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 (online objective)
- Mode
- Online computer-based test (CBT), conducted at IBPS-managed centres across India
- Sections
- 7 sections — English Language · Reasoning · Quantitative Aptitude · Computer Knowledge · General Awareness · MSME (Policy/Regulatory/Legal/Finance & Management) · Stream Specific Test
- Questions
- 200 multiple-choice questions (English 30 + Reasoning 25 + Quantitative Aptitude 25 + Computer Knowledge 20 + General Awareness 20 + MSME — Policy/Regulatory/Legal/Finance & Management 30 + Stream Specific Test 50)
- Marks
- 200 marks (English 30 + Reasoning 25 + Quantitative Aptitude 25 + Computer Knowledge 20 + General Awareness 20 + MSME 30 + Stream Specific Test 50)
- Duration
- 120 minutes composite
- Negative marking
- 1/4 mark deducted per wrong answer (0.25 marks per wrong question)
Phase I is NOT fully qualifying. English, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and Computer Knowledge are qualifying only, but the General Awareness, MSME and Stream Specific Test sections COUNT toward shortlisting for Phase II. Phase I marks do NOT, however, enter the final merit list. Sectional and overall cutoffs apply; candidates are shortlisted from Phase I for Phase II at a multiple of the vacancies.
Phase II — Mains (merit-counting, descriptive English + MSME objective & descriptive)
- Mode
- Online — Paper I descriptive English (on-screen typing) + Paper II MSME objective and descriptive
- Sections
- Paper I — Descriptive English (Essay + Précis / Comprehension + Business Letter). Paper II — MSME: an objective section plus a descriptive section (candidates answer 4 of about 10 descriptive questions). For Specialist streams, Paper II may be supplemented with a discipline-specific paper.
- Questions
- Paper I: descriptive English (Essay + précis/comprehension + Business Letter), on-screen typed. Paper II: 50 MCQs (objective) + descriptive — answer 4 of approximately 10 questions, on-screen typed.
- Marks
- Paper I — Descriptive English 75 marks. Paper II — MSME Objective 50 marks + MSME Descriptive 50 marks = 125 marks. Total Phase II = 200 marks.
- Duration
- Paper I 75 minutes. Paper II — objective 60 minutes + descriptive 75 minutes.
- Negative marking
- 1/4 mark deducted per wrong answer for the Paper II objective section; not applicable to the descriptive sections
Phase II marks (200) 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
- 100 marks
- Duration
- 25-40 minutes per candidate
- Negative marking
- Not applicable
Final merit list = Phase II (200) + Interview (100) = 300 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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