u/PRANAV0_0_7

The seek of the admirer...

Just reeking of desire ....

To dwell in the memories prior....

Just to burn in heart's fire ...

The craze of the chaos he does conspire...

That sounds to the heart like an enchanting choir ...

To hold his essence, whole and entire....

The meet, that I always admire ....

To become his, only I aspire...

Until the breath is out, ready to expire ...

To high, high, high and higher,

To feel the heart can't be more flyer...

What am I to do in the absence of this heart-wrenching, soul-stirring pyre?

Are there, anywhere, any lovers for hire ???

or I just have to stay cold, awake, walking till I find my tranquil shire ?

The seek of the admirer...

Just reeking of desire ....

To dwell in the memories prior....

Just to burn in heart's fire ...

The craze of the chaos he does conspire...

That sounds to the heart like an enchanting choir ...

To hold his essence, whole and entire....

The meet, that I always admire ....

To become his, only I aspire...

Until the breath is out, ready to expire ...

To high, high, high and higher,

To feel the heart can't be more flyer...

What am I to do in the absence of this heart-wrenching, soul-stirring pyre?

Are there, anywhere, any lovers for hire ???

or I just have to stay cold, awake, walking till I find my tranquil shire ?

The seek of the admirer...

Just reeking of desire ....

To dwell in the memories prior....

Just to burn in heart's fire ...

The craze of the chaos he does conspire...

That sounds to the heart like an enchanting choir ...

To hold his essence, whole and entire....

The meet, that I always admire ....

To become his, only I aspire...

Until the breath is out, ready to expire ...

To high, high, high and higher,

To feel the heart can't be more flyer...

What am I to do in the absence of this heart-wrenching, soul-stirring pyre?

Are there, anywhere, any lovers for hire ???

or I just have to stay cold, awake, walking till I find my tranquil shire ?

​

​

The RBI Grade B Phase 1 examination is now over. Based on feedback from candidates across various platforms, analysis released by major coaching institutes, and my own experience of taking the exam, the overall paper felt similar to slightly easier than last year's paper.

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General Awareness (GA)

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GA was dominated by single-line factual questions, along with a few Static GK questions. Compared to last year, the section felt more straightforward and allowed candidates to attempt a higher number of questions.

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A recurring theme this year was that candidates who had revised current affairs multiple times were able to capitalize on the factual nature of the questions.

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English Language

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The English section was not easy, but it was certainly less difficult than last year's English section, which many aspirants found unusually challenging. A well-prepared candidate could score comfortably here.

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Quantitative Aptitude

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One interesting observation was the presence of simplification questions, something that is not usually a prominent feature of RBI Grade B. This made the section more accessible and improved the overall attempt rate.

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Reasoning Ability

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Reasoning was largely on expected lines and felt very similar to the level seen in previous years. Candidates familiar with SBI-level reasoning would have been comfortable in this section.

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What Could Be Considered Good Attempts?

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Considering the number of vacancies this year and the overall difficulty level, the following may be considered strong attempts (with reasonable accuracy):

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- GA: 55+ attempts (50+ with very good accuracy)

- English: 24–25+

- Quant: 12+

- Reasoning: 26–27+

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Expected Cut-Off

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Taking into account candidate feedback, coaching institute analyses, vacancy numbers, and the overall nature of the paper, the cut-off is likely to be around 95 marks.

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Did the Earlier Strategy I shared Work?

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In my view, yes—and this exam once again validated it.

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General Awareness

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The highest-return resources continue to be:

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- Crack Grade B Monthly PDFs

- EduTap Monthly PDFs

- Budget Summary PDFs

- Economic Survey Summary

- RBI notifications, reports and important policy developments

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The current pattern heavily rewards revision rather than accumulation of sources. Candidates who repeatedly revised monthly PDFs were at a significant advantage.

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Quantitative Aptitude

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Preparation through:

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- SBI PO Prelims Quant

- Simplification

- Arithmetic

- Data Interpretation

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was sufficient for this year's paper.

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Reasoning Ability

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A combination of:

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- SBI PO Prelims Reasoning

- Selected SBI Clerk Mains Reasoning questions

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would have adequately prepared candidates for the level asked.

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English Language

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The traditional approach still works:

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- SBI PO Prelims English

- Oliveboard Practice Workouts

- Regular RC and vocabulary practice

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My Personal Experience

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Having followed the same strategy—primarily relying on Crack Grade B/EduTap monthly PDFs, Budget summaries, and standard banking-level practice—I found the paper quite manageable.

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My attempts were approximately:

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- GA: 69

- English: 28

- Quant: 14

- Reasoning: 36

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Based on my expected accuracy and post-exam calculations, I am expecting a score of around 112 marks, potentially slightly higher depending on the final answer key.

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That said, I believe prior exam experience also plays an important role. Understanding the pattern, knowing what to ignore, and staying calm during the exam can significantly improve performance.

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Final Takeaway

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RBI Grade B Phase 1 2026 reinforces a simple lesson: you do not need ten different sources or an overly complicated preparation strategy.

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Strong revision of monthly current affairs PDFs, Budget and Economic Survey summaries, coupled with SBI-level Quant, Reasoning, and English practice, continues to be one of the most effective preparation strategies for RBI Grade B Phase 1.

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Sometimes, doing a few things exceptionally well is far more effective than trying to do everything.

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With Phase 1 behind us, the focus now shifts to Phase 2. We have roughly 40 days before the next stage, and for many candidates, what they do over the next few days will be more important than what they did over the last few months.

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If Your Score Is Hovering Around 95+

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If you are reasonably confident that your score is around the expected cut-off range, start Phase 2 preparation from Day 1 itself.

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Do not wait for answer keys. Do not wait for cut-off predictions. Do not wait for result day.

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Make a plan and start executing it.

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The biggest mistake candidates make every year is wasting 10–15 days discussing attempts, cut-offs, and answer keys. Those days are extremely valuable.

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Keep your preparation simple. Simplicity works.

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Identify the syllabus, break it into manageable parts, prepare a realistic schedule, and execute consistently.

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A detailed Phase 2 strategy will be shared shortly.

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If You Appeared Mainly for Experience

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For candidates who took the exam for experience or those who feel they may not clear Phase 1 this time, don't be disheartened.

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Given the limited number of vacancies and the competition involved, even preparing seriously for RBI Grade B is an achievement in itself.

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Every serious attempt teaches you something:

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How the exam is actually conducted

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What level of questions are asked

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Which areas need improvement

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How to manage time and pressure

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These learnings compound over time.

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So give yourself credit for showing up and competing.

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If You Haven't Studied Phase 2 Yet

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If RBI Grade B remains your primary target and you do not have another major examination immediately ahead, start Phase 2 preparation regardless of your Phase 1 expectations.

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At the very least:

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Go through the syllabus topic by topic

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Understand what is expected in each paper

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Build basic familiarity with ESI, FM, and descriptive English

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Start reading and making notes

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Even if this attempt does not work out, the effort will not go to waste.

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For Candidates Targeting SBI/IBPS

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If your immediate focus is shifting towards SBI PO, SBI Clerk, IBPS PO, or other banking examinations scheduled in the coming months, it may make sense to move your attention towards those exams and prepare accordingly.

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The banking calendar is packed, and there are plenty of opportunities ahead.

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Final Thoughts

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Whether you are expecting to clear Phase 1 or not, avoid spending the next few weeks obsessing over cut-offs and answer keys.

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Either begin your Phase 2 preparation immediately or move forward towards your next target examination.

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The only thing that genuinely improves your chances is preparation—not speculation.

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A detailed Phase 2 strategy post will be shared shortly.

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Would cross 95 or not ???

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Cgb is saying 105+- 5...

Will wait for ragade sir's analysis...he is a bit more accurate regarding cutoffs...

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Factor to consider...

1- vacancies halved.

2- difficulty level compared to last yr ...

In comparison i believe...GA was again a bit random but could favour tukkebazzi ..average attempts are high yes ...but accuracy is the real game

English...less harder than last yr ...still not moderate or easy .

Quant was doable and easy ...given simple DIs and simplification questions...

R ...similar as last yr ...

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I believe given all this the UR cutoff still won't cross 95 ...

93-95 at Max...

Thoughts ?

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