Reserve Bank of India (RBI) every year conducts recruitment for the post of Grade B Officers/ Assistant. A large number of candidates apply for the exam against a handful of vacancies. As a result of which, the competition is more. It is important to have a clear understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus as well as a robust strategy to clear the exam.Â
The quantitative aptitude section can be tough, however, with the correct preparation strategy, candidates will be able to sail through the exam. The mantra to score well in the Quantitative Aptitude section is to revise and practice.
RBI Quantitative Aptitude is one of the trickiest sections. Apart from the overall cutoff, there is also a sectional cutoff which makes it extremely necessary for the aspirants to know exactly how to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the RBI exams.
RBI Grade B Mock Test Series
RBI Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2021
The RBI Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus topics are available in the table.
| Simplification/ Approximation | Problems on Age | Percentage |
| Number Series | Partnership | Profit or Loss |
| Quadratic Equation | Average | Simple Interest & Compound Interest |
| Data Interpretation | Time, Speed & Distance | Ratio & Proportion |
| Problems on Trains | Time & Work | Boats & Streams |
| Pipes & Cisterns | Permutation, combination & probability | Mensuration |
 RBI Quantitative Aptitude Overview
| Topic | Number Series | Data Interpretation | Miscellaneous Questions | Data Sufficiency |
| Approx. Weightage | 5 Questions | 10-15 Questions | 10 Questions | 0-5 Questions |
| Question Types | Complete the series, Find the missing term and Find the wrong term in the series | Line graphs, Bar graphs, Pie charts, Tabular graph, Mix of any two type of DI, Missing case DI and Caselets | Profit and loss, Simple and compound interest, Time speed & distance, Time & Work, Mensuration & geometry, Ratio & proportion, Percentage, Probability, Permutation & Combination, and Boat & Stream | Number system, Average, Problems on age and Mixtures & alligations |
| Tips | Make sure you solve at least 300-350 questions on different patterns of number series before appearing for the exam | DI questions contain a lot of data and many figures, so it is important to focus on one question at a time. Practice various types of DI questions to improve your speed and accuracy | These questions are less time-consuming and have a low level of complexity. Refer to previous years’ question papers for reference | These questions are not only time-consuming but also have a record of low level of accuracy. So, you need to practice as many problems as you can. |
| Difficulty Level | Easy-to- moderate | Moderate | Easy-to-moderate | Difficult |
RBI Quantitative Aptitude Preparation 2021
- The number series will comprise five questions. Candidates must complete the series. The questions will be of an easy to moderate level. Candidates must make sure to solve 300 to 350 questions on different patterns of number series.
- Candidates must practice well to know the patterns. Solving previous years’ question papers of RBI will give candidates exposure to different patterns.
- In Data Interpretation, 10 to 15 questions will be asked. Questions will be of a moderate level. The Data Interpretation questions will be Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Tabular Graphs, Mix of any two types of DI, Missing DI, and Caselets.
- Candidates must focus on one question at a time. Practice various types of Data Interpretation questions to improve speed and accuracy. Practice a lot of questions based on charts and graphs. Give sectional mock tests to assess performance in the exam.
- In Data Sufficiency, the number of questions in this section ranges between 0-5 questions. The level of questions might be difficult. Questions are asked from the Number system, Average, Problems on age, and Mixtures & alligations. Candidates need to practice as many problems as they can.
- It requires multiple tricks to solve Quadratic Equation questions. Attend video tutorials and solve multiple questions to ace this topic. It is one of the most scoring type topics.
- There will be 10 questions on miscellaneous topics such as Profit and loss, Simple and compound interest, Time speed & distance, Time & Work, Mensuration & geometry, Ratio & proportion, Percentage, Probability, Permutation & Combination, and Boat & Stream. The difficulty level of these questions will be easy to moderate. Practice questions from each of these topics to enhance speed and accuracy.
Tips to clear cutoff for RBI Quantitative Aptitude
1. The sectional cut-off for Quantitative Aptitude of RBI Grade B 2015 is expected to be 15-17.
2. Practice as many questions as you can. Give Mock tests and refrain from using calculators.
3. Start the section with data interpretation.
4. Give 15 minutes to DI.
5. Next, solve the Arithmetic and Series questions.
6. Solve only those questions which are easy and require no more than 1 minute.
7. If you have time remaining, go for Data sufficiency.
8. Remember the number of questions you solve, doesn’t necessarily translate into a higher score.
9. 30 questions attempted with 50% accuracy is worse than 20 questions with 80% accuracy.
Best books for RBI Quantitative Aptitude Preparation
Candidates can refer to the following books for the Quantitative Aptitude section.
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination by RS Agarwal
- Quicker Maths by M Tyra
- Quantitative Aptitude Test by NK Singh
- Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma
The cut-off has been increasing with each passing year. And there are sectional cutoffs too. So, the only way to ensure a good score in Quant is by going through solved papers and practicing regularly. One needs also to be prompt with mental calculations, as the examination is time-bound.Â
The exam is time-bound and hence other than working on your accuracy, you also need to improve your speed. To do so, learn speed maths. In addition to that, it is imperative that you solve a lot of RBI Quantitative Aptitude mock-tests, sectional and full-length, both! This will give you a chance to keep a tab on your preparation and will help you time your sections well.
You can check out the Mock Tests provided by Guidely for the preparation of the RBI Exams. Our experts in different subjects will take you through the foundational level to the advanced level.Â
So, act now. Always remember the early you start, the more your chances are of covering the entire syllabus wholistically and ensuring a rank!
FAQs
What is quantitative aptitude?
Basic quantitative aptitude is a test to judge a person’s mental capacity to solve numerical problems. Any aptitude test is meant to analyze a candidate’s problem-solving skills, thus quantitative aptitude helps in analyzing and rating a candidate’s mathematical ability. Following are the components of quantitative aptitude test in bank exams:
- Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Calculation Based- Simplification, Approximation, Number Series
- Arithmetic Word Problems
- Inequalities
- Data Sufficiency
How do you practice quantitative aptitude?
It is important that you clear your basic concepts and approach of formulas and methods to solve questions on various topics of quantitative aptitude. Good calculation speed is also a must as it saves time. Always remember that the test is not about attempting 35 out of 35 in quantitative aptitude, but it is all about attempting the types of questions you are good at in a limited amount of time with maximum accuracy.
What are the difficulty levels of RBI Quantitative Aptitude?
Easy-to-moderate, Moderate & Difficult
What are the main topics of RBI Quantitative Aptitude?
| Simplification/ Approximation | Problems on Age | Percentage |
| Number Series | Partnership | Profit or Loss |
| Quadratic Equation | Average | Simple Interest & Compound Interest |
| Data Interpretation | Time, Speed & Distance | Ratio & Proportion |
| Problems on Trains | Time & Work | Boats & Streams |
| Pipes & Cisterns | Permutation, combination & probability | Mensuration |
How to prepare Quantitative Aptitude for RBI Exams?
You can prepare from our Preparation tips for better preparation.
