The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is expected to release the NABARD Grade A 2026 Notification in October 2026 for Assistant Manager roles in RDBS, Legal, and P&SS streams. Bookmark this page for the latest updates on eligibility, selection criteria, salary, and application details.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development is anticipated to release the official NABARD Grade A Notification 2026 this October for various Assistant Manager vacancies. Tentative projections suggest the Phase 1 exam will be held on 11 December 2026, with the Phase 2 exam following on 13 January 2027.
Aspiring candidates can find comprehensive details regarding the exam schedule, category-wise vacancies, educational eligibility, step-by-step application guidelines, exam patterns, and salary structures below. Monitor the official portal for the final recruitment instructions and notification PDF.
Understanding the NABARD Grade A 2026 Recruitment
The upcoming NABARD Grade A 2026 recruitment drive aims to hire talented professionals for Assistant Manager positions across various streams. The forthcoming notification will provide authoritative data on total vacancies, exam dates, rigorous eligibility criteria, age relaxation policies, application fees, the multi-stage selection process, and the updated exam syllabus for RDBS, Legal, and Protocol & Security Service roles.
NABARD Grade A Exam 2026: At a Glance
Review the key highlights and essential summary details regarding the NABARD Grade A 2026 recruitment process in the following table.
| Particular | Details |
| Organisation |
NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)
|
| Recruitment Name |
Direct Recruitment of Officers in Grade ‘A’
|
| Post Name |
Assistant Manager (Grade ‘A’)
|
| Application Mode |
Online Only (Indian Citizens)
|
| Official Website | www.nabard.org |
| Phase 1 Exam Date |
11 December 2026 (Expected) |
| Phase 2 Exam Date | 13 January 2027 (Expected) |
| Vacancies | To Be Announced |
| Age Limit |
RDBS & Legal: 21 to 30 Years
Protocol & Security Service: 25 to 40 Years |
| Selection Process |
RDBS & Legal: Prelims, Mains & Interview
Protocol & Security Service: Online Exam & Interview |
| Salary Structure | Approx. ₹1,00,000 per month |
Critical Dates for NABARD Grade A 2026
While the official recruitment schedule is pending, NABARD is expected to issue the notification in October 2026. Based on current trends, Phase 1 is tentatively scheduled for 11 December 2026, and Phase 2 for 13 January 2027. Candidates must verify these dates against the final official notification once released.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| NABARD Grade A Notification 2026 | October 2026 |
| Application Start Date | To Be Announced |
| Last Date to Apply | To Be Announced |
| Phase 1 Exam Date | 11 December 2026 |
| Phase 1 Admit Card | To Be Announced |
| Phase 1 Result | To Be Announced |
| Phase 2 Exam Date | 13 January 2027 |
| Phase 2 Admit Card | To Be Announced |
| Phase 2 Result | To Be Announced |
| Psychometric Test | To Be Announced |
| Interview | To Be Announced |
| Final Result | To |
NABARD Grade A: Expected Vacancies
The precise number of vacancies for the 2026 recruitment cycle will be detailed in the official notification. In the meantime, candidates should analyze previous years' vacancy trends to gauge the distribution of posts across different specialized disciplines.
| Post | Discipline | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | Total | PWBD |
| Assistant Manager RDBS
|
General | 20 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 48 | 7 |
| Chartered Accountant | 2 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 4 | ||
| Company Secretary | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||
| Finance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 5 | ||
| Computer/IT | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | ||
| Agriculture Engineering | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
| Plantation / Horticulture | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||
| Fisheries | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | ||
| Food Processing | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | ||
| Land Dev./Soil Science | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||
| Civil Engineering | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | ||
| Electrical Engineering | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | ||
| Media Specialist | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
| S Economics | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | ||
| Total | 35 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 8 | 85 | 7 | |
| Assistant Manager Legal | 2 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | |
| Assistant Manager Protocol & Security | 3 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | |
| Grand Total | 40 | 14 | 9 | 20 | 8 | 91 | 7 | |
Applying for NABARD Grade A 2026 Online
The online application portal for NABARD Grade A 2026 will go live immediately following the official announcement. Eligible candidates will need to complete the registration process, submit accurate information, upload mandatory documents, and process the application fee payment via the secure online gateway before the deadline.
NABARD Grade A Application Fee Structure
All application fee payments for the 2026 recruitment must be finalized via secure digital channels including debit/credit cards, net banking, or UPI. The breakdown of fees categorized by candidate type is provided below.
| Category | Application Fee | Intimation Charges | Total Fee |
| SC/ST/PWBD | Rs. 0 | Rs. 150 | Rs. 150 |
| All Others | Rs. 700 | Rs. 150 | Rs. 850 |
Eligibility Standards for NABARD Grade A 2026
Detailed eligibility requirements are outlined in the official document; candidates should review the NABARD Grade A Eligibility Criteria 2026 to confirm their status. Compliance with age limits and educational prerequisites is mandatory for application validity.
Age relaxation is applicable for reserved categories such as SC/ST/OBC/PwBD. Educational qualifications generally require a recognized Bachelor's degree, with specific streams demanding specialized academic backgrounds. Thoroughly check the notification to verify your credentials before applying.
NABARD Assistant Manager: Age Limits
| Post/Service | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
|
RDBS (All Disciplines)
|
21 Years | 30 Years |
| Legal | 21 Years | 30 Years |
|
Protocol & Security Service
|
25 Years | 40 Years |
NABARD Grade A: Category-wise Age Relaxation
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (General) | 10 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (OBC) | 13 years |
Mandatory Educational Qualifications
The specific academic and professional degree requirements for the 2026 Assistant Manager recruitment are detailed in the section below.
RDBS (General and Specialized Disciplines)
- General: Bachelor’s degree in any subject with a minimum 60% (55% for SC/ST/PWBD) or Post Graduate/ MBA/ PGDM (min 55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%) or CA/CS/CMA/ICWA or PhD.
- Chartered Accountant: Bachelor’s Degree + Membership of ICAI
- Company Secretary: Bachelor’s Degree + Associate/Fellow Membership of ICSI.
- Finance: Bachelor’s in Finance/Banking, or PG Diploma/MBA/MMS (Finance) + Bachelor’s, or Bachelor of Financial & Investment Analysis, or Membership of ICAI/ICMAI/CFA (USA)/FRM (GARP).
- Computer/IT: Four-year Bachelor’s in Computer Science/Engineering/ IT/ Electronics/ AI/ ML, etc. (60%, SC/ST/ PWBD 55%) or relevant PG (55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%) or Graduate + DOEACC B Level (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%).
- Agriculture Engineering: Bachelor’s in Agriculture Engineering (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%).
- Plantation/Horticulture: Bachelor’s in Horticulture (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%).
- Fisheries: Bachelor’s in Fisheries Science (60%, ST/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, ST/PWBD 50%).
- Food Processing: Bachelor’s in Food Processing/Food Tech./Dairy Tech. (60%, SC/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, SC/PWBD 50%).
- Land Development/Soil Science: Bachelor’s in Soil Science/Agriculture/Environmental Science (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%).
- Civil Engineering: Bachelor’s in Civil/Structural Engineering (60%, SC/ST/PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, SC/ST/PWBD 50%).
- Electrical Engineering: Bachelor’s in Electrical, Electronics, Power Systems (60%, PWBD 55%) or PG (55%, PWBD 50%).
- Media Specialist: PG in Mass Media/Mass Communication/Journalism (55%, PWBD 50%).
- Economics: PG in Applied Economics (55%, SC/PWBD 50%). Economics must be the main subject in all years.
Legal Service
- Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) recognised by UGC & Bar Council of India for Advocates, minimum 60% or LLM with 55%.
Protocol & Security Service
- Officer with minimum 10 years commissioned service (Army/ Navy/ Air Force) holding Ex-Serviceman ID Card (5 years for PWBD candidates).
- Short Service Commissioned Officers must have at least 10 years of continuous service (to be completed on/before 31.10.2026).
Selection Process for NABARD Grade A 2026
The NABARD Grade A selection process for RDBS and Legal streams involves a rigorous three-stage examination designed to assess both conceptual depth and professional aptitude.
| NABARD Grade A Selection Process(For RDBS & Legal) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage | Mode | Marks / Duration | Purpose |
| Preliminary Examination (Phase 1) | Online Objective | 200 Marks / 120 Minutes | Test basic knowledge and aptitude |
| Mains Examination (Phase 2) | Online Objective & Descriptive | 200 Marks / 210 Minutes | Assess in-depth subject expertise |
| Interview (Phase 3) | Personal Interview | 50 Marks | Evaluate overall suitability and skills |
For candidates applying to the Protocol & Security Service streams, the selection process comprises an online examination followed by a personal interview.
| NABARD Grade A Selection Process (For Protocol & Security Service) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage | Mode | Marks / Duration | Purpose |
| Online Examination (Phase 1) | Online Objective | 200 Marks / 120 Minutes | Test basic knowledge and aptitude |
| Interview (Phase 2) | Personal Interview | 50 Marks | Evaluate overall suitability and skills |
NABARD Grade A 2026: Exam Pattern
The exam structure includes Preliminary and Main stages. The Main examination specifically incorporates descriptive papers, which are essential for testing critical thinking, communication skills, and subject-matter expertise.
|
NABARD Grade A Exam Pattern (Prelims + Mains)
|
||||
| Stage | Paper/Section | Type | Marks | Duration |
| Prelims | Reasoning, English, Computer, Quant, Decision Making, GA, ESI, ARD | Objective | 200 |
120 mins
|
| Mains | Paper I: General English | Descriptive | 100 | 90 mins |
| Paper II: ESI & ARD | Objective + Descriptive | 100 | 90 mins | |
NABARD Grade A 2026: Syllabus Overview
Mastering the NABARD Grade A Syllabus 2026 is key to your success. Ensure comprehensive preparation covering all topics outlined for both the Prelims and Mains to maximize your scoring potential.
| Exam Stage | Subjects |
|---|---|
| Prelims | Reasoning Ability, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Computer Knowledge, Decision Making, General Awareness, Economic & Social Issues (ESI), Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) |
| Mains (Paper I) | Descriptive English |
| Mains (Paper II) | Economic & Social Issues (ESI) and Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD) |
Check: NABARD Grade A Previous Year Question Papers
Check: NABARD Grade A Cut-Off Analysis
Salary and Benefits: NABARD Grade A 2026
The NABARD Grade A Salary structure is highly competitive. Beyond the basic pay, employees receive substantial benefits, including HRA, dearness allowance, and grade-specific incentives. This role offers long-term career stability and clear advancement pathways within the organization.
| Pay Component | Amount (₹) |
| Initial Basic Pay | 44,500 |
| After 4 Increments | 54,500 |
| After 7 Increments (Entry Level) | 74,450 |
| After 4 More Increments | 85,850 |
| Final Increment (after 17 yrs) | 89,150 |
| Total Salary (with Allowances) | 1,00,000 |
NABARD Grade A: Job Profile & Responsibilities
As a NABARD Grade A Assistant Manager, you will take on vital responsibilities in rural development, banking policy, and administrative oversight:
- Administrative Support: Assisting the Chief General Manager (CGM) with administrative tasks to ensure smooth and efficient office operations.
- Policy Discussions: Participating in policy discussions and contributing to the development of strategies for rural and agricultural growth, in alignment with government programs.
- Rural Development Initiatives: Collaborating with state governments and the banking sector on various rural development projects and initiatives.
- Departmental Rotation: Rotating through different departments based on organisational needs and your skills allows you to gain diverse experience within the organisation.
Career Advancement at NABARD
NABARD offers an exceptional professional environment with significant opportunities for long-term career growth, promotions, and organizational leadership roles.
- Assistant Manager
- Manager
- Assistant General Manager
- Deputy General Manager
- General Manager
- Chief General Manager
- Executive Director
- Director