NABARD Grade A Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2023

Are you ready to join the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development as an Assistant Manager? If yes, then mark your calendars for the upcoming NABARD Grade A exam! The official notification will be out in July 2023, followed by the first phase of the exam in August 2023. If you clear the prelims, you will face the mains exam in September 2023. But don’t get too comfortable with these dates, as they might change due to unforeseen circumstances. So keep an eye on our latest blogs or the NABARD website for any news or updates about the exam date.

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NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern Overview 2023

Here are some important details about the NABARD Grade A exam 2023:

ParameterDetails
ExamNABARD Grade A exam 2023
Stages of selectionPrelims, Mains, Interview
Type of questionsPrelims- Objective Mains- Descriptive (Paper-I and II) Objective (Paper-II)
Total QuestionsPrelims- 200Mains- 37
Maximum marksPrelims- 200Mains- 200
DurationPrelims- 120 minutesMains- 90 minutes (Paper-I) 120 minutes (Paper II)
Marking SchemePrelims- 0.25 marks negative marking

NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern 2023

The exam pattern for NABARD Grade A Prelims and Mains 2023 is different. There will be sectional timing in the Mains exam, whereas, the Prelims exam will be conducted for 120 minutes only.

NABARD Grade A Prelims Exam Pattern 2023

The NABARD Grade A Prelims exam 2023 will be standard for recruitment for all posts of Grade A Officer. This will be an objective type of online test.

Here’s the NABARD Grade A exam pattern 2023 of the Prelims exam:

Sr. No.Name of the TestNo. of Qs.Max MarksVersionTime
1.Test of Reasoning2020Bilingual – Hindi and English except for the test of English languageComposite time of 120 Minutes for all the tests together
2.English Language3030
3.Computer Knowledge2020
4.Quantitative Aptitude2020
5.Decision Making1010
6.General Awareness2020
7.Eco & Soc. Issues (with a focus on Rural India)4040
8Agriculture & Rural Development with Emphasis on Rural India4040
Total200200120 Minutes

Note: The NABARD Grade A Prelims 2023 will be in Hindi or English. The English exam will be only in English. The Qualifying Section tests Reasoning, English, Computer, Quantitative and Decision-Making skills. The Merit Section tests General Awareness, Environmental and Social Issues, Agriculture and Rural Development (all with a rural focus). Only the Merit Section scores will decide who advances to the Main Exam.

NABARD Grade A Mains Exam Pattern 2023 for Assistant Manager

The NABARD Grade A Mains exam 2023 will be a descriptive and objective online test. NABARD Grade A exam pattern 2023 for the Mains exam contains:-

  • NABARD Grade A Paper-I: This is the same for all positions.
  • NABARD Grade B Paper-II:  Unique to each position.

To get a better idea about the marking scheme, section-wise marks weightage check the NABARD Grade A exam pattern 2023 given below for all the posts. 

A. Generalist Post

For the Generalist Post, the exam will have two papers. Paper-I, which is the same for all posts, will be descriptive in nature. Paper II will be on Economic and Social Issues. Check the pattern here.

PaperGrade AType of PaperNo. of QuestionMarkDurationRemarks
Paper IGeneral EnglishOnline Descriptive310090 MinDescriptive Answers are to be typed using a keyboard
Paper IIEconomic and Social IssuesObjective305030 Min
Descriptive Type6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each]5090 MinDescriptive Answers are to be typed using a keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards)

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B. Specialist Post

For the Generalist Post, the exam will have two papers as well. Paper-I is the same for all posts. Paper II will be Stream specific. Check the pattern here.

PaperGrade AType of PaperNo. of Qs.MarksDurationRemarks
Paper IGeneral EnglishOnline Descriptive310090 MinutesDescriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard
Paper IIStream Specific PaperObjective305030 Minutes
Descriptive Type6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each]5090 MinutesDescriptive Answers are to be typed using a keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards)

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C. Rajbhasha Post

Paper II for the Rajbhasha post will be stream specific. There will be 6 questions from which candidates have to answer only 4. It will have two sections- one objective and one descriptive. Check the complete exam pattern here.

PaperGrade AType of PaperNo. of Qs.MarksDurationRemarks
Paper IGeneral EnglishOnline Descriptive310090 MinutesDescriptive Answers are to be typed using a keyboard
Paper IIStream Specific PaperObjective305030 Minutes
Descriptive Type6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each]5090 MinutesDescriptive Answers are to be typed using the keyboard in Hindi ( with Remington/Inscript keyboard)


Note:- 

  • Candidates who get the minimum cut-off marks or above in the Main examination will be called for the NABARD Grade A interview round 2023.
  • There is a negative grading of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer in the NABARD Grade A main exam 2023.

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NABARD Grade A Interview Process 2023

If you secure a sufficiently high rank in the exam, you will be called for the Interview. The Final Merit List will be prepared based on marks obtained by you in Mains and Interview. The Interview will be held for a total of 50 marks. The weightage of the interview is as mentioned:-

  • RDBS/Rajbhasha: 50 marks
  • P&SS: 100 marks

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NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2023

Prelims and Mains have different subjects in the NABARD Grade A syllabus. Candidates have to know these subjects well to qualify for the Grade A post. The Prelims syllabus includes Reasoning Ability, English Language, Computer Knowledge, General Awareness, and Quantitative Aptitude. The Mains syllabus consists of an online descriptive test and an online objective test with topics for each subject.

NABARD Grade A Prelims Syllabus 2023

The prelims exam is the first stage of the selection process. You need to score well in the NABARD Grade A prelims exam to qualify for the mains exam.

Given below is the NABARD Grade A syllabus for the Prelims exam:

Name of SectionTopics asked
Reasoning AbilitySyllogism
Inequality
Puzzles & Seating arrangement
Data sufficiency
Statement-based questions (Verbal reasoning)
Miscellaneous Questions
Input-Output
Blood relations
Coding-Decoding
Quantitative AptitudeNumber Series
Data Interpretations
Quadratic Equations
Simplification/ Approximation
Data Sufficiency
Arithmetic Questions
Quantity Comparisons
Mathematical Inequalities
English LanguageCloze test
Reading Comprehension
Fill in the blanks
Para Jumbles
Sentence improvement
Spotting the errors
Sentence rearrangement
New pattern questions
General AwarenessThe questions in this test will be from Current Affairs Banking and Economy, and Insurance.
In current affairs, questions can be asked about recent appointments, awards, honors, sports, new schemes, national and international news, and the latest developments in science and technology.
Computer KnowledgeThis section covers topics like Networking, Input-output devices, DBMS, MS Office, the Internet, the History of computers & generations, and Shortcuts.

NABARD Grade A Mains Syllabus 2023

The NABARD Grade A mains syllabus includes subject-specific questions, therefore applicants must be well-versed in all important sections of the syllabus for the mentioned topics. Phase 2 of the NABARD Grade A exam 2023 consists of an Online Objective test & Online Descriptive Test. The subject wise of mains examination is listed below:-

Paper 1: English Writing

Essay, Précis writing, Comprehension, and Business/Office Correspondence. The paper on English shall be framed in a manner to assess the writing skills, including expressions and understanding of the topic.

Paper 2: Economic and Social Issues

This paper will include the subjects of Economic & Social issues. You must know what the specific topics that you have to study for this paper are. Here are the names of the topics:-

(a) Economic & Social Issues:-

Questions in this subject will be from the sections on the nature of the Indian economy, Inflation, Agriculture, etc. Check the specific topic names from the table given below and make your study plan accordingly.

Name of SectionTopics asked
Nature of the Indian EconomyStructural and Institutional features
Economic Underdevelopment
Opening up the Indian Economy
Globalization
Economic Reforms in India
Privatization.
InflationTrends in Inflation & their Impact on the National Economy and Individual Income.
Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in IndiaPopulation Growth and Economic Development
Population Policy in India.
Population TrendsPopulation Growth and Economic DevelopmentPopulation Policy in India.
AgricultureCharacteristics / Status
Technical and Institutional changes in Indian Agriculture
Agricultural performance
Issues in Food Security in India
Non-Institutional and Institutional Agencies in rural credit.
IndustryIndustrial and Labour Policy
Industrial performance
Regional Imbalance in India’s Industrial Development
Public Sector Enterprises.
Rural banking and financial institutions in IndiaReforms in the Banking/ Financial sector.
Globalization of EconomyRole of International Funding Institutions
IMF & World Bank
WTO
Regional Economic Cooperation.
Social Structure in IndiaMulticulturalism
Demographic trends
Urbanization and Migration
Gender Issues Joint family system
Social Infrastructure
Education
Health and Environment.
EducationStatus & System of Education
Socio-Economic Problems Associated with Illiteracy
Educational relevance and educational wastage
Educational Policy for India.
Social JusticeProblems of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes
Socio-economic programmes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other backward classes.
Positive Discrimination in favor of the underprivilegedSocial Movements
Indian Political Systems
Human Development

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(b) NABARD Grade A Agriculture & Rural Development Syllabus:-

The questions for this post will be on the subjects of Agriculture, Water resources, Soil & Water Conservation, Plantation, etc. Make sure you do not miss any topic. The NABARD Grade A rural development syllabus covers the topics and subjects around the methods and concepts related to development in rural areas.

Name of SectionTopics asked
AgricultureDefinition, meaning, and its branches
Agronomy: Definition, meaning, and scope of agronomy.
Classification of field crops.
Factors affecting crop production
Agro Climatic Zones
Cropping Systems: Definition and types of cropping systems.
Problems of dry land – Seed production, seed processing, seed village
Meteorology: weather parameters, crop-weather advisory
Precision Farming
System of Crop Intensification
Organic farming
Soil and Water ConservationMajor soil types
Soil fertility
Fertilizers
Soil erosion
Soil conservation
Watershed management
Water ResourceIrrigation Management
Types of irrigation
Sources of irrigation
Crop-water requirement
Command area development
Water conservation techniques
Micro-irrigation
Irrigation pumps
Major, medium and minor irrigation.
Farm and Agri EngineeringFarm Machinery and Power
Sources of power on the farm- human, animal, mechanical, electrical, wind, solar and biomass, biofuels
Water harvesting structures
Farm Ponds
Agro-Processing
Controlled and modified storage, perishable food storage, godowns, bins, and grain silos.
Plantation & HorticultureDefinition, meaning, and branches
Agronomic practices and production technology of various plantation and horticulture crops
Post-harvest management, value, and supply chain management of Plantation and Horticulture crops.
Animal HusbandryFarm Animals and their role in the Indian Economy
Animal husbandry methods in India
Common terms about different species of livestock
Utility classification of breeds of cattle.
Introduction to common feeds and fodders, their classification, and utility.
Introduction to the poultry industry in India (past, present, and future status)
Common terms about poultry production and management
The concept of mixed farming and its relevance to socio-economic conditions of farmers in India
Complementary and obligatory nature of livestock and poultry production with that of agricultural farming.
FisheriesFisheries resources
Management and exploitation – freshwater, brackish water, and marine
Aquaculture- Inland and marine
Biotechnology
Post-harvest technology
Importance of fisheries in India
Common terms about fish production.
ForestryBasic Concepts of Forest and Forestry
Principles of Silviculture, forest mensuration, forest management, and forest economics
Concepts of social forestry, agroforestry, and joint forest management
Forest Policy and legislation in India, India State of Forest Report 2015
Recent developments under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Agriculture ExtensionsIts importance and role, methods of evaluation of extension programs
Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK) in disseminating agricultural technologies.
Ecology and Climate ChangeEcology and its relevance to man, natural resources, sustainable management, and conservation
Causes of climate change, Greenhouse Gases (GHG), major GHG emitting countries, climate analysis
Distinguish between adaptation and mitigation
Climate change impact on agriculture and rural livelihoods
Carbon credit
IPCC, UNFCCC, CoP meetings
Funding mechanisms for climate change projects
Initiatives by Govt of India, NAPCC, SAPCC, INDC.
Present Scenario of Indian Agriculture and Allied ActivitiesRecent trends
Major challenges in agriculture measures to enhance
Viability of agriculture Factors of Production in agriculture
Agricultural Finance and Marketing
Impact of Globalization on Indian Agriculture and Issues of Food Security
Concept and Types of Farm Management.
Rural DevelopmentConcept of Rural Area
Structure of the Indian Rural Economy
Importance and Role of the rural sector in India
Economic, Social, and Demographic Characteristics of the Indian rural economy
Causes of Rural Backwardness.
Rural population in India
Occupational structure
Farmers, Agricultural Laborers, Artisans, Handicrafts, Traders, Forest dwellers/tribes, and others in rural India
Trends of change in rural population and rural workforce
Problems and Conditions of rural labor
Issues and challenges in Hand-looms
Panchayati Raj Institutions – Functions and Working.
MGNREGA, NRLM – Aajeevika, Rural Drinking Water Programmes, Swachh Bharat, Rural Housing, PURA, and other rural development programs.

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The Key to Ace the NABARD Grade A 2023 Exam

You know what to do and how to do it, but do you know how well you can do it? NABARD Grade A Mock Tests will show you your strengths and weaknesses and help you cover the entire syllabus quickly. Take action now and take two Mock Tests today and get ready for the real exam. Try a free NABARD Grade A Mock Test and learn how to measure your performance. Do this and you will be surprised by your progress in a few days.

Asad Yar Khan

I write and oversee the creation of informative educational blogs centering around study strategies, exam techniques, and more, to guide aspirants in clearing SSC, banking, engineering, and other competitive exams. I ensure a range of subjects are covered with precision and clarity. With over 7 years of diverse writing experience, I share a wealth of wisdom and expertise with thousands of students, through PracticeMock every day, helping them achieve their goals.

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