1. Why This Post Matters for You
The RBI Grade A (Internal Promotion) 2025 exam is a once-in-a-career opportunity for Class III employees.
Within this exam, Descriptive English is the most scoring and most neglected area.
If you understand its pattern, weightage and syllabus clearly, you can:
- Convert average language into exam-oriented marks
- Build an answer that matches the examiner’s expectation
- Secure your promotion even if objective marks are only “decent”
This post is written as a complete, in-depth guide for Descriptive English in RBI Grade A 2025 – Internal Promotion, specifically for Bank Whizz aspirants.
2. Where Descriptive English Fits in the Exam Pattern
For the Merit Channel of RBI Grade A (Internal Promotion), the exam is conducted online and has three papers.
Descriptive English is a part of Paper I – English & Reasoning/Quantitative Aptitude.
Paper I – Structure (Relevant Portion)
| Component | Nature of Questions | No. of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| English – Descriptive (Essay + Precis) | Typed descriptive answers | 2 questions | 25 |
| English – Objective | MCQ | 50 questions | 50 |
| Reasoning & Quantitative Aptitude (Objective) | MCQ | 25 questions | 25 |
| Total – Paper I | 77 questions* | 100 |
*MCQ count may be displayed separately in your call letter; the total marks remain 100.
Exact Break-up of Descriptive English (Paper I – English)
- Essay Writing: 1 question of 15 marks
- Precis Writing: 1 question of 10 marks
- Total Descriptive Marks in Paper I = 25 marks
These 25 marks can dramatically shift your rank, because:
- Many candidates attempt essay/precis in a casual way
- RBI examiners are strict on structure, clarity and language
- A difference of just 6–8 marks in Descriptive can decide the final list
3. What Exactly Is Tested in Descriptive English?
RBI uses Descriptive English to judge not “flowery language” but officer-like communication.
Across Essay (15) and Precis (10), the following abilities are tested:
- Content Understanding
- Can you identify the core issue and relevant points?
- Are you aware of banking, economic and social issues?
- Organisation & Coherence
- Is your writing logically structured (intro–body–conclusion for essay)?
- Does your precis follow the sequence of the passage?
- Language & Expression
- Correct grammar, tense, subject–verb agreement, punctuation
- Use of formal, neutral tone – suitable for RBI office communication
- Clear sentences, no SMS language, limited jargon
- Presentation & Clarity
- Paragraphing, connectors, transitions
- Maintaining word limits (very important in precis)
4. Descriptive English Syllabus – RBI Grade A Internal Promotion
RBI does not give a chapter-wise English syllabus like school exams. Instead, the syllabus is theme- and skill-based.
4.1 Essay Writing – Syllabus & Themes (15 Marks)
Essays will usually be 250–300 words (exact limit given in the question).
Broad syllabus areas are:
- Indian Economy & Banking
- Role of RBI, monetary policy, inflation, financial inclusion
- Digital payments, UPI, fintech, cyber security in banking
- NPAs, asset quality, credit growth
- Financial Sector & Regulation
- Importance of strong regulators (RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA)
- Customer protection, KYC, AML, financial frauds
- Social & Development Issues
- Poverty, inequality, women empowerment, education, health
- Rural development, agriculture, MSMEs, employment
- Technology, Innovation & Work Culture
- AI, automation, data analytics in banking
- Work-life balance, ethics, integrity in public service
- Remote working, digital literacy, training of staff
- Current Affairs & Policy Initiatives
- Union Budget, important RBI initiatives, financial inclusion schemes
- ESG, climate risk for banks, sustainable finance
You are not expected to write like a UPSC topper, but you are expected to write like a well-read RBI officer.
Example Essay Topics (Internal Promotion-Oriented)
- “Role of RBI in Maintaining Financial Stability in India”
- “Digital Payments – Opportunities and Operational Risks for Banks”
- “Workplace Ethics and Integrity in Public Sector Institutions”
- “Financial Inclusion: From Bank Accounts to Meaningful Access to Credit”
- “Impact of Technology on Customer Service in Banks”
4.2 Precis Writing – Syllabus & Themes (10 Marks)
Precis is not about writing “short notes”. It is about summarising a passage to about one-third of its length while preserving the core message.
The passage will usually be related to:
- Indian economy, banking or financial literacy
- Governance, ethics, public administration
- Social or developmental issues
- Sometimes management or organisational behaviour
Skills Tested:
- Reading Comprehension at Officer Level
- Identify main idea, supporting arguments, examples
- Distinguish between important and unimportant details
- Summarisation
- Condense 300–450 words to around 100–150 words (exact limit given)
- Preserve tone and meaning of the original author
- Language
- Rewrite in your own words, not copy-paste sentences
- Simple, correct, formal English
Example of What a Precis Task May Look Like
- Passage: 350–400 words on “Financial Literacy and Responsible Borrowing”
- Task: “Write a precis in about 120–130 words. Provide a suitable title.”
You will have to:
- Capture the core idea – why financial literacy matters
- Mention key supports – over-borrowing, debt traps, role of banks/regulators
- Give a short title like “Building Responsible Borrowers”
5. How Marks Are Typically Distributed (Indicative Scheme)
Although RBI does not publish a micro-breakup, examiners broadly evaluate on the following lines.
5.1 Essay (15 Marks – Indicative)
- Content & Relevance – 6 marks
- Organisation & Coherence – 4 marks
- Language (grammar, vocabulary, expression) – 4 marks
- Presentation (paragraphing, introduction & conclusion) – 1 mark
A candidate who writes “okay English” but with strong content and structure can still score 10–12.
5.2 Precis (10 Marks – Indicative)
- Understanding of passage & capturing main idea – 4 marks
- Conciseness & Proportionate Compression – 3 marks
- Language & Grammar – 3 marks
A carefully written, neat precis easily fetches 7–8 marks, and this is where you can beat the crowd.
6. What Is a “Good Score” in Descriptive English?
This is not official data, but based on pattern of such exams and realistic evaluation:
- Essay
- Average attempts: 7–9/15
- Good score: 10–11/15
- Excellent: 12+
- Precis
- Average attempts: 5–6/10
- Good score: 7–8/10
- Excellent: 9+
So a realistic target for a serious aspirant:
- Target Score in Descriptive English = 17–19 / 25
- Anything above 20 would put you in the top bracket.
If you do this while maintaining decent objective marks, you will stand out strongly in the merit list.
7. How to Attempt Essay & Precis in the Exam – Practical Tips
7.1 Essay – 6-Step Approach During Exam
- Read All Topics Carefully (1–2 minutes)
- Choose the topic you have maximum content on, not the most “glamorous” one.
- Brainstorm Points (3 minutes)
- Write rough points under Intro – Causes – Impacts – Solutions – Conclusion.
- Try to connect with RBI, banking or public service when relevant.
- Write a Crisp Introduction (40–50 words)
- Define the theme or give a context.
- Example for digital payments:
- “India has emerged as a global leader in digital payments, with UPI transforming the way ordinary citizens transact…”
- Develop 2–3 Thematic Body Paragraphs
- Each paragraph should deal with one idea only – e.g., benefits, challenges, way forward.
- Use simple connectors: firstly, moreover, however, therefore, in addition.
- Conclude with Balanced View (40–50 words)
- Show optimism + need for responsible policy and implementation.
- Quick Language Check (1–2 minutes)
- Remove very long sentences.
- Correct glaring grammar errors.
- Ensure you are within the word limit.
7.2 Precis – 7-Step Approach During Exam
- Read the passage twice – first for general sense, second for underlining key ideas.
- Divide the passage into 3–4 logical sections.
- Note the central idea of each section in short phrases (in rough).
- Combine those points into a single paragraph in your own words.
- Ensure the length is close to the given word limit (e.g., 135 words).
- Give a short, meaningful title at the top.
- Do a final check for grammar and tense consistency.
Example titles for a passage on financial inclusion:
- “Beyond Bank Accounts”
- “Towards Inclusive Finance”
8. How to Prepare for Descriptive English – RBI Grade A Internal Promotion
8.1 Weekly Practice Plan (Sample)
Week 1–2
- Revise basic grammar (tenses, subject–verb agreement, articles).
- Write 3 essays on banking/economy topics.
- Practice 3 precis of 300–400 words each.
Week 3–4
- Write one timed essay + one timed precis every week in exam conditions.
- Start analysing editorials from newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express, business pages of Financial Express/Business Standard) from the lens of “what if this became a precis passage?”
Week 5 onwards (till exam)
- Attempt full descriptive mocks and get them evaluated.
- Maintain a vocabulary bank of 50–60 formal words/phrases you can naturally use in essays (e.g., prudent regulation, systemic risk, financial resilience, inclusive growth).
9. How Bank Whizz Will Support You for RBI Grade A Descriptive English
On Bank Whizz, Descriptive English for RBI Grade A (Internal Promotion) will be handled in a targeted, exam-aligned manner:
- Topic-wise Essay Classes & Notes
- Theme-wise Precis Practice with Model Answers
- Mock Evaluation Series – your essay and precis will be checked just like an examiner:
- Content, structure, language, presentation
- Detailed feedback with “weak → better” examples
- Memory-based Question Bank (as and when exam is conducted)
- Special focus on banking & RBI-centric content, so your answers look like they’ve been written by an insider, not a generic coaching student.
This exam is not about being perfect in English; it is about writing like a responsible RBI Grade A officer. With disciplined practice and the right guidance, you can easily convert Descriptive English into your strongest asset in the merit list.