Understanding the complete SEBI Grade A 2024 exam pattern and syllabus is crucial to ensure that you choose study materials that are aligned with the demands of the exam, you can prioritize high-weightage sections, and also create a focused study plan.
In this article, we have explained the latest SEBI Grade A 2024 exam pattern and syllabus as per the official notification.
SEBI Grade A 2024 Pattern
According to the official notification of SEBI, the selection procedure of the SEBI Grade A 2024 exam is:
- Phase 1 (Pre)
- Phase 2 (Mains)
- Phase 3 (Interview)
Let’s start with understanding the official SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 pattern.
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Pattern
The SEBI Grade A Phase 1 (Prelims) exam is qualifying in nature and serves as a screening test to shortlist candidates for the next rounds of the examination. Here are the details of the SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 exam pattern:
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Pattern | ||||
| Paper | Subjects | Maximum Marks | Duration | Cut Off |
| Paper 1 | Multiple choice questions on General Awareness (including some questions related to the Financial Sector of easy to moderate difficulty level), English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning. | 100 | 60 Minutes | 30% |
| Paper 2 | General Stream: Multiple choice questions on Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act & Economics. | 100 | 40 Minutes | 40% |
| Aggregate Cut-Off | 40% | |||
Phase 1 consists of 2 papers, which we have explained below in detail.
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Paper 1
SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Paper 1 comprises 80 multiple-choice questions with a total of 100 marks (1.25 marks for each question) and is to be completed within 60 minutes. These questions are spread across four subjects (20 questions per subject), which include:
- General Awareness
- English
- Quantitative Aptitude
- Reasoning
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Paper 1 Pattern | |||
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| General Awareness | 20 | 25 | 60 minutes |
| English Language | 20 | 25 | |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 25 | |
| Reasoning | 20 | 25 | |
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Paper 2
The SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Paper 2 for the general stream comprises 100 marks, and 40 minutes are given to complete the paper. It includes 50 multiple choice questions (2 marks each) covering a range of subjects, including:
- Commerce & Accountancy
- Management
- Finance
- Costing
- Companies Act
- Economics
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Paper 2 Pattern | |||
| Subjects | No of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 50 questions covering these 6 sections | 100 | 40 minutes |
| Accountancy | |||
| Management | |||
| Finance | |||
| Costing | |||
| Companies Act | |||
| Economics | |||
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Pattern: Additional Details
Here are other essential details of the SEBI Grade A officer Phase 1 pattern.
Mode
The SEBI Grade A Assistant Manager Phase 1 exam is conducted online. Candidates are required to tick the right answers on a computer screen.
Structure
SEBI Grade A prelims exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
Nature
SEBI Grade A Phase 1 exam is a qualifying round, where the marks obtained are exclusively used for shortlisting candidates for Phase 2. Phase 1 marks do not contribute to the final selection of candidates.
Language
Question papers for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 are available in both Hindi and English, except for the English language test.
Number of Questions
Paper 1 and Paper 2 consist of 80 and 50 questions, respectively.
Marks
The total marks for the SEBI Grade A Phase 1 exam are 200.
- Paper 1 consists of 100 marks, where each question is worth 1.25 marks.
- Paper 2 consists of 100 marks, where each question is worth 2 marks.
Cut-Off Marks
Since SEBI Grade A Phase 1 is qualifying, fixed cut-offs are set for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The cut-off for Paper 1 is a minimum of 30%, i.e., 30 marks out of 100, while for Paper 2, it is a minimum of 40%, i.e., 40 marks out of 100.
Candidates need to secure separate cut-offs in each paper, as mentioned above, as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 40%, i.e., 80 marks out of 200 in the Phase 1 exam to be shortlisted for Phase 2.
Important Note: There is no sectional cut-off.
Negative Marking
1/4th of the marks are deducted for each wrong answer, i.e.0.3125 marks for Paper 1 and 0.5 marks for Paper 2. No marks are deducted if a candidate leaves a question unanswered.
Time
Candidates get 60 minutes to complete the Paper 1 and 40 minutes for the Paper 2.
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 Pattern: Other Details | |
| Mode | Online |
| Structure | Objective-Type (MCQs) |
| Nature | Qualifying |
| Language | Hindi & English (Except the test of English) |
| Number of Questions | Paper 1: 80 Paper 2: 50 |
| Marks | Paper 1: 100 Paper 2: 100 |
| Cut-Off Marks | Paper 1: 30% Paper 2: 40% Aggregate: 40% |
| Sectional Cut-Offs | No |
| Negative Marking | 1/4th marks for every wrong answer 0.3125 marks for Paper 1 0.5 marks for Paper 2 |
| Total Duration | Paper 1: 60 minutes Paper 2: 40 minutes |
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Exam Pattern
As per the official notification, here is the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 (Mains) pattern:
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Pattern | |||||
| Paper | Subjects | Maximum Marks | Duration | Cut Off | Weightage |
| Paper 1 | English (Descriptive Test) | 100 | 60 Minutes | 30% | 1/3rd |
| Paper 2 | Multiple choice questions on Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, and Economics. | 100 | 90 Minutes | 40% | 2/3rd |
| Aggregate Cut-Off | – | – | 50% | – | |
Similar to the Phase 1 exam, the Phase 2 exam also consists of 2 papers.
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Paper 1
SEBI Grade A Phase 2 Paper 1 comprises descriptive English questions with a total of 100 marks and is to be completed within 60 minutes. It comprises three topics – essay, precis, and reading comprehension.
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Paper 1 Pattern | ||||
| Subject | Topic | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Descriptive English | Essay | 1 (out of 4 options) | 30 | 60 minutes |
| Precis | 1 | 30 | ||
| Reading Comprehension | 5 | 40 | ||
SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Paper 2
SEBI Grade A Phase 2 Paper 2 for the general stream comprises 100 marks, and 40 minutes are given to complete the paper. It includes 50 multiple choice questions (2 marks each) covering a range of subjects, including:
- Commerce & Accountancy
- Management
- Finance
- Costing
- Companies Act
- Economics
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 2 Paper 2 Pattern | |||
| Subjects | No of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 50 questions covering these 6 sections | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Management | |||
| Finance | |||
| Costing | |||
| Companies Act | |||
| Economics | |||
Now that you have understood the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam pattern, let’s take a look at some additional details.
SEBI Grade A Phase 2 Pattern: Additional Details
Here are some other essential details of the SEBI Grade A assistant manager phase 2 exam pattern.
Mode
The SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam is conducted online. For Paper 1, candidates respond to descriptive questions by typing their answers using the keyboard. For Paper 2, candidates answer objective questions by selecting answers on the screen.
Language
The Phase 2 exam is offered in Hindi and English languages, except for the descriptive English, which is solely in English.
Marks
The total marks for the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam are 200.
- Paper 1 consists of 100 marks, where Essay consists of 30 marks, Precis consists of 30 marks, and Reading Comprehension consists of 40 marks.
- Paper 2 consists of 100 marks, where each question is worth 2 marks.
Cut-Off Marks
SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam has specific minimum cut-off criteria. Candidates must score a minimum of 30% in Paper 1, i.e., 30 marks out of 100, and a minimum of 40%, i.e., 40 marks out of 100 in Paper 2. Furthermore, candidates need to secure aggregate cut-off marks of 50%, i.e., 100 marks out of 200 in the Phase 2 exam to be shortlisted for Phase 3. The aggregate marks are calculated with the weightage of 1/3rd for Paper 1 and 2/3rd for Paper 2.
E.g., if a candidate has appeared for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam and scored 90 and 60 marks, respectively. To calculate the aggregate marks:
For Paper 1, you take 1/3rd of the marks, which is (1/3) * 90 = 30 marks.
For Paper 2, you take 2/3rd of the marks, which is (2/3) * 60 = 40 marks.
Now, add these weighted marks to get aggregate marks:
1/3rd marks of Paper 1 + 2/3rd marks of Paper 2, i.e. 70 marks out of 100.
This is how the aggregate marks are calculated by assigning different weightages to Paper 1 and Paper 2, with Paper 2 carrying more weight in the final score.
Important Note: There are no sectional cut-offs.
Negative Marking
There is no negative marking for descriptive English. For Paper 2, there is 1/4th negative marking, i.e., 0.50 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer. No marks are deducted if a candidate leaves a question unanswered.
Duration
Candidates get 60 minutes to complete Paper 1 and 90 minutes for Paper 2.
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A Phase 2 Pattern Other Details | |
| Mode | Online |
| Language | Hindi & English (Except for the test of English) |
| Total Marks | Paper 1: 100 Paper 2: 100 |
| Cut-Off Marks | Paper 1: 30% Paper 2: 40% Aggregate: 50% |
| Sectional Cut-Offs | No |
| Weightage | Paper 1: 1/3rd Paper 2: 2/3rd |
| Negative Marking | 1/4th (0.50) for every wrong objective answer No negative marks for descriptive questions |
| Total Duration | Paper 1: 60 minutes Paper 2: 90 minutes |
Important Note: Typically, the number of candidates shortlisted for Phase 3 is approximately three times the number of available vacancies.
SEBI Grade A Interview Pattern
Candidates are shortlisted for interview based on their Phase 2 marks only (aggregate score of 2 papers). Here is the SEBI Grade A interview pattern:
- Mode: The interview is conducted in person at various exam centers.
- Language: You can take the interview in Hindi or English.
- Number of Questions: The number of questions varies depending on the panel.
- Marks: The interview marks are not mentioned in the official SEBI Grade A notification.
- Weightage: The weightage of marks obtained in Phase 2 is 85%, while marks obtained in the interview are given a weightage of 15%.
- Duration: The interview typically lasts between 20 and 45 minutes.
The above details have been summarised below.
| SEBI Grade A Interview Pattern | |
| Mode | In-person |
| Language | Hindi or English |
| Questions | Varies depending on the panel |
| Weightage | Phase 2: 85% Interview: 15% |
| Duration | 20 to 45 minutes |
| Marks | Not mentioned in official notification |
Final Selection
The final selection is based on the aggregate marks obtained in Phase 2 (Papers 1 and 2) and interview.
To calculate the final aggregate marks, let’s take the same example of a student who has scored 140 marks out of 200 in SEBI Grade A Phase 2. Normalize it to 100 marks for easy calculation, making it 70 marks out of 100. Now, apply the Paper 2 weightage of 85% to this score, which is 85% of 70 equals 59.5 marks.
In addition to Paper 2 Phase 2, let’s assume the student scores 6 marks during the interview, bringing the total to 59.5 + 6 = 65.5 marks.
So, the final aggregate marks for the student are 65.5.
Download the SEBI Grade A General exam pattern in a PDF.
Now, let’s talk about the SEBI Grade A 2024 exam syllabus.
SEBI Grade A 2024 Syllabus
In the official notification, SEBI has mentioned the detailed syllabus of Paper 2 for both phases. However, the official notification does not mention the detailed syllabus for Paper 1 of both Phases. We have analyzed the previous years’ questions (PYQs) to list down the decoded SEBI Grade A Paper 1 (both Phases) syllabus.
Click on the link “SEBI Grade A Syllabus” to download the complete Phase 1 and 2 syllabus.
Conclusion
Understanding the SEBI Grade A exam pattern and syllabus provides a roadmap for your preparation. This knowledge empowers you to start your preparation journey with confidence. By familiarizing yourself with the latest requirements, you can:
- Strategically compare the exam format to your strengths and background
- Pinpoint areas that need extra focus
- Select the most effective study materials
- Focus on the high-weightage sections
Ultimately it can help you craft a tailored study plan that maximizes your chances of cracking the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, all question papers (except the English Language test) are set in both Hindi and English, allowing you to choose your preferred language for answering.
Paper 1: All subjects carried equal marks, i.e., 25, making it a total of 10 marks.
Paper 2: There is no fixed subject-wise weightage.
The pass percentage of the SEBI Grade A exam is as follows:
Phase 1: Candidates must score 30% in Paper 1 and 40% in Paper 2. Additionally, their aggregate marks must be at least 40% to qualify for the Phase 1.
Phase 2: Candidates must score 30% in Paper 1 and 40% in Paper 2. Additionally, their aggregate marks must be at least 50% to be shortlisted for interview.
Final Selection: The final selection is made by adding 85% of the Phase 2 marks and 15% of the interview marks.
The SEBI Grade A Phase 2 carries 85% weightage and interview carries a weightage of 15% in the final selection process.
Yes, in 2024, SEBI has changed the Phase 2 Paper 2 duration from 40 minutes to 90 minutes.
The entire SEBI Grade A selection process, from the notification release to the final results, typically takes 6-7 months.
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