SIDBI Grade A (Assistant Manager) Exam Pattern 2026
The full SIDBI Grade A (Assistant Manager) exam pattern for 2026 — 3 stages, with the sections, question count, marks, duration and negative marking for each, as set by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Then take a free SIDBI Grade A (Assistant Manager) mock in the real pattern below.
Phase I — Preliminary Examination (qualifying, online objective)
- Mode
- Online computer-based test (CBT), conducted at IBPS-managed centres across India
- Sections
- English Language · Reasoning · Quantitative Aptitude · General Awareness — 4 sections (some cycles also include a small Computer Knowledge sub-section per the year's notification)
- Questions
- 100-150 multiple-choice questions across sections (indicative split: English 30-40, Reasoning 30-40, Quantitative Aptitude 30-40, General Awareness 20-40)
- Marks
- 100-150 marks (1 mark per question)
- Duration
- 60-90 minutes composite (verify the year's notification for exact duration)
- Negative marking
- 1/4 mark deducted per wrong answer (0.25 marks per wrong question)
Phase I is qualifying only — marks do NOT carry forward to merit. Sectional and overall cutoffs apply. Approximately 20-25 times the vacancies are shortlisted from Phase I for Phase II. The Phase I structure is closer to the IBPS PO Prelims pattern than the NABARD Phase I pattern (which has 8 sections including ESI/ARD/Decision Making).
Phase II — Mains (merit-counting, online objective + descriptive English)
- Mode
- Online — objective sections + descriptive English (on-screen typing)
- Sections
- Paper I — Objective (General Awareness with MSME focus, Reasoning, English, Quantitative Aptitude, Computer Knowledge, Economic & Social Issues, Management & Finance, MSME / SIDBI specific awareness). Paper II — Descriptive English (essay + precis + comprehension + business correspondence). For Specialist streams, Paper II may be replaced by or supplemented with a discipline-specific objective and descriptive paper.
- Questions
- Paper I objective: 100-200 MCQs across sections per the year's notification. Paper II descriptive: 4-6 essay/precis/correspondence questions, on-screen typed.
- Marks
- Paper I 100-200 marks objective + Paper II 50-100 marks descriptive = approximately 200-300 marks total Phase II
- Duration
- 120 minutes for Paper I + 30-45 minutes for Paper II descriptive
- Negative marking
- 1/4 mark deducted per wrong answer for Paper I objective; not applicable to Paper II descriptive
Phase II marks DO count towards final merit. Candidates are shortlisted from Phase II for the interview at approximately 3 times the vacancies per stream. The MSME-focused content (MSMED Act 2006 + 2020 amendment, Mudra, Stand-Up India, PSB Loans in 59 Minutes, CGTMSE) is the key differentiator from NABARD-style preparation and is the highest-ROI study area.
Phase III — Personal Interview
- Mode
- Offline, panel interview at SIDBI Head Office (Lucknow) or designated centres at Mumbai / Delhi / Chennai / Bengaluru
- Sections
- Wide-ranging personal interview covering academic background, work experience, current affairs (MSME ecosystem, banking regulation, monetary policy), SIDBI's mandate and schemes, candidate's motivation for joining SIDBI over commercial banks or NABARD
- Questions
- Conversational — typically 25-40 minutes with a 4-6 member panel chaired by senior SIDBI officer or external expert
- Marks
- 25 marks (some cycles use 50 marks — refer notification)
- Duration
- 25-40 minutes per candidate
- Negative marking
- Not applicable
Final merit list = Phase II + Interview marks (Phase I marks are NOT added). Document verification happens before or alongside the interview. Final allocation of posting and stream follows the merit list, vacancy distribution and reservation matrix.
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