SEBI Grade A Preparation 2020 – Study Plan for Phase 1 [Paper 1 & 2]

Exam aspirants are rejoicing as well as are a bit concerned about the recent intimation of the SEBI Grade A 2020 exam notification. Rejoicing because it has come as a surprise in 2020 as the aspirants had been waiting for it for a long time. On the other hand, aspirants are a bit stressed as well as SEBI has overhauled the exam pattern and nearly 4 weeks are left to prepare for Phase 1 exam which is scheduled on 12th of April 2020.

Well, things can be tackled, and we will help you all smoothly tackle this exam as well with ease. Just that you will have to put in extra effort here for SEBI Grade A exam preparation 2020 as there are new subjects introduced for Paper 2 of Phase 1.

But please do not get dejected seeing the new exam pattern and the syllabus. It can prove to be a golden opportunity for you all as with the introduction of the new pattern and syllabus, it would be a level playing field for almost all the aspirants who will be taking the exam this year.

Let us jump on to the most important question faced by us now: How to prepare for SEBI Grade A Exam 2020? We would discuss upon the following pointers here in this article.

  1. SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern & Mode of Selection
  2. Important points to keep in mind before you start preparing.
  3. Let us know How to Prepare for SEBI Grade A Officer 2020?
  4. SEBI Grade A 2020 Apply Online – Application Procedure

SEBI Grade A Exam Preparation 2020

We would jump on to the preparation strategy & study plan but before that let us quickly scan through the exam pattern and syllabus here. We would be talking here majorly for the GENERALIST Post (32 vacancies) offered in the exam notification. 

  1. SEBI Grade A Exam Pattern & Mode of Selection

Mode of selection shall be a three-stage process i.e.

1.1. SEBI 2020 Phase 1 Exam Pattern (Prelims)

(on-line screening examination consisting of two papers of 100 marks each),

Paper 1 – 100 Marks (MCQs on Quants, Reasoning, English & GA with some questions on the financial sector) (Duration – 1 hour)

Paper 2 – 100 Marks (MCQs on Commerce & Accounting, Companies Act, Finance & Management & Economics) (Duration – 40 minutes)

1.2. SEBI 2020 Phase 2 Exam Pattern (Mains)

(on-line examination consisting of two papers of 100 marks each) and

Paper 1 – 100 Marks (English Descriptive on topics like Precis Writing, Essay Writing, Reading Comprehension) (Duration – 60 Minutes)

Paper 2 – 100 Marks (Multiple-choice questions on subjects Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act and Economics.) (Duration – 40 minutes)

1.3. SEBI 2020 Phase 3 (Interview).

Phase 1 is qualifying in nature while the aggregate of marks obtained in Phase 2 and Interview will be considered to come up with the merit list.

Weightage of marks obtained in Phase 2 will be 85% while the weightage of marks in the interview shall be 15%.

  1. Important points to keep in mind before you start preparing.

i. There is paper wise cut-off. So, concentrate on both the papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2).

ii. At the same time, there is nothing mentioned about the sectional cut-off in both paper 1 & paper 2. Make it work to your advantage as you can score very high in any or all of the sections that you are most comfortable with and thus increase your overall marks.

iii. There will be common preparation for Paper 2 for Phase 1 & Phase 2 as the subjects and syllabus of Paper 2 (Phase 1 and Phase 2) are exactly similar which can again work to your advantage. Prepare well for paper 2 as it would help you increase your overall score.

iv. In Paper 2, there are many subjects (Commerce & Accounting, Companies Act, Finance & Management & Economics) with a total of 100 marks and the duration is just 40 minutes. So, we could assume that the questions would be of easy to moderate level testing your basic understanding of the subjects and concept clarity.

  1. Let us know How to Prepare for SEBI Grade A Officer 2020?

3.1. SEBI Grade A 2020 – Phase 1 – Paper 1 Practice & Preparation

There are four sections:

  1. Quantitative Aptitude
  2. Reasoning Ability
  3. English
  4. General Awareness (including some questions related to the financial sector)

Marks distribution among the sections has not been conveyed yet which is expected to be conveyed in the information handout which would be out probably a week before the exam. So, let us make an intelligent guess here and carry on with our preparation for SEBI Grade A Exam 2020.

The four sections of paper 1 (Phase 1) can each carry 25 marks each

OR

  1. GA – 40 Marks
  2. Quants – 20 Marks
  3. Reasoning – 20 Marks
  4. English Language – 20 Marks

3.1.1. Phase 1 – Paper 1 Preparation Strategy

The best way now to prepare for above-mentioned sections would be through the SEBI Grade A Mock Tests as there are just about 4 weeks left for the exam.

Most of you, I am sure, might be well aware of the basics of these topics, therefore just jump on to taking the paper 1 mock tests.

Understand and analyse your strengths and weaknesses through these mock tests and work on them.

Week No. of Mock Tests to be taken
Week 1 3 Mock Tests
Week 2 2 Mock Tests
Week 3 3 Mock Tests
Week 4 2 Mock Tests

 

3.1.1.1. General Awareness Coverage

  1. Cover the News Related to the Financial Sector for the last 8 months.
  2. Other important news for the last 4 months (March, February, January & December).
  3. Start reading the current affairs for the latest month (March & February) because as per the trend most of the questions would be asked from these sections.
  4. Read and revise the highlights of the Union Budget & Economic Survey. You could expect 2-6 questions from these.
  5. SEBI in news & everything about SEBI.

3.2. SEBI Grade A 2020 – Phase 1 – Paper 2 Practice & Preparation

3.2.1. What are the sections/subjects to be covered?

  1. Commerce & Accounting (Get Notes Here)
  2. Management (Get Notes Here)
  3. Finance (Get Notes Here)
  4. Costing (Get Notes Here)
  5. Companies Act (Get Notes Here)
  6. Economics (Get Notes Here)

3.2.2. Important Points to be kept in mind for Paper 2.

  1. Don’t try to master all the sections. Just the basic understanding of topics mentioned in the syllabus would do wonders and help you score.
  2. As time is very limited, going through voluminous books could waste a major portion of your time.

iii. The key to preparing well here is Concept Clarity + Sticking to Basics.

  1. The maximum marks for paper 2 are just 100 and the time duration is 40 minutes. We could make out that there would be very fewer chances of numerical questions being asked here. Even if asked they would be very basic and doable within seconds.
  2. As the subjects in paper 2 are of the likes of Commerce & Accounting and Finance & Management, Companies Act etc, there are very fewer chances of current affairs being asked in here in this paper. Although there might be questions on Union Budget & Economic Survey and other important financial news.

Let us make a properly structured timetable for the subjects/sections of Phase 2 for better strategizing preparation for phase 1 – paper 2.

3.2.3. Phase 1 – Paper 2 Study Plan

Dates Subject to be Covered Special Emphasis Subjects
14th, 15th & 16th March Management Portion Pay special emphasis on the chapters of

Leadership,

Motivation,

Communication,

General Management,

HRD

(Get Notes Here)
17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd March Finance Portion Cover the static & dynamic Finance portion.

Pay special emphasis to Financial markets (Primary & Secondary markets),

Basics of Derivatives,

Inflation,

Direct & Indirect Taxes

(Get Notes Here)
23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th March Commerce & Accountancy Cash Flow & Fund Flow Statement,

Financial Statement Analysis & Ratio Analysis,

Accounting for share capital transactions including bonus shares, rights shares,

Employee stock options & Buyback securities,

Accounting as a financial information system,

Accounting Standards

Preparation of company final accounts

(Get Notes Here)
30th & 31st March Companies Act (Get Notes Here)
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th April Economics Demand & Supply for Money

Market Structure

IS-LM

Inflation & Philips Curve

Business Cycle

And then other things mentioned in the syllabus

(Get Notes Here)
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th April Revision & Take Paper 2 Mock Tests.
Paper 2 Mock Test 1, Mock Test 2, Mock Test 3, Paper 2 Mock Test 4, Paper 2 Mock Test 5
10th & 11th April Revise

 

  1. SEBI Grade A 2020 Apply Online – Application Procedure

Use the link given below to Apply Online.

SEBI Grade A 2020 Apply Online

So, this was all from us in this article of SEBI Grade A Exam Preparation 2020 & Study Plan for Grade A Exam Phase 1 (Paper 1 & Paper 2). We hope that you liked the approach and methodology applied here and be able to benefit from it.

You can also go through the detailed interactive video on SEBI Grade A Exam 2020 covering all the aspects of the aspects here taken by Expert Faculty Riti Mam. She has an experience of 3 years of online teaching and mentoring students for the exams like SEBI Grade A, NABARD Grade A, RBI Grade B and the likes.

All the Best for your Exam Preparation!!