SEBI Grade A Syllabus 2025: Phase I & II Subject-Wise PDF & Exam Pattern
Get the complete SEBI Grade A syllabus 2025—including Phase I (General Awareness, Quant, Reasoning, English) and Phase II (Descriptive English + Stream-specific topics). Download PDF, access detailed exam pattern, subject-wise breakdown, and cut-off criteria.
The SEBI Grade A Officer Exam is conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to recruit officers across various streams like General, Legal, IT, Research, and more. Understanding the syllabus in detail is the first step to successful preparation.
The SEBI Grade A exam is a three-phase process that evaluates candidates across various parameters such as quantitative aptitude, reasoning, language proficiency, and specialized subject knowledge. The exam is highly competitive and requires a focused approach, especially in stream-specific papers.
Exam Overview
Stage
Paper
Mode
Marks
Duration
Negative Marking
Cut-Off Criteria
Phase I
Paper 1: General Awareness, English, Reasoning, Quant
Online (MCQ)
100
60 minutes
Yes (¼ mark)
30% in Paper 1, 40% in Paper 2
Phase I
Paper 2: Stream-Specific
Online (MCQ)
100
40 minutes
Yes (¼ mark)
40%
Phase II
Paper 1: English (Descriptive)
Online
100
60 minutes
No
30%
Phase II
Paper 2: Stream-Specific
Online (MCQ/Coding)
100
60–180 min
Yes (¼ mark)
40%
Phase III
Interview
In-person
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SEBI Grade A Syllabus – Phase I: Paper 1 (Common for All Streams)
Section
Detailed Topics
General Awareness
Current events (national/international), economy, SEBI/RBI circulars, financial awareness, budgets
English Language
Reading comprehension, cloze test, para jumbles, grammar, vocabulary, error spotting
Quantitative Aptitude
Percentages, ratios, time and work, averages, data interpretation, mensuration, SI/CI, number series
Reasoning Ability
Syllogism, puzzles, blood relations, direction sense, inequalities, input-output, coding-decoding
Note: This paper is qualifying in nature but you must clear both sectional and overall cut-offs to proceed.
SEBI Grade A Syllabus – Phase I & II: Paper 2 (Stream-Specific)
General Stream
Subject
Topics
Commerce & Accountancy
Accounting standards (AS), trial balance, cash flow, ratio analysis, depreciation, journal/ledger, share capital
Management
HRM, performance appraisal, leadership theories, organizational behavior, motivation, communication
Finance
Capital market, money market, forex market, financial instruments, mutual funds, basics of derivatives, time value
Costing
Cost sheet, marginal costing, standard costing, activity-based costing, budgetary control
Companies Act
Chapter III, IV, VIII, X, XI, XII (Accounts, Board of Directors, Audit, etc.)
Accounting Standards by D.S. Rawat, CA Foundation Books
Finance
Indian Financial System by Bharti Pathak, Finance for Non-Finance Managers
Legal
Bare Acts, Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Legal Aptitude by A.P. Bhardwaj
IT
Let Us C by Yashwant Kanetkar, Data Structures by Narasimha Karumanchi
Research
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh, Statistics for Economics by T.N. Srivastava
SEBI Grade A Preparation Strategy
Understand the complete syllabus and make topic-wise notes
Create a study plan with daily and weekly goals
Strengthen basics for Phase I first, then move to stream-specific prep
Practice descriptive writing (essay, precis)
Attempt regular mock tests and analyze performance
Follow SEBI updates, Economic Survey, and Budget news
Revise weekly and avoid last-minute cramming
Join coaching or study groups, if necessary
Focus on interview preparation once shortlisted
Specialization Advice
Stream
Ideal Candidates
Why Choose It?
General
B.Com, MBA, CA aspirants
Balanced and vast opportunities across finance & admin
Legal
Law graduates
High demand for compliance and regulatory roles
IT
B.Tech (CS/IT), MCA
Cybersecurity and data roles in regulatory tech
Research
Economics, Statistics postgraduates
Focused on data analysis and policy formulation
Conclusion
The SEBI Grade A Syllabus is detailed, dynamic, and demands conceptual clarity, speed, and specialization. Whether you belong to the General, Legal, IT, or Research stream, a well-organized strategy aligned with the syllabus is essential. Begin your preparation today with a clear roadmap, reliable resources, and consistent practice. The SEBI Grade A Officer role offers one of the most prestigious careers in the regulatory and financial ecosystem—make your effort count!
