Many SEBI Grade A aspirants prepare essays using old UPSC-style templates or generic competitive-exam formats.
That approach worked earlier. It no longer does.
After 2022, SEBI Phase-2 essay evaluation has undergone a clear but subtle shift — in topics, tone, structure, and expectations.
Understanding this shift is essential if you want to move from average marks to selection-level scores.
This post explains what exactly changed after 2022 and how aspirants must adapt their essay strategy accordingly.
🔍 Pre-2022 vs Post-2022: The Core Shift
Earlier (Pre-2022)
- Broad socio-economic essays
- Descriptive, opinion-driven writing
- General examples and narratives
- Loose structure tolerated
Now (Post-2022)
- Institutional and governance-centric essays
- Analytical and balanced tone
- Regulatory, financial, and policy perspective
- Structured, examiner-friendly answers
📌 SEBI essays are no longer expressive writing tasks —
they are policy-aware analytical assessments.
🧠 WHAT EXACTLY HAS CHANGED AFTER 2022?
1️⃣ Topic Orientation: From Social to Institutional
Earlier essays focused heavily on:
- Society
- Ethics
- General development issues
Now SEBI prefers:
- Governance and regulation
- ESG and sustainability
- Financial inclusion via institutions
- Role of regulators, banks, and markets
📌 Even social topics are expected to be analysed through an institutional lens.
2️⃣ Language Tone: From Opinionated to Neutral
One major shift is tone discipline.
Earlier tolerance:
- Personal opinions
- Strong adjectives
- Assertive conclusions
Current expectation:
- Balanced, measured language
- No emotional or activist tone
- Neutral, regulatory vocabulary
📌 SEBI rewards mature reasoning, not passionate advocacy.
3️⃣ Structure: From Narrative to Framework-Driven
Post-2022 essays show a clear preference for:
- Logical segmentation
- Clear paragraph purpose
- Smooth transitions
- Crisp conclusions
Narrative-heavy essays now:
- Lose focus
- Appear vague
- Attract average marks
📌 Structure has become a scoring parameter, not just presentation.
4️⃣ Content Depth: From Breadth to Relevance
Earlier:
- More points = better essay
Now:
- Relevant points = better marks
SEBI examiners prefer:
- Fewer but sharper arguments
- Context-specific examples
- Avoidance of generic lists
📌 Relevance beats information overload.
5️⃣ Conclusion Style: From Moral Ending to Way Forward
Earlier conclusions:
- Idealistic
- Moralising
- Repetitive
Post-2022 expectations:
- Policy-oriented closure
- Institutional solutions
- Balanced optimism
📌 The conclusion must close the argument, not reopen it.
📉 COMMON ESSAY MISTAKES ASPIRANTS STILL MAKE
Despite the shift, many aspirants continue to:
- Use UPSC-style intros
- Over-quote reports and data
- Force current affairs
- Write generic “India must…” conclusions
These habits keep scores stuck in the mid-range.
🚀 HOW TOPPERS ADAPTED THEIR ESSAY STRATEGY
Successful candidates after 2022:
✅ Write with Examiner Awareness
They ask:
- Is this relevant to SEBI?
- Is the argument balanced?
- Does this paragraph add value?
✅ Use Stable Essay Frameworks
- Intro: Context + relevance
- Body: 2–3 focused dimensions
- Conclusion: Institutional way forward
No experimentation in the exam hall.
✅ Avoid Over-Expression
- Simple language
- Clear logic
- Calm tone
📌 Clarity scores more than complexity.
📈 A SIMPLE POST-2022 ESSAY CHECKLIST
Before finalising your essay, check:
- Is the tone neutral?
- Is SEBI’s institutional role visible?
- Are examples relevant?
- Is the conclusion policy-oriented?
If yes, your essay is post-2022 compliant.
🎯 FINAL WORD FROM BANK WHIZZ
Essay writing for SEBI Phase-2 has matured.
It now tests:
- Analytical ability
- Institutional understanding
- Writing discipline
Aspirants who adapt to this shift gain an edge.
Those who don’t remain stuck despite good language skills.
🔔 Call to Action
If your essay scores have plateaued, ask yourself:
- Am I writing for SEBI or for myself?
- Is my tone examiner-friendly?
- Am I following a fixed framework?
📌 At Bank Whizz, essay evaluations focus on:
- Post-2022 SEBI expectations
- Structure correction
- Examiner-aligned feedback
👉 One corrected essay framework can lift marks consistently.