u/wise_overflow

Hi everyone,

I’m preparing for rbi grade b and looking for the **10th edition of Arun Sharma’s Quantitative Aptitude** for practice.

Does anyone know where I can find pdf for the same?

Thanks!

TL;DR: I’m an SDE in an MNC considering preparing for RBI Grade B because of IT layoffs and WLB concerns. I want to know the realistic in-hand salary after tax/deductions, how the ₹90–91k HRA/leased accommodation works across different cities, and how much preparation time is realistically needed for someone working full-time without an Economics/Finance background.

I’m currently working as an SDE in an MNC and am seriously considering preparing for RBI Grade B.

With the current situation in the IT industry — layoffs, uncertainty and, in my case, not-so-great WLB — I’m thinking of giving a government/regulatory job a serious try. I have an engineering background and no Economics/Finance background, so I’d be starting more or less from scratch.

I have a few questions for current RBI Grade B officers / people who have recently cleared the exam:

1. What is the actual in-hand salary after income tax, NPS and other deductions?

A lot of coaching institutes claim that Grade B officers get around ₹1.5 lakh/month in hand. Is that actually realistic in 2026, or is this including reimbursements/allowances and other benefits?

2. HRA / leased accommodation

I’ve seen references to HRA/leased accommodation being revised to around ₹90–91k.

How exactly does this work?

If I take a house on lease/rent, does RBI pay the actual rent up to the allowed limit?

Is the ₹90–91k figure only applicable to Mumbai, or is leased accommodation available in other RBI centres as well?

If the rent is, say, ₹30–40k, do I get ₹30–40k covered or is there some fixed HRA amount?

What happens if RBI accommodation is available?

What is the realistic preparation time?

3.For someone working full-time as an SDE, with no Economics/Finance background, what would you consider realistic to clear Grade B General?

Would 6 months be enough with \~3–4 hours on weekdays and more on weekends, or is 9–12 months a more realistic target?

How difficult is it to manage RBI preparation alongside a demanding IT job?

Would really appreciate answers from people who have actually cleared the exam while working, rather than coaching institute estimates.

Finally, for people who moved from private-sector tech/IT into RBI, how has the transition been?

I’m particularly interested in:

WLB

job security

actual take-home compensation

transfers/postings

accommodation

career growth

I’m not looking for a comparison where one is declared “better” — I’m trying to understand the actual numbers and experience so I can decide whether making this switch is worth attempting.

Thanks!

I’m considering a Product Manager role at ICICI and wanted to get some insights from people currently working there.

Would like to know about:

* Work-life balance

* Job security and stability

* Compensation and growth

* Overall work culture

* How is the transition from SDE at a good tech company to PM at ICICI? Is it a good career move?

Would really appreciate honest experiences, especially from current/former ICICI PMs.

I’ve solved 500+ questions before and have been revising for the past month, but consistency has been an issue.

I’ve tried finding study partners before, but no one stayed consistent. So this time, keeping the group small (2–3 people) for better accountability. We can discuss problems, track progress, and also take DSA mock interviews.

I’m a full-stack developer, frontend-heavy, preparing seriously for interviews.

Please join only if you’re serious about interviews and can stay consistent.

​

I’ve solved 500+ questions before and have been revising for the past month, but consistency has been an issue.

I’ve tried finding study partners before, but no one stayed consistent. So this time, keeping the group small (2–3 people) for better accountability. We can discuss problems, track progress, and also take DSA mock interviews.

I’m a full-stack developer, frontend-heavy, preparing seriously for interviews.

Please join only if you’re serious about interviews and can stay consistent.

​

I’ve solved 500+ questions before and have been revising for the past month, but consistency has been an issue.

I’ve tried finding study partners before, but no one stayed consistent. So this time, keeping the group small (2–3 people) for better accountability. We can discuss problems, track progress, and also take DSA mock interviews.

I’m a full-stack developer, frontend-heavy, preparing seriously for interviews.

Please join only if you’re serious about interviews and can stay consistent. DM if interested.

Selling Cult Elite membership with validity till Feb 2027 + 1 month of pause available,

Dm if interested

Hey everyone!

I've been in Bangalore for a while, but like many people here, work has taken over most of my social life. So I thought I'd put myself out there.

I live in Whitefield, so it'd be great to connect with people nearby, although I'm happy to travel within Bangalore for meetups.

I'm looking to meet people in their early to mid-20s who'd be interested in hanging out occasionally and building a genuine friend group.

Some ideas:

* Board game cafés

* Trying new cafés and restaurants

* Bowling, badminton, or other fun activities

* Weekend walks or exploring the city

* Movie nights

* Casual dinners and good conversations

A little about me:

* 25M

* Software engineer

* Into fitness, travel, movies, and trying new experiences

* A bit introverted at first, but easygoing once I get to know people

If there's enough interest, I'd love to create a small group (around 8–15 people) so it's easier to actually plan meetups instead of ending up with a huge inactive group.

Both girls and guys are welcome. The idea is simply to make genuine friends, meet interesting people, and have a fun, respectful group where everyone feels comfortable.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, drop a comment with a little about yourself (age, area, interests, etc.). If enough people are interested, I'll create a group and we can plan our first meetup soon!

Looking forward to meeting some awesome people!

Hey everyone!

I've been in Bangalore for a while, but like many people here, work has taken over most of my social life. So I thought I'd put myself out there.

I live in Whitefield, so it'd be great to connect with people nearby (or anywhere in Bangalore) if you're okay with travelling occasionally.

I'm looking to meet people in their early to mid-20s who'd be interested in hanging out occasionally and building a genuine friend group.

Some ideas:

• Board game cafés

• Trying new cafés and restaurants

• Bowling, badminton, or other fun activities

• Weekend walks or exploring the city

• Movie nights

• Casual dinners and good conversations

A little about me:

• 25M

• Software engineer

• Into fitness, travel, movies, and trying new experiences

• A bit introverted at first, but easygoing once I get to know people

If there's enough interest, I'd love to create a small group (around 8–15 people) so it's easier to actually plan meetups instead of having a huge inactive group.

Both girls and guys are welcome. The goal is simply to meet new people, make friends, and have a fun, respectful group where everyone feels comfortable.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, drop a comment with a little about yourself or why you'd like to join. Looking forward to meeting some new people!

Hi everyone,

​

I'm currently an SDE1 with <2 YOE working primarily in frontend development, and I'm planning to transition toward backend-focused SDE2 roles over the next 4-5 months.

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Target companies: Google, Apple, Uber, Atlassian, etc.

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I'm looking for mentorship/guidance (paid) from someone preferably working as SDE3+ at a top product company, with strong experience in:

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* DSA/interview prep

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* Backend engineering

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* System design

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* SDE2 interview expectations

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What I'm looking for:

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* Structured preparation plan

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* Mock interviews

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* DSA guidance & accountability

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* Backend transition roadmap

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* Resume review/preparation

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* System design guidance

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* Doubt solving/discussion sessions

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* Feedback on interview readiness

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I'm specifically looking for someone who can help me bridge the gap from frontend-focused SDE1 → strong SDE2 candidate for top product companies.

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If you have relevant experience mentoring candidates, or know good people/platforms for this, I'd appreciate any recommendations or suggestions on how to connect.

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Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to visit Tirumala this Saturday and have a couple of questions:

1. If I take the Alipiri/Srivari Mettu footpath and walk up to Tirumala, will I get access to the special Darshan quota, or do I still need to join the general darshan queue?

2. I'll be reaching Tirupati on Saturday morning. If I decide not to go by foot, is there any way to get a darshan ticket on the same day? What would be the best option for someone arriving on Saturday morning?

Any recent experiences or suggestions would be really helpful.

Thank you!

I (25M) will be traveling from Bangalore to Tirupati by bus on the night of 12th and returning on the night of 14th. Would love to connect with others who have similar plans.

Details:

• Departure: 12th night (from Bangalore)

• Return: 14th night

• Travel mode: Bus

• Open to both men and women travelers

• Main purpose: Darshan and exploring Tirupati

If you're planning a trip around the same dates or would like to join, feel free to comment or DM me. It would be great to have some company during the journey and coordinate plans together.

Thanks!

I (25M) will be traveling from Bangalore to Tirupati by bus on the night of 12th and returning on the night of 14th. I'm traveling solo and would love to connect with others who have similar plans.

Details:

• Departure: 12th night (from Bangalore)

• Return: 14th night

• Travel mode: Bus

• Open to both men and women travelers

• Main purpose: Darshan and exploring Tirupati

If you're planning a trip around the same dates or would like to join, feel free to comment or DM me. It would be great to have some company during the journey and coordinate plans together.

Thanks!

I(25M) will be traveling from Bangalore to Tirupati by bus on the night of 12th and returning on the night of 14th. I'm traveling solo and would love to connect with others who have similar plans.

Details:

• Departure: 12th night (from Bangalore)

• Return: 14th night

• Travel mode: Bus

• Open to both men and women travelers

• Main purpose: Darshan and exploring Tirupati

If you're planning a trip around the same dates or would like to join, feel free to comment or DM me. It would be great to have some company during the journey and coordinate plans together.

Thanks!

I(25M) will be traveling from Bangalore to Tirupati by bus on the night of 12th and returning on the night of 14th. I'm traveling solo and would love to connect with others who have similar plans.

Details:

• Departure: 12th night (from Bangalore)

• Return: 14th night

• Travel mode: Bus

• Open to both men and women travelers

• Main purpose: Darshan and exploring Tirupati

If you're planning a trip around the same dates or would like to join, feel free to comment or DM me. It would be great to have some company during the journey and coordinate plans together.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently an SDE1 working primarily in frontend development , and I’m planning to transition toward backend-focused SDE2 roles over the next 4–5 months.

Target companies: Google, Apple, Uber, Atlassian, etc.

I’m looking for mentorship/guidance (paid) from someone preferably working as SDE3+ at a top product company, with strong experience in:

* DSA/interview prep

* Backend engineering

* System design

* SDE2 interview expectations

What I’m looking for:

* Structured preparation plan

* Mock interviews

* DSA guidance & accountability

* Backend transition roadmap

* Resume review/preparation

* System design guidance

* Doubt solving/discussion sessions

* Feedback on interview readiness

I’m specifically looking for someone who can help me bridge the gap from frontend-focused SDE1 → strong SDE2 candidate for top product companies.

If you have relevant experience mentoring candidates, or know good people/platforms for this, I’d appreciate any recommendations or suggestions on how to connect.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently an SDE1 with <2 YOE working primarily in frontend development , and I’m planning to transition toward backend-focused SDE2 roles over the next 4–5 months.

Target companies: Google, Apple, Uber, Atlassian, etc.

I’m looking for mentorship/guidance (paid) from someone preferably working as SDE3+ at a top product company, with strong experience in:

* DSA/interview prep

* Backend engineering

* System design

* SDE2 interview expectations

What I’m looking for:

* Structured preparation plan

* Mock interviews

* DSA guidance & accountability

* Backend transition roadmap

* Resume review/preparation

* System design guidance

* Doubt solving/discussion sessions

* Feedback on interview readiness

I’m specifically looking for someone who can help me bridge the gap from frontend-focused SDE1 → strong SDE2 candidate for top product companies.

If you have relevant experience mentoring candidates, or know good people/platforms for this, I’d appreciate any recommendations or suggestions on how to connect.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently an SDE1 with <2 YOE working primarily in frontend development, and I’m planning to transition toward backend-focused SDE2 roles over the next 4–5 months.

Target companies: Google, Apple, Uber, Atlassian, etc.

I’m looking for mentorship/guidance (paid) from someone preferably working as SDE3+ at a top product company, with strong experience in:

* DSA/interview prep

* Backend engineering

* System design

* SDE2 interview expectations

What I’m looking for:

* Structured preparation plan

* Mock interviews

* DSA guidance & accountability

* Backend transition roadmap

* Resume review/preparation

* System design guidance

* Doubt solving/discussion sessions

* Feedback on interview readiness

I’m specifically looking for someone who can help me bridge the gap from frontend-focused SDE1 → strong SDE2 candidate for top product companies.

If you have relevant experience mentoring candidates, or know good people/platforms for this, I’d appreciate any recommendations or suggestions on how to connect.

Thanks!

Hello,

Do top pbc or mid sized companies hire sde2 with 2 yoe? If yes which companies are those and how much they pay ?

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Hey everyone!

I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to System Design — both Low Level Design (LLD) and High Level Design (HLD) — and I'm looking for a small group of people who want to learn this together from scratch.

The idea is simple: group of 3-4 people max, where we hold each other accountable, share resources, discuss problems, and actually make progress — not just join a server and ghost.

What I'm looking for in study partners:

- Beginner or early learner level

- Consistent and serious about showing up

- Open to being more than just study partners — actual friends who vibe well

- Can commit to regular sessions (we'll figure out timings together)

What we'll cover:

- LLD: SOLID principles, design patterns, class diagrams, coding problems

- HLD: Scalability, databases, caching, load balancing, real-world system breakdowns

- Mock interviews and peer reviews as we progress

I'm thinking we use Discord or WhatsApp for day-to-day chats and Google Meet/Zoom for study sessions.

If this sounds like something you'd genuinely commit to, drop a comment or DM me with:

1. How many hours/week you can dedicate

2. A little about yourself (outside of tech too — we're trying to be friends here!)

Let's build something cool together. 💪