National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
NABARD Grade A 2026: Assistant Manager Recruitment
Quick Information
| Post Name | Assistant Manager (Grade A) — RDBS (Rural Development Banking Service), Rajbhasha, Protocol & Security |
| Total Vacancies | 102 |
| Salary | Pay Scale: ₹44,500–₹89,150/month basic + DA + HRA + Grade Pay. Total CTC approximately ₹12–14 lakhs per annum. NABARD Grade A officers also get excellent post retirement benefits and work-life balance. |
| Organization | National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) |
Application Fee
| General | ₹800 |
| OBC | ₹800 |
| SC / ST | ₹150 |
| Women | ₹800 |
| PH / Divyang | ₹150 |
Important Dates
| Start Date | 15 May 2026 |
| Last Date | 5 June 2026 |
| Exam Date | 26 July 2026 |
Eligibility
| Age Limit | 21–30 years as on June 1, 2026 (OBC +3 yrs, SC/ST +5 yrs, PwBD +10 yrs). For Protocol & Security: up to 40 years. |
| Education | RDBS (General): Bachelor's Degree with 60% (50% for SC/ST/PwBD). RDBS (Agriculture): B.Sc. (Agriculture/Allied) with 60%. Rajbhasha: Master's/Bachelor's Degree in Hindi with English. Law: Graduation in Law (LLB) with 60%. IT: B.E./B.Tech in CS/IT/ECE. |
Selection Process
- 1**Phase I — Preliminary Exam (Online
- 2Objective)** | Section | Questions | Marks | |---|---|---| | Test of Reasoning | 20 | 20 | | English Language | 30 | 30 | | Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 | | General Awareness | 20 | 20 | | Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 | | Economic & Social Issues (with focus on Rural India) | 40 | 40 | | Agriculture & Rural Development | 40 | 40 | | **Total** | **190** | **190** | Duration: 120 minutes. Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer. **Phase II — Main Exam (Online)** - Paper I: Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development (Objective) — 100 marks - Paper II: English (Descriptive — essay
- 3précis
- 4comprehension) — 100 marks **Phase III — Interview** Final round for shortlisted Phase II candidates. 25 marks. Tests domain knowledge
- 5analytical ability
- 6and communication.
How to Apply
Official Links
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What is NABARD Grade A?
NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is India's apex development bank for agriculture and rural infrastructure. A Grade A officer (Assistant Manager) is a Class I officer handling credit appraisal, rural development schemes, inspection, and policy implementation.
NABARD Grade A is considered a premium banking exam — the work is meaningful, the work-life balance is better than most commercial banks, and the pay and benefits are excellent.
Posts and Streams
| Stream | Vacancies (approx.) |
|---|---|
| RDBS — General | ~60 |
| RDBS — Agriculture | ~20 |
| Rajbhasha | ~5 |
| Law | ~5 |
| Information Technology | ~8 |
| Protocol & Security | ~4 |
| Total | ~102 |
Eligibility
Age Limit (as on June 1, 2026)
- General streams: 21–30 years
- Protocol & Security: Up to 40 years
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC | +3 years |
| SC/ST | +5 years |
| PwBD | +10 years |
Educational Qualification
| Stream | Minimum Qualification |
|---|---|
| RDBS (General) | Bachelor's Degree with 60% (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) |
| RDBS (Agriculture) | B.Sc. Agriculture/Allied Sciences with 60% |
| Rajbhasha | Master's/Bachelor's in Hindi (English as subject) |
| Law | LLB with 60% |
| IT | B.E./B.Tech in CS/IT/ECE |
| Protocol & Security | Bachelor's + prior service in defence/police |
Salary and Benefits
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹44,500/month |
| Dearness Allowance | ~₹18,000/month |
| HRA (metro posting) | ₹8,010/month |
| Grade Pay & Other Allowances | ~₹10,000/month |
| Gross Monthly (metro) | ~₹80,000–₹90,000/month |
| Annual CTC | ₹12–14 lakhs |
Other benefits: Staff housing loan, car loan at subsidised rates, LTC, group medical insurance, children's education allowance, and defined-benefit pension.
Exam Pattern
Phase I — Preliminary (Online Objective)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Test of Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 20 |
| Economic & Social Issues (focus: Rural India) | 40 | 40 |
| Agriculture & Rural Development | 40 | 40 |
| Total | 190 | 190 |
Time: 120 minutes. Negative marking: 0.25/wrong answer.
Phase II — Main Exam
- Paper I: Economic & Social Issues + Agriculture & Rural Development — 100 marks (Objective)
- Paper II: English — 100 marks (Descriptive: Essay 30 marks + Précis 20 marks + Comprehension 20 marks + Business/Office Correspondence 30 marks)
Phase III — Interview
25 marks. Conducted at NABARD regional offices.
Final merit = Phase II Paper I + Paper II + Interview marks.
Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Start | May 15, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | June 5, 2026 |
| Phase I (Prelims) | July 26, 2026 |
| Phase II (Mains) | September 2026 (expected) |
| Interview | October–November 2026 (expected) |
Preparation Strategy
What makes NABARD unique: The Agriculture & Rural Development section is NABARD-specific and carries high weightage. Most bank exam aspirants skip this — don't. It is very scoreable.
Agriculture & Rural Development: Study NABARD schemes (RIDF, NABFID, Kisan Credit Card), rural credit structure, cooperative banks, microfinance, FPO/SHG framework. NABARD publishes an annual report — read the key highlights.
Economic & Social Issues: India's budget priorities, GDP growth, inflation, monetary policy, rural employment data (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri schemes. The Economic Survey and Budget documents are key sources.
English Descriptive (Phase II): Practice essay writing (300–400 words) on rural economy, agriculture policy, digital banking. Practice précis writing — summarise a 400-word passage into 100 words. This is different from competitive exam English — start early.
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| NABARD Official Website | nabard.org |
| Apply Online | nabard.org → Career |
| Official Notification | nabard.org |