RBI Assistant General Awareness Syllabus

General Awareness syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Awareness in RBI Assistant, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Banking and Financial Awareness

   4 topics

   • RBI and its Functions
     • Monetary policy tools (repo, reverse repo, CRR, SLR)
     • Functions and structure of RBI
     • Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
   • Banking Structure in India
     • Commercial, cooperative and regional rural banks
     • Small finance and payments banks
     • NBFCs
   • Banking Terminology and Instruments
     • NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI
     • Negotiable instruments
   • Financial Regulators and Institutions
     • SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, NABARD, SIDBI
2. 2

   Current Affairs

   5 topics

   • National and International Events
     • Government schemes and policies
     • Bilateral and multilateral agreements
   • Economy and Budget
     • Union Budget highlights
     • Economic Survey
   • Appointments, Awards and Honours
   • Sports, Books and Authors
   • Summits, Conferences and Reports
3. 3

   Static General Knowledge

   4 topics

   • Indian Polity and Constitution
     • Fundamental rights and duties
     • Important constitutional bodies
   • Geography of India and World
     • Rivers, mountains and national parks
     • Capitals and currencies
   • History and Culture
     • Important dates and movements
     • Dances, festivals and heritage sites
   • General Science Basics
4. 4

   Economy and Financial Concepts

   4 topics

   • Indian Economy Fundamentals
     • GDP, GNP, inflation and indices
     • Fiscal and monetary policy
   • Financial Markets
     • Money market and capital market
     • Stock exchanges and indices
   • International Organisations
     • IMF, World Bank, WTO, ADB
   • Government Financial Schemes
     • Financial inclusion schemes (PMJDY, etc.)
     • Insurance and pension schemes

General Awareness flashcards for RBI Assistant

19 of 50 cards from the General Awareness deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In what year was the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) established, and under which Act?

   The RBI was established on 1 April 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. It was nationalised on 1 January 1949.

2. Who is the regulator of monetary policy in India, and what is its primary objective under the amended RBI Act?

   The RBI regulates monetary policy. Its primary objective is maintaining price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth, with a CPI inflation target of 4% (+/- 2%).

3. What is the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and how many members does it have?

   The MPC is a 6-member committee that sets the policy repo rate to achieve the inflation target. It has 3 RBI members (including the Governor as chair) and 3 government-nominated external members; decisions are by majority, with the Governor having a casting vote.

4. Define the Repo Rate and the Reverse Repo Rate.

   Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends short-term money to commercial banks against securities. Reverse repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows (absorbs liquidity) from banks.

5. What are CRR and SLR in Indian banking?

   CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) is the percentage of a bank's net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) it must keep as cash with the RBI. SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) is the percentage of NDTL banks must hold in liquid assets like cash, gold, and approved government securities.

6. What is the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)?

   MSF is a window allowing scheduled banks to borrow overnight funds from the RBI against approved securities (dipping into SLR) at a rate above the repo rate, used during acute liquidity shortages.

7. What is the structure of the banking system in India by tier?

   It comprises Scheduled Banks (Commercial Banks and Co-operative Banks) and Non-Scheduled Banks. Scheduled Commercial Banks include Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), and Small Finance Banks/Payments Banks.

8. What is a Scheduled Bank in India?

   A Scheduled Bank is one listed in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934, having paid-up capital and reserves of at least Rs 5 lakh and meeting RBI conditions; it is eligible for loans from the RBI at the bank rate.

9. What is the difference between NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS?

   NEFT settles transactions in batches (now near real-time, 24x7) with no minimum/maximum limit. RTGS settles large-value transactions (minimum Rs 2 lakh) in real time on a gross basis, 24x7. IMPS offers instant 24x7 interbank transfer via mobile/internet, run by NPCI.

10. What is the difference between a Cheque, a Demand Draft, and a Banker's Cheque?

    A cheque is an order to a bank to pay from the drawer's account and may bounce for insufficient funds. A Demand Draft (DD) is prepaid and guaranteed by the bank, for inter-city payments. A Banker's/Pay Order is a prepaid instrument used for local payments within the same city.

11. What does NPA stand for, and when is an asset classified as an NPA?

    NPA stands for Non-Performing Asset. A loan becomes an NPA when interest or principal remains overdue for more than 90 days.

12. What are the three sub-categories of Non-Performing Assets?

    Sub-standard assets (NPA for up to 12 months), Doubtful assets (sub-standard for more than 12 months), and Loss assets (identified as uncollectible).

13. What is CASA ratio in banking?

    CASA (Current Account Savings Account) ratio is the proportion of a bank's total deposits held in low-cost current and savings accounts. A higher CASA ratio means lower cost of funds and higher profitability.

14. What is the role of SEBI and when was it established?

    SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) regulates the securities market, protects investors, and promotes market development. It was established in 1988 and given statutory powers under the SEBI Act, 1992.

15. What does IRDAI regulate and where is it headquartered?

    IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) regulates and develops the insurance sector. It was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Hyderabad.

16. What does PFRDA regulate?

    PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) regulates and develops the pension sector in India, including the National Pension System (NPS). It was made statutory by the PFRDA Act, 2013.

17. What is NABARD and what is its primary mandate?

    NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), established in 1982, is the apex development bank for agriculture and rural development, providing refinance and supervising RRBs and cooperative banks.

18. What is the function of SIDBI?

    SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India), established in 1990 and headquartered in Lucknow, is the principal financial institution for the promotion, financing, and development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

19. What is the difference between Fiscal Policy and Monetary Policy?

    Fiscal policy concerns government decisions on taxation and spending, managed by the Ministry of Finance. Monetary policy concerns control of money supply and interest rates, managed by the RBI.

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