The NABARD Grade A Phase 2 – Paper 2 (ESI & ARD) Descriptive Exam 2023 once again highlighted NABARD’s core expectation from future officers:
👉 sound conceptual clarity, policy awareness, and the ability to link rural realities with institutional frameworks.
The paper was balanced, concept-heavy, and scoring for aspirants who had prepared ESI & ARD with an analytical and application-oriented approach rather than rote memorisation.
Below is a structured analysis of the questions asked.
📌 Paper Structure at a Glance
| Question Type | Marks | Word Limit | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Answers | 15 marks | 600 words | Analytical & multi-dimensional |
| Short Answers | 10 marks | 400 words | Conceptual & issue-based |
The word limits were generous, but clarity, relevance, and structure clearly separated high scorers from average attempts.
📝 15-Mark Questions (600 Words)
Questions Asked:
- What is Agroforestry? Explain its Features, Advantages and Problems (Compulsory)
- Despite increased institutional credit from commercial and cooperative banks, many farmers still depend on non-institutional credit. Discuss.
- Demographic Change and Economic Growth in India
What NABARD Tested:
These questions focused on foundational ESI–ARD concepts:
- Sustainable agriculture and climate resilience (Agroforestry)
- Structural issues in rural credit delivery
- Long-term demographic trends affecting growth
A high-quality 15-marker answer required:
- Clear conceptual definition in the introduction
- Sub-headings for features, advantages, challenges
- Use of examples (small & marginal farmers, tenancy issues, access gaps)
- Balanced conclusion with policy and institutional perspective
📌 Key Insight:
NABARD expects aspirants to go beyond scheme listing and demonstrate understanding of why problems persist despite policies.
🧩 10-Mark Questions (400 Words)
Questions Asked:
- Extension Education: Meaning, 12 Extension Methods & Benefits in Agriculture
- Financial Inclusion in the Context of RBI’s Financial Inclusion Index
- Problems Associated with Agricultural Marketing in India
Examiner’s Expectation:
For 10-mark answers, NABARD tested:
- Conceptual clarity and definitions
- Structured presentation (headings / bullets where suitable)
- Ability to integrate current institutional frameworks (RBI Index, market reforms)
📌 Common Mistake:
Many aspirants wrote lengthy answers without structure, leading to content dilution despite adequate word limit.
🔍 Major Themes Emerging from ESI & ARD 2023
✔ Sustainable agriculture & natural resource management
✔ Institutional vs non-institutional rural credit
✔ Demographic transition and growth challenges
✔ Extension systems and knowledge dissemination
✔ Agricultural marketing inefficiencies
These themes reflect NABARD’s long-term development priorities, not one-time questions.
🎯 What Aspirants Should Learn from the 2023 Paper
To score well in NABARD ESI & ARD Descriptive:
- Master core concepts like agroforestry, extension education, rural credit
- Understand why policies fail at the ground level
- Use examples relevant to small & marginal farmers
- Write answers with clear sub-headings and flow
- Balance data, policy, and rural reality
This approach forms the foundation of Bank Whizz’s ESI & ARD preparation strategy.
🧭 Final Takeaway
The NABARD Grade A 2023 ESI & ARD Descriptive paper proves one thing clearly:
👉 Depth matters more than volume.
Aspirants who combined conceptual clarity + policy linkage + structured answers stood out decisively.
📌 Prepare ESI & ARD like a development professional, not like a notes memoriser.
In upcoming posts, we will compare ESI & ARD papers across years and identify high-probability themes for future NABARD exams. 🚀