The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) keeps an eye on the securities market and creates rules and guidelines to protect investors’ interests. The SEBI Grade A exam is an all-India exam designed to recruit Assistant Manager candidates. Around 70000+ applications were received in every year for the SEBI grade A exam. A SEBI grade A exam pattern analysis is all you need before appearing for the exam.
SEBI stands for the Securities and Exchange Board of India. It is the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing the securities markets in India. SEBI’s primary function is to protect the interests of investors, promote the development of the securities market, and regulate its activities to ensure that markets are fair, transparent, and efficient.
SEBI’s key roles include:
SEBI works to maintain confidence in the financial markets by ensuring that investors’ interests are safeguarded and market practices are transparent.
Familiarizing yourself with the SEBI Full Form Grade A Exam Pattern and Syllabus is crucial for any candidate starting their preparation. Before diving into the details of the syllabus for each subject, let’s first take a look at the key highlights for the SEBI Grade A Exam 2025 in the table below:
| Exam Conducting Body | Securities and Exchange Board of India |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | SEBI Grade A 2025 |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Category | Syllabus |
| Marking Scheme | +1 Mark for each correct answer, -¼ for each wrong answer |
| Total Marks | Phase I – 200 Marks, Phase II – 200 Marks |
| Negative Marking | ¼ mark deduction for incorrect answers |
| Selection Process | Phase-I: Online Examination Phase-II: Online Examination Phase-III: Interview Round |
| Official Website | https://www.sebi.gov.in/ |
This information provides a quick overview of the SEBI Grade A exam structure and selection process, helping you understand what to expect as you begin your preparation.
Phase I of the SEBI Grade A exam is an Online Screening Test consisting of two papers: Paper 1 and Paper 2. Below is a detailed breakdown of the SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern for Phase I.
| Exam | Paper | Subjects | Total Marks | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Screening Test | Paper 1 | General Awareness, Reasoning, Aptitude, English Language | 100 | 60 Minutes (1 Hour) |
| Paper 2 | Concerned Subjects from Chosen Stream | 100 | 40 Minutes | |
| Total | 200 |
This structure helps candidates understand the division of subjects, marks, and time allocation for each paper in the Phase I exam of SEBI Grade A.
Phase II of the SEBI Grade A exam is an online written exam that consists of two papers. The exam pattern for Phase II is outlined below.
| Exam | Paper | Subjects | Total Marks | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Examination | Paper 1 | English (Descriptive) | 100 | 60 Minutes |
| Paper 2 | Concerned Subjects from Chosen Stream | 100 | 40 Minutes (180 Minutes for IT Stream) |
This structure provides a clear breakdown of the subjects, marks, and time allocation for each paper in the Phase II exam of SEBI Grade A.
The SEBI Grade A Phase II exam pattern for the Legal stream comprises two papers. Both papers feature multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Paper 1 assesses English descriptive skills, while Paper 2 evaluates specialized legal knowledge. Below is the detailed exam pattern for the Legal stream.
| Paper | Subjects | Total Marks | Duration | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | MCQs on General Awareness (including questions on the Financial Sector), English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning | 100 | 60 minutes | 30% |
| Paper 2 | MCQs on specialized legal subjects related to the chosen stream | 100 | 40 minutes | 40% |
| Total | 200 | 100 minutes | 40% |
This pattern gives a comprehensive overview of the subjects, marks, and time duration for each paper in the SEBI Grade A Phase II exam for the Legal stream.
In the Information Technology Stream, the SEBI Grade A Phase II exam includes two papers. Paper 1 is a descriptive English test, while Paper 2 is a coding test, enabling candidates to demonstrate their proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Java, or Python. For more details, refer to the SEBI Grade A notification. Below is the detailed exam pattern for the IT stream.
| Paper | Subjects | Total Marks | Cut Off | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | English (Descriptive Test) | 100 | 30% | 1/3 |
| Paper 2 | Information Technology: Coding Test (C++/Java/Python) | 100 | 40% | 2/3 |
| Total | 200 | 50% |
This pattern provides a comprehensive breakdown of the subjects, marks, cut-off, and weightage for each paper in the SEBI Grade A Phase II exam for the Information Technology stream.
The SEBI Grade A Syllabus 2025 for the Online Written Exam is divided into two parts. Paper 1, which is common across all streams, includes topics like Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, General Awareness, and English Language. Paper 2 is focused on the syllabus related to the candidate’s selected stream. Below is a detailed breakdown of the SEBI Grade A syllabus for Paper 1.
The SEBI Grade A Syllabus for Paper 1 covers a range of subjects aimed at testing the general awareness and aptitude of candidates. This paper is designed to assess the overall aptitude and comprehension of relevant topics. Below is the detailed syllabus for Paper 1.
The General Awareness section in Paper 1 of Phase 1 focuses on evaluating the candidate’s knowledge of current events and developments. Key topics included in the syllabus for General Awareness are listed below:
| Subject | Syllabus Topics |
|---|---|
| General Awareness | History, Current Affairs, Geography, General Knowledge, Politics, Organizations, Recent Developments, General Science |
This section is critical for testing the candidate’s awareness of ongoing events and fundamental knowledge in various fields.
For the Maths section of the Phase 1 Screening Exam, candidates should focus on the following topics as part of the SEBI Grade A syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude.
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Area, Average, Interest, HCF and LCM, Probability, Time and Distance, Time and Work, Profit and Loss, Partnership, Squares and Square Roots, Pipes and Cistern, Volume |
These topics are crucial for candidates to understand and practice in order to perform well in the Quantitative Aptitude section of the SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Screening Exam.
For the Reasoning section of Paper 1 in the SEBI Grade A exam, candidates must focus on the following topics as per the syllabus.
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Reasoning Syllabus | Series, Coding-Decoding, Arrangements, Logical Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Blood Relations, Calendars, Cause and Effect, Clocks, Statement and Assumptions, Statement and Conclusions, Syllogism |
These topics are essential for building strong reasoning skills and will help candidates excel in the Reasoning section of the SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Screening Exam.
Candidates can refer to the SEBI Grade A syllabus for the English section of Paper 1 Phase 1 in the table below for a comprehensive overview of the topics to be covered.
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| English | Rules for Tenses, Rules for Prepositions, List of Prepositions, Rules and List of Conjunctions, Active and Passive Voice Rules, List of One Word Substitutions, List of Homophones/Homonyms, List of Synonyms and Antonyms, Idioms and Phrases, Spotting the Error, Article Rules, Direct & Indirect Speech Rules |
These topics are crucial for building proficiency in English and will help candidates prepare effectively for the English section of the SEBI Grade A Phase 1 Screening Exam.
The SEBI Grade A syllabus for Phase I Paper II differs depending on the stream. For the General and Research streams, the syllabus is the same for both Phase 1 and Phase 2. However, the Legal and Information Technology streams have distinct syllabi for Phase 1 and Phase 2.
The syllabus for the Legal stream in Phase I Paper 2 is as follows:
| Sl. No. | Subject | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Constitution of India (Preamble, Parts I, III, IV, IVA, V, VI, VIII, IXA, IXB, XI) | 20% |
| 2 | Contract Law – Indian Contract Act, 1872; Sale of Goods Act, 1930; Indian Partnership Act, 1932; Specific Relief Act, 1963 | 25% |
| 3 | Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VII, Schedule I) | 25% |
| 4 | Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (Chapters III, IV, V) | |
| 5 | Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (Part I) | |
| 6 | The Limitation Act, 1963 | |
| 7 | Administrative Law | 20% |
| 8 | Jurisprudence and Interpretation of Statutes | |
| 9 | Important Latin terms and maxims | |
| 10 | Law of Torts and Consumer Protection Act, 2019 | 10% |
The syllabus for the Information Technology stream in Phase I Paper 2 is as follows:
| Sl. No. | Topics | Sub Topics | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Database Concepts | ER-model, Relational model (relational algebra, tuple calculus), Integrity constraints, normal forms, file organization, indexing (e.g., B and B+ trees), transactions, concurrency control | 10% |
| 2 | SQL Queries | Select, view, truncate, delete, update, alter, Inner join, outer joins, aggregate functions, Union, intersection, except, in and exist clauses, nested queries | 10% |
| 3 | Programming Concepts (Java/C/C++) | Program control (iteration, recursion), Functions, Scope of variables, Binding, Parameter passing, OOPS Concepts, Inheritance, Class and object, Exception Handling | 30% |
| 4 | Data Analytics Languages (Python/R) | Regex, Slicing, Data reshaping, DataFrames, Dictionaries, File Management, Classes and Functions, Data Mining, Importing and exporting data, charts and graphs | 10% |
| 5 | Algorithms for Problem-solving | Tree and graph traversals, Connected components, Spanning trees, Shortest paths, Hashing, Sorting, Searching, Design techniques (Greedy, Dynamic Programming, Divide-and-conquer) | 10% |
| 6 | Networking Concepts | ISO/OSI stack, LAN Technologies (Ethernet, Token ring), TCP/UDP, IP, switches, gateways, routers, Application protocols (DNS, SMTP, POP, FTP, HTTP), Firewalls | 10% |
| 7 | Information & Cyber Security Concepts | Cyber Attacks, Software Development Security, Network Security, Authentication, CIA – Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Network Audit, Systems Audit | 10% |
| 8 | Data Warehousing | Data Extraction, Data Cleaning, Data Transformation, Data Loading, Metadata, Data Cube, Data Mart, Data Models | 5% |
| 9 | Shell Programming | Shell Scripting Basics, Shell Variables, Shell Script Arguments, If Statement, Loop, Return, Basic UNIX commands | 5% |
| Total | 100% |
This breakdown provides a clear understanding of the topics covered in each stream and is essential for candidates to prepare effectively for their respective SEBI Grade A exams.
Candidates who successfully clear the Phase 1 Screening Test will be invited to take the Phase 2 Online Examination. The syllabus for both papers of the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam is outlined below.
The English Descriptive paper is designed to assess candidates’ writing abilities, focusing on their expression and comprehension of various topics. This paper includes tasks like précis writing, essay writing, and comprehension.
Paper 2 will cover topics related to the specific stream or post that the candidate has applied for. The syllabus for each stream is provided in detail below:
The syllabus for the Legal stream in Phase II Paper 2 includes topics on various legal frameworks, securities laws, and corporate laws. Below is the comprehensive list of topics for this paper:
| Sl. No. | Subject | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Law – Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) | 30% |
| 2 | Law of Evidence – Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | |
| 3 | Corporate Laws – Companies Act, 2013; Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008; Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 | 30% |
| 4 | Securities Laws – Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956; SEBI Act, 1992; Securities Appellate Tribunal Procedure Rules, 2000 | 40% |
The Information Technology syllabus for Phase II Paper 2 covers advanced computer science topics, including algorithms, data structures, and more. Below is the detailed list of topics:
| Topic | Concept | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Algorithms | Sorting, Searching, Greedy Algorithms, Dynamic Programming, Backtracking, Divide and Conquer | 30% |
| Data Structures | Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Binary Trees, Binary Search Trees, Heaps, Hashing, Matrices | 40% |
| String Manipulation | Length, Substring, Regex, Search | 10% |
| Object-Oriented Programming | Abstraction, Encapsulation, Polymorphism, Inheritance | 20% |
The syllabus for the General Stream in SEBI Grade A covers multiple topics, as shown below:
| Subject | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Commerce & Accountancy | Accounting as a financial information system, Accounting Standards, Cash Flow Statement, Fund Flow Statement, Financial Statement Analysis, Ratio Analysis, and more. |
| Management | Management processes, Leadership styles, Human Resource Development, Motivation theories, Communication channels, Barriers to Communication, and Role of IT. |
| Finance | Financial system, Financial markets, Basics of Derivatives, Financial Inclusion, Direct and Indirect Taxes, GST, Inflation, Fiscal Policy, and more. |
| Costing | Cost and Management Accounting, Costing methods, Standard Costing, Marginal Costing, Budgetary Control, Lean systems, and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR). |
| Companies Act | Key references from The Companies Act, 2013, focusing on various chapters related to corporate governance and compliance. |
| Economics | Demand and Supply, Inflation, Fiscal & Monetary Policy, Business Cycles, National Income, Classical & Keynesian approaches, and other macroeconomic concepts. |
The syllabus for the Research Stream is consistent across both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Below is the breakdown of the topics covered:
| Subject | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Economics | Demand & Supply, National Income, Inflation, Monetary & Fiscal Policy, IS-LM Model, Business Cycles, Non-banking Financial Institutions, and more. |
| Public Economics | Public Goods, Taxation (Direct & Indirect), Public Expenditure, Public Debt, Public Budget, and Budget Multiplier. |
| Statistics & Econometrics | Measures of central tendency, Regression analysis, Hypothesis testing, Sampling methods, Sampling distribution, and more. |
| International Economics | Balance of Payments, Foreign Exchange Markets, Role of International Financial Institutions (IMF, World Bank), and more. |
| Financial Markets | Asymmetric information, Market efficiency, Financial Markets (Primary & Secondary), Derivatives, Mutual Funds, Stock Exchanges, and more. |
These detailed syllabi will help candidates tailor their preparation according to their stream and ensure they cover all the necessary topics for the SEBI Grade A exam.
Based on the SEBI grade A exam analysis, these are some of the previously asked questions that can help understand the difficulty level of the exam.
Ans. 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 1 mark.
Ans. Candidates can anticipate earning an average salary of Rs. 73,000, with housing.
Ans. Candidates must check SEBI news and plans. They should attempt mock tests and papers. And reread the highlights of the news about the financial and economic sectors.
Ans. In terms of difficulty, the Quantitative Aptitude section of the SEBI Grade A exam Analysis is generally categorized as moderate to difficult. This means that while some questions may be straightforward, others may require advanced problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
Ans. The RBI Grade B exam is tougher than the SEBI Grade A exam. SEBI keeps the level of the paper from moderate to difficult inthe Phase 1 and 2 exams.
Related Content
Two Phases: The SEBI Grade A exam consists of two phases: Phase I (Online Screening Test) and Phase II (Online Written Exam).
Phase I: Includes two papers – Paper 1 (General Awareness, Reasoning, Aptitude, English) for 100 marks, and Paper 2 (Stream-Specific Subjects) for 100 marks.
Phase II: Also has two papers – Paper 1 (English Descriptive) for 100 marks, and Paper 2 (Stream-Specific Subjects) for 100 marks, with different weightages based on the stream.
Time Duration: Phase I has a total time of 1 hour 40 minutes, while Phase II has a total duration of 3 hours (60 minutes for Paper 1 and 40 minutes for Paper 2).
Streams: The exam pattern differs slightly depending on the stream (General, Legal, IT, Research), with specialized subject matter in Paper 2 for each stream.
Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.