The SEBI Grade A Exam is one of the most prestigious government exams in India for aspirants who wish to work in the financial and securities sector. Conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), this exam opens doors to a rewarding career as an Assistant Manager in various streams like General, Legal, Information Technology, Research, and Official Language.
If you are planning to appear for the SEBI Grade A 2025 exam, one of the smartest strategies is to analyze SEBI Grade A previous year question papers. Studying old papers helps you understand the exam pattern, level of difficulty, and types of questions asked over the years.
In this comprehensive article, you’ll find everything you need to know about SEBI Grade A question papers — including downloadable links, exam pattern, benefits of solving old papers, and preparation strategies.
Table of Contents
1. What is SEBI Grade A Exam?
The SEBI Grade A (Assistant Manager) exam is conducted to recruit candidates for managerial roles across multiple streams in the Securities and Exchange Board of India. It’s one of the most competitive exams for finance and management aspirants.
SEBI Grade A Streams
- General Stream
- Legal Stream
- Information Technology (IT) Stream
- Research Stream
- Official Language Stream
- Engineering (Civil & Electrical) Stream
Each stream has a slightly different syllabus, but the overall exam pattern and structure remain similar across streams.
2. Importance of Solving SEBI Grade A Previous Year Question Papers
If you ask toppers or experts, they’ll all emphasize one thing — “Practice previous year papers!”
Here’s why solving SEBI Grade A previous year question papers is a must for every aspirant:
Understand the Exam Pattern
Previous papers show exactly what SEBI expects from candidates. You’ll learn how many questions come from each section, what type they are, and how the marking scheme works.
Identify Important Topics
Certain topics — like Bond Valuation, Monetary Policy, Financial Ratios, and Current Affairs — appear repeatedly. Solving past papers helps you identify these high-weightage topics.
Get Familiar with Question Types
You’ll see how SEBI frames questions — especially in Phase 1’s Quantitative Aptitude and Phase 2’s Finance and Management sections.
Improve Time Management
By practicing under exam-like conditions, you’ll understand how much time to dedicate to each section.
Boost Confidence
The more past papers you solve, the less you’ll panic on exam day. Familiarity reduces anxiety and increases accuracy.
3. SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern Overview
Before diving into old question papers, it’s crucial to understand the structure of the SEBI Grade A exam.
The exam is conducted in three stages:
| Stage | Name | Mode | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Online Screening Test | Online | Objective |
| Phase 2 | Main Examination | Online | Objective + Descriptive |
| Phase 3 | Interview | Offline | Personality-based |
Phase 1: Screening Test
Paper 1 (Common to All Streams):
- General Awareness (including Financial Sector)
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude
- Reasoning
Paper 2 (Stream-specific):
- Depends on your chosen stream (e.g., Commerce, Economics, IT, Law, etc.)
Key Highlights:
- Each paper carries 100 marks
- Duration: 60 minutes per paper
- Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer
- Must secure minimum cut-off marks in each paper
Phase 2: Main Examination
Paper 1: English (Descriptive)
- Essay, Precis, and Comprehension
- Tests communication and writing skills
Paper 2: Stream-Specific Paper
- Questions based on the stream you applied for (General/IT/Legal, etc.)
- More analytical and application-based
Phase 3: Interview
Candidates who clear Phase 2 are called for an interview. Final selection is based on aggregate marks from Phase 2 and the interview.
4. SEBI Grade A Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download
Below is a section where you can link or embed the actual question papers or PDF download pages from your website.
Download SEBI Grade A Previous Year Question Papers (PDF)
| Year | Exam Phase | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| SEBI Grade A 2024 | Phase 1 & 2 | Soon |
| SEBI Grade A 2023 | Phase 1 & 2 | Soon |
| SEBI Grade A 2022 | Phase 1 & 2 | Soon |
| SEBI Grade A 2020 | Phase 1 & 2 | Soon |
| SEBI Grade A 2018 | Phase 1 & 2 | Soon |
Pro Tip:
Always practice at least the last 5 years’ papers before attempting the mock tests. This helps you understand recurring question patterns and the evolution of difficulty level over time.
5. How to Use SEBI Grade A Question Papers Effectively
Merely downloading question papers isn’t enough — how you use them matters.
Here’s a proven strategy:
Step 1: Attempt Without Help
Try solving the paper in one go, under strict exam conditions. This gives a real sense of timing and performance.
Step 2: Analyze Mistakes
Don’t just check your score — understand why you made mistakes. Was it due to concept gaps, time pressure, or misreading questions?
Step 3: Make a Revision Sheet
Note down all frequently asked formulas, static GK topics, and problem types that repeat in papers.
Step 4: Repeat the Process
Solve at least 8–10 previous year papers before your final mock tests. This consistency sharpens both accuracy and speed.
6. Section-wise Analysis of Past Papers
Let’s look at what kinds of questions generally appear in each section of the SEBI Grade A exam.
A. Quantitative Aptitude
- Topics: Ratio & Proportion, Time-Speed-Distance, Probability, Data Interpretation, Mensuration
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
- Strategy: Focus on data interpretation and speed calculations.
B. Reasoning
- Topics: Puzzles, Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding, Syllogisms
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Strategy: Practice logical reasoning sets and strengthen visualization.
C. English Language
- Topics: Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Error Spotting, Vocabulary
- Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
- Strategy: Regular reading of editorials boosts both speed and accuracy.
D. General Awareness (Finance Focused)
- Topics: Current Affairs (last 6 months), RBI Reports, Economic Survey, Budget Highlights
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Strategy: Follow authentic finance magazines and SEBI’s own updates.
E. Finance and Management (Phase 2)
- Topics: Financial Systems, Management Principles, Cost of Capital, Motivation Theories
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
- Strategy: NCERTs, standard finance books, and SEBI reports are key resources.
7. Difficulty Level of SEBI Grade A Exam
The SEBI Grade A exam is considered moderate to tough, depending on your background.
| Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate to Difficult |
| Reasoning | Moderate |
| English | Easy to Moderate |
| General Awareness | Moderate |
| Finance & Management | Moderate to Difficult |
| Descriptive English | Moderate |
Candidates from finance, economics, or management backgrounds find Paper 2 easier, whereas general aspirants may need to invest more time understanding financial terms.
8. Commonly Repeated Topics and Question Trends
Based on the last few years’ SEBI Grade A papers, here are some topics that are repeatedly asked:
General Awareness
- RBI Monetary Policy
- Union Budget Highlights
- Economic Survey Facts
- Financial News and Banking Reports
Finance & Management
- Ratio Analysis, Time Value of Money
- Principles of Management (Fayol, Taylor)
- Leadership Theories
- Risk Management
- Capital Market Instruments
Quantitative Aptitude
- Data Interpretation (Pie chart, Table)
- Simplification
- Time and Work
- Profit & Loss
- Probability
Understanding these trends helps in prioritizing your study schedule.
9. SEBI Grade A Preparation Tips
Here are expert-backed preparation strategies for SEBI Grade A aspirants:
1. Start with the Syllabus and Pattern
Print out the syllabus and keep it in your study area. Know exactly what to prepare and what to skip.
2. Make a 3-Phase Study Plan
- Phase 1: Basics + Concept Building
- Phase 2: Practice + Mock Tests
- Phase 3: Revision + Speed Enhancement
3. Stay Updated with Financial News
Follow SEBI’s official website, RBI releases, and economic news regularly.
4. Solve Previous Papers Weekly
Dedicate one day a week just to solving old papers. Track your improvement.
5. Attempt Mock Tests
Mocks simulate real exam pressure. Combine them with previous papers for best results.
6. Revise Consistently
Maintain concise notes for formulas, GK updates, and financial abbreviations.
7. Focus on Weak Areas
If you’re weak in Finance or Quant, focus on conceptual clarity instead of rote learning.
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Where can I download SEBI Grade A previous year question papers?
You can download PDFs of SEBI Grade A question papers from reliable education websites and from SEBI’s recruitment archives when available.
Q2. Are SEBI Grade A previous papers available with solutions?
Yes, many online platforms provide solved papers along with explanations for better understanding.
Q3. How many previous year papers should I solve?
Ideally, solve at least the last 5 years’ papers and 10–15 mock tests.
Q4. Does SEBI repeat questions?
Exact questions are rarely repeated, but concepts and topics often reappear with variations.
Q5. How can I analyze SEBI Grade A Phase 2 papers?
Focus on the Finance and Management paper analysis understand weightage and topic trends.
Conclusion
Practicing SEBI Grade A previous year question papers is not just about revision it’s about strategy, pattern recognition, and confidence-building. Each paper you solve brings you closer to understanding SEBI’s exam psychology.
Whether you’re a first-time aspirant or reattempting, make these papers your most trusted resource. Combine them with mock tests, current affairs, and conceptual clarity and you’ll be fully equipped to ace the SEBI Grade A exam.
So, start today! Download your SEBI Grade A previous year papers and begin analyzing them section by section.