SEBI Grade A Eligibility Criteria, Pattern, Syllabus & Admit Card 2025

When it comes to preparing for competitive exams, a well-structured approach is necessary to success.

Among the many exams that attract aspiring professionals, the SEBI Grade A exam stands out as one of the most sought-after opportunities. 

Before you start planning your study schedule or gathering resources, it’s important to take a step back and ensure that you meet the basic eligibility requirements for the exam.

This will help you avoid any surprises down the line and focus your efforts on the right direction. 

Familiarizing yourself with the SEBI Grade A exam pattern and syllabus is important, as it will guide your preparation and help you prioritize the right topics.

Understanding the structure of the exam will let you to divide your time efficiently and focus on areas that carry more weightage. 

One of the most important things to remember is to have all the necessary documents in place before exam day. 

Yes, you have guessed it right!

It is the admit card that I am referring to, without which your exam journey shall remain incomplete.  

Just like any great journey begins with a single step, preparing for the SEBI Grade A exam involves not only mastering the subjects but also being mindful of all the essential requirements.  

Let’s look at the process and ensure you’re fully prepared for what lies ahead! 

SEBI Grade A Eligibility Criteria

The official notification for SEBI Grade A 2025 is not yet released. Based on past trends, I can expect that there would be no changes for SEBI exam 2025 as well. 
 
If you preparing for the 2025 exam, you can check the SEBI Grade A eligibility PDF 2024 in the link attached. 

The SEBI Grade A Eligibility Criteria includes important requirements which are as follows:  

• Educational Qualification 
• Age Limit and its Relaxations 
• Nationality 

It is important for you to know that applicants for the exam must be Indian citizens only.   

While there is a provision of age limit for candidates, there is no maximum number of attempts specified to apply for the SEBI Grade A exam.  

Now, it’s time to discuss eligibility criteria in detail.  

Educational Qualification: SEBI Grade A Exam Eligibility

As per the latest eligibility criteria for the SEBI Grade A 2025 exam, the educational qualifications mandated for the candidates belonging to General Stream are as follows:  

However, apart from the educational qualifications mentioned in the table above, the following points are also important to consider:

a). For General stream, A Post Graduate Diploma in any discipline is considered eligible for the same, provided that it is recognized as equivalent to a Master’s Degree in that discipline by the Govt. of India.   

b). You are permitted to apply for a maximum of 2 Streams, only the latest applications shall be considered valid.

• Separate on-line applications for each stream must be submitted and requisite fees to be paid for each application. 
• In case you apply more than once in a single Stream and/or apply for more than 2 Streams,only the latest applications shall be considered valid.  

c). Candidates who appeared for the final exams and are waiting for the results are eligible to appear for SEBI Grade A Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III of the selection process and the other applications shall be deemed invalid.

Age Limit & Relaxations: SEBI Grade A Exam Eligibility

The age limit is one of the most important factors when it comes to determining eligibility for any exam and the case for SEBI Grade A being no different.   

For candidates applying for SEBI Grade A General Stream, the maximum age limit is 30 years.

However to give you an idea, the 2024 exam required candidates to be 30 years or younger as of 31st March 2024, i.e., you must have born on or after 01st April 1994.

There is an age limit for candidates applying for the SEBI Grade A exam, but there is no limit on the number of attempts you can make. 

For candidates of other categories, there are several age relaxations as provided in the table below:

Here are some points to keep in mind when checking your eligibility for the SEBI Grade A exam.

1. Ex-serviceman include Emergency Commissioned Officers/Short Service Commissioned Officers –  

• Who have provided their five years of service and have been released:  
• on completion of assignment including those whose assignment is to be completed within one year, otherwise than by way of dismissal/discharge/misconduct/inefficiency or   
• on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service   
• on invalidment.  
• Who have completed their initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service but whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defense issues certificates that they would be released on selection within three months from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.  

2. Only those of you belonging to ‘Non-Creamy Layer’ are eligible to apply under OBC Category.   

• Candidates belonging to the OBC category but under the ‘Creamy Layer’ are not entitled to OBC reservation. In such case, you should indicate your category as ‘Unreserved’.   

• Those belonging to the OBC (NCL) category should have an OBC (NCL) certificate issued on or after April 01, 2025, but earlier than the due date (closing date) of the application. 

3. OBC (NCL) Certificate: If you’re applying under the OBC (NCL) category, your certificate should be issued between April 01, 2025, and the closing date of the application. 

4. Age Relaxation: SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD candidates are eligible for age relaxation, meaning they can apply at an older age than other candidates. 

5. Fee Exemption for SC/ST Candidates: SC/ST candidates don’t have to pay the application fee but will need to pay a small amount of intimation charges for processing. 

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): SEBI Grade A Exam Eligibility

Talking about relaxations provided for different categories, candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, i.e., PwBD category are granted concessions regarding SEBI Grade A age limit. The PwBD category includes the following conditions: 

• Blindness and Low Vision,
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
• Locomotor Disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy,
• Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness,
• Multiple disabilities and
• Other disabilities (as per the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016)

The PwBD candidates belonging to any category (i.e., GEN/ SC/ ST/ OBC) will be eligible for age relaxations in the SEBI Grade A Exam. Reservation for PwBD is horizontal and within the overall vacancies for the posts.

PwBD candidates will be eligible for concession in the application fee.

SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern 2025

Familiarity with the exam pattern helps with an overall understanding of the exam’s nature. The selection process for SEBI Grade A is based on the 3-stage process and is as follows: 

• Phase I – It is an on-line screening examination which consists of two papers of 100 marks each. 
• Phase II – This on-line examination comprises of two papers of 100 marks each. If you’re shortlisted for Phase II, you will be issued new hall tickets. 
• Phase III – The in-person Interview round tests the personality and communication skills of candidates.  

Referring to previous years question papers will give you a good idea if you want to know about the exam pattern. 

You can check and download SEBI Grade A previous year papers that I’ve compiled for you.   

For an elaborate understanding, let’s discuss the phase-wise exam pattern:  

SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern – Phase 1

The SEBI Phase 1 exam consists of two papers, i.e., Paper 1 and Paper 2. I have explained the SEBI Grade A exam pattern for phase 1 in detail below: 

Paper 1:  

• No. of questions: Paper 1 comprises of 80 questions (MCQ) to be attempted within 60 minutes. 
• Total marks: This paper carries a total of 100 marks.   
• Marking scheme: While each correct answer is worth 1.25 marks, there is a negative marking of 1/4th marks for every incorrect answer. 

Paper 2:  

• No. of questions: Paper 2 contains a total of 50 questions (MCQ) to attempt in 40 minutes. 
  
• Total marks: This paper carries total 100 marks as well. 
  
• Marking scheme: While each correct answer is for 2 marks, there is 1/4th negative marking allotted for every incorrect answer. 
  

Both the papers in this phase would be in Hindi and English, candidates can choose the language they want to attempt this paper it. In the table below, you can check the exam pattern for Phase 1 that I have provided in detail. 

The Paper 1 comprises four subjects – General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning.  

While the Paper 2 for the general stream includes subjects like – Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, and Economics.   

To be shortlisted for Phase II, you would need to secure separate cut-off in each paper as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 40% in the Phase I exam. The list of shortlisted candidates will be made available on the SEBI website.  

SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern – Phase 2

As per the SEBI exam pattern 2025, the Phase 2 entails 2 papers, i.e., Paper 1 and Paper 2.   

Paper 1: 

• Paper Type: Paper 1 for all streams would be an English Descriptive Paper. 
• No. of Questions: This paper consists of 3 questions which is to be attempted within 60 minutes 
• Total Marks: Total marks allotted for this paper is 100 marks.

Paper 2: 

• No. Of Questions – There will be a total 100 objective-based questions in Paper 2 to be attempted within 90 minutes.  
• Total Marks: This paper carries a total of 100 marks. 
• Marking scheme: In this paper, 1 marks will be awarded for every correct answer, while each incorrect answer entails a negative marking of 1/4th marks. 

Paper 1 contains questions from sections like Essay, Precis and Reading Comprehension.   

Whereas, Paper 2 General stream subjects are Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act and Economics. 

For your better understanding I have provided the details in tabular form below: 

You would need to secure separate cut-off in each paper as well as aggregate cut-off marks of 50% in the SEBI Grade A Phase II exam (weightage of 1/3rd for Paper 1 and 2/3rd for Paper 2) to be shortlisted for Phase III. 

A list of all those shortlisted for Interviews will be made available on the SEBI website. 

SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern -  Interview

The third and final stage of the SEBI Grade A examination is the Interview or Personality Test. 

• You must clear both the Prelims and Mains exams, meeting the minimum sectional and overall cut-off marks. 
• Weightage: The interview carries 15% weightage in the final merit list score. 
• Call Letter: Candidates who qualify Phase 2 will receive the call letter via email to appear for the interview. 
• Language Option: Candidates can choose to appear for the interview in either English or Hindi, depending on their comfort. 

In the final round, candidates are interviewed by a panel, where they are asked questions related to their background, conceptual knowledge, and are assessed on factors such as reasoning ability, aptitude, and leadership skills. 

The Interview is your chance to show your personality and suitability for the role.

SEBI Grade A Final Selection

The final selection of the candidates for the SEBI Grade A Exam will be made by combining the marks secured by the candidate in the Phase II and the Interview. 

Weightage Distribution: 

• Phase II: Accounts for 85% of the total weightage. 
• Interview: Accounts for 15% of the total weightage.

If you manage to clear all 3 phases, you will be called to show up for the medical trial and qualify the requirements. 

The list of final selected candidates will be made available on the official SEBI website within 2-3 weeks after the 2025 Grade A Interviews get over. 

SEBI Grade A Syllabus 2025

It is important to know well about the syllabus for an effective exam preparation. A proper understanding of the syllabus gives you insight into the exam’s nature and helps you identify the key topics that need to be covered. 

Getting familiar with the exam syllabus shall also help you in selection of appropriate books and study material that cover the topics that are asked in exam.   

Since the SEBI Grade A syllabus includes dynamic questions, especially related to current affairs, understanding the syllabus will help you know exactly what to focus on for this section. 

Now, let’s take a look at the latest SEBI Grade A 2025 syllabus, with a detailed breakdown for Phase 1 and Phase 2 below:

SEBI Grade A Phase 1 (Paper 1) Syllabus

SEBI Grade A Syllabus for Paper 1 of Phase 1 comprises of four subjects: 

• General Awareness,  
• English Language,  
• Quantitative Aptitude,  
• Reasoning Ability 

It is important for you to know that for Paper 1, you are required to score a minimum 30% marks in total to clear this level and no provision of section – wise cutoff is given for the paper. 

This shall help you to prioritize the subjects and cover them accordingly. In the table below, I have mentioned the major topics from each of the four subjects and these are as follows:  

SEBI Grade A Phase 2 (Paper 1) Syllabus  – English Skills

The English Descriptive is the only subject in Paper 1 of Phase 2. This test is designed to test your writing skills  including expression and understanding of the topic.

Questions are asked in this section related to:

  i) Precis

  ii) Essays

  iii) Comprehension

SEBI Grade A Phase 1 & 2 (Paper 2) Syllabus

Paper 2 Syllabus from both Phase 1 and 2 of SEBI Grade A has 6 different sections. All these sections are recently introduced and are equally important.

So let’s not waste any further time and dive deep into this part of the blog.

These are the 6 sections in SEBI Grade A Phase 1 & 2 (Paper 2):

A) Commerce & Accountancy

B) Management

C) Finance

D) Costing

E) Companies Act

F) Economics

Let us talk about each and every section in a more detailed manner and the important part of these sections that you need to cover.

Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus

a) Accounting as a financial information system;

b) Accounting Standards with specific reference to Accounting for Depreciation, Inventories, Revenue Recognition, Fixed Assets, Foreign Exchange Transactions, Investments.

c) Cash Flow Statement, Fund flow statement, Financial statement analysis; Ratio analysis;

d) Accounting for Share Capital Transactions including Bonus Shares, Right Shares.

e) Employees Stock Option and Buy-Back of Securities.

f) Preparation and Presentation of Company Final Accounts.

Management Syllabus

a) Management: its nature and scope; The Management Processes; Planning, Organization, Staffing, Directing and Controlling;

b) The Role of a Manager in an Organization. Leadership: The Tasks of a Leader;

c) Leadership Styles; Leadership Theories; A successful Leader versus an effective Leader.

d) Human Resource Development: Concept of HRD; Goals of HRD;

e) Motivation, Morale and Incentives: Theories of Motivation; How Managers Motivate; Concept of Morale; Factors determining morale; Role of Incentives in Building up Morale.

f) Communication: Steps in the Communication Process; Communication Channels; Oral versus Written Communication; Verbal versus non-verbal Communication; upward, downward and lateral communication; Barriers to Communication, Role of Information Technology.

Finance Syllabus

1) Financial System:

a) Role and Functions of Regulatory bodies in Financial Sector.

2) Financial Markets

a) Primary and Secondary Markets (Forex, Money, Bond, Equity, etc.), functions, instruments, recent developments.

3) General Topics

a) Basics of Derivatives: Forward, Futures and Swap

b) Recent Developments in the Financial Sector

c) Financial Inclusion- use of technology

d) Alternate source of finance, private and social cost-benefit, Public-Private Partnership

e) Direct and Indirect taxes; Non-tax sources of Revenue, GST, Finance Commission, Fiscal Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM),

f) Inflation: Definition, trends, estimates, consequences, and remedies (control): WPI, CPI – components and trends.

Costing Syllabus

1. Overview of Cost and Management Accounting – Introduction to Cost and Management Accounting, Objectives and Scope of Cost and Management Accounting.

2. Methods of Costing – Single Output/ Unit Costing, Job Costing, Batch Costing, Contract Costing, Process/ Operation Costing, Costing of Service Sectors.

3. Basics of Cost Control and Analysis – (i) Standard Costing, (ii) Marginal Costing, (iii) Budget and Budgetary Control.

4. Lean System and Innovation:-
a) Introduction to Lean System
b) Just-in-Time (JIT) Page 20 of 26
c) Kaizen Costing
d) 5 Ss
e) Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
f) Cellular Manufacturing/ One-Piece Flow Production Systems
g) Six Sigma (SS)
h) Introduction to Process Innovation and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR).

Companies Act Syllabus

The Companies Act, 2013 – Specific reference to Chapter III, Chapter IV, Chapter VIII, Chapter X, Chapter XI, Chapter XII and Chapter XXVII.

Economics Syllabus

a) Demand and Supply, Market Structures, National Income: Concepts and Measurement, Classical & Keynesian Approach Determination of output and employment, Consumption Function, Investment Function, Multiplier and Accelerator, Demand and Supply for Money , IS – LM, Inflation and Phillips Curve, Business Cycles

b) Balance of Payments, Foreign Exchange Markets, Inflation, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Non-banking Financial Institutions.

Now, that we have discussed the SEBI Grade A syllabus 2025, let’s move on to the next section to know more about the admit card. 

SEBI Grade A Admit Card 2025

The official notification for SEBI Grade A 2025 is not released yet. The exam dates for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be announced along with the notification. 

The admit cards for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Grade A exams are generally released about two weeks before the respective exam.  

Based on past trends, there is usually a one-month gap between the Phase 1 and Phase 2 exams, which also applies to the release of admit cards. 

The window to download the admit card will be open from the moment the hall ticket is released on the official website up until the exam date. 

It is important to note that the SEBI Grade A admit card is one of the main documents that you must carry to the exam center since it is important for verifying the candidate’s official details.  

Therefore, if you fail to carry the admit card on the exam day, you shall be denied entry to the exam premises.   

SEBI Grade A Admit Card 2024

Latest Update: The Phase 2 admit card for SEBI Grade A 2024 exam has been announced on 19th August 2024 and the exam was conducted on 31st August 2024. 

The admit card for SEBI Grade A 2024 Phase 1 exam was released on 20th July 2024 and the exam for the same was be held on 27th July 2024.  The link to download the SEBI Grade A admit card is provided here.

The notification for SEBI Grade A 2024 had been released on 10th June 2024 with details notifying about the exam dates.  

Whereas the SEBI Grade A Phase 2 exam 2024took place on 31st August 2024, the admit card for the same was released on 19th August 2024.

Now that I have given information regarding the hall ticket for this exam. In the next section, I am going to explain the steps to download SEBI Grade A admit card.   

Download SEBI Grade A Admit Card – Steps

To help you download the SEBI Grade A admit card seamlessly, I have mentioned the detailed step-by-step process below.  

Step 1: Visit the official SEBI website. click on the about section at the top-left area, then go to the career section directly.

Step 2: Here click on the “SEBI Grade A Recruitment – Download of Call Letter” link. 

Step 3: Click on the link to open call letter for phase 1 or 2.

The new page that opens will have a “login credential” box on the right side.

Step 4: Here you can choose from English or Hindi as the language in which you’d want your SEBI Grade A admit card to be printed, and fill in your “registration number”, “password/Date of Birth”, and the CAPTCHA security code.

Step 5: After filling in these details, click on the login button.

• Clicking on the “login” button will grant you access to your SEBI Grade A admit card. 
• Take a printout by clicking on the “click to print” option. You can also save your admit card as a PDF by clicking on the same option.

Details Mentioned in SEBI Grade A Admit Card 

The candidates must carefully check the information provided on the admit card. In case of any error or discrepancy, the applicants must report to the concerned authorities for any correction. The details mentioned on the admit card are as follows:  

1. Name of the Candidate 
2. Date of Birth 
3. Father’s/Husband’s Name 
4. Candidate’s Photograph 
5. Candidate’s Signature 
6. Venue of the exam center 

SEBI Grade A Admit Card 2025: Important Points 

Along with the admit card, the candidates are required to carry documents for verification purposes, which include: 

• A recent passport size photo 
• Any one of the following photo identity proofs: 
• Voter ID card 
• Aadhar card 
• Pan card 
• Driving license 
• Passport with photo 

The candidates must make sure to report to the exam venue on time as per the details provided on the admit card.  

The candidates are not allowed to carry any forbidden items or devices inside the exam premises. If you fail to comply, strict actions shall be taken against you by the exam authorities. 

SEBI Grade A Interview Call Letter

Latest Update: The call letter for SEBI Grade A Interview has been out on 23rd October 2024.

The link to download SEBI Grade A interview admit card is provided here.

After Phase 2 exam, the selected candidates are called for the final stage, i.e., the Interview round. 

Before the Interview can take place, the SEBI Grade A call letters are sent to the qualified candidates. The Interview call letter is usually released 1- 2 months after the Phase 2 exam is held.  

The call letter is sent to the selected individuals via online through their registered e-mail IDs.  

It is important for you to note that none of the Interview call letters will be sent by post. Hence, make sure that you provide a valid e- mail ID at the time of the online application procedure.

To avoid any further complications, ensure that your registered e- mail ID is functioning properly till the final selection process commences. 

SEBI Grade A Interview – List of Documents Required

At the time of the SEBI Grade A Interview, you will be required to produce the following documents for verification. You must carry each document in original as well as a photocopy. The documents required are: 

• Print out of Interview Call Letter 
• Original Attestation Form with affixed signed photographs 
• Govt. issued ID Proof such as Aadhar Card (in original and photocopy) 
• All Educational mark-sheets and certificates 
• Bio-Data Form (1 original & 6 photocopies) in prescribed size with signed photographs. 
• For OBC/ST/SC candidates, you’ll also need to carry the original Caste Certificate along with its photocopy. 
• For EWS candidates, you’ll also need to carry the original Income and Asset Certificate along with its photocopy. 

Make sure to bring all the required documents to the interview of SEBI Grade A exam to avoid any issues. 

Conclusion

So now, I have provided all the details you need to know about the SEBI Grade A eligibility for you to check your suitability for the exam. Apart from that, I have also discussed the syllabus and the exam pattern of Grade A in very detail to help you prepare accordingly.

Along with this information, I also covered the details of admit card as it is most important document to appear for the exam.

I wish the beginning of better things ahead for you! 

Stay Curious!