If one single fact separates updated JAIIB aspirants from outdated ones in 2026, it is this: India's GST slab structure changed on 22 September 2025, and most study material in circulation still prints the old one.
| Slab structure | |
|---|---|
| Before GST 2.0 (what most textbooks print) | 0% · 5% · 12% · 18% · 28% |
| GST 2.0 — w.e.f. 22 September 2025 | 0% · 5% · 18% · 40% |
The reform collapsed the middle of the structure: the 12% and 28% slabs were eliminated, with most 12% items moving to 5% or 18%, most 28% items moving to 18%, and a top 40% rate introduced for a narrow set of luxury and sin goods.
GST sits in AFM Module D (taxation), and slab questions are among the easiest marks on the paper — if your number is current. They are also among the easiest marks to lose: an aspirant who diligently memorised "four slabs: 5, 12, 18, 28" from a 2024-print book will pick the wrong option with full confidence.
GST 2.0 is the loudest example of a wider problem: 2025–26 rewrote an unusual amount of bankable law — nomination rules, MSME limits, priority-sector targets. If your material hasn't been re-verified since September 2025, treat every figure in it as suspect. We track the full list here: 15+ law changes your JAIIB textbook doesn't know.
Independent study aid — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by IIBF. Exam pattern, dates and passing criteria are set by IIBF — always confirm current rules at iibf.org.in. Regulatory figures verified as of July 2026; verify from official sources (rbi.org.in) before relying on them in practice.