JAIIB · IIBF Rules & Syllabus 2026 · November 2026 cycle
JAIIB — the Junior Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers — is the first professional banking qualification most Indian bankers sit for, conducted twice a year by the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF). This guide puts every rule that matters in one place — eligibility, the four papers, pattern, passing criteria, attempts, fees and dates — and then shows how a working banker actually prepares for it. Every unit of the syllabus has a free page on this site with solved questions.
IIBF describes the exam's objective as providing the basic knowledge a banker needs for day-to-day operations: the role of the financial sector in the economy, the banking and financial services on offer, accountancy and financial management, retail banking and wealth management, digital banking products, banking technology and customer relations. In practice it is the qualification that opens the door to CAIIB (the senior level) and, in most public-sector banks, brings an additional increment under the bank's own HR rules.
The exam is conducted twice a year — a May cycle and a November cycle — with each of the four papers on a separate Sunday, online, at IIBF's centres across India (a centre runs only where 20 or more candidates register).
| Paper | Subject | November 2026 date | On this site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Indian Economy & Indian Financial System (IE&IFS) | 1 November 2026 | 45 units · 3,032 solved MCQs |
| Paper 2 | Principles & Practices of Banking (PPB) | 22 November 2026 | 55 units · 3,280 solved MCQs |
| Paper 3 | Accounting & Financial Management for Bankers (AFM) | 28 November 2026 | 35 units · 1,681 solved MCQs |
| Paper 4 | Retail Banking & Wealth Management (RBWM) | 29 November 2026 | 30 units · 1,912 solved MCQs |
Each subject page above lists every module and unit of the IIBF syllabus, with a free page per unit: the key facts examiners test, five solved questions you can attempt on the page, and the classic traps. That is 165 units and 825 free questions, drawn from the 9,905-question bank inside our Mock Centre.
Tap JAIIB, then a paper, then a module — every unit opens its free page with five basic solved questions.
Class of pass is decided on the first physical attempt only (no subject attempted before): First Class needs 60% or more in aggregate with a pass in every subject; First Class with Distinction needs 70% or more in aggregate and 60 or more in each subject. Everyone else who completes the exam is awarded a Pass class, as is anyone who re-enrols after exhausting their attempts.
| Attempt | Fee |
|---|---|
| First attempt | ₹4,000 |
| Second to fifth attempt | ₹1,300 each |
Plus convenience charges and taxes as applicable; every attempt is registered separately. IIBF staggers the registration window: the regular fee applies in the first week, ₹100 extra in the second and third weeks, ₹200 extra in the fourth week and any extension. Fees once paid are not refunded or adjusted on any account.
| Paper | Subject | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Economy & Indian Financial System | 1 November 2026 |
| 2 | Principles & Practices of Banking | 22 November 2026 |
| 3 | Accounting & Financial Management for Bankers | 28 November 2026 |
| 4 | Retail Banking & Wealth Management | 29 November 2026 |
Registration for this cycle ran from 12 August 2026 (regular fee till 18 August, +₹100 till 25 August, +₹200 till 1 September 2026). Notice the shape of the calendar: three weeks between IE&IFS and PPB, then AFM and RBWM within eight days of PPB — the last three papers land on 22, 28 and 29 November. Plan for that back-loaded finish; our week-by-week plan is built around it.
The May 2026 cycle was held on 3, 9, 10 and 17 May 2026. IIBF has not yet announced the May 2027 calendar; on the same pattern the first paper would fall around the first Sunday of May 2027 with the rest about three weeks later — treat that as an estimate until iibf.org.in publishes the dates.
The first paper of the cycle and the most current-affairs-sensitive — economic architecture, monetary and fiscal policy, financial institutions, markets and products. Module A — Indian Economic Architecture (units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11); Module B — Economic Concepts Related to Banking (units 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19); Module C — Indian Financial Architecture (units 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28); Module D — Financial Products and Services (units 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45).
The largest paper by syllabus — banker–customer relationship, KYC/AML, deposits, credit, security, priority sector, banking technology and ethics. Module A — General Banking Operations (units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21); Module B — Functions of Banks (units 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41); Module C — Banking Technology (units 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50); Module D — Ethics in Banks and Financial Institutions (units 51, 52, 53, 54, 55).
The most numerical of the four papers — accounting mechanics, final accounts, ratio analysis, time value of money, capital budgeting, costing and taxation. Module A — Basic Accounting and Finance (units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11); Module B — Preparation of Financial Statements (units 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18); Module C — Financial Management (units 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27); Module D — Cost Management Accounting and Taxation (units 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35).
The last paper of the cycle — retail products, credit scoring, recovery, digital channels, CRM, marketing, wealth management, tax planning and home loans. Module A — Retail Banking (units 1, 2, 3, 4); Module B — Retail Products and Recovery (units 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16); Module C — Support Services Marketing of Banking Services and Products (units 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22); Module D — Wealth Management (units 23, 24, 25, 26); Home Loans (units 27, 28, 29, 30).
The full IIBF unit list with a free page per unit is on each subject hub: IE&IFS · PPB · AFM · RBWM.
IIBF publishes its own courseware for the four papers (English and Hindi editions, sold through its publisher). Most candidates pair it with a set of plain-language notes and a large solved question bank — our comparison explains what each adds. Whatever you use, check every figure against a current-law source: the courseware is revised yearly, but rules move faster than print.
CAIIB (Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers) is the Institute's senior qualification; a JAIIB pass is the prerequisite for it. Together they form the standard professional ladder for bankers in India, and most public-sector banks attach increments to each — the exact benefit is in your bank's circulars and the bipartite settlement, so confirm with HR.
Independent study aid — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF). Exam pattern, dates, fees and passing criteria are set by IIBF — always confirm the current rules at iibf.org.in. Regulatory figures verified as of September 2026; verify from official sources before relying on them in practice.