PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026 for 30 Assistant Manager Posts: Phase I Exam on 15 October
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has released the PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026 notification (Advt. No. 03/2026 dated 03.09.2026) for 30 Officer Grade 'A' (Assistant Manager) posts in the General, Research, Actuary and Official Language (Rajbhasha) streams. The online application ran from September 3 to September 24, 2026. The PFRDA Grade A Phase I exam is on October 15, 2026 and the Phase II exam is on November 20, 2026.
The PFRDA Assistant Manager job is one of the better-paid regulator jobs in the financial sector, with a starting gross emolument of about Rs. 2,05,000 per month as per the advertisement. This article covers the PFRDA Grade A vacancy 2026, eligibility, age limit, salary, selection process, exam pattern, syllabus, exam centres and application details, all taken from the official advertisement.
Quick summary:
📌 Recruitment: PFRDA Officer Grade 'A' (Assistant Manager) 2026
👥 Total vacancies: 30 (General 25, Research 2, Actuary 2, Official Language 1)
📝 Application dates: September 3 to September 24, 2026 (closed)
📅 PFRDA Grade A Phase I exam date: October 15, 2026 (Thursday)
📅 PFRDA Grade A Phase II exam date: November 20, 2026 (Friday)
🎓 Qualification: Master's degree or 2-year PG Diploma in any discipline, or Law, Engineering, CA, CS, CMA or CFA (varies by stream)
🎂 Age limit: Up to 30 years as on July 31, 2026
💰 Salary: Pay scale Rs. 62,500 to Rs. 1,26,100, about Rs. 2,05,000 gross per month at the minimum of the scale
💵 Fee: Rs. 1,000 for UR/GEN, EWS and OBC | Nil for SC/ST/PwBD and Ex-Servicemen
✅ Selection process: Phase I (screening) + Phase II (written) + Phase III (interview)
Table of Contents
- PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
- PFRDA Assistant Manager Recruitment 2026 Overview
- PFRDA Grade A Vacancy 2026
- PFRDA Grade A Eligibility Criteria
- PFRDA Grade A Age Limit and Relaxation
- PFRDA Grade A Application Fee
- PFRDA Grade A Salary and Benefits
- PFRDA Grade A Selection Process
- PFRDA Grade A Exam Pattern 2026
- PFRDA Grade A Syllabus 2026
- PFRDA Grade A Exam Centres
- How to Apply for PFRDA Grade A 2026
- Exam Day Instructions
- Preparation Tips
- FAQs
- Important Links
PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification release date | September 3, 2026 |
| Online application and fee payment | September 3 to September 24, 2026 |
| PFRDA Grade A admit card (call letter) for Phase I | Sent by email/SMS and hosted on the PFRDA website. Reported to be out from October 8, 2026 |
| PFRDA Grade A Phase I exam date | October 15, 2026 (Thursday) |
| PFRDA Grade A Phase II exam date | November 20, 2026 (Friday) |
| Phase III interview | To be intimated by email/SMS to candidates who pass Phase II |
PFRDA has the right to change the schedule or end the process without notice, so keep checking the official website for updates.
PFRDA Assistant Manager Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Organisation | Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) |
| Advertisement No. | 03/2026 dated 03.09.2026 |
| Post name | Officer Grade 'A' (Assistant Manager) |
| Streams | General, Research, Actuary, Official Language (Rajbhasha) |
| Total vacancies | 30 |
| Application mode | Online only |
| Selection | Phase I (online screening), Phase II (online written), Phase III (interview) |
| Job location | New Delhi and Mumbai (can be posted anywhere in India) |
| Probation | 2 years |
| Official website | pfrda.org.in |
PFRDA Grade A Vacancy 2026
| Stream | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR/GEN | Total | PwBD (out of total) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 4 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 25 | 2 (1 Blindness and Low Vision, 1 Deaf and Hard of Hearing) |
| Research | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - |
| Actuary | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | - |
| Official Language (Rajbhasha) | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 2 |
PFRDA can increase or decrease the number of posts, or leave any post unfilled. PwBD reservation is horizontal and within the total vacancies. OBC candidates in the creamy layer are not entitled to OBC reservation and must apply as UR/GEN.
PFRDA Grade A Eligibility Criteria (Assistant Manager)
The qualification is counted as on July 31, 2026. Candidates must also be computer literate and know MS Office (Word and Excel).
| Stream | Educational qualification |
|---|---|
| General (25) | Master's Degree or Post Graduate Diploma (minimum 2 years) in any discipline, OR Bachelor's Degree in Law, OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, OR ACA/FCA (ICAI), OR ACS/FCS (ICSI), OR ACMA/FCMA (ICMAI), OR CFA (CFA Institute) |
| Research (2) | Master's Degree or PG Diploma (minimum 2 years) in Economics, Commerce, Business Administration, Econometrics, Quantitative Economics, Financial Economics, Mathematical Economics, Business Economics, Agricultural Economics, Industrial Economics or Business Analytics; OR in Finance, Quantitative Finance, Mathematical Finance, Quantitative Techniques, International Finance, Business Finance, Project and Infrastructure Finance or Agri Business Finance; OR in Statistics, Mathematical Statistics, Applied Statistics & Informatics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning or Big Data Analytics; OR Master's in Mathematics with a one-year PG Diploma in Statistics or related subjects |
| Actuary (2) | Graduation from a recognised university or institute AND pass or exemption in all 7 'Core Principles' subjects of the Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI) |
| Official Language / Rajbhasha (1) | Master's Degree in Hindi or Hindi Translation with English as a subject at Bachelor's level; OR Master's in Sanskrit, English, Economics or Commerce with Hindi as a subject at Bachelor's level; OR Master's in both English and Hindi/Hindi Translation |
Important points:
- A PG Diploma must be equivalent to a Master's degree as recognised by the Association of Indian Universities.
- The degree must be from a recognised university (or an equivalent foreign qualification recognised by AIU or the Government of India).
- The date of passing is the date on the marksheet or provisional certificate.
- Final-year candidates awaiting results can appear in all three phases, but the offer will need proof of passing within the time given. No extension is allowed.
- You can apply for a maximum of 2 streams, with a separate application and fee for each. If you apply for more than 2 streams or more than once in a stream, only the last application is valid.
PFRDA Grade A Age Limit and Relaxation
The age limit is 30 years as on July 31, 2026. That means you must have been born on or after August 1, 1996.
| Category | Upper age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST (where posts are reserved) | 5 years |
| OBC-NCL (where posts are reserved) | 3 years |
| PwBD (whether the post is reserved or not) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC), where vacancies are reserved for OBC | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST), where vacancies are reserved for SC/ST | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen (including ECOs/SSCOs as per the rules) | 5 years |
SC/ST/OBC candidates who are also PwBD or Ex-Servicemen get cumulative relaxation. If there is no vacancy reserved for your category (OBC/SC/ST/EWS), you can still apply but will not get any relaxation.
PFRDA Grade A Application Fee
| Category | Fee (non-refundable) |
|---|---|
| Unreserved/GEN, EWS and OBC | Rs. 1,000 (inclusive of GST) |
| SC / ST / PwBD and Ex-Servicemen | Nil |
The fee was payable online only (Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards or Mobile Wallets). A separate fee applies for each stream you applied for, except where the fee is exempted.
PFRDA Grade A Salary and Benefits
- Pay scale: Rs. 62,500 - 3,600 (4) - 76,900 - 4,050 (7) - 1,05,250 - EB - 4,050 (4) - 1,21,450 - 4,650 (1) - 1,26,100 (17 years)
- Gross emoluments: About Rs. 2,05,000 per month at the minimum of the scale. This includes PFRDA's contribution towards the National Pension System (NPS), grade allowance, special allowance, special grade allowance, dearness allowance, local allowance, family allowance, special compensatory allowance, learning allowance and housing allowance.
- Other benefits: Leave fare concession, medical expenses (hospitalisation and non-hospitalisation), personal accident insurance, eye refraction/cost of spectacles, children's education allowance, knowledge updation allowance, briefcase, conveyance expenses, house cleaning allowance, staff furnishing scheme, scheme for purchasing computers and a Pluxee meal card.
- Probation: 2 years, with confirmation after satisfactory performance and verification of character.
- Posting: PFRDA has two offices, in New Delhi and Mumbai. Officers can be posted in any department and anywhere in India as required.
PFRDA Grade A Selection Process
- Phase I: Online screening exam (2 papers of 100 marks each)
- Phase II: Online exam (2 papers of 100 marks each)
- Phase III: Interview (in Hindi or English)
- Phase I marks are used only for shortlisting for Phase II. They are not counted in the final selection.
- Candidates equal to 5 times the number of vacancies are shortlisted for the Phase III interview, in order of merit.
- Final selection is based on Phase II and Phase III marks, with 85% weightage for Phase II and 15% weightage for the interview.
- Within Phase II, the English descriptive paper carries 1/3 weightage and the subject paper carries 2/3 weightage.
- You must meet separate cut-offs in each paper and the aggregate cut-off in Phase I and Phase II.
PFRDA Grade A Exam Pattern 2026
Phase I (October 15, 2026): Online Screening Exam
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (all streams) | English Language | 20 | 25 | 60 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 25 | ||
| Test of Reasoning | 30 | 25 | ||
| General Awareness (including some questions on the financial sector) | 20 | 25 | ||
| Total | 90 | 100 | ||
| Paper 2 | General Stream: Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, Economics, Pension Sector, AI, Media, Marketing and Communication. Research, Actuary and Rajbhasha streams: specialised subject of the stream | 50 | 100 | 40 minutes |
Phase II (November 20, 2026): Online Exam
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (all streams) | English (Descriptive Test) to test drafting skills | 3 | 100 | 60 minutes | 1/3 |
| Paper 2 | General Stream: Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Finance, Costing, Companies Act, Economics, Pension Sector, AI, Media, Marketing and Communication. Other streams: specialised subject of the stream | 50 | 100 | 40 minutes | 2/3 |
- Negative marking: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer in Paper 1 and Paper 2 of Phase I, and in Paper 2 of Phase II.
- All question papers in Phase I and Phase II, except the English test, are set in Hindi and English.
- In Phase II, Paper 1 (English) is evaluated only for candidates who get the minimum qualifying marks in Paper 2.
- Candidates who applied for more than one stream will have Paper 2 in different shifts.
PFRDA Grade A Syllabus 2026
Paper 1 of Phase I: Common for all streams
English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Test of Reasoning and General Awareness (including the financial sector).
Paper 2: General Stream (common for both phases)
- PFRDA Act, 2013 and its amendments
- Union Budget concepts, approach and trends, and the Economic Survey
- Commerce and Accountancy: accounting standards, cash flow and fund flow statements, ratio analysis, share capital transactions, ESOP and buy-back, company final accounts
- Management: management processes, leadership, HRD, motivation and morale, communication
- Finance: financial system and regulators, financial markets, derivatives basics, financial inclusion, taxes, GST, Finance Commission, FRBM, inflation (WPI, CPI)
- Costing: cost and management accounting, methods of costing, standard and marginal costing, budgetary control, lean systems (JIT, Kaizen, 5S, TPM, Six Sigma, BPR)
- Companies Act, 2013: Chapters III, IV, VIII, X, XI, XII and XXVII
- Economics: demand and supply, national income, IS-LM, Phillips curve, business cycles, balance of payments, forex markets, monetary and fiscal policy, NBFIs
- Pension Sector: status of the pension sector in India, retirement schemes, National Pension System, Atal Pension Yojana, annuity plans, basics of investment
- AI/ML: supervised and unsupervised learning, data preprocessing, model evaluation, NLP, sentiment analysis, overfitting and underfitting, LLM, agentic AI, responsible AI, cross-validation, reinforcement learning
- Media: micro-targeting, consumer behaviour, media convergence, digital divide, social media algorithms, market trends, negotiation skills
- Marketing and Communication: marketing management and research, pricing, distribution, promotion mix, brand management, digital marketing, financial literacy, active listening, conflict resolution, public speaking, emotional intelligence
Paper 2: Research Stream
Probability Theory, Descriptive Statistics, Probability Distributions, Statistical Inference, Sampling Techniques, Testing of Hypothesis, Economic Statistics, Time Series Analysis, Operations Research, Statistical Quality Control and Statistical Computing.
Paper 2: Actuarial Stream
Insurance: history of Indian insurance, principles of insurance, risk and uncertainty, legal foundations, functions of insurers (product design, pricing, underwriting, claims, investment, reinsurance), life, health and general insurance lines, valuation and solvency. Management: management processes, leadership, HRD, performance appraisal, motivation, communication, role of IT and corporate governance.
Paper 2: Official Language (Rajbhasha) Stream
Official Language Policy of the Government of India, Hindi to English and English to Hindi translation (terms, phrases and sentences), legal terminology, and pension, administrative, banking, capital market, economics and social security terminology.
Paper 1 of Phase II: English Writing Skills
Precis writing, essay writing and comprehension, to test expression and understanding of the topic.
PFRDA Grade A Exam Centres
Candidates can give up to 3 centre preferences for Phase I and 1 for Phase II. PFRDA can change the centre and allot any other centre, and no request for a change of centre is accepted. Candidates applying for two streams should choose the same centres for Phase I and Phase II.
| Zone | Phase I centres | Phase II centres |
|---|---|---|
| East | Kolkata, Patna, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Imphal, Siliguri, Agartala, Muzaffarpur | Kolkata, Patna, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi |
| West | Mumbai/Navi Mumbai/Thane/MMR, Surat/Bardoli, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, Jaipur, Pune, Hubli/Dharwad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nasik, Mapusa | Mumbai/Navi Mumbai/Thane/MMR, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, Jaipur |
| North | Chandigarh/Mohali, Delhi/NCR, Lucknow, Jammu, Dehradun, Meerut, Haldwani | Chandigarh/Mohali, Delhi/NCR, Lucknow |
| South | Chennai, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Ernakulam, Madurai, Coimbatore, Vijaywada/Guntur | Chennai, Hyderabad, Ernakulam, Bangalore |
| Central | Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Indore, Prayagraj, Kanpur | Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur |
For West Bengal candidates: Kolkata and Siliguri are the Phase I centres in the state, and Kolkata is the Phase II centre.
How to Apply for PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026
The online application window closed on September 24, 2026. For your reference, this is the procedure that was followed, and the same portal is used for the call letter download.
- Visit the PFRDA website, open Careers and then the recruitment notification "PFRDA Recruitment Exercise - Recruitment of Officer Grade A (Assistant Manager) - 2026". Click Apply Online.
- Choose Click here for New Registration and enter your name, contact details and email ID. You get a Provisional Registration Number and Password by email and SMS.
- Fill in the form, use Save and Next to save your data, and upload your photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration. Also capture a live photograph by webcam or mobile phone.
- Preview the form, click Complete Registration, pay the fee (if applicable) and click Submit.
- Take a printout of the e-receipt and the application form. Do not send it to PFRDA.
Upload specifications:
| Document | Dimensions (preferred) | File size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 200 x 230 pixels (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm) | 20 KB to 50 KB | Recent colour passport photo, light background |
| Signature | 140 x 60 pixels | 10 KB to 20 KB | Black ink on white paper. Capital letters not accepted |
| Left thumb impression | 140 x 60 pixels | 10 KB to 20 KB | Black or blue ink on white paper |
| Handwritten declaration | As per the upload tool | 20 KB to 50 KB | In English, black ink, not in capital letters, in the candidate's own handwriting |
Pre-examination training: PFRDA arranges free online pre-exam training for SC/ST/PwBD/OBC (NCL) candidates. They had to apply by email to recruitment.hr@pfrda.org.in on or before the last date of application. Training details are sent only by email.
Helpline: For problems with the form or fee payment, raise a query at cgrs.ibps.in with "PFRDA - Officer Grade A 2026" in the subject.
Also read: Preparing for more exams? See the RRB NTPC Graduate CEN 06/2026 Notification for 3548 Vacancies and WBPSC Clerkship Recruitment 2026.
PFRDA Grade A Exam Day Instructions
- Call letter: Download it using your Registration Number/Roll Number and Password/Date of Birth. Paste a recent photograph, the same as the one uploaded in your application.
- Documents: Carry the call letter, an original valid photo ID and a photocopy of the same ID. The name must match the call letter exactly. Ration card and Learner's Licence are not valid. Women who changed their name after marriage should carry the original Gazette notification, marriage certificate or affidavit.
- Reporting time: Late candidates are not allowed. You may be at the venue for about 2 hours before the exam for formalities.
- Biometrics: Thumb impression and photograph (or left-eye iris scan) are captured on exam day. Do not change your appearance from your uploaded photo. Wash off mehndi or ink, and keep fingers dry and clean. Prefer spectacles over contact lenses for the iris scan.
- Prohibited items: Mobile phones (even switched off), pagers, smart watches, smart glasses, pen drives, cameras, Bluetooth devices and any other communication device.
PFRDA Grade A Preparation Tips
- Do not rely on Phase I marks: They are only for shortlisting, but you must clear the separate cut-offs in each paper and the aggregate, so keep both papers balanced.
- Mind the penalty: One-fourth marks are cut for each wrong answer. Attempt only the questions you are fairly sure about.
- Study the pension sector: Cover the PFRDA Act, NPS, Atal Pension Yojana, annuities and recent pension sector news for General Awareness and Paper 2.
- Practise descriptive writing: Phase II has a 100-mark English paper with only 3 questions (precis, essay and comprehension).
- Prepare the new topics: AI/ML, Media, and Marketing and Communication are part of the General stream syllabus.
- Keep your documents ready: OBC (NCL) and EWS certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2026 and are needed at the interview.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How many vacancies are there in PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026?
There are 30 vacancies: General (25), Research (2), Actuary (2) and Official Language/Rajbhasha (1).
Q2. When is the PFRDA Grade A Phase I exam date?
The Phase I online exam is on October 15, 2026, and the Phase II exam is on November 20, 2026.
Q3. What is the last date to apply for PFRDA Grade A 2026?
The online application closed on September 24, 2026.
Q4. What is the PFRDA Grade A salary?
The pay scale starts at Rs. 62,500 and the gross emoluments at the minimum of the scale are about Rs. 2,05,000 per month, including allowances and PFRDA's NPS contribution.
Q5. What is the age limit for PFRDA Assistant Manager?
The maximum age is 30 years as on July 31, 2026 (born on or after August 1, 1996), with relaxation for SC/ST, OBC, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen.
Q6. What is the qualification for PFRDA Grade A General stream?
A Master's degree or 2-year PG Diploma in any discipline, or a Law or Engineering degree, or CA, CS, CMA or CFA.
Q7. Is there negative marking in PFRDA Grade A?
Yes. One-fourth of the marks of a question are deducted for each wrong answer in the objective papers of Phase I and Phase II.
Q8. Are Phase I marks counted in the final selection?
No. Phase I marks are used only to shortlist candidates for Phase II.
Q9. What is the weightage of the interview in PFRDA Grade A?
Phase II carries 85% and the interview carries 15% of the final marks.
Q10. Can I apply for more than one stream?
Yes, up to 2 streams, for which you are eligible, with a separate application and fee for each.
Q11. Where will the PFRDA Grade A exam be held in West Bengal?
Phase I is at Kolkata and Siliguri. Phase II is at Kolkata.
PFRDA Grade A Recruitment 2026 Important Links
📌 Important Links
| PFRDA Grade A 2026 Notification (Advertisement) | Click Here |
| PFRDA Grade A Phase I Information Handout | Click Here |
| PFRDA Grade A Online Application / Candidate Login (IBPS Portal) | Click Here |
| PFRDA Official Website | pfrda.org.in |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join Now |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Now |
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📌 Important Links
| PFRDA Grade A 2026 Notification (Advertisement) | Click Here |
| PFRDA Grade A Phase I Information Handout | Click Here |
| PFRDA Grade A Admit Card 2026 Download (Candidate Login, IBPS Portal) | Click Here |
| PFRDA Grade A Online Application / Candidate Login (IBPS Portal) | Click Here |
| PFRDA Official Website | pfrda.org.in |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join Now |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Now |
Source: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, Advertisement No. 03/2026 dated 03.09.2026, Recruitment of Officer Grade 'A' (Assistant Manager) 2026.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the official advertisement. PFRDA can change the schedule, vacancies or the selection process at any stage. Always check the official PFRDA website and your registered email for the latest notices.
Important: Read the official notification carefully. BongJobs.com is not a government website; we only share information verified from official sources. We never charge money for any job.
Pradip Chakraborty is a Biology teacher with 6+ years in content writing, including 3.5+ years on government jobs and education. He checks every official notice and explains it in simple words for students and job seekers. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.