NABARD Grade A & B 2022 Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Mock Tests, Books, and Preparation Strategy
Topics Covered: NABARD Grade A & B 2022 Selection Criteria, Exam Pattern (Prelims, Mains & Interview), Grade A & Grade B Syllabus (Phase 1 & Phase 2), Preparation Strategy, Best Books for Grade A & B & Mock Tests
Getting selected for a government job is often considered to be one of the greatest accomplishments that one can hope to achieve in a country like India, and it gets even harder if the government job is question is that of the NABARD Grade A, or Grade B officer.
I say that because to crack the NABARD Grade A or Grade B exams, takes a lot of hard work and planning.
That said the best way one can crack the exam is by a thorough study of the exam patterns of the NABARD Grade A and Grade B exams, a sincere knowledge of the NABARD Grade A and/or Grade B syllabus, and an effective preparation strategy drafted accordingly.
Then comes the hardest job of sticking to the NABARD Grade A/Grade B preparation strategy.
Apart from all of the above, you’d also need to make sure to refer to the right books to cover the NABARD Grade A or Grade B syllabus, and also solve as many mock tests as you can to tests yourself on your knowledge. Mock tests would play a huge role in uncovering your strengths and weaknesses.
Having mentioned all of that, I now think you might have a pretty good idea what this article is going to be about. In it I am going to talk in detail about the topics of the NABARD Grade A & B selection process, their exam patterns, the NABARD Grade A and Grade B syllabus, the NABARD Grade A & B preparation strategy, Books and Mock tests.
Seems like a lot?
Don’t worry, I have simplified and organised all this information in this blog.
So, without wasting any time, let’s get going.
Table of Content – NABARD Grade A & B Selection Criteria, Syllabus, Mock Test Series, Books & Preparation
1. Selection Process
1.1 Phase I Exam Pattern
1.2 Phase II Exam Pattern
1.3 Interview Selection
1.3.1 Interview Questions
2. Syllabus
2.1 Phase I Syllabus
2.2 Phase II Syllabus
3. Preparation Strategy
3.1 Study Plan
4. Best Books
5. Mock Tests
5.1 Benefits of Solving Mocks
Let us start with the selection process of the NABARD Grade A & Grade B Exams.
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Selection Process
NABARD Grade A and Grade B jobs are one of the most renowned in the country and it is equally difficult to get in.
So, let us talk about the various stages in the NABARD Grade A and Grade B selection process:
1. Preliminary Exam: Online Objective Test – Phase I
2. Mains Exam: Online Objective & Descriptive Test – Phase II
3. Interview – Phase III
The important thing to know about the phase 1 exam is that it’s qualifying in nature and is meant to serve as a screening test.
So, the marks secured in Phase I – Online preliminary examination will not be counted for final selection.
This is good news as you shouldn’t focus on scoring very high marks. You should only be focused on clearing this exam.
But why?
This is because you have limited time and you don’t want to over-prepare for a qualifying paper and give less time to Phase 2 which is more important.
Candidates who clear the cut off in the Preliminary Exam get a chance to give the phase 2 exam.
The marks from the phase 2 exam and the interview are combined to prepare the final selection list. So, you need to score as high as possible in the phase 2 exam.
Some Important Points about NABARD Selection
The list of final selected candidates will be made available on the official NABARD website within 1 month after the NABARD Interviews or Phase III, get over.
Just imagine that you cleared the Phase 2 (Mains) exam and enter the interview level. Let’s understand different scenarios.
- If you and some other students have equal marks in total (Phase 2 examination + interview taken together), the candidate with higher marks in the Phase 2 Examination will be ranked higher and be selected as an officer. That is why Phase 2 is said to be the most important phase.
- In case you and the other candidate are having equal marks in the Mains Examination. Then the candidate with higher qualifications will be selected. Let’s imagine that both of you have similar qualifications, the candidate with higher marks in graduation will be ranked higher and be selected as an officer. In case of a further tie, the candidate senior in age will be ranked higher.
Let us now talk about each and every stage I have talked about above, individually. This will let you know the amount of effort and time you need to give to each and every stage.
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Exam Pattern – Preliminary Exam (Phase 1)

Both the NABARD Grade A and Grade B exams are similar when it comes to their Prelims phase, both have the same syllabus, and exam pattern.
With that said note that both Phase 1 and 2 of both the exams are conducted online, so you do not get the satisfaction of scribbling on paper.
You will be assigned a center near your house. You will get a computer at that center and everything will stay online.
2 hours will be given to you to complete the exam so distribute your time accordingly between different sections. This will help you to understand the structure of the exam.
Let’s jump in.
The section-wise breakdown of both the NABARD Grade A & B Prelims exam pattern is given in the table below:
S.No. | Name of the Test | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Reasoning Ability | Qualifying Sections | 20 | 20 |
2. | English Language | 30 | 30 | |
3. | Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 | 4. | Quantitive Aptitude | 20 | 20 | 5. | Decision Making | 10 | 10 |
6. | General Awareness | Merit Sections | 20 | 20 |
7. | Economics & Social Issues (with focus on Rural India) | 40 | 40 | |
8. | Agriculture & Rural Development (with focus on Rural India) | 40 | 40 | |
Total | 200 | 200 |

About Anuj Jindal
━━━━
Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.
NABARD Grade A - Related Resources
Welcome to Anujjindal.in
What will you get after registering in this Free Course?
Free PDFs for Phase 1 & Phase 2 of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Detailed Information about Salary breakdown of NABARD Grade A.
Detailed Syllabus & Exam Pattern of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Breakdown of the whole Eligibility Criteria.
Preparation Strategy for NABARD Grade A Exam.
All Past Year Papers of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Free Mocks of Phase 1 & Phase 2 of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Top Books to Prepare for NABARD Grade A Exam.
Welcome to Anujjindal.in
What will you get after registering in this Free Course?
Free PDFs for Phase 1 & Phase 2 of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Detailed Information about Salary breakdown of NABARD Grade A.
Detailed Syllabus & Exam Pattern of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Breakdown of the whole Eligibility Criteria.
Preparation Strategy for NABARD Grade A Exam.
All Past Year Papers of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Free Mocks of Phase 1 & Phase 2 of NABARD Grade A Exam.
Top Books to Prepare for NABARD Grade A Exam.
Important to Note:
1. Qualifying Sections: Reasoning Ability, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Decision Making & Quantitative Aptitude.
2. Merit Sections: General Awareness, Economic & Social Issues (with emphasis on Rural India), Agriculture & Rural Development with a focus on rural India.
This means that you will be shortlisted for the Mains exam based on the marks of merit sections only and not the qualifying sections.
So, I would recommend you to give more time to merit sections of NABARD Grade A & Grade B Phase 1.
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Exam Pattern – Mains Exam (Phase II)

Let us now talk about the NABARD Grade A and Grade B exam pattern for the Mains exams.
The marks you obtain in this phase are taken into consideration while making the final list after the interview round. So, remember to score as high as possible.
That said, the Mains papers are almost similar for both the exams, apart from an extra paper in the case of the NABARD Grade B.
The difference between the Mains papers of the NABARD Grade A, and that of Grade B can be easily understood if you go through the exam pattern tables I have listed below.
This will help you to understand the amount of time that should be given to each question of every section.
NABARD Grade A 2022 Phase 2 Exam Pattern
Paper | Grade A | Types of Paper | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1 | General English | Online Descriptive | 3 | 100 | 90 Minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard |
Paper 2 | Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 Minutes | |
Descriptive Type | 6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each] | 50 | 90 Minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards) |
NABARD Grade B 2022 Phase 2 Exam Pattern
Paper | Grade A | Types of Paper | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1 | General English | Online Descriptive | 3 | 100 | 90 Minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard |
Paper 2 | Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 Minutes | |
Descriptive Type | 6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each] | 50 | 90 Minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards) | ||
Total | 100 | 120 minutes | ||||
Paper 3 | Development Economics, Statistics, Finance and Management | Objective | 30 | 50 | 30 Minutes | |
Descriptive Type | 6 questions will be asked, of which candidates will be required to attempt 4 questions [2 of 15 marks each (with difficulty level) and 2 of 10 marks each] | 50 | 90 Minutes | Descriptive Answers to be typed using keyboard either in English or Hindi (Remington and Inscript keyboards) | ||
Total | 100 | 120 minutes |
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Exam Pattern – Interviews (Phase III)
NABARD Grade A & Grade B Interviews are held after you clear the second phase of the respective exams. The Interview is the third and last phase of the Grade A and Grade B Selection Process.
That said, only the applicants who secure the minimum sectional cut offs and the overall cut offs, are permitted to show up for the NABARD Grade A or Grade B interview round.
NABARD tests your IQ and knowledge in the first two stages but they will test your personality in this stage.
They will try to analyze your decision-making ability throughout the NABARD interview round.
To show up for the NABARD Grade A or Grade B Interviews, candidates need to download the NABARD interview call letter which will be sent on the individual email of the applicants who have cleared the Phase 2 Exams respectively.
The NABARD Grade A interviews hold a weightage of 50 marks, whereas the NABARD Grade B interviews hold a weightage of 75 marks.
You have an option to choose the interview language, i.e., either in English or Hindi, before the interview rounds as per your convenience. All you have to do while appearing for the interview is be confident and stay calm.
You will have to face an interviewing panel that will mostly ask questions from your background.
The final merit list of both, the NABARD Grade A & Grade B exams will be based on the marks scored by the applicants in their Mains and Interview rounds.
If you clear all three phases including the NABARD interview, you will at that point be called to show up for the medical trial which will be the final hindrance between you and your dream of being a NABARD Grade A or Grade B Officer.
NABARD Interview Questions
Now this is something every candidate preparing for any government exam looks for, the interview questions. The interviewing panel can ask questions from anything under the sun but most of them stick to questions from your biodata form and some generic questions.
Now the questions that are asked from the biodata form differs from candidate to candidate as these questions come out directly from the information candidate has provided in the biodata form. So, one must prepare his biodata form thoroughly.
Second comes the generic questions that are asked to almost every candidate. These questions can be prepared by the candidate beforehand. I have also mentioned a few generic questions below.
Q1. Why do you want to work in NABARD?
Q2. Which department you would want to work in NABARD?
Q3. Questions about the gap years in profile.
Q4. Question about the last job.
Q5. Question about the relevance of education in graduation/PG in the job in NABARD (especially in the case of non-commerce fields)
Q6. Latest NABARD news, or actions taken by NABARD
Q7. Which subject you liked the most in school and college and why?
Q8. Miscellaneous questions related to biodata.
Q9. How can your skills as mentioned in the profile be suitable for NABARD?
Q10. Your salary and position in your current job are already good, why NABARD then?
Q11. There is nothing in your profile that shows an interest or experience in agricultural banking, so why should we take you in?
These were the few generic questions that a candidate must prepare before appearing in front of the interviewing panel because I am certain that every candidate who is appearing for the NABARD Interview will definitely face a few of the above-mentioned NABARD Interview Questions.
NABARD Grade A & Grade B Syllabus 2022
Let’s dive into the NABARD Grade A & Grade B syllabus as it is a little bit confusing but we must understand the NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2022 or the one for Grade B to do well in the exams.
Right?
You can also go through the syllabi of Grade A and Grade B from the official exam notification but it’s very confusing. They use difficult words and it’s all messy. To know the details of the notification, check the linked blog.
I have sorted it out and lined up the topics to make them easier to read.
Before jumping into the syllabi of the NABARD Grade A and Grade B exams directly, let’s go back in time a little bit.
Do you remember the time when we didn’t have a lot of tuition during our school time?
Well, I am not talking to those people who had rich parents. I am talking to people like me.
My mother used to teach me till 7-8th class. She used to sit with me for hours. It was her task to find the syllabus for me. Go through that syllabus first and help me out with my studies.
Well, whom am I kidding here?
My mother not just helped me, she did all the work.
Well, I am not saying that I can take your mother’s place to help you analyse the syllabus and study. But I will definitely try to help you in every way possible.
So let’s start with the Grade A 2022 syllabus for the phase 1 paper as the NABARD Grade B syllabus for phase 1 is also exactly the same:
NABARD Grade A & Grade B Syllabus: Phase 1
As mentioned earlier in the exam pattern there are 8 sections in the syllabus of Phase 1 exam of both NABARD Grade A & Grade B. These sections include ARD (Agriculture & Rural Development) & ESI (Economic & Social Issues). ARD & ESI are also subjects in Phase 2.
The syllabus for ARD & ESI remains the same in Phase 1 & Phase 2 for both NABARD Grade A & Grade B. Only the difficulty level varies from Phase 1 to Phase 2 i.e., the difficulty level of ARD & ESI in Phase 2 is more than their difficulty level in Phase 1.
Thus, the syllabus for ARD & ESI are provided in their respective sections below while the syllabus for the remaining 6 sections of Phase 1 is provided in the table below:
Name of Section | Topics Asked |
---|---|
Reasoning Ability | Puzzles & Seating Arrangement Syllogism Data Sufficiency Statement Based Questions (Verbal Reasoning) Inequality Miscellaneous Questions Input - Output Blood Relations Coding - Decoding |
Quantitative Aptitude | Data Interpretations Quadratic Equations Number Series Simplification/Approximation Data Sufficiency Arithmetic Questions Quantity Comparisons Mathematical Inequalities |
English Language | Reading Comprehension Cloze Test Sentence Improvement Spotting the Errors Fill in the Blanks Sentence Rearrangement Para Jumbles New Pattern Questions |
General Awareness | Questions based on Current Affairs, Banking, Economy, and Insurance. Current Affairs questions will be based on recent appointments, sports, awards, and honours, new schemes, international and national news, latest science and technological developments. |
Decision Making | Interpreting Information, Recognising Assumptions, Situation-based question, Case Studies |
Computer Knowledge | Topics like Input - Output devices, Networking, DBMS, MS Office, Internet, History of Computer & Generations, Shortcuts. |
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Syllabus: Phase 1 & 2 – ARD
Topic Name | Syllabus Detail |
---|---|
Agriculture | Definition, Meaning and its Branches Agronomy: Definition, Meaning, and Scope of Agronomy Classification of Field Crops Factors Affecting Crop Production Argo Climatic Zones Types of Cropping Systems and their Definitions Problems faced if land is dry - Seed Production & Processing, and Seed Village Meteorology: Weather Parameters, Crop-Weather Advisory Precision Farming System of Crop Intensification Organic Farming |
Soil and Water Conservation | Major Soil Types Soil Fertility Fertilisers Soil Erosion Soil Conservation Watershed Management |
Water Resource | Irrigation 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 |
Agri and Farm Engineering | Power and Machinery related to Farms Power Sources on the farm - animal, human, electrical, mechanical, wind, biomass and solar, biofuels Water Harvesting Structures Farm Ponds Agro Processing Modified & controlled storage, storage of perishable foods, bins, godowns, and grain silos. |
Horticulture & Plantation | Meaning, Definition, and its Branches Production Technology and Agronomic practices with respect to various horticulture and plantation crops. Value and supply chain management of Horticulture & Plantation crops, Post-harvest management of the same. |
Animal Husbandry | Farm animals and their role in the Indian economy. Animal husbandry methods in India. Commonly used terminologies pertaining to the different species of livestock. Utility classification of breeds of cattle. Introduction to common fodders and feeds, their utility and classification. Introduction to the industry of poultry in India. Common terms pertaining to poultry production and management. Socio-Economic implications of mixed farming on the farmer in India and the concept of mixed farming. Livestock and Poultry production and their obligatory and complementary relationship with that of agricultural farming. |
Fisheries | Fisheries Resources Exploitation and management – marine water, freshwater, and brackish water. Aquaculture- Inland and Marine Biotechnology Post-Harvest Technology Importance of fisheries in India. Common terms pertaining to fish production. |
Forestry | Basic concepts of Forest and Forestry Management, mensuration, and Economics regarding Forests, and the Principles of silviculture. Concepts of agroforestry, social forestry, joint forest management. Legislation and Policies regarding forests in India, 2015 Report on the State of forests in India. Ministry of Forest, Environment, and Climate change Ministry of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change and Recent developments under them. |
Agriculture Extensions | Its role and importance, evaluations methods of extension programmes. KVK’s (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) role in the dissemination of technologies based on Agriculture. |
Ecology and Climate Change | Ecology and how it is relevant to man, sustainable management and conservation of natural resources. Climate change and its causes, GHGs (Green House Gases), countries emitting high amounts of GHGs, and climate analysis. Distinguish between adaptation and mitigation. Climate change and its impact on rural livelihoods and agriculture. Carbon credit IPCC, UNFCCC, CoP meetings Funding mechanisms for climate change projects Indian government initiatives like SAPCC, NAPCC, INDC. |
Present Scenario of agriculture and allied activities in India | Trends of recent times Major challenges in agriculture measures to enhance. Viability of agriculture Factors of Production in agriculture Agricultural Finance and Marketing Globalisation and its impacts on Indian Agriculture and the issue of food security. Concept and Types of Farm Management. |
Rural Development | Concept of Rural Area Structure of the Indian Rural Economy. Rural sector of India and its importance and role. Social, Demographic, and Economic characteristics of the rural economy of India. Causes of Rural Backwardness. Rural population in India Occupational structure Agricultural Laborers, Handicrafts, Tribes/Forest dwellers, Farmers, Artisans, Traders and others in the rural parts of India. Changing trends in rural workforce and rural population in India. Problems and conditions of rural labour Issues and challenges in Hand-looms. Panchayati Raj Institutions – Functions and Working. NRLM, MGNREGA – Drinking Water Programmes in Rural India, Aajeevika, Swachh Bharat, Housing in Rural Area, PURA, and other programs related to rural development. |
As mentioned earlier, the syllabus of ARD is exactly the same in Phase 1 & Phase 2, only the difficulty level varies.
I will be covering the Phase 1 & 2 syllabi of Economic & Social Issues below:
NABARD Grade A & Grade B 2022 Syllabus: Phase 1 & 2 – ESI
Topic Name | Syllabus Detail |
---|---|
Indian Economy and Its Nature | Institutional & Structural Features Economic Underdevelopment Opening Up the Indian Economy Globalization Economic Reforms in India Privatization |
Inflation | Various trends regarding inflation and the impacts they have on Individual Income and National Economy |
Employment Generation & Poverty Alleviation in India | Urban & Rural Measurement of Poverty Poverty Alleviation Programmes of the Government. |
Population Trends | Population Growth and Economic Development Population Policy in India. |
Agriculture | Characteristics / Status Technical and Institutional changes in Indian Agriculture Agricultural performance Issues in Food Security in India Non-Institutional and Institutional Agencies in rural credit. |
Industry | Industrial and Labour Policy Industrial Performance Regional Imbalance in India's Industrial Development Public Sector Enterprises. |
Financial Institutions and Rural banking in India | Reforms in the Financial Sector / Banking. |
Economic Globalization | International Funding Institutions and their roles IMF & World Bank WTO Regional Economic Co-operation. |
Social Structure in India | Multiculturalism Demographic Trends Urbanization and Migration Gender Issues Joint Family System Social Infrastructure Education Health and Environment. |
Education | Status & System of Education Socio-Economic Problems Associated with Illiteracy Educational Relevance and Educational Wastage Educational Policy for India. |
Social Justice pertaining to the various castes and classes | Problems of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes Socio-economic programmes directed towards Scheduled castes, Scheduled tribes, and Other Backward Classes. |
Positive Discrimination or steps to favour the underprivileged classes | Social Movements Indian Political Systems Human Development |
As mentioned earlier, the syllabus of ESI is exactly the same in Phase 1 & Phase 2, only the difficulty level varies.
Another thing to note down is that the Phase 2 papers of NABARD Grade A and Grade B have exactly the same syllabus, except for an extra paper called “Paper 3” in the NABARD Grade B phase 2 exam. I will be covering the syllabus for Paper 3 below.
NABARD Grade B 2022 Syllabus: Phase 2 – Paper 3
Paper 3 comprises subjects of Development Economics, Statistics, Finance & Management. The syllabus is provided below:
Topic Name | Syllabus Detail |
---|---|
Development Economics | Measures of development Economic Underdevelopment Economic Development Models Rold of subsidies importance of savings and investment Importance of agriculture Terms of trade in agriculture Development issues in India – Post-2015 Agenda |
Statistics | Basic statistical concepts Summarizing of data Frequency distribution Measures of Central Tendency Relative dispersion Elementary Probability Relative Frequency Approach sampling Axiomatic Approach Analysis of frequency distribution Correlation Regression Sampling Methods Time Series Analysis |
Finance | Financial system in India Regulation of Banks & Financial Institutions Banking and Financial Institutions in India Financial System- Features, Characteristics and Issues Micro Finance Its Significance and Importance Union Budget Project finance- Assessment and Sources for block capital working capital Infrastructure financing- Risk Management in Banking Sector Sources of capital instruments and methods salient features Development finance- scope and needs of development finance Concept of project cycle management Private and Social Cost Benefit significance of development finance Financial Inclusion – Use of Technology Public Private Partnership |
Management | its nature and scope; The Management Processes Planning Organisation Staffing Directing and Controlling The Role of a Manager in an Organisation |
Leadership | The Tasks of a Leader Leadership Styles Leadership Theories A successful Leader versus an effective Leader |
Human Resource Development | Concept of HRD Goals of HRD Performance Appraisal Potential appraisal and development Performance Counselling Career Planning Training and Development Rewards Employee Welfare Motivation Morale and Incentives Theories of Motivation How Managers Motivate Concept of Morale Factors determining morale Role of Incentives in Building up Morale |
Communication | Steps in the Communication Process Communication Channels Oral versus Written Communication Verbal versus non-verbal Communication upward downward and lateral communication Barriers to Communication Role of Information Technology Corporate Governance Factors affecting Corporate Governance Mechanisms of Corporate Governance |
How to Prepare for NABARD Grade A & B Exams?
I always tell my students that a sound preparation strategy combined with daily practice is the key to crack any exam.
To begin your NABARD Grade A & B preparation, you’d need to solve a few test series to gauge yourself on your strengths and weaknesses. By doing so, you’ll be able to know which areas of the NABARD syllabus you’d have to work extra hard on.
Practice on a daily basis from my Grade A & B mock tests here and make a great strategy to clear the exam.
This is the way you can frame your preparation strategy as well. To know more about how to create a good NABARD Grade A & B preparation strategy, you might want to go through this document to curate your own personalised strategy.
I have shared this document as it becomes difficult for students to create a strategy.
It is now my responsibility that you get the right strategy, material, and guidance so that the day, you step into the examination hall, is not an anxious, nervous day but a confident, proud day for you.
To start you off, let me provide you some high-quality study material.
If we consider life as a game and the hurdle of clearing your examination as an important stage that determines the further stages, then you need 2 things- intense fighting skills and the right ammunition to knock down your enemies and emerge victorious by the end of this stage.
Do not worry, I am that person who can teach you fighting skills and provide the right ammunition for your fight.
Let us now come out of our gaming zone and get right into the preparation.
NABARD Grade A & B Study Plan
In this section, I will help you prepare a study plan that should help you understand which phase to focus on and how much to do it, all taking into account the number of hours you can allocate on a daily basis.
It has been designed keeping in mind the following:
- Your academic qualification
- No. of hours you dedicate for your NABARD Grade A & B preparation
Let us understand some basic points so that you can go through the table successfully:
- Your academic qualification has been used to classify you into one of the 2 categories:
Category 1
If you belong to the first category, you are either “Above average in phase 1 & new in phase 2”
Category 2
If you belong to the second category, you are “new in both phase 1 and phase 2”.
- Another classification has been made, based on the number of hours you can dedicate consistently. The division of your total hourly commitment per day into hours spent on phase 1 and hours spent on phase 2 has been made in the below table.
You can fall into any one of the following categories:
You can allocate
- Less than 3 hours a day
- 3 to 6 hours a day
- More than 6 hours a day
You might be good at some aspects of Phase 1 or Phase 2 but are assumed to be requiring improvement in some other factors. Keeping that in mind, time allocation has been made between Phase 1 and Phase 2 in your study plan.
Having understood the above points, let us now go through the image:

You finally know the number of hours you need to give to each phase based on your current preparation.
In the image below you can check the suggested study sequence for NABARD Grade A & B:

NABARD Grade A Books
In this section, I will be helping you out with the various books out there that you can use to cover the Grade A & Grade B Syllabus 2022.
The books suggested below for NABARD Grade A are the same that should be used to cover the respective sections of the Grade B as well.
It’s great to see that you are still sticking around.
Now it’s time to find out a way to cover this huge syllabus and clear its cut offs. To know more about NABARD Grade A cut off you can check out my blog on the same.
There are hundreds of books out there but I have handpicked some for you to cover the syllabus. There is no single book to cover the Grade A & Grade B syllabus.
Each subject has different books and it is most likely that you need to read 2-3 for each subject. I know it is a lot but you get to clear the exam.
Right?
So let’s talk about NABARD Grade A & Grade B Books for different sections and subjects.
Best Books for NABARD Grade A – Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language
I used to recommend a combination of books – Arun Sharma, Banking Services Chronicles (BSC) books, and TIME material for CAT as NABARD Grade A Phase 1 Preparation Books.
I did this because there are no specific NABARD Grade A Exam Books for Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language.
But then the issue was that the level of Grade A Examination is different from CAT and other examinations.
So, I myself wrote a book – “Phase 1 & Past Years’ Questions Book“. This Book caters to the needs of the candidates aspiring for NABARD Grade A Examination & helps them for Phase 1 Preparation.

The book involves 850 Pages containing 2000+ MCQs covering a far-reaching and comprehensive inclusion of the complete syllabus of Phase 1 and Past Year Papers.
Answers with an explanation of every question have been given toward the finish of each question to help you understand the topic simultaneously.
Another advancement in the book is that every chapter is partitioned into 3 portions, for example, Simple, Medium, and Difficult to invigorate movement in the learning.
Phase I & Past Years' Questions Book
2nd Edition- This Book caters to the needs of the candidates aspiring for NABARD Grade A & B Examinations & helps them for Phase 1 Preparation.
- The book comprises 850 Pages containing 2000+ MCQs covering a comprehensive and holistic coverage of the complete syllabus of Phase 1 & Past Year Papers.
- Explanations have been given at the end of each question to help the students.
- Another innovation in the book is that each topic is divided into 3 segments i.e. Easy, Medium & Difficult to stimulate progression in the learning.
Best Books for NABARD Grade A – General Awareness
- Spotlight
- Financial Express or Livemint
- Monthly Magazines like Banking Services Chronicles
Best Books for NABARD Grade A – Computer Knowledge
- Computer Awareness – Arihant Publication
- Objective Computer Knowledge and Literacy – Kiran Publication
Best Books for NABARD Grade A – Economic and Social Issues (ESI)
- Indian Economy NCERT 11th
- Macroeconomics NCERT 12th
- Ramesh Singh- Indian economy
- Indian Economy- Uma Kapila (Performance and policies)
- Social problems in India- Ram Ahuja
- Indian Polity- Laxmikanth
- Economic survey for the year
- Union Budget
- Pratiyogita Darpan Indian Economy yearly version discharged after Union Budget
- NITI Aayog recent reports – selective
The NABARD Grade A Preparation Books I have mentioned above for ESI comprise of sources for both Phase 1 as well as Phase 2.
Best Books for NABARD Grade A – Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD)
- Objective Agriculture – S.R. Kantwa – New Vishal Publications
- For Agricultural Field Officer IBPS-SO Book – Jain Brothers
- Agriculture Current Affairs – New Vishal Publications
- General Agriculture – Muniraj Singh Rathore – Jain Brothers
- A Competitive Book of Agriculture – Nem Raj Sundra
These were the Best NABARD Grade A Books for ARD Preparation in 2022 (for Phase 1 & 2). Apart from these ARD books, there are few other sources as well which students must cover in order to score maximum in the ARD Section.
- Agricultural Census provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.
- PIB Releases, i.e., Press Releases by Agriculture and Rural Department.
- Geographical knowledge of States and Soils present in those areas.
- Cover the Report provided by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
- Kurukshetra and Yojana Magazines with a focus on the Agriculture part in these Magazines.
- Cover the basics of ARD from the book by R.K. Sharma – Agriculture at a Glance.
- Go through the Reports provided by
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Ministry of Rural Development
- NABARD Website
- State of Forest Report which is provided Bi-annually by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The NABARD Grade A Preparation Books I have mentioned above for Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) comprise sources for both Phase 1 & Phase 2.
These books will definitely help you out and you can easily find all of them on amazon.
I didn’t mention the links here as sellers keep on changing. So it’s today’s task. Go online and find these books. I can’t spoon-feed you everything.
NABARD Grade A 2022 Mock Test Series
I can’t stress enough how much importance mock tests hold for NABARD Grade A exam.
They sync directly with the final part of the preparation i.e. ‘Practice’. I know everyone says that you should practice daily to accomplish anything in life.
Want to cook? Practice daily.
Want to ride a bike? Practice daily.
Similarly, want to clear any of the NABARD Exams? Practice Daily.
I have also made some free comprehensive mocks that you should take before starting your NABARD Grade A preparation to analyse where you stand right now.
NABARD Grade A mock tests not only help you practice but will give you an experience of the real exam.
The panel of these mocks is made exactly like the real exam.
You have the access to view all questions at once, see colour difference of the questions you skipped, questions you haven’t opened, and the questions you have attempted.
But I don’t want to just give you the exact panel. I want to give you more. So my technical team has made a specialised analysis page for you. You will get that after you complete each mock test.
You will be able to see your rank, marks, solutions, time spent on each section compared to the topper, heat graph, etc.
There are so many things that I can’t even list all of them here. So let’s not wait anymore.
Here is the link to the free comprehensive NABARD Grade A & Grade B mock test series.
Benefits of Solving NABARD Grade A & B Mock Test Series
Solving NABARD Grade A & B Mock Test Series will be extremely vital for your success in the exam. It should not only be important before you are done with the syllabus but also after that. I listed down below the benefits of solving the NABARD Mock tests.
- Solving the Free NABARD Grade A Mock Tests will help you sharpen your knowledge about the exams, and this holds even more true, towards the end of your preparation.
- Practicing on Mock tests will help you gain an instinctive understanding of how to solve the entire NABARD paper well before the exam duration, and that too with the highest possible efficiency.
- Since, the NABARD exams have negative markings in both phases. Therefore solving the NABARD Grade A and B mock test series will train you to avoid making silly mistakes in the actual exams.
- The greatest benefit of solving Mock tests is that you’ll get to identify the topics and subjects you are strong at and the ones you are weak at. That way you can work on your weaknesses more, and also further hone the areas you are already strong at.
Conclusion
So this was all about the Selection Procedure, Syllabus, Books of NABARD Grade A & Grade B examinations, and how to prepare for NABARD Grade A & B exams. I hope this blog has cleared all your doubts related to the above topics.
All the Best!!
Keep Learning!!
FAQs: NABARD Grade A Selection Criteria Syllabus Mock Tests Books and Preparation
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What should I study for the NABARD Grade A?
To make sure that you ace your NABARD Grade A exam, you need to prepare well, and to prepare well you’d need an excelling preparation strategy. To help you with the same I have given the preparation strategy and study tips for the NABARD Grade A in detail in the blog given above. Go through it.
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What is the syllabus of NABARD Grade A?
The NABARD Grade A syllabus is pretty vast, it comprises 8 sections in Phase 1 – Reasoning Ability (20 Marks), English Language (30 Marks), Computer Knowledge (20 Marks), Quantitive Aptitude (20 Marks), Decision Making (10 Marks), General Awareness (20 Marks), ESI (40 Marks) & ARD (40 Marks).
While the last 2 sections of Phase 1 become complete subjects for the phase 2 exam. The syllabus for those 2 remains the same just the difficulty level and maximum marks change. To check the syllabus of these 8 sections in detail, read the relevant section on this blog above.
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Is there any negative marking in the exam?
Yes, there is a negative marking in the exam. For every wrong answer, you will lose 25 percent of the marks assigned for the question.
So, suppose a question is of 2 marks, then answering it wrongly would set you back by 0.5 marks.
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What type of questions are asked in the mains exam?
Paper I of the mains exam is descriptive type. General English comprises questions from essay writing, comprehension, report writing, paragraph writing & letter writing.
As far as paper 2 of the mains exam is concerned it contains objective-type questions from the subjects of Economics and Social Issues, and Agriculture & Rural Development.
To know more about the selection process and exam pattern you can check it out on this blog itself.
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Which books are best for NABARD Assistant Manager Grade A?
Books are extremely important when it comes to NABARD Grade A exams. Well, actually not just books, but the right books are what you need to make it in the exam. For example, for General Awareness, books like “Spotlight” would help, then for Computer knowledge, “Computer Awareness – by Arihant Publication” is the best, so on and so forth.
To know more about the names of the NABARD Grade A books you can read about them in my blog on the same topic.
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How can I prepare for NABARD Grade B 2022?
To prepare for the NABARD Grade B 2022 exam, you’d need an excellent preparation strategy, good books, well-designed mocks, hard work, determination, and the right guidance. To know about how to prepare for the NABARD Grade B 2022 in detail you should read the preparation strategy section of the blog that I have written above.
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How is NABARD Grade A different from NABARD Grade B?
Well, the NABARD Grade A and NABARD Grade B are two officer level posts of the organization of NABARD. The main difference between the NABARD Grade A and Grade B posts is that the Grade B post is a step higher than the Grade A. Also, that both have their own exams, the NABARD Grade B exam being a little tougher than the Grade A one.
From the standpoint of exam pattern the NABARD Grade A and NABARD Grade B exams are almost similar except for one extra paper in the Phase 2 exam of the NABARD Grade B recruitments. To know more about the exam pattern and syllabus of the two exams in detail read that blog that is given above carefully. Furthermore, if you wish to know about the NABARD Grade A and Grade B in their entirety, check out the NABARD complete info blog that I have written.
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How to prepare for NABARD Grade A 2022 exam?
NABARD Grade A preparation includes a series of steps:
- Attempting a mock to find out your strengths and weaknesses.
- Dividing the syllabus according to you’re the subjects you might be weak or strong at.
- After that you should prepare week-wise, strengthening your week points and honing your strong points further.
- Then you can attempt a mock again to identify remaining weaknesses.
- You should then repeat the process till you have no week points left.
Apart from the points, I have mentioned above, try to understand the exam pattern, syllabus, right study materials, and effective study plan. To create your own study plan, you can check out the NABARD preparation strategy section that I have written above.
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How can I prepare for the Interview round?
For the interview round, two things are really important for you to prepare. First one is the biodata form which you submit to NABARD before the interview as it contains all your personal, academic and professional information. The second one is the generic questions which I have mentioned above in the blog.
What will be the mains syllabus for Nabard Grade a agriculture or economics post.
I had recently completed,M.Sc botany,can I eligible to write NABARD exam
Hello Kausar,
You can ask your query on this number 9999466225 or mail us on info@anujjindal.in.
Thank you so much for such an exhaustive and detailed analysis of NABARD exam. I recently came across this exam and was very confused but not now. Again thanks a ton!
Hi Anand,
Glad to know you find informative.
Hello sir, Is agriculture and rural development included in syllabus for phase 2 (mains) for Nabard grade a, 2021. Notification mentions just Economic and social issues (table format). Please clarify
Hello Manish,
Yes, since Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) is mentioned in the syllabus, you should definitely prepare it well.