Candidates who are preparing for the bank exam very often search for whether the NIACL AO Mains level is similar to that of the bank PGDBF exam. After reading this article, you won’t need to spend your precious time searching for the answer; instead, you can invest your precious timing in preparing for the examination.
Before comparing NIACL AO Mains and Bank PGDBF, let’s go through the syllabus and examination pattern of both examinations.
NIACL AO Mains Exam Syllabus
| Serial Number | Subject | Topics |
| 1. | Reasoning Ability: | · Seating Arrangement· Logical Reasoning· Puzzle Tabulation· Syllogism· Blood Relations· Coded Inequalities· Ranking· Direction· Alphabet· Data Sufficiency· Input-Output· Coding-Decoding· Alphanumeric Series |
| 2. | Quantitative Aptitude: | · Number Systems· Profit & Loss· Ratio & Proportion· Percentage· Simplification· Simple Interest & Compound Interest· Surds & Indices· Time & Distance· Work & Time· Sequence & Series· Permutation, Combination & Probability· Data Interpretation· Mensuration-Cylinder, Cone, Sphere |
| 3. | English Language: | · Reading Comprehension· Para jumbles· Paragraph complete· Sentence Correction· Fill in the blanks· Multiple meaning· Spotting Error· Cloze test· Miscellaneous |
| 4. | General Awareness: | · Summits· Current Affairs· National· Banking Awareness· Indian Financial System· History of Indian Banking Industry· International Organisation/ Financial Institutions· Capital market and Money Market· Government Schemes & Econominc terminologies· Budget Basics and Current Union Budget· Books & Authors· Regulatory bodies, Monetary & Credit Policies |
NIACL AO Mains exam is basically divided into two parts, Objective & Descriptive. It is necessary to pass both the exam. Time duration for the NIACL AO mains exam is 2.5 hrs. in which 2hr will be for objective paper and rest half an hour is for descriptive.
There will be 200 questions for the first 2 hrs objective type paper and Essay/Letter writing in the last half an hour. 1/4th marks will deduct for every wrong answer.
Bank PGDBF Exam syllabus
| Serial Number | Subject | Topics |
| 1. | Quantitative Aptitude | · Partnership· Profit, Loss & Discounts· Time & Work· Pipe & Cisterns· Boats & Streams· Geometry· Number System· LCM & HCF· Algebra· Percentage· Ratio & Proportion· Average· Problems on Ages· Sequences & Series· Probability· Permutation & Combination· Mixture & Allegations· Approximation/Simplification· Mensuration· Probability, Permutation & Combination· Data Interpretation · Clock & Calendar |
| 2. | Reasoning | · Inequalities· Figural Arrangement· Direction· Blood Relations· Alphanumeric Series· Puzzles· Seating Arrangements· Syllogism· Non-verbal Series· Venn Diagrams· Input/Output· Statement & Argument· Coding/Decoding· Analogies· Logical Reasoning· Similarities· Relationship Concepts· Arithmetical Number Series· Arithmetical Reasoning etc. |
| 3. | English Language | · Active/Passive voice· Reading Comprehension· Cloze Test· Finding Errors· Para Jumbles· Idioms & Phrases· Numbering of sentences in a paragraph· Synonyms & Antonyms· Spotting spelling mistakes· Sentence correction· Arrangement of sentence· Fill in the blanks |
| 4. | General Awareness | · Indian History· Indian Culture· Indian Politics· Geography of India· Economy of India· Constitution of India· General science· Current affairs(National & International Events)· Famous authors & Books· Indian History· Indian Culture· Financial Terminologies· Banking· History of Indian bank system· Marketing· Functions of RBI· Fiscal & Monetary Policies. |
| 5. | Data Analysis & Interpretation | · Pie chart· Bar graph· Tabular graph· Line graph· Mixed graph· Caselet DI· Missing graph· Data sufficiency |
Bank PGDBF exam is conducted in three phase:
1. Prelims Exam
2. Mains Exam
3. Interview
Since we know the Mains exam pattern and the syllabus, let’s discuss the subject wise similarity between these two:
The reasoning syllabus is quite similar, almost every topic is the same in both the examinations.
In Quantitative Aptitude, if you apply for the Bank PGDBF Exam, you have to prepare for two more topics Geometry and Algebra that are not in the syllabus of the NIACL AO examination.
NIACL AO only asks questions related to bank, finance, basic computer, and current affairs but in the Bank PGDBF Exam, apart from bank, finance, basic computer, and current affairs related questions, you will get questions related to Indian History, Indian Culture, General Science, Indian Constitution and Geography of India, etc.
One of the most important things candidates interested in the Post Graduate Diploma in Banking and Finance (PGDBF) exam must understand is that you have to go in for a 9-month classroom program and 3 months internship. You also have to pay some amount of course fee to get admission.
When exams come closer, the best way to do a revision is to start with an important topic first. Different people define the importance of the topic in different ways, but the best way to filter an important topic is to evaluate how many questions can come from that particular topic.
Important topics asked in NIACL AO Mains Exam
After analysis of previous years’ examinations, important topics asked under the NIACL AO syllabus are:
Reasoning:
| Topics | Numbers of Questions |
| Puzzles & Seating arrangement | 15-18 Qs |
| Coding-Decoding | 5 Qs |
| Syllogism | 5 Qs |
| Inequality | 5 Qs |
| Miscellaneous | 3-4 Qs |
| Blood Relation | 1-2 Qs |
Quantitative Apptitude:
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| Data Interpretation | 10 Qs |
| Word Problems | 10 Qs |
| Simplification | 5 Qs |
| Caselet | 5 Qs |
| Wrong number series | 5 Qs |
English Language:
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| Reading Comprehension | 7-8 Qs |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 5 Qs |
| Error Detection | 5 Qs |
| Fill in the blanks | 5 Qs |
| Cloze test | 5 Qs |
| Word Exchange | 3 Qs |
| Words Usage | 3 Qs |
General Awareness:
In General Awareness, you must prepare for the last 6 months of current affairs.
Questions related to Books and Authors, National Parks, India’s rank in different fields worldwide, and 4-6 questions from static GK.
CTA: If you want to perform really well at these two exams, sign up for a preparatory course with BYJU’s Exam Prep.