NABARD Grade A Phase 1 Mock Test 2026

NABARD Grade A recruits Assistant Managers for the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. Phase 1 is the screening stage, and it has a scoring structure that catches out candidates who prepare for it as though it were an ordinary banking prelims.

The paper carries 200 questions for 200 marks in 120 minutes with composite timing, so you may move between sections freely. There are eight sections: Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making, General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues, and Agriculture and Rural Development. Negative marking is 0.25 per wrong answer.

Here is the part that decides outcomes. The eight sections are not equal. Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude and Decision Making are qualifying only. You need to clear a minimum sectional score in each, and then those marks are discarded. Only General Awareness, Economic and Social Issues, and Agriculture and Rural Development count towards your shortlisting score for Phase 2.

The practical consequence is that half the paper is a hurdle to step over and the other half is the actual competition. Candidates who spend their preparation perfecting quantitative aptitude are optimising sections that will never appear on their scorecard, while ESI and ARD, which do, go under prepared. Confirm the current sectional split and qualifying thresholds on the official notification, as NABARD has adjusted these between cycles.