Step-by-Step Strategy to Score 70+ in SEBI Grade A 2025 Descriptive English

Step-by-Step Strategy to Score 70+ in SEBI Grade A 2025 Descriptive English

Official format recap (Phase II):
Essay – 30 marks (≈400 words) • Precis – 30 marks (≈120 words) • Reading Comprehension – 40 marks (5 descriptive questions) • 60 minutes • Computer-based typing

What “70+” Looks Like in Practice

You don’t need perfection; you need reliably high but realistic section scores.

  • Target Split A (safe & balanced): Essay 21/30, Precis 24/30, RC 26/40 → 71
  • Target Split B (RC-strong): Essay 18/30, Precis 22/30, RC 30/40 → 70
  • Target Split C (essay-strong): Essay 24/30, Precis 22/30, RC 24/40 → 70

Pick the split that suits your strengths and train to it.

Optimal Time Management (60 minutes)

OrderSectionTimeWhy this works
1Reading Comprehension (5 Qs)22–24 minFresh mind → better inference; also locks 40 high-probability marks early
2Precis (120 words)12–14 minShort, mechanical, high-yield if you follow rules
3Essay (400 words)22–24 minLast, when topic selection & outline are crystal; you’ll still finish 380–420 words cleanly

Typing reality check: 400 words in ~22 minutes → ~18–20 wpm (comfortable for most with practice).

Section-Wise Playbook

1) Reading Comprehension (40 marks, 5 descriptive Qs)

Approach

  1. Skim (2 min): Title → first/last para → topic sentences → tone.
  2. Question-first loop: Read Q1 → find answer span → write 3–5 crisp sentences. Repeat Q2–Q5.
  3. Anchor your answers: Paraphrase the passage; avoid outside knowledge unless asked for “critique” or “implication”.

Answer Blueprint (per question)

  • 1st line: Direct answer in one sentence (no throat-clearing).
  • 2nd–3rd line: Evidence paraphrased from a specific part of the passage.
  • Optional 4th–5th line: Qualifier/limitation or short implication.

Do’s

  • Use keywords from the question in your opening line.
  • Mirror the verb: “define”, “explain”, “contrast”, “evaluate”, “suggest”.
  • Keep sentences short (12–18 words); cut filler.

Don’ts

  • No quotes; paraphrase.
  • No bullet lists unless the portal allows it; write compact paragraphs.
  • Don’t over-speculate beyond the text.

2) Precis (30 marks, 120 words)

Golden Rules

  • One-third rule: Your precis ≈ 1/3rd of the original (±5%).
  • Core-meaning rule: Preserve thesis + major supports; kill examples, adjectives, rhetoric.
  • Tone rule: Neutral, objective, third-person.

5-Step Workflow (12–14 min)

  1. Read & bracket: Mark thesis and 3–4 key supports.
  2. Title (after draft): 3–6 words capturing the thesis.
  3. Draft (~130–135 words): Logical flow, no quotes, no first-person.
  4. Trim to 120 (±5%): Compress phrases → single precise words.
  5. Proof: Subject-verb agreement, consistent tense, remove redundancies.

Compression Toolkit

  • “because of the fact that” → because
  • “in order to” → to
  • “a large number of” → many
  • Convert clauses to phrases; phrases to single words where safe.

Common Deduction Traps

  • Changing the author’s stance
  • Missing the main limitation/assumption
  • Under/over word-count (use word counter on screen if provided)

3) Essay (30 marks, ~400 words)

📝 Note on Word Limit and Marks Distribution (SEBI Grade A – Descriptive English)

As per SEBI’s official hand-out, the Descriptive English paper in Phase II carries 100 marks (Essay – 30 marks, Precis – 30 marks, Comprehension – 40 marks) with a duration of 60 minutes. The essay is officially prescribed to be around 400 words.
However, in the recent SEBI Grade A exams (2022–2024), the actual on-screen instruction has required essays of about 250 – 270 words.
Therefore, candidates are advised to:

  • Practice essays in two modes:
    • Exam Mode: 250 – 270 words (reflecting the latest trend).
    • Practice Mode: 400 words (for skill building and expressive writing).
  • Maintain a clear structure—Introduction → Body → Conclusion—with coherence and balanced analysis within the given limit.

(Bank Whizz mocks follow the updated 250–270 word guideline to simulate the actual SEBI interface.)

Two minutes of planning saves five minutes of panic.

10-Line Outline (≈90 seconds)

  1. Context hook (data/policy/event)
  2. Thesis (your clear stand)
    3–4. Argument 1 (evidence + mini-example)
    5–6. Argument 2 (evidence + contrast)
  3. Counter-view (acknowledge limits)
  4. Rebuttal (why your stance still holds)
  5. Way forward (2–3 actionable points; policy-aligned)
  6. Closing line (impact-oriented)

Examiner Rubric → Your Response

  • Relevance & structure (max weight): Paragraphing, transitions, logical order
  • Analytical depth: Why-because-therefore → show causality & trade-offs
  • Language & correctness: Formal register, zero spelling howlers
  • Originality of insight: Use policy anchors (SEBI/RBI/IFSCA themes) instead of generic lines

Power Transitions (paste-ready)

  • Causality: “This is primarily because… Consequently…”
  • Contrast: “While this expands access, it simultaneously raises…”
  • Limitation: “However, two caveats merit attention…”
  • Recommendation: “A calibrated pathway would involve… First,… Second,… Finally,…”

21-Day Sprint Plan to Hit 70+

Daily load: ~60–75 minutes (one sitting).

Week 1 – Mechanics & Baselines

  • Day 1–3: RC drills: 2 passages/day (10 Q total); build a question-type log.
  • Day 4–5: Precis: 2/day from regulator texts; enforce 120±5%.
  • Day 6–7: Essay: 1/day; practise the 10-line outline, then write 350–420 words.

Week 2 – Rubric Alignment

  • RC: Timed sets (22–24 min) with explanations for each Q.
  • Precis: Line-by-line fidelity checks (did you keep every pillar idea?).
  • Essay themes (pick 3): ESG & disclosures; market integrity/algo-surveillance; SME market deepening; RegTech & data governance.
  • Peer/mentor review or AI rubric on coherence, stance clarity, way forward.

Week 3 – Exam Simulation

  • Full mock × 3 (alternate days): RC (22–24) + Precis (12–14) + Essay (22–24).
  • Error journal → rules (e.g., “Don’t start RC answers with background”).
  • Typing polish: aim 18–20 wpm steady; practise keyboard shortcuts, quick backspace edits.

High-Yield Knowledge Anchors (for richer answers)

  • Investor protection & disclosure (mis-selling, product labelling)
  • Cyber & operational risk in securities markets
  • ESG/green finance: climate disclosures, transition finance, taxonomy
  • Capital-market deepening: REITs/InvITs, muni bonds, SME listings
  • FinTech/RegTech & sandboxes, data privacy, AI explainability

Use recent India-specific references sparingly (no long stats), e.g., “regulatory sandboxes”, “disclosure-based regime”, “market surveillance”.

Quality Control Checklists (last 5 minutes)

RC (5 Qs)

  • Did I state the answer first, then evidence?
  • Any outside knowledge creeping in? Remove.
  • Each answer 3–5 tight sentences?

Precis

  • 118–126 words?
  • Thesis intact + all core supports?
  • Neutral tone, no quotes, no examples?

Essay

  • Thesis in para 1, way-forward in last-1 para
  • At least 2 policy-backed arguments + a counter-view
  • Clean transitions; no rhetorical filler

Avoid These 10 Score Killers

  1. Writing RC answers like essays (long, unfocused).
  2. Missing word counts (precis under 110 or over 130).
  3. Starting the essay without an outline.
  4. No stance / fence-sitting.
  5. Paragraphs longer than 8–9 lines on screen.
  6. Jargon without explanation.
  7. Examples replacing analysis.
  8. Repetition; saying the same point twice.
  9. Spelling/grammar slips in the first and last paragraphs.
  10. Not leaving 2 minutes for a final scan.

Tools & Micro-Habits

  • Phrase bank doc (causality, contrast, caveat, recommendation).
  • Error journal → personal rules.
  • One-page essay template stuck near your desk.
  • Typing warm-up (3 min) before every mock.
  • RC note discipline: write keywords only, not sentences, while reading.