SEBI Grade A 2026: Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Salary & How to Apply
The clock ticks past midnight. You're staring at the SEBI Grade A notification, heart racing. The salary, the prestige, the chance to regulate India's markets — it's all there. But the exam pattern? Syllabus? Cut-offs? That's where most aspirants freeze. Let's fix that.
- SEBI Grade A (Assistant Manager) is a direct-recruitment exam conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India for officers in Grade A scale.
- The exam has three phases: Phase I (online objective, 160 marks, 120 minutes), Phase II (online objective + descriptive, 200 marks total), and Phase III (interview, 100 marks).
- Selected candidates start at a basic pay of ₹44,500 per month (Grade A scale: ₹44,500–₹89,150) plus allowances like DA, HRA, and medical.
- The official notification is published on sebi.gov.in under 'Careers' — no other source is authoritative.
- SEBI Grade A is a three-phase exam: Phase I (objective), Phase II (objective + descriptive), Phase III (interview).
- Eligibility: 21-30 years, bachelor's degree, Indian citizen. Relaxation for reserved categories.
- Salary: Basic pay ₹44,500/month, in-hand around ₹1.2-1.5 lakh in Mumbai with allowances.
- Cut-offs vary yearly; General category typically needs 55-60% in Phase I and 60-65% in Phase II.
- The descriptive paper and interview test your knowledge of SEBI's recent actions — not just textbook theory.
What Exactly Is SEBI Grade A?
SEBI Grade A is the entry-level officer post at the Securities and Exchange Board of India — the regulator of India's stock markets, mutual funds, and all securities transactions. Think of it as the RBI Grade B equivalent for the capital markets world. You'll work on policy, enforcement, market supervision, or legal/compliance. The role is demanding, the pay is excellent, and the prestige is unmatched.
If you're comparing it with other regulator exams, check our RBI Grade B 2026 Notification guide for a side-by-side look at eligibility and salary.
Who Can Apply? Eligibility Criteria in Plain English
Age: You must be between 21 and 30 years old as of the notification date. Relaxation: SC/ST – 5 years, OBC – 3 years, PwBD – 10 years.
Education: A bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Some streams (like Law, Engineering, Commerce) may have specific preferences depending on the post. Check the official notification for stream-wise requirements.
Nationality: Indian citizen. No exceptions.
SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern: Three Phases, One Goal
Phase I (Prelims): Online objective test. Four sections — General Awareness (40 marks), English Language (40 marks), Quantitative Aptitude (40 marks), Reasoning (40 marks). Total 160 marks, 120 minutes. Each section has a separate cut-off. You must clear all four to move to Phase II.
Phase II (Mains): Two papers. Paper 1: Objective test on the same four sections but deeper — 100 marks, 60 minutes. Paper 2: Descriptive test — essay, precis, and comprehension — 100 marks, 60 minutes. Both papers have separate cut-offs.
Phase III (Interview): 100 marks. Panel assesses your knowledge, communication, and personality. Minimum qualifying marks: 50% for General, 45% for OBC/EWS, 40% for SC/ST/PwBD.
Final merit = Phase II marks (weighted) + Interview marks. Phase I is only qualifying.
Syllabus: What to Study for SEBI Grade A
General Awareness: Current affairs (last 6-8 months), Indian economy, financial markets, SEBI rules, government schemes, international organisations. This is the most scoring section if you follow daily news.
English Language: Reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, para jumbles. Standard bank-exam level.
Quantitative Aptitude: Arithmetic (percentages, profit-loss, time-speed-distance), data interpretation, algebra, number series. No calculus.
Reasoning: Logical reasoning, puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogisms, data sufficiency, coding-decoding.
For the descriptive paper, practice essay writing on financial topics, precis writing, and comprehension of regulatory texts.
Salary and Perks: What You Actually Take Home
Basic pay: ₹44,500 per month in the Grade A scale (₹44,500–₹89,150). Add Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), medical reimbursement, and other allowances. Total in-hand salary for a Mumbai posting is approximately ₹1.2–1.5 lakh per month. Plus, you get a leased accommodation or HRA, a car loan at concessional rates, and a pension under the SEBI (Employees) Pension Scheme.
Compare this with the RBI Assistant salary — SEBI Grade A pays significantly more because it's an officer-level post.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
1. Go to sebi.gov.in → Careers → 'Recruitment of Grade A Officers'.
2. Click 'Apply Online' and register with your email and phone number.
3. Fill in personal details, educational qualifications, and work experience (if any).
4. Upload scanned photo, signature, and required documents (category certificate, if applicable).
5. Pay the application fee: ₹1,000 for General/OBC/EWS; ₹100 for SC/ST/PwBD (intimation charge only).
6. Submit and take a printout. Keep it safe.
Application window is usually open for 3-4 weeks after the notification. Don't wait till the last day.
Cut-Off Marks: What You Need to Clear
Cut-offs vary every year based on the number of applicants and difficulty. For reference, the Phase I cut-off for General category in 2024 was around 55-60% (88-96 marks out of 160). Phase II cut-off is higher — around 60-65% in each paper. Interview cut-off is 50% for General.
Check the official SEBI website for the exact cut-off of the previous year — it's published in the 'Recruitment' section.
How Is SEBI Grade A Different from RBI Grade B?
Both are regulator exams, but the focus differs. RBI Grade B deals with monetary policy, banking regulation, and financial stability. SEBI Grade A deals with securities markets — stock exchanges, mutual funds, IPOs, insider trading. The exam pattern is similar (three phases), but the syllabus for General Awareness in SEBI leans heavily on capital markets and SEBI rules. If you're torn between the two, read our RBI Grade B guide for a detailed comparison.
Questions people ask
SEBI Grade A is the entry-level officer recruitment exam conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Selected candidates work as Assistant Managers in areas like market regulation, enforcement, legal, and policy.
The basic pay is ₹44,500 per month in the Grade A scale (₹44,500–₹89,150). With allowances like DA, HRA, and medical, the total in-hand salary for a Mumbai posting is approximately ₹1.2–1.5 lakh per month.
The exam has three phases: Phase I (online objective test with four sections), Phase II (online objective + descriptive papers), and Phase III (interview). Each phase has separate cut-offs.
Indian citizens aged 21-30 years with a bachelor's degree from a recognised university can apply. Age relaxation is available for SC/ST (5 years), OBC (3 years), and PwBD (10 years).
Visit sebi.gov.in, go to Careers, click on 'Recruitment of Grade A Officers', register, fill the form, upload documents, pay the fee (₹1,000 for General/OBC/EWS, ₹100 for SC/ST/PwBD), and submit.
Cut-offs vary each year. For General category, Phase I cut-off is typically around 55-60% (88-96 marks out of 160). Phase II cut-off is around 60-65% in each paper. Check the official SEBI website for the latest cut-off.