NABARD Development Assistant Exam Analysis 2026 for Shift 1 (21 February 2026) is here. The exam concluded at 10 AM, and thousands of aspirants appeared across various centres. Based on student feedback and expert review, the overall difficulty level of the paper was Easy to Moderate, with Quantitative Aptitude slightly on the tougher side.

The exam was conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to fill 162 Development Assistant vacancies nationwide.

NABARD Development Assistant Exam 2026 Overview

Here are the key highlights of the prelims examination:

• Exam Date: 21 February 2026

• Post: Development Assistant (DA)

• Total Vacancies: 162

• Mode: Online (Objective Type)

• Total Questions: 100

• Total Marks: 100

• Duration: 60 Minutes

• Sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability

Section-Wise Structure

• English Language: 40 questions (20 minutes)

• Quantitative Aptitude: 30 questions (20 minutes)

• Reasoning Ability: 30 questions (20 minutes)

NABARD Development Assistant Exam Analysis 2026 – Difficulty Level

Quantitative Aptitude required careful calculation, while English and Reasoning were manageable for well-prepared candidates.

According to candidates who appeared in Shift 1:

NABARD Development Assistant Exam Analysis 2026 – Good Attempts

Based on overall student performance, the estimated good attempts are:

Candidates attempting within this range with good accuracy can expect a safe score.

Section-Wise NABARD DA Exam Analysis 2026

Reasoning Ability Review

The Reasoning section was scoring with a mix of puzzles and miscellaneous questions.

Puzzles & Seating Arrangement

• Box-based Puzzle (7 boxes) – 4 to 5 questions

• Linear Seating Arrangement (8 persons) – 5 questions

Other Topics Covered

• Inequality (non-comma based) – 4

• Direction & Distance – 3

• Coding – 5

• Alphabetical Series – 5

• Pair Formation – 1

• Number (Descending) – 1

• Word-based Question – 1

Overall, candidates found this section manageable with proper time management.

Quantitative Aptitude Review

The Quant section was slightly calculation-heavy but doable.

• Simplification/Approximation – 12

• Missing Number Series – 4–5

• Data Interpretation (Table-based) – 5

• Arithmetic (SI & CI, Profit & Loss, Mensuration, etc.) – 10

The DI set was straightforward, but arithmetic required accuracy.

English Language Review

English carried the highest weightage with 40 marks and was mostly easy.

Topics Covered

• Reading Comprehension (Fishing-based passage) – 8–9

• Spotting Errors – 5

• Para Jumble (Story-based) – 5

• Cloze Test – 5–6

• Phrase Rearrangement – 5

• Double Fillers – 5

• Word Swap – 5

• Sentence Arrangement – 5

Candidates with strong grammar fundamentals found this section scoring.

Overall NABARD Development Assistant Exam Review 2026

The paper maintained a balanced level of difficulty. Most questions were concept-based and followed previous year trends. Candidates who practiced mock tests regularly found the exam pattern familiar.

Time management was key, especially in Quantitative Aptitude.

What Next After NABARD DA Prelims?

Candidates who qualify in prelims will be shortlisted for the Mains Examination. The final selection will depend on performance in the mains stage as per official guidelines.

Aspirants are advised to start preparing for the mains without waiting for the official result.