SEBI Grade A IT Officer is a recruitment exam conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the post of Officer Grade A (Assistant Manager) in its Information Technology stream, selected through Phase I, Phase II and an Interview.
If you come from a Computer Science, Information Technology or related background and want a high-level government technology career, this is an exam worth planning for early — the technical syllabus is heavy, and candidates who start before the notification drops have a real head start.
Please Note: As of 31 August 2026, SEBI has not released a separate Grade A 2026 notification. This guide is based on the latest official 2025 notification — Phase I was held on 10 January 2026 and Phase II on 21 February 2026 — and will be updated as soon as the 2026 notification is out.
Important: Don't assume the 2025 eligibility, vacancies or dates carry over unchanged to 2026. Always cross-check the final 2026 notification once SEBI publishes it.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer 2026: Latest Update
The 2025 recruitment advertised 22 vacancies in the Information Technology stream. Phase I was conducted on 10 January 2026, Phase II on 21 February 2026, and SEBI published the final selected-candidate list in June 2026.
| Particular | Latest Status |
|---|---|
| Latest official recruitment cycle | SEBI Grade A 2025 |
| IT vacancies (2025) | 22 |
| Phase I | 10 January 2026 |
| Phase II | 21 February 2026 |
| 2026 notification | Not released as of 31 August 2026 |
| Next step for aspirants | Prepare on the latest official syllabus; update the plan once the 2026 notification is out |
The absence of a 2026 notification is not a reason to wait. Phase II leans heavily on Data Structures, Algorithms and OOP — starting cold after the notification drops leaves very little runway to build these fundamentals properly.
What Is SEBI Grade A IT Officer?
SEBI Grade A IT Officer is an Officer Grade A (Assistant Manager) role in the Information Technology stream of India's securities-market regulator. SEBI's technology function supports market infrastructure, applications, databases, cybersecurity, networks and other information-systems work — this is a regulatory-technology role, not a conventional private-sector development job.
Selection runs through three stages: Phase I → Phase II → Interview.
Depending on department and posting, responsibilities can span information systems, applications, databases, networks and infrastructure, cybersecurity, technology projects, IT governance, and data and analytics — supporting SEBI's regulatory functions rather than building consumer-facing software.
Who Should Consider This Exam?
- You have a Computer Science / IT academic background
- You enjoy technical subjects — programming, DBMS, DSA
- You want to work in a financial regulatory organization
- You prefer a government/regulatory career track over a conventional IT-company path
- You're comfortable preparing for a technical, competitive exam
If pure software development is your only goal, weigh this against private-sector roles before committing your prep time here.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Eligibility
Under the 2025 notification, candidates qualified through either (a) a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering in any branch, or (b) a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline plus a postgraduate qualification of at least two years in Computer Science, Computer Application or Information Technology. The maximum age was 30 years as on 30 September 2025, with relaxation for eligible categories.
Tip: The 2026 notification will confirm the exact criteria — don't assume these figures repeat unchanged.
Can B.Tech/B.E. Computer Science Students Apply?
Yes — under the 2025 criteria, a Bachelor's degree in Engineering in any branch satisfied the eligibility route.
Can MCA Students Apply?
Yes, in principle — a Bachelor's degree in any discipline followed by a qualifying two-year postgraduate qualification in Computer Science, Computer Application or IT met the prescribed route in 2025, subject to satisfying all conditions.
Can BCA Students Apply?
Don't assume yes by default. Check whether your specific qualification combination satisfies the exact route SEBI specifies in the year you're applying — this is the detail candidates most often get wrong.
Age Limit
2025 cut-off: 30 years as on 30 September 2025 (with category-wise relaxation). Verify the 2026 reference date separately once notified.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Exam Pattern
Selection has three stages — Phase I, Phase II, and Interview — with the first two conducted online.
Phase I Exam Pattern
| Paper | Content | Max Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning | 100 | 60 minutes |
| Paper 2 | Information Technology | 100 | 40 minutes |
2025 cut-offs: 30% in Paper 1, 40% in Paper 2, 40% aggregate, with negative marking of ¼ mark per wrong answer.
Important: Phase I only screens candidates for Phase II — it does not count toward final selection. Take it seriously, but don't over-invest time there at Phase II's expense.
Phase II Exam Pattern
Phase II matters far more for IT candidates: the technical paper carries two-thirds weightage within Phase II.
| Paper | Subject | Max Marks | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | English Writing Skills | 100 | 1/3 |
| Paper 2 | Information Technology | 100 | 2/3 |
Candidates need the prescribed paper-wise minimums plus a 50% aggregate in Phase II to reach the Interview. Final selection weighs Phase II at 85% and Interview at 15%.
Preparation implication: Don't postpone technical IT preparation until after the Phase I result. Phase II's weightage makes early DSA/Algorithms prep non-negotiable.
How Competitive Is SEBI Grade A IT?
In 2025, 14,799 candidates appeared for the IT stream in Phase I; SEBI shortlisted 2,229 for Phase II against 22 advertised vacancies.
| Stage | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Phase I appeared | 14,799 |
| Shortlisted for Phase II | 2,229 (~15.1%) |
| Vacancies | 22 |
With roughly 1 in 100 Phase I candidates ultimately competing for a vacancy, the goal should be a strong, competitive score — not a bare pass over the minimum cut-offs.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Syllabus
The syllabus splits across Phase I and Phase II, each with a very different weightage profile. Prioritizing by official weightage — rather than treating every topic equally — is the single biggest lever in your prep plan.
Phase I Paper 2: Information Technology
| Topic | Indicative Weightage | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Programming Concepts | 30% | Very High |
| Database Concepts | 10% | High |
| SQL Queries | 10% | High |
| Data Analytics Languages | 10% | Medium |
| Algorithms for Problem Solving | 10% | High |
| Networking Concepts | 10% | Medium–High |
| Information & Cyber Security | 10% | Medium–High |
| Data Warehousing | 5% | Medium |
| Shell Programming | 5% | Medium |
Programming Concepts (30%) — iteration, recursion, functions, variable scope, parameter passing, binding, functional and logic programming, OOP (classes, objects, inheritance, constructors, exception handling), referenced against Java, C and C++.
Database Concepts (10%) — ER model, relational model, relational algebra, tuple calculus, integrity constraints, normalization, file organization, indexing, B-trees/B+ trees, transactions, concurrency control.
SQL Queries (10%) — SELECT, VIEW, TRUNCATE, DELETE, UPDATE, ALTER, joins, aggregate functions, UNION/INTERSECT/EXCEPT, IN/EXISTS, nested queries.
Data Analytics Languages (10%) — Python, R, regular expressions, data structures, data handling, file I/O, import/export, basic analysis concepts.
Algorithms for Problem Solving (10%) — searching, sorting, complexity, recursion, common problem-solving techniques.
Networking Concepts (10%) — OSI and TCP/IP models, protocols, IP addressing, routing, switching, devices, basic network security.
Information & Cyber Security (10%) — CIA triad, authentication, authorization, encryption, malware, common attacks, firewalls, security controls.
Data Warehousing (5%) — data warehouse, ETL, OLAP vs OLTP, star/snowflake schema, data mining basics.
Shell Programming (5%) — shell basics, commands, variables, conditions, loops, scripts, command-line operations.
Phase II Paper 2: Information Technology
Key insight: Data Structures and Algorithms together account for 70% of the indicative Phase II IT weightage — the single most important preparation signal in the entire syllabus.
| Topic | Weightage | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Data Structures | 40% | Extremely High |
| Algorithms | 30% | Extremely High |
| Object-Oriented Programming | 20% | High |
| String Manipulation | 10% | Medium |
Data Structures (40%) — arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, binary trees, BSTs, heaps, hashing, indexing, matrices, JSON objects.
Algorithms (30%) — sorting, searching, greedy algorithms, dynamic programming, backtracking, divide and conquer, pattern searching.
Object-Oriented Programming (20%) — abstraction, encapsulation, polymorphism, inheritance — with an emphasis on reasoning about code behavior, not just definitions.
String Manipulation (10%) — string length, substrings, regular expressions, searching.
SEBI Grade A IT Phase 2: Coding and Technical Paper
Candidates commonly search for "SEBI Grade A IT coding test" or "Phase 2 coding paper." Officially, Phase II Paper 2 is described as an Information Technology technical paper — weighted toward Data Structures, Algorithms, OOP and String Manipulation — rather than a conventional software-company coding-interview format.
Practice should cover: arrays, strings, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, BSTs, heaps, hashing, searching, sorting, recursion, greedy algorithms, dynamic programming, backtracking, divide and conquer, pattern searching, and core OOP reasoning.
Recommended progression:
Programming Fundamentals → Data Structures → Algorithms → Easy Problems → Medium Problems → Timed Practice → Full Technical Tests
Don't skip straight to hard competitive-programming problems — if implementing a linked list, binary search, stack, queue or a standard sort isn't second nature yet, harder problems are largely wasted effort.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Selection Process
Phase I → Phase II → Interview → Final Selection
- Phase I — two-paper online screening exam; must clear paper-wise and aggregate cut-offs to advance.
- Phase II — English Writing Skills + Information Technology (IT paper carries 2/3 of Phase II weightage).
- Interview — for candidates clearing the Phase II aggregate cut-off.
- Final weightage — Phase II 85%, Interview 15%.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Salary
The 2025 pay scale was ₹62,500 – ₹1,26,100 over a 17-year scale. SEBI's notification put the approximate gross emolument at the minimum of scale in Mumbai at around ₹1.84 lakh/month without accommodation or ₹1.43 lakh/month with accommodation.
Important: These are gross-emolument figures (including NPS contribution and allowances), not in-hand take-home pay.
Other Benefits
- Leave Fare Concession
- Medical expenses coverage
- Education allowance
- Learning allowance
- Conveyance-related benefits
- Computer purchase scheme
- Subsidized lunch facility
- Other Grade A officer benefits
Verify current benefit terms against the applicable SEBI regulations and the live notification.
SEBI Grade A IT Officer Job Profile
Officers may work across application systems, databases, IT infrastructure, network systems, cybersecurity, data and analytics, technology projects, IT operations and technology governance — with postings and departments assignable across SEBI's offices, irrespective of recruitment stream.
Selected candidates serve a two-year probation period under the 2025 recruitment terms.
How to Prepare for SEBI Grade A IT Officer
Preparation should combine concepts, questions, revision and mock tests — reading notes alone isn't preparation.
- Map the syllabus. Split it into Phase I (Programming, DBMS, SQL, Algorithms, Networking, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Data Warehousing, Shell Programming) and Phase II (Data Structures, Algorithms, OOP, String Manipulation), then flag the overlap.
- Programming fundamentals first. Variables, conditions, loops, functions, recursion, arrays, strings, OOP, exception handling, complexity basics.
- DBMS + SQL together. Relational Model → Keys & Constraints → Normalization → Transactions → SQL → Joins & Subqueries. Solve questions immediately after each concept.
- Build DSA seriously. Arrays, linked lists, stack, queue, trees, BST, heap, hashing, searching, sorting — then greedy algorithms, divide and conquer, backtracking, dynamic programming and pattern searching.
- Solve previous-year questions. PYQs reveal frequently tested concepts, real difficulty level, conceptual traps and your weak areas.
- Run a topic-wise practice loop. Learn → Revise → Practice → Analyze mistakes → Revise weak concepts → Practice again.
- Take full-length mock tests. Use early mocks to diagnose weak areas, later mocks to sharpen speed, accuracy and time allocation.
- Start Phase II early. With DSA + Algorithms carrying 70% of the Phase II IT paper, an early start here is the highest-leverage decision in your prep plan.
90-Day SEBI Grade A IT Preparation Plan
Days 1–30: Build Fundamentals Programming, DBMS, SQL, basic DSA, networking fundamentals. Focus on understanding over speed; solve topic-wise questions daily.
Days 31–60: Complete the Technical Syllabus Algorithms, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Data Warehousing, Shell Programming, advanced DSA, OOP, string manipulation — start regular mixed-topic tests.
Days 61–75: Practice and Revision Shift the balance: 40% revision, 40% practice, 20% mock tests. Identify your three weakest topics and attack them directly.
Days 76–90: Mocks and Final Revision Full mocks, PYQs, formula/concept revision, DSA revision, SQL practice, programming questions, mistake notebook.
Avoid starting new material in the final two weeks — shift entirely to revision and mocks.
Best Resources for SEBI Grade A IT Preparation
- Official SEBI resources — the recruitment notification, official syllabus, information handouts, results/cut-offs and the SEBI careers page are the final authority.
- Technical revision notes — concise material for DBMS, SQL, OS, Computer Networks, Data Structures, Algorithms, Cyber Security and Programming.
- Practice questions — topic-wise questions immediately after each concept.
- Mock tests — full-length mocks once enough syllabus is covered.
SEBI Grade A IT vs IBPS SO IT Officer
| Feature | SEBI Grade A IT | IBPS SO IT Officer |
|---|---|---|
| Organization type | Financial regulator | Banking recruitment system |
| Role | IT within SEBI | IT role in participating banks |
| Technical preparation | Core IT | Core IT |
| Selection process | Phase I → Phase II → Interview | IBPS recruitment process |
| Career environment | Regulatory/financial market | Banking |
| Best for | Regulatory/SEBI-technology-focused candidates | Banking-technology-focused candidates |
Their technical syllabi overlap substantially, so preparing for one supports the other. There's no universally "better" choice — pick based on the career environment you actually want.
Conclusion
SEBI Grade A IT Officer suits candidates who want a technical IT career inside the financial-regulatory sector — but it rewards early, structured preparation over last-minute cramming. Data Structures and Algorithms alone account for 70% of the indicative Phase II IT syllabus, and Programming accounts for 30% of the Phase I IT paper.
The right sequence: build programming fundamentals → master DBMS and SQL → strengthen DSA and Algorithms → cover the remaining IT syllabus → solve questions → analyze mistakes → take mocks.
If you're targeting the 2026 recruitment, don't wait for the notification to start. Use the latest official syllabus as your baseline and adjust the moment SEBI publishes it.
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