RBI Assistant Preliminary Examination Syllabus 2026
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
The RBI Assistant Preliminary Examination is the first stage of the RBI Assistant recruitment process. It is an online objective examination comprising three sections: English Language, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning Ability. Each section has a separate sectional timing of 20 minutes. Candidates who qualify the Preliminary Examination are shortlisted for the Main Examination. The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature, and its marks are not considered for the final merit list. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Duration
60 Minutes (20 Minutes per Section)
Marking
1 mark is awarded for every correct answer. The Preliminary Examination consists of 100 objective questions carrying a total of 100 marks.
Negative marking
0.25 (one-fourth) of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every incorrect answer. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.
Exam Pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
Subject-wise Syllabus
English Language
Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Fill in the Blanks, Error Detection, Sentence Improvement, Para Jumbles, Sentence Rearrangement, Word Swap, Phrase Replacement, Vocabulary, Synonyms & Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases, Spelling Errors
Numerical Ability
Number Series, Simplification, Approximation, Quadratic Equations, Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Partnership, Time & Work, Pipes & Cistern, Time, Speed & Distance, Boat & Stream, Mixture & Alligation, Ages, Permutation & Combination, Probability
Reasoning Ability
Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Syllogism, Inequality, Alphabet Series, Number Series, Order & Ranking, Input-Output, Data Sufficiency, Machine Input, Logical Reasoning, Statement & Conclusion
Preparation Tips
- Strengthen fundamentals of Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability.
- Practice puzzles, seating arrangements, and simplification questions daily.
- Improve English vocabulary and reading comprehension through newspapers and editorials.
- Attempt sectional and full-length mock tests regularly.
- Focus on speed and accuracy due to sectional timing.
- Analyze mock tests to identify weak areas and improve performance.
- Solve previous years' RBI Assistant Preliminary papers to understand the latest exam pattern and difficulty level.