poverty and income inequality. multiplier effect/
L: what is the prerequisite for financial inclusion?
Me: financial literacy/
L: what is it?
L: tagline in Hindi on RBI website (RBI kehta hai, didn't remember there)
---------------------------
O: you mentioned that natural resource rich countries are poor. Why
O: What is the share of Agri in GDP (~14%)
O: Reasons for declining share of Agri in GDP
O: What can be done for increasing profitability of Agri
Me: food processing
O: your views on loan waivers and MSP
Me: against waivers, with MSP
----------------------------------
K: what r the monetary policy tools?
Me: repo, crr, slr, msf, bank rate
K: what about MSS?
K: what is it, full form
Me: used during volatility
K: be specific. It's a rare instrument
Me: ???
K: try... It's for sterilization. What is sterilization
Me: used to arrest inflation during quantitative easing
-----------------------------
C: ok, thank you , all the best!
6.9 फTeacher
Interview Transcript:
Mumbai 11-12-2018
Profile : Working as an assistant in SBI since 2016 in operations.
Chairperson: Basic details about education and present organization.

Tell me if RBI needs more powers to regulate Banks.
I answered on lines on RBI Act 1934 and BR, 1949. It is very powerful in its
main domain.
Gave example of Yes Bank and Rana Kapoor.
Question changed.
Now, tell me about whether RBI is meaningfully able to regulate PSBs.
Me: GoI share pattern...
Chairperson..Read about Kaushik Basu..An economist.
P1: You have worked in NEFT . What's the difference between NEFT and
RTGS.
P2: How settlement happens ?
P1: Any amount specified?
W: Why SBI In touch failed ?
P2: Tell me 5 strategic advantages of SBI.
P1: Why Rs. 10 coin is not been successful? Rumour and how you feel with
it.
P2: Have you heard about Star campaign ?
P3: Which department would like to work in ?
A: Me. Issue department.
Everyone is laughing. Everybody looking to work in MPC and why Issue?
Lady said it's not a bad department. I have worked there for 15 years.
P3: Why NEFT and RTGS has been implemented?
P3: How Monetary Policy and Issue department related ?
P2: Why RBI is issuing Rs. 10 coin is costly. ?
What is wrong and how do you deal with it ~
Chairperson: Why RBI is considered as a knowledge organization?
Note: Best panel with minimal intervention. Just be through with whatever
you are doing and try to be honest and humble. Leave some things for fate.
Everything revolves around profile.
Loan profile guys be ready for in depth questions is worked in advances.
Tata. Bye bye.
6.10 C A
First one to reach, last one to go
Name - Gautam
Bcom Hons, CA, CWA
Work Experience -
HDFC, NBFC and LIC
6.5+ years
Don't you think you are overqualified for this job ?

Why didn't you apply in last years ?
Provision and IndAS ?
What challenges banks may face ?
Enterprise value
Free cash flow
CRR and OMO what are technical differences
Private vs Govt job
What do you know about function
GFC 2008
LICs subsidiary
LIC HfL banking licence
More benefits if it gets
What are your hobbies
6.11 Shashank Pardhikar
2nd last interview, chairman was not there, total 4 panel members
1. What is problem with hard currency
2. Argentina crisis
3. Measures taken by rbi to ease liquidity of nbfc sector
4. Why you want to work at RBI despite being a chemical engineer from IIT
and working in a chemical company
5. What is macroeconomics, difference between macroeconomics and
microeconomics
6. What is trade deficit, what is invisible
7. What is cad
8. Oil reserves in India
9. What you are currently doing
6. What Basel committee of banking supervision
11. Current, capital account convertiblity
12. Who is Maldives president
13. Free trade agreement of India with other countries
14. Are you preparing for civil services
15. What you will do if you are in a position of theresa may?
6.12 Anonymous 3 (SELECTED CANDIDATE)
It was the best till now from my previous experiences
Hr questions were literally the same
Why did you leave sbi
They asked me the preamble of RBI
Then one guy asked me about various sections related to government
banking
I said all the sections
From wma to 20 21 21a 17 and 45
Tht he is from DGBA
Then subsequent questions were on why wma
When it is used
Why agency bank commission
What's the impact of agency bank commission on rbi’s balance sheet
I said the amount and the second biggest expenditure
Then the karupasammy asked how you can reduce it
I gave a suggestion
Thn asked me why crr is maintained
I said the objective to maintain stability in financial market
Gave example of unforeseen event like bank run
Thn said public confidence
He said that's also an objective
And there is one more
I said m not aware of it
Will update myself
Then lady asked me wht you have prepared for interview
I said balance sheet of rbi
Rbi act
And functions of banking department
And rbi
Then she asked which department you'll like to work
I said any department each department has its own challenges
I said DBS and DBR
Thn one guy asked me
What is risk based supervision
I told him
Then compared it with earlier approach of CAMELS
He asked what's difference between both
I told the difference
Then he asked me why nbfc are still following camels
I said I'm not aware of this as of now
One more question from what's the difference between your role in SBI and
rbi
This was the overall
In my opinion I was able to satisfy karupasammy and mam and that DGBA
guy
One guy Chaurasia was there
He was asked about his second year subjects
And Belt and road initiative
He is still studying
Profile based interview
Chairman was not there
Thts the only thing
Itne sare crisis krke gya tha
Kuchh nhi hua
One more question
They asked me whether rbi is responsible for financial inclusion
I said yes
Then is rbi responsible for financial exclusion
I said in away it is responsible
And gave example of lead bank scheme
And other financial literacy thing if not implemented properly
Won't get the desired effects
Leaving those unserved people'
One question was what's your desk work
Do you have an account with a bank
When did you gave KYC last time
Why
I said I opened my account when I was in college
Its classified low risk
So after 10 years I ll
Most of the questions were prepared
So it was a plus point
I did not take pauses
Only for this I smiled saying I don't know
I used to take interview lightly
I don't want to go through this cycle again.
It drains all your energy
We had a discussion on the function pdf of rbi staff college for 1 min
Karupasammy was interested
What is it
The mam explained to him
He was from RBI only
Retired now in RBISB
He was there in all 3 previous interviews
And one question
Why RBI?
One question was which section of rbi deals with the activities it should not
undertake
Section 19
One more question on why interest is not paid on crr
6.13 Mithesh V M
Profile - b tech, 8 yrs industrial experience
Questions asked
Chair
1. In which sub u did grad?
2. From where ?
3. What's your experience ?
4. Whats your date of birth ?
5. Don't you think you are late to apply for this ?
6. What is your current salary?
7. What will you get in RBI ?
8. What are the problems faced in gst implementation in humanitarian
point of view ?
9. Whats is the statistics of gst ?
M-1
1.Are you preparing for upsc?
2. Whats your optional ?
3.who is mt?
4.There is some controversy recent regarding his novel. what was it?
5. In which Dept of you want to work with ?
6. Whats interest rate ?
7. How RBI ensure interest rates are implemented ?
M2 (Lady member)
1. How your exp help RBI?

2. What do u watch on Ted talks ?
3. Do you watch finance related Ted talks ?
M3
1. What are the 3 risks in international market ?

2. Whats iso certification ?
3. Is it relevant to RBI ?
M4
1. You were in an industry for 8 years. When you join RBI won't it be a loss
to your current industry ?
6.14 Be a Noble Soul

Interview date 14.12
Time approx 15 min
Q's apart from biodata-
:Difference between nbfc and bank
-does Basel apply to all bank.
-how rbi regulates banks
-madam asked about today's board meeting..various issues of
meeting..pca framework..
-what are the issues whare govt and rbi have different views.
-why crar of Indian banks are higher..follow up qs if we reduce crar by 1
percent then how much more bank can lend more (in amount)
-difference between cooperative banks and commercial bank
Other qs related to my profile..that were asked by south Indian sir..at first

instance it's difficult to understand what he is asking.
Chairman sir asked just 1 qs..what is work life balance in respect of ur job
specification..(just before that he asked the members why we are getting
this term work life balance again and again..who discovered this term ͱ).
6.15 Anonymous 4
● Given question wordings may differ from actual interview.

● Questions may have not be correctly arranged.
● Some questions may be missing/may have been wrongly described.
( short term
memory loss :/ )
Chairman
1. Describe yourself in terms of job you are going/want to join.
Member 1 (on my right side, just next to me, comparatively more cordial)
1. How did you prepare for this exam?
2. What are functions of RBI?
3. You know about sterilization right?
4. What are the advantages & disadvantages of it?
5. Interrupted me, as I didn't interpret his question correctly & asked me

when foreign capital comes in, what will happen to rupee? [I said it will
appreciate]
6. He said okay, what will be its impact?
7. He asked, are imports & exports our primary concerns in this case?
8. Fed Reserve is considered too much powerful, almost next only to

President, what is the reason for it?
9. How can we print currency...what is the system in India ?
6. What is the amount of currency in circulation at the moment in India?
11. Can we print as much as we want?
12. Inquired about securities that can be used for backing
13. You are doing CSE right? (They just assumed it!!) [Nodded yes]
14. What is your optional?
15. Why do we need to regulate the banks? What are the objectives behind
regulation?
16. Have you read/come across BR Act objectives? [Said no]
17. Statement: Gujarat & Maharashtra are considered as good examples

for cooperative movement. What is the difference between cooperative &
commercial bank?
18. So, do you remember name of any successful cooperative movement ?

[I went blank for few seconds...just as I started speaking “Sir, I do not…”...
smilingly he asked You are from Gujarat right ?... I took hint & gave answer
“AMUL”...Member 4 (the south Indian guy) asked me AMUL is correct but
please speak it in full...I gave full form & they nodded)
19. Do you remember any other successful movements? [Was searching

for it but could not come up with one]
20. Asked do you know Madhupura Bank (a cooperative bank)...said
yes...then asked if I knew what changes were brought in after that? (I knew
only about scam but could not answer second question)
Member 2 (lady, just to my left, she constantly checks her notes)
1. Told about demonetization, asked my opinion about the move.
2. Do you think it has achieved any results?
3. Do you think digital transactions have increased due to it?
4. Why physical currency is more used?
5. Do you think we were at that time our digital systems were IT proof? (I
asked this question again 2 times as I was confused between Income Tax
& Information
Technology, on 2nd time she understood & clarified it is not Income Tax)
Member 3 (on my right side, just next to chairman)
1. Taking on from my answer, about Payment & Settlement Systems act

amendment, he asked about question about separate regulator for
payment systems. [I gave my opinion about payment regulator within RBI &
then I tried to justify my opinion, he didn't seem pleased from his face &
exclaimed what is the need for Competition Commission in this?]
Member 4 (on my left side, just next to chairman, least audible person...
listen carefully!!)
1. Asked for CAD of India in absolute terms & not as percentage of GDP.(he
also made 2-3 statements about CAD which I could not here, but nodding
heading worked)
2. Asked amount foreign exchange reserves of India.
3. Asked why India's foreign exchange reserves are not considered as good
in quality.
4. China has largest reserves (asked amount), told about export led
economy of China.
Asked if China has really earned foreign reserves?
5. He said that is also a issue (said something about Trump & China...
inaudible), then asked if I knew about dispute between China & USA at WTO
[I said no]
6. Asked if our foreign reserves can be considered as safe? told me not to

answer in yes/no only.
Chairman
Nodded in no when passed on to him.
I was asked to leave then.
6.16 Abhimanyu
Profile: BBA Finance (took five years to complete due to health reasons),
MA Development Studies
Duration: Hardly 12-15 minutes
(Chairman)
Two DS-related questions, one which I could not answer.

(M1)
Uniqueness of Scandinavian welfare model
PCA
Effect of GST, demonetisation, PCA on MSMEs
(M2)
Societies are becoming more inward-looking. How does this reflect on
economies around the world, and humanity in general? (this went on for 4-5
minutes at least)
(F1 - accidentally called her Sir twice)
What is yield?
Most important social and economic issues facing Kerala.
Reasons for lack of industrial development in Kerala (couldn't stop myself
from cracking a joke but thankfully everyone laughed)
(M4)
Muziris Bienalle
Importance of Muziris in Kerala history
Highlights of latest monetary policy meeting → discussion about SLR, CRR,
benchmarking of loans
Interviews were running late. I was the 13th to go, and my interview started
after 1:50. Don't know if it was hurried because they were hungry or
because I screwed it up.
6.18 Harish
1) what are the currency features ?
2) why we need banks ? Importance if banks
3) IL & FS issue
4) charter of customer rights
5) what is difference between Banks Blanace Sheet and RBI Balance sheet
6) ECF
7) PCA
8) Leverage Ratio
9) News related to Anantapur (did not answer)

10) about Nidhi Companies (did not answer)
11) about vanishing companies/ untraceable companies? How many are
there ?
12) Special Purpose Vechile (not fully satisfied )
13) what is RBI going to change in respect of NBFCs?
14) where bank is defined ?
15) what sebi changed rule w.r.t. Credit Rating Agencies ?
16) how nbfc sector raising funds?
17) why NBFC sector not able to get the funds from long term source?
18) what is business cycle
19) deficit financing
6.19 Nagendr K
BE
Work experience of one year in vehicle mfg industry
5th one to go
10-12 minutes
Only question from chairman

Describe yourself
Questions from members
Why RBI??
AGRARIAN CRISIS?
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ?
ABOUT MY NATIVE.. KALBURGI district Karnataka
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION...(M M KALBURGI issue)
NBFC WORKING IN VEHICLE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY?
GOVT VS RBI?
IMPORT AND EXPORT AMOUNT wise..CAD?
Farm loan waiver and short term measure and long-term measure for
agriculture sector?
Rupee depreciation why?
Financial literacy.. financial inclusion..
Why financial inclusion in India currently needed the most...?
What is banking?Bank balance sheet?
6.20 Akil
Akhil Punna, Interview date:-18/12/18.
M1:
1)sharpe ratio
2) yield to maturity
M2:
1)Enterprise value
2)What needs to do to deepen long term bond market
3)Discointed cash flows
4) EBIT of companies
5) Protects value assesment
6) NPV vs IRR
7) Infrastructure lending, compare public with private sector lending.
M3: (ma'am)
1)Hobbies, books names and authors
2)IL&FS crisis, why?
3)Raguram rajan comment on excess reserves with rbi
4)TBS
5)Oxford economy, something hapoened m.:n hyderabad.
6) Nabard development challenges(as i am working in nabard)
M4:-
1)South indian movies, compare telugu and tamil.
2)Merger of DCCB with StcB. Implications, long discussion
3) CD ratio.
4)PACS in kerala.
Chairman:
1) you belong to srcc college, tell me one textbook author of the college,
which subject you like and why?
6.21 Anonymous 5
My interview was in Delhi. There were five board member consisting of one
Female member.
My interview experience:
The nature of the board was cordial and supportive. Most of the questions
were asked by one of the board member who was an ex-RBI ED. Female
member was not supportive to females. I am commerce Post graduate and
worked with an audit, so many questions were from my education and
work background.
Interview major questions as much as I remember.

What is the speciality of your Hometown?
Why we shall not recruit you?
Why we shall recruit you?
Describe RBI Balance sheet?
Are you ready to go to North east for work assignment?
What will the impact of Ind-AS on bank’s balance sheet?
GST, good or bad?
Who was the first Governor of RBI?
Are you an UPSC aspirant?
Explain Lender of Last resort function of RBI?
Your views on farm Loan waiver?
Duration 25 minutes. I am probably the only candidate who was offered tea
in the interview room with the members.
Thanks.
My written exam not went that great still hoping for the best.
6.22 Vivek Anand

Interview Date: 17:12:2018
Profile: B.Tech (IT). 8 years of experience in IT.
Chairman: Briefed that the interview will be more towards economics and
banking.
1) Are you aware of digital India initiative? What are the last mile challenges?
2) Where did G20 take place. Important decisions taken by US, China and
Germany
M1:( My immediate right)
1) Enquired about the achievement in my previous organization which I

mentioned in the bio. Asked me to explain in detail on how it helped the
business.
2) Role of RRB. Who supervises it?
3) Where does the banks get its most of the capital from?
4) Types of accounts a bank handles? Enquired about CASA.

M2:(Immediate left of Chairman)
1) What's the difference between debit card and credit card?
2) Who issues credit cards ?
3) List the various payment service providers. Difference between Master,

Visa and Rupay.
4) Are you aware of shadow banking. Why it's called so.
5) Difference between Banks n NBFC?
M3( Female Member my immediate left)
1) Are you flexible with transfers. This is a pan india organisation so it is

almost impossible that you ll get your home town . Are you ok with it?
2) Are you aware about the happening related to leavers and stayers
M4: (Immediate right of Chairman)
1) How much turnover would TCS make out?
2) Rupee depreciation is good or bad TCS?
3) What is the impact of global trade tension between US and China's in

other countries? What is its impact on India.
4)Why is rupee depreciating ? How can we address it. What is or what can
be Rbi do on it?.
Chairman: We are done you may leave.

6.23 Pritam Deo
Date: 21-Dec-2018
Place: Chennai
Background: IT
Chairman:
1. What are you working on currently?
2. What is your role? Where are you working? – Hyderabad
3. Ok, in Telangana. Tell me what is the agrarian crisis in Telangana?
Explained about drought and economic loss to farmers. CM KCR launched

Rayatu Bandhu scheme to help farmers. Still he was expecting much more
details. Then I told him, “sir frankly speaking I’m originally from Bihar and
don’t know much about Telangana agrarian crisis.”
He rebutted - it doesn’t matter. I think he was expecting much more

generalized answer after he started from Telangana agrarian issue.
Member 2:
1. You’re working in IT, why do you want to join RBI?
2. What are differentiated banks?
3. Are Payment banks viable? There are already many prepaid instruments.
4. PMJDY provides banking to all, so why payments bank?
Member 3 (Ma’am):
1. She started with explaining huge exodus of people from Bihar and UP.
But the states, they’re migrating to, have protested raising questions of ‘son
of soil’. Are they justified on their demand, what is your view? One to one
discussions went on this.
2. RBI and Govt are having many contentions recently. One of the issue was
reserve transfer to use for bank capitalizations and economic growth. What
is your view on this?
3. Follow up question about components of reserves.
4. What is unrealized reserves etc.?
Member 4:
1. Does RBI control inflation? How?
2. What are other tools. You explained Reserve ratio, CRR, Policy Rates -
these are quantitative tools. Do you know about qualitative tools? What are
they?
Member 5:
1. Tell me the difference between Public Sector banks and Private banks?
2. He kept on asking next difference. “You belong from IT background, tell

me based on that”.
Private banks came with Technology while PSB were using manual process.
3. What are monetary policy and fiscal policy?

6.24 V M
Date: 20/12/2018
Place: Chennai
Profile: 2017 Mech engg
No work experience
Chairman:
1. You have scored very high marks in you school and college, what made
you come to RBI? Was it a cautious decision?
2. How did you prepare for this RBI exam? Both written part and the
interview part.
3. Where did you concentrate more?
4. Government and RBI are at loggerheads now. What capabilities you have
which will help you handle such a stress when you reach higher posts?
5. There are many committees and meetings that will be happening in RBI.
If you’re not a part of that committee, how will you help such a committee?
6. You are very good in mathematics. How do you think you can implement
it here?
Member 1:
1. What is bitcoin? (I explained how it works)
2. But what is a bitcoin? Is it a currency or commodity? What is it?

3. Is blockchain mechanism being used in India?
4. Something happened in US yesterday. There is a fear it might affect the

emerging economies. You know what it is?
5. How will it affect emerging economies?
6. Why was PCA in news today?
7. Is PCA necessary?
8. 5 functions of RBI
9. Foreign exchange reserve of RBI now
Member 2: (Mam)
1. Who is the Indian personality associated with motorsports? (my hobby)
2. Where is he now?
3. They want to call him a fugitive offender. Why is that?
4. Is there a law to deal with such people?
5. Is he a wilful defaulter?
6. Who is a wilful defaulter?
7. 5 economic events that happened between 1947 and now.
Member 3:
1. Reasons for the agrarian crisis
2. A farmer sells his product for low prices. Still we but at a higher price.
Why is that?
3. What can be done about it?
Member 4:
1. Difference between headline and core inflation
2. Which inflation we target?
3. Why is demand in rural places low?
4. Which is good for the nation? Low rural inflation or high rural inflation?
6.25 Anonymous 6
Chairman
You are b tech?
You are employed?
Signalled panel to start
M1
Tell me some functions of RBI

Which one would you like if given a chance
Fed did something
How does it affect emerging markets
I said capital flight
Then he was like re inc and nifty inc how do you say it affects negative
I said sir on isolation this has to happen but then there are many variables
any one must have acted more
Differece between forwards and futures
Gross npa of sbi
Net npa of sbi
Differece between them
Lady
Casa of SBI
Read any rbi governer books
What is slr
Global norm for SLR
Prompted we are trying to reach that
Ciatomer service of sbi is bad
M2
Car of SBI
SBI is not getting funding from government why
What can strong bank like sbi do for funding
M3
Why are banks becoming risk averse
Is it right for an institution like bank to be risk averse
6.26 Sudheer
Date: 21/12 , Chennai

Name: Sudheer
Profile: BTech CSE, RGUKT IIIT Basar, 2015 batch.
Prev Attempts: RBI Grade B 2017. Missed final merit list.
Work Ex: Now- None, SBI PO 2015 - 7 months 4 days.
I was the 14th/16 guy to go.
Chairman (C): So, are you working somewhere?
Me: No sir, but I was a SBI PO resigned now.
C: How many years did you work?
Me: Sir 7 months 4 days.
C: Before confirmation or after?
Me: Sir before confirmation, during probabtion only.
C: POINTING TOWARDS A SIR TOWARDS HIS LEFT – SIGNALLED HIM TO

CONTINUE.
Member 1: What are the functions of RBI?
Me: Sir, RBI acts as the Central bank of our country and undertakes MP,
acts as a banker to govt, banker to the banks, issuer of currency, forex
management, regulation and supervision of banks, supervision of NBF….
(he cut me short here.)
M1: Ok tell me which function interests you more? (LAST YEAR I WAS
ASKED WHICH DEPT WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN)
Me: Sir, regulation and supervision of banks. (SIR DEPT. OF BANKING

SUPERVISION)
M1: How does RBI supervises a bank? (SAME QUESTION WAS ASKED
LAST YEAR TOO)
Me: TOLD
M1: What is SLR?
Me: Sir, it is a MP tool according to which banks need to maintain a portion

of their NDTL in SLR securities, it is 19.5 at present (Here he was about to
ask a suplementary question, sensing which I continued) Sir, but recently it
has been decided to bring it down to 18%. (Here he smiled and said fine).
M1: Have you heard about PCA?
Me: Yes sir it is Prompt corrective action, according to which RBI places
banks in PCA list based on 3 parameters when the threshold is breached,
these are CRAR, Profitability or Assest Quality/NPA.
M1: What is bank consolidation and why?
Me: Bconsolidation-Told, Why part- said to meet Basel 3 norms and

increased efficiency.
M1: How Basel 3? Suppose say bank 1 has X NPA, Y Asset – bank 2 has X
NPA, Y asset how will they change if banks are consolidated?
Me: (In my mind I told myself – F*** man I always had this question in mind
but never cared to check this or read about it) Without wasting any time I
said: Sorry Sir, I always had this question in my mind I also read about it but
I didn’t understand it, So I don’t now.
M1: Ok tell me, recently a Central bank is in news, what did it do that is
affecting the upcoming (he didn’t use the word upcoming. I don’t remember
the exact word but he meant smaller economies) economies.
Me: Sir it is Federal Reserve, the central bank of USA. It is news because it
increased its repo rate by 25 basis points from 2.25% to 2.50%.
M1: What will be the effects?
Me: Sir, the investors especially the FPIs will pull out their money and their
will be a large outflow of funds from the smaller economies back to USA as
their Bond yield will increase which will be attractive for the investors. This
will lead to a stress in the local currency which will depreciate.
M1: Only FPIs? Not FDIs?
Me: No sir only FPIs because FDIs are long term investments in a company
which are quite stable.
M1: But did you see what happende yesterday?
Me: Yes sir India was immune to it and the market was not affected.
M1: Why is it so?
Me: Sir, Indian markets nowadays are immune to these short term shocks,
and Indian investors believe the low and falling prices of brent crude will be
good for the economy. As oil forms a major part of our imports the less
prices auger well for the economy.
M1: But did you see what happened today?

Me: Sorry sir, yesterday the market was stable. I’m not at all aware of
todays happening (Of course I won’t be sitting in the conference hall and
keep a tab on Sensex/Nifty).
Lady Member : Recently a bank took RBI to court, why?
Me: Madam it is Kotak Mahindra Bank, it took RBI to court due to its
directions to the bank to reduce its promoters share to 15% which it failed.
Lady Member: Why did they fail what did they do?
Me: Madam, Uday kotak issued Preferential shares and not normal shares.
He still hold appx 30%.
LM: What is the d/f?
Me: Madam, PS does not get voting rights like the normal equity shares.
LM: So, who do you support?
Me: Madam, Uday Kotak. (Here everyone was shocked – they let out a
common gasp and looked at me)
LM: So you say RBI is wrong?
Me: No Madam, RBI is not wrong but I personally feel that investors and
equity holders get connected with the promoters and invest due to them.
For Ex: Ambani family is the face to Reliance and if we ask them to reduce
their stake it may send a wrong signal to investors(I didn’t use shareholders
here) similarly Ukotak is the face of KMB, so according to
recommendations of some panel atleast 25% must be allowed.
LM: But, the norms are sicne long KMB had 15 years, do you know why RBI
recommended this 15% thing?
Me: Sorry Madam, I don’t know. (LINK 1 – remember this).
Member 2: Why are banks important?

Me: Sir, banks act as financial intermediaries b/w persons with surplus
funds and people with deficit funds. It takes deposits and gives credit to
the persons in need.
M2: Why are they important in the Indian context?
Me: Sir, In india most of the growth can be attributed to the lending by
banks, as still the debt and equity market is very under developed. The
Indian growth story is not investment led but BANK-LED (** mistake- LINK2)
M2: If a bank fails what happens?
Me: Explained
M2: If a Corporate fails What happens?
Me: Explained
M2: So do you think banks need more regulation than Corporates, why?
Me: Yes sir because if a bank fails it will affect the entire economy but
failure of a economy may just affect a specific sector.
M2 (LINK 1): So, can this be a reason why RBI is mooting for the 15% thing?
As it does not want a bank to fail?
Me: Yes sir. (with a smile)
M2: Now you understood this thing?
Me: Yes sir.
M2: What is PCR.
Me: Sir PCR is public credit registry and I went on to explain this……..
M2 - He trolled me here - : No PCR also means another thing in Banking

apart from credit registry.
Me: I said I don’t know sir.

M2: d/f b/w GNPA and NNPA.
Me: Gross NPA explained, NNPA= GNPA- provisions.
M2: In this background now tell what is PCR.
ME: Sir, Provisions coverage ratio (Don’t know if this is right or wrong).
Member 3: The South Indian sir, he was part of the panel last year also.
M3: you have worked in SBI right, do you know Pradip Chaudary?
Me: I was about to say- Sirrr….. (I don’t know), but before that
M3: He was the ex chairman of SBI he comes on debates on TV Shows and

says CRR is a failure we should scrap it fully make it zero, what are your
views?
Me: Sorry sir I didn’t read about it.
M3: If you have not read that debate then we can’t discuss further, Ok you
said Bank-Led growth but it is Investment led growth.
Me: Yes sir Investment led growth.
M3: Investment but Jobless growth ( he laughed here)
Me: Yes sir.
M3: So what are the components of ILGrowth?
Me: Sir, mostly consumption.
M3: What type:
Me: Sir, Govt, public, pvt.
M3: We have a formula.
Me: Yes sir, C+I+G something.

He completed the formula. CIG- some XYZ he said.
M3: Why it is a jobless growth?
Me: Sir, because the government failed to create any jobs and this is one of
the reasons why BJP lost in the elections (I don’t know why I said this)
M3: He said Oh.. one of the reasons and he laughed again.
Chairman Sir: Ok you can leave.
Me: I thanked each of them separately and came out.
My Views: No questions from my bio-data. I feel the chairman/panel were

bored during the fag end and wanted to push through the interview, I don’t
even think they must have read the bio data form. The questions were of
basic nature so I could answer most of them. Many of the 16 guys were
asked basic things and mostly everone performed well. I don’t know on
what basis they will award marks. I was not at all nervous and did not
sttuter, answered confidently and said SORRY SIR/MADAM to a few that I
don’t know with a smile. From me and my friends last year’s experience I
feel the knowledge and answering of questions may not result in good
marks and not answering may not lead to deduction of marks. So fingers
crossed. Just enjoy the whole process.
I have typed this sitting in a train so excuse the mistakes if any. All the best
for your interviews.
6.27 कमल द प:
21 December 2018
Chennai, 11:30 ̿
Profile : B.Com (Hons.) + PGDBM ( HRM ) + PGD Human Rights
Work Ex : 3 years on Google Plus
Chairman : Gave a statement about conflict of Interest. Asked me to give examples. &
then little discussion about that.
M1 : Why google plus was failure.
Why google was taken down in China.
Functions about RBI.
Which function I like and why?
M2: Why do you wanna get into banking industry.

Why should we hire you?
How human rights going to help banking or finance ?
3 important qualities a leader should have.
M3: lady
Asked about interests - Traveling & Political affairs.
Linked Demo with political aspects and discussion there on. Discussion on Cambridge
analytica
M4:
Asked about recent monetary policy and recent changes.
Overall: Profile based and moderate interview.
PS: Though clearly mentioned as Civil Services Aspirant in BD Form. Not even a
question on that.
6.28 Anonymous 7
Background: Mechanical Engineering from DCE, 2017.
Currently working with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd after graduating.
4 members were there.
15th to enter, was expecting a rapid fire but :P
Chairman (C): Are you working somewhere? Where? How much are you earning? How
much is RBI Grade B Officer’s salary? - Answered
C: When you know that you are earning more in the current job, then why do you want to
join RBI? -
Answered it as prepared. (Chairman laughed while looking around and said “See, honest
answer, Good :P)
Mai khush :D
Member 1 (M1) : Have you heard of PCA? What are the parameters and framework?
– Answered describing the parameters and thresholds. He interrupted when I started

telling the numbers.
M1: What’s your opinion on keeping an ailing bank in PCA? He drew some metaphor to
ask this. -Answered by keeping the PCA on a higher side for a shorter period to ensure
discipline in future lending, but suggested to slowly relax the norms by giving an
example of RBI’s 9% CRAR and Basel’s 8%
(1% equivalent to Rs 5.5 Lac crore for more lending and the resulting interest revenues)
blah blah.
M1: Do you know about the Indian Agricultural distress? We have all the schemes to
help farmers, then what’s the weak link here? He named some 10-11 schemes.
– Answered (I told policy making is being inclined to a top to bottom approach which
leads to multiple leakages by the time the benefits of the scheme reaches the end user.
The end user is not aware enough to reap the benefits, hence focus should be on a
bottom to top approach where more focus should be given to awareness, educating
farmers and creating infrastructure by involving the stakeholders at gram panchayat,
block level etc blah blah. This is a gradual process, hence it gets sidelined. Gave a
generic answer)
M1: Is Loan waiver a good step? -Answered by giving the points of credit indiscipline, as
all the farmers are not under the banking umbrella hence waivers are not being
successfully reaching all the end users, willful defaulters, hence a
short term solution for some but definitely not a sustainable solution.
M1: Have you seen a company’s balance sheet? -Answer: No sir, but I have seen RBI’s
balance sheet :P
M1: What is unique in a bank’s balance sheet?

Answer: (asked for a pause, thought) Sir the loans given are on the asset side of the
balance sheet.
M1: Ok, what about the Corporate’s balance sheet? -Answer: Sir I’m not sure about it,
hence won’t take a guess. (I think he was heading towards the TBS,
but I was dumb enough to catch the hint)
M1: What is Financial Inclusion? -Answered
M2: What are Oil Bonds? -Answered
M2: What is NOPEC? What is Donald Trump’s stance on it?
-Answered. Some discussion here and there, but I knew this in and out :P hence went
well.
M2: What is Brent Crude? What is the last trading price? Whey it is sliding?
-Answered all of them.
M2: What is Shale oil? Technical aspects? Cost benefit analysis? Breakeven point,
viability?
M2: Is Qatar a part of OPEC? Why it announced the withdrawal? Will it affect the global
economy? What
was its share in crude oil production?
Abhi tak maza aaraha tha :P
M2: What is HFT, HTM and AFS?
Me: wtf :o, I smiled & told “I know the full form of HTM and because of this RBI
penalized one of the bank recently”. One of the member interrupted and said he might
not be aware of these terms, Madam:
But sir he knows the full form :P (Sarcastically)
M1: There’s an issue with one of our banks and RBI, are you aware?
-Answer: Sir I have read this article on Kotak bank and RBI’s court issue, but I couldn’t
understand the article properly hence I’m not aware of it. M1: But it was recent. Me: Yes
sir :P
M3 (jo kabhi convince nahi hota hai): told a long story, then asked why India and Iraq
signed the Rs agreement? Is it a win-win situation? Why?
-Answer: gave two points of USA imposing sanctions & slightly equitable trade balance
between both
the countries. Gave example of white oil, agricultural exports etc.
M3: Why we are not doing the same with China?

Me: (took a pause) gave the point of China’s trade surplus, their currency being a
reserve currency and that’s all :P .
M3: (with a constipated face again told a long story :P) Why UCO bank is carrying all the
transaction of India Iran Rs deal? Why not SBI?
Me: Sir, honestly I never came across this fact, will surely check this. (And of course a
soft apology)
C: THANK YOU!
Thanked the Chairman, the other two members & gave a smile to the 4th member
6.29 Namrata:
Interview date - 26th Dec.
Background: MSc economics.
Panel members 6 - 3 males , 3 females.
Panel members were cordial and tried to be helpful. Questions asked were technical in
nature.
questions
m1 - which was the scheme under which imf helped India. when was it ? how it was
done ? conditions imposed ?
today's world is moving towards protectionist when it was global at one time. what do
you think is happening and why ?
why did you leave your job. what are you doing now ,?
m2 - even with bumper production why is farmers income not increased ?

What are the reasons for inflation in India. ?
f1 - do you think a developing country should have a inflation targeting policy. instead of
previous monetary policy stance.
what is gnpa and nnpa? Difference between them.
f2 - was is giffin good paradox. inferior goods ..
m3 - what Are unconventional and conventional monetary policy.

what happens when money is increased in market.
what is the end aim for money supply.
f3 - something in banking terms. what are the 3 issues with banks.?
I felt it went okay. Not exceptionally good or bad.

Few follow ups were there but I am afraid I don't remember. All the best to the
candidates remaining.
6.30 Aman:
27/12/18 Kolkata
Profile - 2016 grad engineer. Non working. Upsc prep. First attempt in RBI. 11th to go.
Total duration 20 mins.
5 members in panel.
Chairman - Have you visited rbi website and read any speech or article? If yes then I'll
ask you questions on that then rest of the members will ask their questions.
Me - viral acharya PCA
C - give me the gist of what he said in 10 lines.
why is pca needed. Let bank lend freely and start entrepreneurship.
There was a reference to Argentina in that, do you know what is that?
Read everything in detailed when you read something, use Wikipedia or Google. Year is
ending, tell me 5 major flash points in Indian economy in 2018.
Other members - questions on Brexit, climate change, trade war, why gold is preferred
to invest, how is it different from currency, what is cad. And follow up questions on
these topics.
6.31 RedCaterpillar
28 Dec
BE in ETCE 2014, 1 Yr Work Ex, UPSC prep
Chairman
Are you working somewhere?
Why did you leave?
Functions of RBI
Difference between Monetary stability and Financial stability?
Farm loan waivers.. Are they effective?
What should RBI do?
F1
What are cryptocurrencies?
What are the threats?
What has RBI done in this regard?
F2
How a bank falirue can affect the economy?
What are systematically important banks?
What extra regulations are there for these banks?
Name some international systematically important banks
Who decides if banks are systematically important?
What are the parameters?
F3
What is FDI, FPI?
Which does india receive more?
Which is better?
Why has India received more FDI than China this year?
What is Ease of Doing Business?
India's ranking?
Name some of the parameters of the Index?
Can India reach the level of advanced countries in this index?
M1
What is monetary policy transmission?
Is monetary policy transmission happening?
What are the constraints?
M2
What are small savings schemes? Name some
What happens to the money collected from these schemes?
How are the interest rates determined in these schemes?
NK Singh Committe Recos
Debt to GDP ratio of India
Why is high debt not good?
6.32 Priithu
27 dec. Last to go
Chair- what have you done since graduation
Asked abt nasscom report ( i worked in startup thats y)
Member 1-
Talk about service sector in relation to growth in last 2-3 years
Is inflation good
Inflation n employment relation
Farm loan waivers or subsidy whats btr and why
Long term what shud b done in agriculture
Member 2-
Wt new has happened in monetary policy last few years
MPC members
Inflation target
Current inflation
Is it in limit
So it is good?
Inflation targetting is it gud
What is the alternative
Monetary policy transmission
Is it gud ryt now
What announcement abt it
Will that work
Member 3-
US fed talks about trading off unemployment for growth/inflation; is such a view good
How can any country try to get zero unemployment
Member 4-
Ownership neutral speech referred to?
What less powers rbi has in case of psbs?
What all RBI regulates?
All nbfcs?
Money market? ( Galti se sebi bol diye)
One place told laffer curve instead of phillip's curve ..

Was immediately corrected at both these mistakes
Factual questions answers were correct

In opinion based ones, it seemed they were looking to hear something different but did
not dislike what i told
Nasscom report and service sector
Din know about the nasscom report.
6.33 Dibyaranjan Panigrahi
28 december,kolkata,3rd one to go
Profile-Btech Mechanical (2016Graduate)
SBI PO(NOV 2016-AUG 2018)
OICL AO(AUG2018-PRESENT)
Chairman:Asked about World bank?Its establishment?Bretonwood twins?asked about
refromation taken place in WB and IMF structure after 5 decades?About BIS?It's head
quarter?date of establishment?Its work?etc..
M1:-About RBI?Its main functions??About lender of last resort?About latest merger and
whether its viable?First bank to avail lender of the last resort facility?
M2:-Asked about agriculture senario..and my work in SBI for as I am posted in a
ADB..types of agri loans and about my then branch loan portfolio.
M3:-What is scale of finance?Why psb employees are overstressed?reason for leaving
sbi for oicl?
M4:-Are RRBs viable?whats your opinion..about dcc and blbc?
M5:-Why psbs are so lethargic as per public views?about latest merger of sbi ...
[12/29/2018, 8:22 AM] Jiga: Dibyaranjan Panigrahi:
date of establishment of BIS n WB
npa ratios of BARODA DENA and Vijaya bank
6.34 Dumps
28.12 Interview
C: what are you doing now? why did u leave job? what do you mean by public service
that you have written in biodata?
What do u think of rbi govt standoff? isn't govt diluting something( i couldn't hear as he
was far away)
C: why do u think you can be at rbi?
F1: on financial inclusion and lot of counter like why needed, what is done, how to
improve etc ( don't remember all)
F2: on rbi reserve issue and lot of counter. Compare reserves hold by rbi and us fed.
F3: risk management in banks. What are various risks? Counter on those.
M1: why npas originated in india? which bank has highest? how much?
M2: ( south indian) his accent is difficult to pick up
are banks facing liquidity problem?
are nbfcs facing? why?
I couldn't convince him finally he started laughing and said coz they are risky ͯ
they are asking lot of counter questions. I don't recall all. It was like whatever you say be
prepared to back it up.
Told sorry sir I am unable to recall a couple of times.
Rest they are nice people. Don't stress out. All the best people.
6.34 Anonymous 8
profile: ex upsc aspirant
btech
2014 passout
My RBI Grade B Interview Transcript:

Venue: RBI, Chennai.
Interview Panel of 5 members (1 Chairman, 1 Executive director , 3 other dept members)
At present, I'm working in PSB
Qualification: MBA
Certifications: CAIIB
Chairman: Where are you working right now? Haven't you worked in any other dept of
bank?
You are already working in a bank then what’s the need to join RBI?
M1: What is Branch Banking as you mentioned in your bid-data?
What are the operations of Branch banking?
What is the risk you are facing in the level of branch banking?
Have you done any certification in IIBF apart from CAIIB?
What are the NPA risks banks are facing? What are the measures that have been taken
by your bank to mitigate the risk?
What is CERSAI?
How do you spread Digital Banking among the common publics?
Recently which central bank has become a victim of cyber-attack?
What are the major achievements of your bank?
Do you know anything about Balance sheet?
ED: What is operational risk and Credit risk?
What is CASA? What is more - CASA or Time Deposits? What's your Bank's CASA?
Since you mentioned your father as a Shop Keeper (in bio-data), what do you think about
MUDRA loans and MSME loans? is it right or wrong?
What are the typed of loans your bank is providing?
Which Bank was involved in LOU fraud? (PNB). What are the measures taken by your
bank to mitigate such frauds?
What do you know about the recent advisories issued by RBI to safe-guard ATMs? Has
your bank complied with all the measures? Explain in detail the steps taken.
What is the CAR of your bank?
M3: Where is your village located?
What are the steps taken by RBI to improve financial inclusion using ICT?
What is the role of ATMs in financial inclusion?
What is the role of your bank in the financial inclusion?
Why there is heap of NPA’s in your bank? Who is responsible for the NPA either the
respective branch staffs or senior level executives?
6.35 Shubham Goel

Profile-
BTech 2015.
PSB Experience -3.1 years
Chairman-
Dollar denominated bonds
Jam
Economic survey
Who releases
Viability of Jan dhan accounts
M-1
BSBDA
Small account
Oldest central bank
Oldest bank in India
Wilful defaulters?
Steps by GOI
More follow up questions
Mam-
Writeoff export documents. Rbi has been increasing the deadline?
EDPMS
Possible solution by RBI.
M-2
FATCA
LRS
Limits of LRS.
Impact of LRS.?
Mostly profile based questions. Was technical for me too. All the best for remaining
candidates. Most of the candidates today are in the group. Had a good interaction with
them as well.
6.36 Kiran Kumar:
22/1/19
Last one to go
Btech mechanical
No job experience
Upsc cs 3 attempts.
Chairman:
Importance of regulators
3 important regulators in india
3 important functions of each of those regulators with examples if possible
M1
How do you feel about RBI exam process
Difference between RBI AND upsc
Is objective exam better or subjective
Last 3 speeches on RBI website and explain them briefly
Independent Payment regulator issue
L1
Did you sit for placements at college
Why not
After 3 years you are again facing same situation
Regarding MCM scholarship at College
Will you give another cs attempt.
Cant you give these exams doing a job
M2
BASEL NORMS who gives them
CRAR for india and world at 9 and 8
Why different
6.37 abhinaya singh:
Profile BE
3 years experience at aricent technologies
2 years at ministry of information & broadcasting
Chairman:
When did u graduate?
What did u do after that?
You handle the work of indian institute of mass communication at M/o I&B?
Have u seen their annual report?

What about their balance sheet?
How does it earns its revenue?
Is it preferable for educational institutions to earn their own revenue?
Why should not they rely on govt. for revenue support?
Difference b/w the health of public and private sector banks? Give me some figures?
M1
Do private sector banks underreport their NPAs?
How to check it?
What happened with Icici, axis and yes bank?
Lic bought which bank?
But why did lic buy it?
What happened with idbi bank?
Your favourite football team!
What's wrong with manchester united?
Why England national team has not been doing well in the past?
About state of indian football?
L1
About ease of doing business?
Parameters?
What else can be done?
M2
How would you compare two banks?
From the point of view of investor?
All the monetary policy tools?
Should india remain a welfare state? Why?
6.38 Saurabh Sethi:

Profile BE
3 years work experience in Qualcomm
Interview date 23 Jan, 2019
Chennai
Chairman
What does Qualcomm do?
What is the issue between Apple and Qualcomm ?
Need of Anti trust legislation?
Competition Commission of India performance?
M1
Did you apply for Qualcomm again ?
Why Rbi after Qualcomm ?
Indian economy wrt Global economy position ?
How does global slowdown impact India ?
F1
Where did u go for trekking ?
How did your exams go ?
Departments in RBI and their function wrt the role of RBI ?
M2
Is inflation good or bad?
Why is low inflation bad?
What is the inflation we are targeting ?
M3
Did u read report on exports released in December ?
What are the products we export ?
Why are agricultural exports less ?
Why has gold import reduced and how is it linked to global slowdown ?
6.39 Uma:
Education: Botany, applied psychology
Work experience: 6 yrs India post, 1 yr RBI
Chairman: Are you exposed to behavioural economics?

As per IMF chief's statement at Davos, what is growth rate of Indian economy for the
next year? Next to next year?
IMF chief said agrarian problem and unemployment are areas of concern for Indian
economy. Pick a topic among those 2 and speak for 3 minutes.
M1: one psychologist has given one tool for interpersonal communication. What is it
Myers-Briggs type indicator was given by?
Hawthorn studies?
Qualities of a good noting?
L1: In which department do you work? (CFMC, Bangalore)

What is the work in your department?
I've received complaints from SSMs that there are delays in getting reports from your
dept. Why the delays? (Honestly, I'm not aware about any delays or any reports being
given to SSMs)
More queries.
M2: Banks don't need to report frauds till they discover frauds. So, it is not correct to say
that banks are reporting frauds that happened in 2012 now. (I had mentioned that in my
answer to L1)
What is the necessity for LCR?
Why LCR should be maintained in addition to SLR?
We might be eventually migrating to LCR. But in the meantime, is it not
counterproductive that banks need to maintain both?
Banks already have CRAR and SLR. Why ask them to maintain LCR also?
M3: Why CRR and SLR are maintained (ε with a very sarcastic smile)
Don't tell me that banks are mandated to maintain CRR as per RBI act. Why??
Why SLR??
You are appearing for the second time. Last time I asked you about India post. I wont
ask about that again. What topics are you comfortable with? What have you prepared
for the interview?
Have you read the master direction on frauds?
Within how many days banks should report?
Do NBFCs report?
Do co-op banks report?
Frauds come under what category of risks?
6.40 Nikhil:
Profile:
B.Tech. 2017
Work ex 1 year BPCL
Currently not working
Chairman sir:
Graduation? Olympiads? Achievements?
Where did I work? How was the experience?
World risk report- crude prices for next year
Explain your ex company's BS
Other minor profile based questions
M1 sir:
Why did you leave BPCL
MPC framework- 3 things that come out after 2 weeks
F1 mam:
CRAR and other norms? Basel?
1 economy based question she asked which I'm forgetting
M2 sir:
Operational costs on BS or PL statement
Economic capital & Regulatory capital? Who monitors both?
M3 sir:
Why didn't the government reduce the oil prices in 2014?
How much oil do we import? As percentage
Effect of crude price reduction on fiscal deficit and CAD
Very cordial panel. All smiles ( including chairman sirͲ). Interestingly, I had given SBI
interview just for experience this year and the chairman of that panel was M3 sir today
Ͳ.
6.41 Rohit
Chairman: What is your qualification? Where are you from? So you are working with SBI.
Is this your first job? Ok i will give you a topic. U have to express yourself about it for
about 2 mins. I will be keen about how you express it.
Tell me about economic conditions in respect of fiscal status, other parameters of your
state Kerala. Whether it's running deficit or surplus. What are the reasons? What is that
particular act? Year ? Do states also have to adhere? Will they achieve it?
I tried to connect here and there. Finally he asked me whether you have read Kerala
budget. I said no sir. He said that's the issue and passed on to others.
so u have completed 8 years in the bank. U will be joining at a level lower here in RBI. I
want to ask u about it.
So u were in treasury. Tell me how risk is managed there?
Who is in charge of risk management?
Functions of mid office
M3: wheres your current posting?

Jobs?
M4: tell me what happens if nostro accounts are not reconciled in time?
Banks are having a lot of stressed assets. Reasons? Discussed few related things like
stressed sectors etc.
6.42 Abhishek Reddy
Chairman
1. What have you been doing since 2013
What’s your academic qualification
Any degree which you did after 2013
What have you done then
Worked any where
Why did you leave sbi
M2
1. Why rbi after mechanical
2. How you prepared for rbi
3 . As you prepared everything
Tell me recent things about payment and settlement
4 . Not ubi more updated as you said you have been reading newspapers eveydhay
5 . Told about recent rbi circular related to it
6. Tell me the reasons for it
7 . Why multiple payments systems are need
8 . Rbi vision and mission
9. Tell me about unemployment in India
Lady 1
1. Liked your frankness about everything
Tell me how would you improve jobs
2. Rbi functions
3. Agrarian crisis
4 follow up questions on it
M1
More about agrarian crisis and unemployment ( I prepared these topics specially as I
want to mention it and make me drive the interview )
2. Indian economy related
3. Consumption driven
4 . Formula
5. Ways to increase exports or jobs
M3
1. Chess elo rating
2 . Grandmaster related
3. How will you purse chess career in rbi as you mentioned
4. No of grandmasters
5. Why huge fii outflows
6. How can you increase fdi more as China did
7. Fdi reforms
6.43 Raghav Prasad:

Psl, egovernance rbi circular, recent developments in pss, rbi preamble, concentration
risk, group and single borrower risk, why rbi, why all people after doing Engineer want to
join rbi ( sarcastically). If we place in issue or currency department what will you do,
shadow banking/nbfcs, why psbs are very bad situation, compare it with private, what
can you give to rbi, how do you know so many languages
6.44 Anoop:
Hey buddy -not good at all. Had gone with a mindset that it will be a economic affairs
discussion with rbi current affairs but alas it was related to finance mostly and Rbi and
banking acts.and website etc. It was bang average had to excuse myself a lot. Nothing
from upsc background or chem engineering etc. They drove the interview and I
sheepishly followed them wondering when the torture will get over. All things said a
Very good candidate should be able to answer anything with even if u least expect it-
afterall it is a central bank so rbi finance etc. somewhat basic knowledge is necessary
and warranted-and I am not there yet- not this year atleast. Thanks to all my friends here
who have been very helpful and considerate. I guess I will forget this episode for now
and come back stronger next time with some some solid background in financial
matters. Sorry I have nothing to post as I went blank after the interview and I don't
remember anything which can help out people. Only thing I observed was rbi functions
book is a compulsory now and also the website especially the speeches-just prepare 5-
6 bullet points and also remember the last line I.e. conclusion Crystal clear. If it's lucky
day u can enjoy a fruitful discussion on indian economic challenges-solutions and
hobby and domain knowledge ,even Sabarimala etc. and thus completely avoid my
harrowing experience. Lastly thanks once again to the peer group- have never seen such
a wide array of intelligent candidates under one roof -so all the very best-proud to have
been a part of the competition with you. Bye and Tc everyone. ͮȶιʹ͐ .
PS:And lastly about result they just reiterated that the result is subject to court case
blah blah and did not give any substantive answer to me.
6.45 Yagami
Questions asked :
1. Which department would you want to work in rbi and why?
2. Why do we need Basel norms. Are they sufficient?
3. Are digital payments secure? What steps can be taken and had taken by rbi recently.
4. How is gujrat different from Delhi.
5. What is cblo. Who runs it. Why cblo if corporates can issue cp.
6. Rbi speeches summary.
7. Does rbi need more autonomy?
8. Why China economy is slowing down. Why is India not getting affected by it.
9. During East Asian crisis why China did not feel the heat as Thailand when they were
an open economy way before India.
Various follow up questions within these questions.
Even most of the questions seem easy, they were not giving enough time to even finish
any sentence. They just shoot another in between.
Chairman was busy as usual with his phone.
South Indian guy was asking deep follow up questions.
Overall - not so good.
Was not able to ans many follow up questions.

Ps: General candidate. Expecting 130 in esi+fm.
A message for the next batch-if possible try to revise the speeches especially the recent
ones(a bit in detail) and also issues like corporate governance Chanda Kocher thing etc.
-the most recent issues of last 1 week. After that-about what u like in the website and
which dept to join etc. Thats it-all the best(Don't over think and be coolȶͮ).
6.46 Amal George Appadan:

Sorry for the late transcript
Btech 2016 passout
Data Analyst at Tesco
Interview on 25th Jan Chennai
Chairman:
Tell me your qualifications
Qns on Tesco and why do you want to switch from Tesco to Rbi?
How can big data be used in RBI? I talked about the speech by Roberto Rigoborn at
Tendulkar memorial speech
M1: How did you find the rbi website?
What did you like most about it? I said speeches and mint street memos and
Dept, I said financial inclusion and development
Since you like speeches tell me about the 3 challenges governor mentioned in his
Gujarat speech? Inflation, financial sector and external sector and asked me to explain
his views on each of them
Regarding corp governance, asked me if I knew about the biggest corp governance in
automobile sector? Didn't know
He said it was Nissan and told me the name of CEO as well. Told him I wasn't aware of
the issue. He moved on and asked about central board of rbi which I didn't know that
much about and he asked specifically about a pharma representative whose company
was in the news. No idea about that either. But he was trying to unnerve me sort of and
was okay with me not answering specifics of it.
M2: About Tesco's ventures in India
New rules on e-commerce in India, data localisation
L1: How did you prepare for the exams?
How did you prepare for the economics bit?
M3: About corp governance, Uday Kotak issue and I talked of issuing of preferential
shares and them not having voting rights. He said that it was a good point. And passed
comments on the irony of Uday Kotak being the chairman of Corp governance panel.
Asked about the recent news on DCB on serious fraud allegations which I had no clue
on.
Then asked about Chandha Kochar issue and we discussed about the conflict of
interest.
Chairman told me to leave.
I felt really good about the interview as they were jovial and cordial. I was stressed
going into it but had fun inside.
And I think if you are being specific about your answers they do tend to notice it.
And they do encourage guessing if it is a opinion heavy question
47. Prakash:
25 Jan 2019
BTech (Mechanical, Kerala Univ) MBA (IIT Kanpur) 2years of work ex with an NGO and
starting a company and now UPSC prep
~25mins
CM - certain abbreviations I had used in the bio form. He told me I'll be in a cage joining
RBI from a start up and NGO b/g., temperament needed for someone joining RBI etc
Member1 - prev attempts, rbi website, what does rbi do, (I said RBI policies have the
limitation that it's one policy for all sectors, he became defensive and replied that RBI
always takes public comments "if you have ever seen a rbi circular", asked 3 definitive
things mentioned in MPC report etc
Member 2 - did you read today's paper? Went on to discuss Chanda Kochar, corporate
governance, are NPAs result of poor corporate guv etc
Member 3 - most recent growth estimate (got that wrong), how can the fiscal policy
increase pvt investment, what are complementary and compensatory measures the
govt can take
Member 4 - what did you learn in MBA finance (said commercial banking and other
subjects) asked what a commercial bank is, what an investment bank is etc
48. Jignesh Kumar( This is mine)

Profile : MBA(Fin)
Workex: 8 Years (7 years at SBI)
Regulation that came in 2016

How IBC different from SARFEASI
Basel II different from Basel III
What was the training about?
Repo & Reverse Repo
Operating Target of MPC
Rate Corridor
Why LCR and SLR?
Why the need of Regulators- 5 reasons
What is Business Cycle?
What feather touch regulation
Limit for repo operations
Repo rates, reverse repo , MSF
7 About Me
If you come to this page reading and digesting all that went in the earlier pages and still has
some energy left to read a few lines, here is in brief my profile and marks. My name is Jignesh
Kumar Khadela {MBA(Fin) & CFA Level 3}. I joined State Bank as Probationary Officer in 2012
and currently working as Branch Manager in one of the branches in Amreli District, Gujarat. I
failed in 4 attempts and this was my fifth attempt at this exam. Below given are my marks in
various stages of selection:
Phase-I: 108
Phase-II: 231.25( 2nd Highest with topper at 232)

FM-90
ESI -74.25
Eng-67
Interview: 33
Total : 264.25/350 with All India Rank of 9.
With this, I wish you all the very best yet again and
look forward to meeting you at Mintsteet!
(You can reach me at khadelajignesh@gmail.com)

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Cracking RBI Grade B: How to be in top

(Grade B New Recruits Interacting with Ex-Governor and DG during induction)

1. The ‘WHY’ of the Job and The Competition

Courtesy: Target RBI

Year Total Took Took Took Selected

2015 117996 74661 2836 606 134

2016 167021 105715 3234 680 163

2017 150571 93701 3320 573 145

2018 157947 95109 2762 585 127

(Source: RBI RTI reply)

1.4 Notification and Time Lines

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Au3NUTZHmyHQjUsR_VXKZ4qIpCJw (2018 Batch Initiative)

https://rbigrb.quora.com?ch=3&share=396067ef&srid=8M8a (2016 Batch Initiative)

1. Install Telegram (If not already) and Join these groups:

2. Install the Apps--- Adda247, Grade Up, GK Today ( For Phase-I)

4. Install the App- Google Keep for Keeping Notes

5. Join the following FB Groups

Weekends are God’s gift to you – use them to your fullest.

2.1 Knowing the Exam: Sections and Cut Offs

Quant 30 7.5 30 7.5 30 4 30 7.5

Sectional Cut 25% of Max 25% of Max Varying % 25% of Max

Appeared 74661 105715 93701 95109

Know the Game: Analysis of what’s tested

Year /Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018

Series (Find Wrong Type) 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs 5 Qs

Data Interpretation DI 10 Qs DI 10 Qs DI 10 Qs DI 10Qs

Caselet 5 Qs Caselet 5 Qs Caselet DI 5Qs No Caselet!

Data Sufficiency(Quant -- 5 Qs 5 Qs 5Qs

Difficulty(On a Scale 8/10 8/10 9/10 6/10

Good Attempts 12-14 12-14 10-12 15-17

Good Score 9-11 9-11 8-10 13-15

Cut off Marks-GEN 7.5 7.5 4 7.5

Ideal Time to allot 30 Min 30 Min 30 Min 30 Min

**Arithmatic Topics-Work&,Time,Time and Speed, Compound Int,

 There are around 5 Questions of Number Series--mostly asking to find incorrect

 Good source of practicing quant questions are the Quizzes in Grade Up

Year/Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018

Data Sufficiency 5Q 5Qs 5Q 5Qs

Critical 10 Qs 10Qs 10Q 10

Syllogism(Often Reverse 5Qs 5Qs 7Qs 5Qs

Coding Decoding 5Qs 5Qs -- -

Inequality(Often in Data 5Qs 5Qs 4Qs 3Q

Others(Blood Relations, 5Qs 10Qs 9Qs 7Qs

Difficulty(On a Scale of 8/10(Moderate 8/10(Moderat 9/10(Difficult) 7/10(Moderate)

Good Attempts 30-35 30-35 22-25 30-35

Cut off Marks-GEN 15 15 11 15

Playing the Game (The Most Important Things)

 Start attempting section from relatively easier topics like Syllogisms,

Year&Topics 2015 2016 2017 2018

Reading 10Q 10Q 12Qs 7Qs

Others 5Q 3Qs 3 3Qs Sentence

Close Tests 5Q 7Qs _ 6Qs

Fillers/Double Fillers 5Q 5Qs 5Q 4Qs

Difficulty(On a Scale 6/10 7/10 9/10 7/10

Good Attempts 19-22 18-20 12-14 15-17

Good Score 18-20 17-19 10-12 13-15

Cut off Marks-GEN 7.5 7.5 6.75 7.5

Ideal Time to allot 25 Min 25 Min 25 Min 25 Min