The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) unleashed its Grade A recruitment notification Friday, advertising 150 assistant manager posts that triggered a digital stampede from 5 lakh job-seekers eyeing stable careers in rural finance. With applications opening at noon on nabard.org, servers buckled under 1 lakh hits in the first hour, promising Rs 1 lakh monthly starters plus housing perks. "This is the golden ticket for agri-grads," tweeted aspirant Ravi Kumar from Patna, who prepped for two years on prelims patterns.
The drive targets diverse streams—agriculture, IT, finance—with 25% reservations for SC/ST and 33% for women, per government mandates. Exams kick off December 2025, blending quant, reasoning, and rural development modules. NABARD MD Shaji K.V. emphasized: "We're building a force for inclusive growth—apply with passion." In coaching hubs like Delhi's Karol Bagh, enrollment jumped 20%, with mocks simulating the 200-mark prelims.
Aspirants shared war stories online: "Sleepless nights cracking ESI sections," posted Bengaluru's Priyanka Rao, 26, a commerce post-grad juggling mocks with her startup. The vacancies—up 50 from last year—align with NABARD's Rs 2 lakh crore lending target, focusing on climate-resilient farms. Rural youth, hit by urban job slumps, see it as salvation; 40% applicants hail from villages, per initial data.
Challenges loom: Cut-offs hit 120 last cycle, weeding out half. Yet, success tales inspire—like 2024 topper Anjali Devi, now posted in Odisha, disbursing Rs 50 crore loans. As midnight struck, apps crossed 2 lakh. For many, this alert isn't just a job—it's a lifeline to purposeful paths.
