Welcome to Part 4 of my 5 part series on RBI Grade B Interview Transcripts. So far I have posted about my own RBI Grade B Interview Experience and others from my collection of 75 interviews that I published as Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Each part contains 15 interviews and so does this 4th Part. Candidate #59 in this one was a guy who gave the interview on the same day that I did. Candidate #58 was asked very unique questions while #56 got a googly right off the bat. Without further ado, lets jump into Part 4 with candidates 46 through 60.

Profile: MSc Economics.

Interview Date: 26th Dec, 2018

Panel members: 6 – 3 males , 3 females.

Panel members were cordial and tried to be helpful. Questions asked were technical in nature.

M1
Which was the scheme under which IMF helped India ? When was it ? How it was done ? Conditions imposed ?
Today’s world is moving towards Protectionism when it was Globalization at one time. What do you think is happening and why ?
Why did you leave your job ? what are you doing now ?

M2
Even with bumper production why is farmers income not increased ?
What are the reasons for inflation in India ?

F1
Do you think a developing country should have an inflation targeting policy instead of previous monetary policy stance ?
what is GNPA and NNPA ? Difference between them.

F2
Is Giffin good paradox? inferior goods & discussion ..

M3
What are unconventional and conventional monetary policy ?
What happens when money is increased in market.
What is the end aim for money supply ?

F3
Something in banking terms (could not answer). What are the 3 issues with banks ?

I felt it went okay. Not exceptionally good or bad. Few follow ups were there but I am afraid I don’t remember. All the best to the candidates remaining.

Profile:  2016 Grad. Engineer. Non working. UPSC prep. First attempt in RBI.

Interview Date: 27/12/18, Location: Kolkata.

11th to go. Total duration 20 mins. 5 members in panel.

Chairman – Have you visited RBI website and read any speech or article? If yes then I’ll ask you questions on that then rest of the members will ask their questions.
Me – Viral Acharya PCA

Chairman – Give me the gist of what he said in 10 lines.
Follow Ups:
Why is PCA needed?
Why not let bank lend freely and start entrepreneurship.
There was a reference to Argentina in that, do you know what is that?

He was not convinced with my answer. He said Read everything in detailed when you read something, use Wikipedia or Google. Year is ending, tell me 5 major flash points in Indian economy in 2018. He did not react to events I told so not sure what to think.

Other members – Questions on Brexit, climate change, trade war, why gold is preferred to invest, how is it different from currency, what is cad. And follow up questions on these topics.

Profile: Electronics Engg 2012. 3 yrs civils. 2 yrs job

Interview Date: 27 Dec, 2018. Last to go

Chair-
What have you done since graduation?
Asked about NASSCOM report (I worked in startup thats why)

Member 1-
Talk about service sector in relation to growth in last 2-3 years
Is inflation good?
Inflation & employment relation
Farm loan waivers or subsidy whats better and why
Long term what shud b done in agriculture

Member 2-
What new has happened in monetary policy last few years
MPC members
Inflation target
Current inflation
Is it in limit
So it is good?
Inflation targeting is it good?
What is the alternative
Monetary policy transmission
Is it gud ryt now
What announcement abt it
Will that work

Member 3-
US Fed talks about trading off unemployment for growth/inflation; is such a view good?
How can any country try to get zero unemployment

Member 4-
Ownership neutral speech referred to?
What less powers RBI has in case of PSBs?
What all RBI regulates?
All NBFCs are regulated by RBI?
Money Market? (Galti se SEBI bol diye)

One place told Laffer curve instead of Phillip’s curve… Was immediately corrected at both these mistakes. Factual questions’ answers were correct. In opinion based ones, it seemed they were looking to hear something different but did not dislike what i told.

Profile: BE in ETCE 2014, 1 Year Work Ex, UPSC prep

Interview Date: 28 Dec 2018

Chairman
Are you working somewhere?
Why did you leave?
Functions of RBI
Difference between Monetary stability and Financial stability?
Farm loan waivers.. Are they effective?
What should RBI do?

F1
What are cryptocurrencies?
What are the threats?
What has RBI done in this regard?

F2
How a bank failure can affect the economy?
What are systematically important banks?
What extra regulations are there for these banks?
Name some international systematically important banks
Who decides if banks are systematically important?
What are the parameters?

F3
What is FDI, FPI?
Which does India receive more?
Which is better?
Why has India received more FDI than China this year?
What is Ease of Doing Business?
India’s ranking?
Name some of the parameters of the Index?
Can India reach the level of advanced countries in this index?

M1
What is monetary policy transmission?
Is monetary policy transmission happening?
What are the constraints?

M2
What are small savings schemes? Name some
What happens to the money collected from these schemes?
How are the interest rates determined in these schemes?
NK Singh Committe Recommendations
Debt to GDP ratio of India
Why is high debt not good?

Profile: 2017 Grad, Engineer, UPSC prep

They asked me:
IBC achievements
Money Market Instruments
5 RBI relevant news this year
ILFS crisis
Financial Inclusion and what should be done to enhance it
Role of IT in expanding finamcial inclusion
RBI vs Govt w.r.t. reserves
Developmental function of RBI, CBLO

Profile: BTech Mechanical (2016Graduate), SBI PO(Nov 2016-Aug 2018), OICL AO(Aug 2018-Present)

Interview date: 28 Dec 2018

Location: Kolkata, 3rd one to go

Chairman:- Asked about World Bank? Its establishment? Brettonwood twins? Asked about reformation taken place in WB and IMF structure after 5 decades? About BIS? It’s head quarter? Date of establishment? Its work? etc..

M1:- About RBI? Its main functions? About lender of last resort? About latest merger and whether its viable? First bank to avail lender of the last resort facility?

M2:- Asked about agriculture scenario.. and my work in SBI as I am posted in a ADB.. Types of agri loans and about my then branch’s loan portfolio.

M3:-What is scale of finance? Why PSB employees are overstressed? Reason for leaving SBI for OICL?

M4:-Are RRBs viable? Whats your opinion.. about DCC and BLBC?

M5:-Why PSBs are so lethargic as per public views?about latest merger of SBI, NPA ratios of Baroda, Dena and Vijaya Bank

A little bit data oriented questions for me so could not answer some questions like date of establishment of BIS & WB, etc.

Profile: M. com (Finance), Worked as Financial Analyst.

1. Difference between trade and commerce
2. Why we have World Trade Organisation not World Commerce Organisation
3. Positives and negatives for India as a member of WTO
4. Challenges before RBI
5. My role as an analyst
6. KYC as part of my profile and recent changes
7. Delhi’s AQI index and launch of SAFAR
8. What is operational risk.
9. Major ratios in banking industry
10. How to calculate NPA ratio.
11. Why do we need leverage ratio.
12. Impact of NPA on banks

Profile: BTech 2015 pass out

Chairman:
Why did you leave previous job ?
Describe that company’s working as per Companies Act… more focus on Companies Act
BR Act preamble

Madam:
Currency … all types of questions about currency regulation issuance types
Digital transactions

Sir 1:
Why RBI?
What’s special in you?

Sir 2:
About hobby- Badminton
Benefits of premier badminton league
Digital currency
No. Of PSBs

Sir 3:
RBI website
Reports- Trend and Progress in Banking Sector

Profile: B.Tech, Working in Ministry of Communications

Chairman:
Is there any government law regarding procurement? Is government doing anything in this regard? (My work profile)

M1:
What is GeM?
What all problems have you faced while implementing it in your office?
How can you as a Central Banker leverage tech in banking sector?

M2:
What is PCA? Its parameters?
What is Net NPA ratio?
Diff b/w Gross and Net NPA
What is PCR?
What is better low or high PCR?

M3:
What are the changes in FDI rules for ecommerce? Your views?
What is UPI?
How is it diff from NEFT?

M4:
What is the new MPC framework?
Why FM has said that it is consultative and tranparent?
On what rationale interest rate is fixed at 4%?
Is low inflation bad? How?

Profile: B.E. and and job experience in software development and then UPSC prep

Chair man asked about speeches or any such topic I have read recently on RBI website
I mentioned PCA one and another by NS Vishwanathan
Then he asked me to give summary of the two and my own views

Then the lady asked about my job profile and a few follow up qs

3rd panelist asked many qs on hobbies (volley ball and movies)
And one qs on Hotel California effect which I knew but completely forgot there

4th panelist asked about why banks are more important than corporate entities and why govt comes to bailout banks but not corporate entities
I could not give a satisfactory answer here

Then last panelist asked abt NBFCs. Their types.
Which one are regulated by RBI and which ones by SEBI and NHB etc
And what systemic risk could have been or might be caused by ILFS crisis

Over all it was an average interview based on my performance. But the panel members are very cordial and supportive. They will even give you some hints if you are going on the right track.

Profile: B.E Aeronautical Engg, Worked in HAL

Chairman:
Q.1 Why is Reserve Bank of India called Reserve Bank and not Central bank?
Q.2 What are components of RBI reserves? Why government wants them?
Q.3 What are your qualifications and what did you do after that (Job and civil services but no further questions)

Lady member:
Challenges to financial inclusion in India

Male member 1:
Q.1 Asked what work did I do in Job… many follow up questions about aircraft and its specifications.
Q.2 Why we are buying aircrafts from foreign countries and not building on our own?

Male member 2:
Problems faced by aviation industry in India and globally.

Male member 3:
What is LAF? What comes under it and their rates.
What is MSF?

Board is cordial. I gave long answers. Committed 1 or 2 factual errors but otherwise content of answers was good. Felt like Chairman’s questions are to unsettle you, did not know how to answer why is RBI called RBI maybe because Central Bank of India name already belonged to a commercial bank operating in India that was established much before RBI

Profile: B.Tech 2015, PSB Experience – 3.1 years

Chairman-
Dollar Denominated Bonds
JAM
Economic Survey
Who releases?
Viability of Jan dhan accounts

M-1
BSBDA
Small account
Oldest central bank in the world
Oldest bank in India
Wilful defaulters?
Steps by GOI
More follow up questions

Ma’am-
Writeoff export documents. RBI has been increasing the deadline?
EDPMS
Possible solution by RBI.

M-2
FATCA
LRS
Limits of LRS.
Impact of LRS?

Mostly profile based questions. Was technical for me too. All the best for remaining candidates. Had a good interaction with candidates on the day as well.

Profile: Civil Engineering background, Worked in Cabinet Secretariat, Worked in Urban Development Dept, Working in IRDAI

Interview Date: 21.01.2019, Location: Chennai

LIC IDBI issue.
How much is Solvency of LIC?
Ayushman Bharat challenges
Achievements of IRDAI which made it one of the best Regulators.
Why RBI from Civil Engineering
Are you ready for transfers?
Who is Superregulator
What are the issues discussed in FSDC
Why PSGICs are in loss?
Why LIC has low Solvency w.r.t. Pvt players?
Why did you not work with Pvt, why only Govt. Organisations?

Unable to recall some more questions.

Total time of interview – 15 to 20 mins

My take:- Could not answer few questions. Good, though not wonderful. No question on Banking. Totally Profile based Interview.

Profile: B.Tech Mechanical, No job experience, UPSC CS 3 attempts.

Interview date: 22/1/19, Location: Chennai, Last one to go (15th)

(Supriyo: I met this guy, he was in the same batch as me)

Chairman:
Importance of Regulators
3 important Regulators in India
3 important functions of each of those Regulators with examples if possible

M1:
How do you feel about RBI exam process
Difference between RBI and UPSC
Is Objective exam better or Subjective
Last 3 speeches on RBI website and explain them briefly
Independent Payment Regulator issue

L1 (lady):
Did you sit for placements at college?
Why not
After 3 years you are again facing same situation
Regarding MCM scholarship at College
Will you give another CS attempt.
Cant you give these exams doing a job

M2:
Basel Norms who gives them
CRAR for India and world at 9% and 8% why difference?

Profile: B.E. 3 years work experience in Qualcomm

Interview Date: 23 Jan, 2019, Location: Chennai

Chairman
What does Qualcomm do ?
What is the issue between Apple and Qualcomm ?
Need of Anti trust legislation ?
Competition Commission of India performance ?

M1
Did you apply for Qualcomm again ?
Why RBI after Qualcomm ?
Indian economy wrt Global economy position ?
How does global slowdown impact India ?

F1
Where did u go for trekking ? (hobby)
How did your Mains exam go ?
Departments in RBI and their function wrt the role of RBI ?

M2
Is inflation good or bad?
Why is low inflation bad?
What is the inflation we are targeting ?

M3
Did u read report on exports released in December ?
What are the products we export ?
Why are agricultural exports less ?
Why has gold import reduced and how is it linked to global slowdown ?

M3 focused on export related questions from me probably because in answer of M1’s last questioned I mentioned export. Be careful about what you mention when answering.

To be Continued…

I will conclude the RBI Interview Transcripts series in Part 5 with the final set of 15 interviews.

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