The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has officially announced the NABARD DA Mains exam date for 2026. The examination is scheduled for 12 April 2026. Review the selection criteria, updated exam pattern, and vacancy details here.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has confirmed the NABARD DA Mains Exam Date 2026 as part of its ongoing recruitment drive. Following the successful completion of the Prelims held on 21st February 2026 for 162 vacancies, the Mains examination is set to take place on 12th April 2026. View the complete schedule and exam structure below.
NABARD DA Mains Exam Date 2026 Out
As per the official notification, the Mains Exam is scheduled for 12th April 2026 for candidates who qualified in the Prelims. Successful aspirants from Phase 1 are eligible to proceed to Phase 2 of the selection process. This comprehensive online examination will be conducted across multiple designated test centers nationwide.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Release Date | 17th January 2026 |
| Application Start Date | 17th January 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 3rd February 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam Date | 21st February 2026 |
| Main Exam Date | 12th April 2026 |
NABARD DA Notification 2026 Overview
| Particular | Details |
| Exam Name | NABARD Development Assistant 2026 |
| Bank Name | National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) |
| Post Name | Development Assistant & Development Assistant (Hindi) |
| Vacancies | 162 |
| Language of Exam | Hindi & English |
| Exam Date | 21st February 2026 |
| Selection | Prelims, Mains |
| Salary | Rs. 32,000/- |
| Job Location | All India |
| Official Website | www.nabard.org |
NABARD Development Assistant Notification 2026
The official NABARD Development Assistant Recruitment 2026 notification is accessible at www.nabard.org. The structured selection process includes Prelims, Mains, and a Language Proficiency Test (LPT). The official PDF provides critical information regarding total vacancies, post-specific distribution, and the overall recruitment timeline. Use the link below to download the official notification.
Click to Download NABARD Development Assistant 2026 Notification PDF
NABARD Development Assistant Vacancy Details
NABARD has officially released the recruitment notification for the position of Development Assistant (DA) 2026, featuring 162 Group ‘B’ vacancies. The intake includes 159 positions for Development Assistant and 3 positions for Development Assistant (Hindi). Please refer to the detailed category-wise vacancy breakdown provided below.
| Post Name | Total Vacancies |
| Development Assistant | 159 |
| Development Assistant (Hindi) | 3 |
| Total | 162 |
NABARD Development Assistant Vacancy 2026
| Regional Offices | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | Total |
| Andaman and Nicobar | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 5 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 7 |
| Assam | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | 5 |
| Bihar | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Chhattisgarh | 2 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 5 |
| Goa | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gujarat | 5 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Haryana | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 4 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Jharkhand | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Karnataka | 4 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 7 |
| Kerala | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Ladakh | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 10 |
| Maharashtra (Includes Head Office, Mumbai) | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 48 |
| Manipur | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| Meghalaya | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| New Delhi | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 |
| Odisha | 5 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 8 |
| Punjab | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| Rajasthan | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Tamil Nadu | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 5 | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| West Bengal | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 78 | 21 | 17 | 26 | 17 | 159 |
NABARD Development Assistant (Hindi) Vacancy 2026
| Regional Offices | OBC | UR | Total |
| Andaman and Nicobar | — | 1 | 1 |
| Maharashtra (HO – Mumbai) | 1 | — | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 2 | 3 |
NABARD Development Assistant Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the NABARD Development Assistant post, candidates must meet the citizenship requirements and satisfy the age and educational criteria stipulated in the official notification. Further details on eligibility are provided below:
Education Qualification
Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university, with a minimum aggregate of 50%. For the Development Assistant (Hindi) role, candidates must have specifically studied Hindi as a subject during their graduation.
| Post |
Educational Qualification (as on 01 January 2026)
|
| Development Assistant |
• Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline with minimum 50% marks (pass class for SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Servicemen) from a recognised university/institution.
• Degree must be recognised by the Central/State Government or approved under the UGC Act, 1956. • Knowledge of word processing on a PC is mandatory. |
| Development Assistant (Hindi) |
• Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university in English/Hindi medium with Hindi & English as compulsory subjects with minimum 50% marks (pass class for SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Servicemen) OR Bachelor’s Degree with Hindi & English as main subjects with minimum 50% marks.
• Must be able to translate from English to Hindi and vice versa. • Knowledge of word processing on a PC is mandatory. |
Age Limit (as on 01 January 2026)
To qualify for the NABARD Development Assistant position, candidates must have been born between 02 January 1991 and 01 January 2005, inclusive of both dates. Detailed age relaxation criteria are outlined below:
|
Age Limit
|
Years
|
| Minimum Age | 21 years |
| Maximum Age | 35 years |
Age Relaxation
Candidates eligible for age relaxation must provide valid documentation and certificates during the final document verification stage.
| Sr. No. | Category |
Upper Age Limit Relaxation
|
| (i) | Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) |
5 years (up to 40 years)
|
| (ii) | Other Backward Classes (OBC) |
3 years (up to 38 years)
|
| (iii) | Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) |
10 years (General), 13 years (OBC), 15 years (SC/ST)
|
| (iv) | Ex-Servicemen |
Length of service in the Armed Forces + 3 years (maximum age limit: 50 years)
|
| (v) | Widows/Divorced women/Women judicially separated and not remarried (SC/ST) |
5 years (up to 40 years)
|
Important Note: No cumulative age relaxations are permitted beyond those explicitly stated in the recruitment guidelines.
NABARD Development Assistant Selection Process
The selection procedure for the NABARD Development Assistant role is conducted through a rigorous three-stage process:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Language Proficiency Test (LPT)
NABARD Development Assistant Exam Pattern
The 2026 selection process features two online exams, with final selection based on the Mains performance. A qualifying Language Proficiency Test (LPT) is also mandatory. Below is the comprehensive exam pattern for both Prelims and Mains.
NABARD Assistant Prelims Exam Pattern
The Preliminary exam consists of 100 questions, each worth 1 mark, covering English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning. The exam features a time limit, and a 0.25 mark penalty is applied for every incorrect answer. See the detailed breakdown below.
| Name of Test | No. of Qs. | No. of Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 60 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 30 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
NABARD Assistant Mains Exam Pattern
The Mains examination includes both objective and descriptive components, totaling 153 questions for 200 marks. The objective portion has a 135-minute duration, and negative marking of 0.25 is applied for each incorrect response.
| Name of Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
Duration (Minutes)
|
| Test of Reasoning | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| General Awareness (with special reference to agriculture, rural development and banking) | 50 | 50 | 25 |
| Computer Knowledge | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Test of English Language (Descriptive – Essay, Precis Writing, Report / Letter Writing) | 3 | 50 | 30 |
| Total | 153 | 200 | 135 |
Read Complete Details Here: NABARD Development Assistant Syllabus 2026
NABARD Development Assistant Apply Online Link
The online application window for NABARD Recruitment 2026 has officially closed on the website, www.nabard.org. Candidates were required to complete their registrations and submit all fees by the deadline of 3rd February 2026.
NABARD Development Assistant Application Fee 2026
| Category of Candidates | Application Fees + Intimation charges | Total |
| General/ OBC/ EWS | Rs.450+Rs. 100 | Rs. 550 |
| SC/ ST/ PWD/ EWS/ Ex-Servicemen | Rs. 50+Rs. 100 | Rs. 100 |
Steps to Apply for NABARD Development Assistant Recruitment 2026
Follow this step-by-step guide to review your application status for the NABARD Development Assistant 2026 Recruitment:
- Visit the official NABARD website at www.nabard.org.
- Click on the “Career Notice” section; a new page will open.
- Find the link titled “Recruitment to the post of Development Assistant/Development Assistant (Hindi) in Group B – 2026” and click on “Apply Here.”
- You will be redirected to the IBPS application portal. Click on “New Registration” if you are a first-time user, or select “Login” if you are already registered.
- Enter the required personal and educational details, upload your recent photograph and signature, and attach the necessary documents as instructed.
- Pay the application fee online.
- After successful payment, submit the form.
- Download or print a copy of the application for future reference.
NABARD Development Assistant 2026 Salary
Selected candidates for the Development Assistant (including Hindi) roles will receive a competitive salary package, including Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other benefits per NABARD norms. The estimated gross monthly salary is approximately ₹32,000. Refer to our detailed pay scale table for further insights.
| Post Name | Gross Salary | Pay Scale (20 Years) |
|---|---|---|
| Development Assistant(for Hindi post as well) | Rs 32,000/- | ₹13,150-750(3)-15,400-900(4)-19,000-1,200(6)-26,200-1,300(2)-28,800-1,480(3)-33,240-1,750(1)-34,990 |
| Related Articles Link | |
| NABARD Development Assistant Salary | NABARD Development Assistant Cut Off 2026 |
| NABARD Development Assistant Syllabus | NABARD Development Assistant Previous Year Question Paper |
FAQs
The NABARD Development Assistant Mains Examination 2026 is officially set for 12th April 2026.
The selection process follows a multi-stage format including Prelims, Mains, and a Language Proficiency Test.
Both the Preliminary and Mains stages are held in a secure online mode at designated examination centers nationwide.
A total of 162 vacancies are available: 159 for Development Assistant and 3 for the Development Assistant (Hindi) post.
Successful candidates will earn a gross monthly salary of approximately ₹32,000 plus applicable allowances.
All recruitment applications were required to be submitted exclusively via the official NABARD career portal.
Yes, a penalty of 0.25 marks is applied for each incorrect response in the objective sections of both the Prelims and Mains exams.