GA Pattern Analysis 2026: 659 Questions from 16 Banking, RBI and Insurance Exams

Last updated: 2026-11-07 · MockMentor

We collected memory-based General Awareness (GA) questions from 16 papers held in 2026, removed repeats and placed all 659 questions into 13 sections. This page shows which sections carried the most weight, how each exam differs, which topics repeated, and how to divide your GA time for the exam you are targeting.

At a glance: 13 exams plus one unlabelled set · 16 papers (including shifts) · 659 questions analysed · static to current ratio 55 : 45

The Big Picture: Where the GA Marks Came From

We collected memory-based GA questions from 16 papers held in 2026 (659 questions after removing repeats) and placed every question into one of 13 standard sections. The chart below shows how the whole year's GA was spread.

Section-wise share of all 659 GA questions (number of questions in brackets)

Key takeaways

• Banking, RBI and Payments is the single biggest section (19.9%). Add Finance, Markets, Insurance and Tax (7.9%) and almost 28% of all GA came from money-and-banking topics.
• Schemes and Infrastructure (12.1%) and International Affairs (10.8%) come next. Schemes now include infrastructure news: airports, bridges, FASTag, rail corridors.
• Static GA is not dead. About 55% of questions were static: capitals, currencies, HQs, national parks, dams, history, culture and full forms.
• Appointments, Days and Sci-Tech are small (under 4% each). Do them, but do not over-invest.
• The mix changes sharply by exam. The same 13 sections are weighted very differently by RBI, IBPS, SBI, NABARD, LBO and insurance papers, as the next sections show.

Exam-wise Weightage at a Glance

Each row is one exam and each column is one GA section. The number in a box is the percentage of that exam's GA questions that came from the section. Darker boxes mean higher weightage. Read across a row to see what an exam focuses on; read down a column to see which exams love a section.

Percentage of each exam's GA questions by section (number of questions in brackets after the exam name)

Top three sections for each exam

Where two sections have the same count, either can be taken as the higher one. RBI Assistant Mains had a four-way tie at 13% (History and Culture, Schemes, Geography and Sports).

Static GA vs Current Affairs

Not every exam tests current affairs the same way. Some papers are mostly static basics, while others are built almost entirely on the last 12 months of news.

Static and current-affairs share of each exam's GA questions

What this tells you

• IBPS PO Mains (71% current) and OICL AO Mains (68% current) were the most news-heavy. Monthly current affairs and banking news decide your score here.
• Nainital Bank PO (86% static) and Clerk (88% static) were almost entirely static: RBI basics, banking terms, capitals and HQs.
• RBI Grade B, SBI PO, IDBI JAM, PNB and BOB were close to 50 : 50. You need both a solid static base and current affairs.
• RBI Assistant (68%), IOB LBO (65%) and NABARD DA (62%) leaned static, with simple, direct questions.
• Even "static" questions are often triggered by news. For example, Ramsar sites, UNESCO sites and the Strait of Hormuz were asked because they were in the news.

How Different Exam Families Differ

Grouping the exams into families makes the pattern clearer. The chart compares four big blocks: Banking + Finance, Static (Geography, History, Culture), Schemes + Economy and International Affairs.

Share of four key blocks in each exam family

Recruiter-specific questions are a clear 2026 trend. Many papers asked about the recruiting organisation itself or its own sector:

• NABARD DA: 22 of 50 questions (44%) on agriculture, rural schemes, RRBs (Regional Rural Banks) and NABARD
• LIC HFL: 16 of 39 (41%) on housing: PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana), NHB (National Housing Bank), HFC (Housing Finance Company) rules, LIC HFL's own office and products
• BOB LBO: 3 of 22 on Bank of Baroda's own products (BOB World app, Vijayalakshmi scheme, green initiative)
• OICL AO: 5 on insurance (Bima Sugam, insurance MoUs, AYUSH insurance)
• RBI Grade B: 7 on RBI's own work (UTKARSH, PRAVAAH, Mission SAKSHAM, Financial Stability Report, Digital Rupee)

Rule for students: before any exam, spend one session on the recruiting organisation: its history, HQ, chairman, products, apps, schemes and recent news.

RBI Grade B 2026 Phase I

RBI Grade B Phase I had 78 recalled GA questions. Banking, RBI and Payments was the biggest section at 27%, and the static to current split was 51 : 49. See the full section-wise list of RBI Grade B 2026 Phase I GA questions.

Exam-wise Profiles

Each profile gives the exam's numbers, its section chart, what the paper liked to ask, and where to focus. Section percentages are of that exam's own GA questions.

RBI Assistant Mains

What this exam liked to ask

• No direct banking-operations questions at all. Money topics came only through Finance basics: PPF maturity, pension regulator (PFRDA), NCFE (National Centre for Financial Education) sponsors.
• Pure static GK dominated: first President, Kargil War PM, Panna Biosphere, Rohtang Pass, Tawang, Brass City (Moradabad), Lok Sabha seats, Classical Languages.
• Sports was unusually high (13%): Gujarat Titans captain, Avani Lekhara, Mithali Raj, Khelo India Tribal Games.
• Economy appeared as rankings: India's GDP rank and Climate Change Performance Index rank.

Focus: High: Static GK (History, Geography, Polity), Sports. Medium: Schemes, Finance basics, International. Low: Appointments, Days.

NABARD Development Assistant Mains

What this exam liked to ask

• The most sector-focused paper of 2026: 44% of questions were on agriculture, rural India and NABARD.
• Schemes (30%) were mostly rural and agricultural: Pulses Mission, Digital Agriculture Mission, PM Kisan Maandhan, PMAY-G (Gramin) house size, eMARG, AgriStack.
• Agri-geography (18%): leading millet state, Apple State, Rabi crops, floriculture, cleanest village, Spiti and Lahaul.
• Banking was about rural finance: Lead Bank Scheme, number of RRBs after merger (28), AEPS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System), Bank Rate.
• Full forms with a rural angle: "P" in APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee), "S" in PSF (Price Stabilisation Fund).

Focus: High: Agriculture and rural schemes, agri-geography, NABARD/RRB facts. Medium: International organisations, rural days (Farmers' Day, Panchayati Raj Day). Low: Sports, Awards.

IBPS PO Mains 2026

What this exam liked to ask

• The most current-affairs-heavy paper (71% current). Almost nothing from pure static history or polity.
• Banking (31%) was operational and news-based: RRB sponsorship after mergers, LIC's 9.99% stake approval, DEA (Depositor Education and Awareness) Fund portal, ULI (Unified Lending Interface), coin-bag reward, UPI MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) framework.
• Schemes and Infrastructure (27%) was a big surprise: E-FASTag (asked twice), FASTag Annual Pass, airport, high-speed rail, 100% railway electrification, Bhu-Aadhaar.
• Market plumbing appeared: Tri-Party Repo agent, NDS-OM (Negotiated Dealing System – Order Matching), CKYC (Central KYC) Registry.
• Space and science news: TRISHNA, International Space Summit, Sagar Manthan research vessel.

Focus: High: Banking and payments news (RBI, NPCI), infrastructure and transport news, new schemes. Medium: Market infrastructure, GST and tax changes, space missions. Low: Static history, polity, sports.

SBI PO Mains 2026

What this exam liked to ask

• Banking was the heaviest of any big exam (35%) and conceptual: UTR (Unique Transaction Reference) digits, SDF (Standing Deposit Facility) tenor, LCR (Liquidity Coverage Ratio) under Basel III, CD (Certificate of Deposit) maturity, TReDS (Trade Receivables Discounting System), Account Aggregator.
• Bank news and MoUs: BHASHINI–PNB MoU, Bank of Baroda's Japanese partner, AI-powered phygital branch, Best Corporate Bank.
• Reports and indices (18%) were a clear SBI favourite: Global Risks Report (who publishes, top risks), Global Economic Prospects, Report on Currency and Finance, Sustainable Development Index.
• Schemes (12%) were about launch years and full forms: PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana) and PMKVY 4.0, PM-KUSUM, PMSSY.
• Environment: Ramsar sites (asked twice), cheetah habitat, Paris Agreement.

Focus: High: Banking concepts and current bank news, reports and indices. Medium: Schemes (years, full forms), environment (Ramsar, climate), PSU categories. Low: Sports, days.

IDBI JAM Mains

What this exam liked to ask

• Finance was the top section (22%): SCSS (Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme) limits, EPFO interest rate, GST on health insurance, ULIP, LIC's foreign branch, SEBI's AI fraud tool.
• Banking was about rules and products: Positive Pay, e-KYC, RuPay credit card on UPI, minimum balance in e-wallet and CBDC wallet.
• International news: G7 2026 host, UN International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, WHO Global Summit.
• Awards were relatively high (10%): Padma Shri nomination, Naman Awards, Oscars.

Focus: High: Small savings, insurance and tax products; banking rules. Medium: International events, reports (Export Preparedness Index), awards. Low: Polity, history.

Nainital Bank PO

What this exam liked to ask

• Banking was 45% of the paper and almost all static: first RBI Governor, number of Deputy Governors, SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio), Ombudsman launch, IFSC digits, Form 15H, Section 80C.
• Geography and international basics: national parks, Bannerghatta, Doha, Nile, HQs of ADB and AIIB.
• Very little current affairs (14%).

Focus: High: RBI and banking basics, income-tax basics for customers. Medium: Static geography and HQs. Low: Current affairs.

PNB LBO (4 Jan & 6 Sep 2026)

What this exam liked to ask

• Two shifts (January and September 2026) with a wide, balanced spread across all 13 sections.
• Banking (19%) was current: NPCI MD and CEO, payments bank turned SFB (Small Finance Bank), UDGAM, repo cut, savings-account nominees (4), collateral-free agri loan limit.
• International (12%): capitals, currencies and HQs (FATF, BIS, UNDP), plus news like the UK head-of-state question.
• Infrastructure places: airports and tunnels named after leaders, dams and rivers.
• Books and awards were frequent (9%): Atomic Habits, Why the Constitution Matters, Principles of Economics.
• SBI Chairman was asked in both shifts.

Focus: High: Banking news, international basics (capitals, currencies, HQs). Medium: Schemes, polity, places and infrastructure, books and awards. Low: Days.

IOB LBO (29 Sep 2026, Shifts 1 & 2)

What this exam liked to ask

• Two shifts on the same day. International was the top section (16%), almost all static: capitals, currencies, SCO, UN HQ, WTO, Commonwealth.
• Banking (15%) mixed basics (DICGC, IFSC, RTGS, IBA HQ) with news (UPI Lite limit, repo rate, RBI Retail Direct app, recovery-agent rules).
• Finance basics (10%): NSC maturity, minimum public shareholding, heads of income, PAN fourth character, GIFT City.
• Culture through musicians and heritage: Ronu Majumdar, Rahul Sharma, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Amar Jawan Jyoti.
• Arjuna Award came up in both shifts.

Focus: High: International basics, banking basics plus key rates and limits, finance basics. Medium: Culture, geography, schemes. Low: Appointments.

BOB LBO 2026

What this exam liked to ask

• Banking was 36% of a short paper: third-party (White Label) ATM, payment-system regulator, SWIFT alternatives, cheque and bill of exchange relationship.
• Three questions on Bank of Baroda's own products: BOB World app, Vijayalakshmi scheme, green initiative.
• Finance current affairs: SCSS rate, IRN (Invoice Reference Number) under GST, micro-investment limit.

Focus: High: Bank of Baroda's own products and news, banking concepts. Medium: Small-savings rates, geography (Ramsar, city nicknames). Low: Sports, days.

LIC HFL 2026

What this exam liked to ask

• Housing theme everywhere (41% recruiter-specific): PMAY-Urban 2.0 and PMAY-G, NHB, HFC regulation and NOF (Net Owned Fund), RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority), Light House Projects, Jewar Airport, LIC HFL's own office and products.
• International basics (18%): SDGs, FIFA HQ, OPEC+, currencies, plus the UK FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and Nepal PM.
• GI and culture: Tangail saree, traditional embroidery.

Focus: High: Housing sector, PMAY, NHB and HFC rules, LIC HFL facts. Medium: International basics, schemes. Low: Days, sports.

OICL AO Mains

What this exam liked to ask

• 68% current affairs: one of the most news-driven papers.
• Schemes (21%): AB-PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) age extension, PM POSHAN, SHAKTI coal policy, Vande Bharat Sleeper, Export Promotion Mission.
• Insurance-specific news: Bima Sugam, LIC and AIIA (All India Institute of Ayurveda) MoUs, AYUSH insurance coverage.
• International news (18%): Bulgaria adopting the Euro, Tianshan tunnel, UN Year 2026, IFC HQ.
• Sports news (11%) and reports (Corruption Perceptions Index, Global Financial Stability Report).

Focus: High: Insurance sector news, schemes, international current affairs. Medium: Reports, sports, defence news. Low: Static history.

Nainital Bank Clerk

What this exam liked to ask

• 88% static: the most basic paper in the set.
• Banking basics (32%): NACH (National Automated Clearing House), UPI launch year, BHIM limit, SDF launch, first Indian RBI Governor, term deposit tenure, KYC documents.
• General basics: Vice President age, west-flowing river, Doha, Chikankari, Godan.

Focus: High: Banking and RBI basics. Medium: Static GK (polity, geography, culture). Low: Current affairs.

Note on the unlabelled set: one block of 39 questions in the shared data had no exam name. It is included in the overall totals (the first chart) but not in the exam-wise figures. It was static-heavy in Geography, Culture and International Affairs, with Kho Kho, UNESCO and appointment questions.

Topics That Repeated Across Exams

These topics came up in two or more different exams in 2026. Topics that repeat across papers are the safest areas to master first.

Question Styles to Expect

Apart from what is asked, it helps to know how it is asked. Across 659 questions, these styles stood out:

Exam-wise Preparation Plan

Use this table to divide your GA preparation time for the exam you are targeting.

Five habits that cover most of the 2026 pattern

• Read RBI press releases and NPCI updates every week; banking news is the largest block in almost every exam.
• Maintain a Numbers sheet (digits, limits, rates, tenures) and a Full-forms sheet (new schemes and portals).
• Revise static basics on a fixed cycle: capitals, currencies, HQs, national parks, dams, GI tags, Ramsar and UNESCO sites.
• Make a Reports and Indices table (publisher, India's rank, top country).
• Before every exam, study the recruiting organisation: its history, HQ, chairman, products and latest news.

About the data

• All questions are memory-based, collected from candidates and shared on Telegram channels (including Banking Library and Grade B Aspirants' Hub). Some wordings are incomplete; percentages show the trend, not exact marks.
• Repeated questions within one paper were counted once. Two shifts of PNB LBO and two shifts of IOB LBO were combined into one profile each.
• Each question was placed in one section only. "Static" means a fact that does not change with news; "Current" means news from roughly the last 12–18 months.

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