DBF Exam 2021

A career in Finance and Banking is always viewed as one of the most thriving and globally regarded careers globally, thanks to the ever-growing demand for qualified manpower in these sectors. The Banking sector always prefers qualified employees with hands-on experience and knowledge of banking and finance along with the familiarity of computer technology and understanding customer orientation. Diploma in Banking and Finance or DBF exam conducted by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) is the only examination recognized by the Indian Banks Association (IBA). So, if you are looking forward to building a successful and fruitful career in the Banking industry, here’s an insightful blog to help you with everything you need to know about this exam.

Also Read: Banking Courses after 12th

What is DBF Exam?

Diploma in Banking and Finance is a flagship program that aims to educate the students about the operational processes and contemporary banking systems. With a competitive edge, the students clear the DBF exam and are directly absorbed by the banks and financial institutions. For students to be ready to take the step into the banking world, IIBF conducts the exam twice a year in the month of May/June and November/December. Along with the DBF exam, Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) also conducts various banking exams for its IIBF certification courses, namely

• DRA Exam: DRA stands for IIBF Debt Recovery Agent and is conducted once in a month or with a greater frequency which is decided time to time by IIBF. This exam is for recruitment of Debt Recovery Agents or DRAs in the country and is stipulated by RBI to ensure that certified professionals are selected for this profile.
• JAIIB Exam: JAIIB refers to Junior Assistant of Indian Institute of Banking & Finance and is held by IIBF twice a year on a Sunday in May/June and November/December. This certification exam trains banking professionals with the basic and foundational knowledge of banking arena, from building and strengthening customer relationships to ensure other legal and administrative aspects.
• CAIIB Exam: CAIIB refers to Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Banking & Finance and is conducted twice a year. After completing and qualifying JAIIB, you can appear for the CAIIB exam which equips banking professionals with advanced-level knowledge of financial, risk and banking management.

DBF Exam 2021

DBF Exam procedure spans across two main sessions, i.e. February to July and August to January. For the Feb-July session, the exam is held in May-June and for the August to January, the exam is held in November to December. It is conducted in the online mode and the candidates need to take the test at the exam centre allotted to them in their admit card. DBF Exam 2021 dates have been released and are as follows:

DBF Exam May 2021

Date	Subjects
May 2, 2020	Principles and Practices of Banking
May 9, 2020	Accounting and Finance for Bankers
May 16, 2020	Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Banking

Registration Fees

24th February 2021 to 28th February 2021	Usual Exam Fee
1st March 2021 to 14th March 2021	100 INR extra + Exam Fee
15th March 2021 to 21st March 2021	200 INR extra + Exam Fee

DBF Exam November 2021

Date	Subjects
November 7, 2020	Principles and Practices of Banking
November 14, 2020	Accounting and Finance for Bankers
November 21, 2020	Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Banking

Registration Fees

September 1st, 2021 to September 7th, 2021	Usual Exam Fee
September 8th, 2021 to September 21st, 2021	100 INR extra + Exam Fee
September 22nd, 2021 to September 30th, 2021	200 INR extra + Exam Fee

Both the DBF exams for May and November sessions will be conducted online and timings will be provided in the admit card.

Eligibility Criteria

For the candidates to be able to apply for the DBF Exam, they need to fulfil the following eligibility criteria and failing to do so might result in the cancellation of their candidature.

• The candidate must have cleared their 10+2  or equivalent from a recognized board of education in any discipline.
• Even the candidates who have cleared their BC/BF examination conducted by IIBF itself are eligible to appear.
• There is no age limit for the candidates to apply for the DBF Exam.

Note: Individuals who are associated with IIBF in any way are not eligible to apply. Instead, they can appear for JAIIB (Junior Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers) Examination. 

Modules of DBF Exam

The DBF exam comprises of 3 modules for which the examination is conducted on 3 separate days. The candidates are tested on different aspects of the banking and the financial systems prevailing in the country. Let’s take a brief look at the different modules and topic covered under it:

Exam Modules	Topics Covered
Principles and Practice of Banking	Indian Financial Systems; Banking Technology; Functions of Banks; Marketing of Banking Services
Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Banking	Legal aspects of Banking Operations; Banking Technology; Regulation and Compliance; Commercial Laws with reference to the Banking Operations
Accounting and Finance for Bankers	Final Accounts; Special Accounts; Basics of Business Mathematics; Principles of Book Keeping

DBF Exam Study Material

To help students gear up for the Diploma in Banking and Finance exam, IIBF has provided a list of reference books that are specifically designed for the preparation of this exam. Take a look at the following list of books (in both English and Hindi) which you need to have to crack this competitive exam:

Name	Publisher
English Legal  and Regulatory Aspects of Banking	M/s Macmillan India Limited
Principles & Practices of Banking	M/s Macmillan India Limited
Accounting & Finance for Bankers	M/s Macmillan India Limited
Banking ke Vidhik Paksh (Hindi)	M/s Taxmann Publications Private Ltd.
Bankeron ke liye Lekhankan Avam Vittya (Hindi)	M/s Taxmann Publications Private Ltd.
Banking ke Sidhanth Avam Vyavahar (Hindi)	M/s Taxmann Publications Private Ltd.

DBF Exam Pattern

When you’re preparing for any professional exam, it is important for you to know the pattern to be followed. Simply, cramming the portion all night long won’t be helpful if you don’t know how much amount of portion of your subject or topic will be covered in the exam paper, its corresponding marks or simply the duration of the exam. Therefore, we have come up with the DBF exam pattern to help you prepare better. Take a look at the table below:

Exam Modules	Maximum Marks	Passing Score	Total Number of Questions	Duration of the Exam	Negative Marking	Mode of Exam
Principles and Practice of Banking	100	50	120	2 Hours	No	Online
Legal And Regulatory Aspects of Banking	100	50	120	2 Hours	No	Online
Accounting and Finance for Bankers	100	50	120	2 Hours	No	Online

DBF Exam Syllabus

The syllabus for the DBF Exam has been separated into the different modules as well as papers prescribed by the IIBF. The following tables aims to provide you with an overview of the exam syllabus bifurcated across different sections:

DBF Exam Paper 1: Principles and Practices of Banking

Module	Topics
Module A: Indian Financial System	Indian Financial System; Banking Regulation; Retail Banking, Wholesale and International Banking; Role of Money Markets, Debt Markets & Forex Market; Recent Developments in the Financial System; Introduction to Risk Management; Role of Capital Markets; CIBIL, Fair Practices Code for Debt Collection, BCSB
Module B: Functions of Banks	Banker Customer Relationship; Ancillary Services; Cash Management Services and its Importance; Different Modes of Charging Securities; Types of collaterals and their characteristics; Non-Performing Assets; Bankers’ Special Relationship; Priority Sector Advances; Operational Aspects of opening and Maintaining Accounts of Different Types of Customers; Cash Operations; Financial Literacy
Module C: Banking Technology	Essentials of Bank Computerization; Role of Technology Upgradation and its impact on Banks; Preventive Vigilance in Electronic Banking; Gopalakrishna Committee Recommendations; Security Considerations; Overview of IT Act; Payment Systems and Electronic Banking; Data Communication Network and EFT systems
Module D: Support Services, Marketing of Banking Services & Products	Marketing; Channel Management; Distribution; Pricing; Social Marketing/Networking; Marketing Information Systems; Consumer Behavior and Product; Promotion
Module E: Ethics in Banks and Financial Institutions	Banking Ethics: Changing Dynamics; Ethics, Business Ethics & Banking; Work Ethics and the Workplace; Ethics at the Individual Level; Ethical Dimensions: Employees

DBF Exam Paper 2: Accounting & Finance for Bankers

Module	Topics
Module A: Business Mathematics & Finance	Calculation of Interest and Annuities; Capital Budgeting; Depreciation and its Accounting; Calculation of YTM; Foreign Exchange Arithmetic
Module B: Principles of Bookkeeping and Accountancy	Definition, Scope and Accounting Standards; Trial Balance, Rectification of Errors and Adjusting & Closing Entries; Basic Accountancy Procedures; Bills of Exchange; Maintenance of Cash/ Subsidiary Books and Ledger; Bank Reconciliation Statement; Capital and Revenue Expenditure
Module C: Final Accounts	Balance Sheet Equation; Accounting in a Computerized Environment; Preparation of Final Accounts; Ratio Analysis; Final Accounts of Banking Companies
Module D: Banking Operations	Banking Operations & Accounting Functions

DBF Exam Paper 3: Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Banking

Module	Topics
Module A: Regulations and Compliance	Legal Framework of Regulation of Banks; Control over Organization of Banks; Financial Sector Legislative Reforms; Regulation of Banking Business; Recent Legislative Changes in the RBI Act; Public Sector Banks and Co-operative Banks; etc.
Module B: Legal Aspects of Banking Operations	Different Types of Borrowers; Deferred Payment Guarantees; Laws Relating to Bill Finance; Types of Credit Facilities; Case Laws on Responsibility of Paying Bank; Secured and Unsecured Loans, Registration of Firms and Incorporation of companies; Laws Relating to Securities and Modes of Charging – I & II; Indemnities; etc.
Module C: Banking Related Laws	Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (DRT Act); The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987; Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities; Bankers Books Evidence Act, 1891; Interest Act (SARFAESI); Tax Laws, etc.
Module D: Commercial Laws with Reference to Banking Operations	Indian Contract Act, 1872; The Companies Act, 1956 (Now Companies Act, 2013); The Sale of Goods Act, 1930; Limited liability partnerships formation, registration, rights and liabilities of partners; Indian Partnership Act, 1932

Note: To know the detailed syllabus of DBF Exam, click here.

Application Fee Structure

Since the members of the IIBF are only eligible for appearing in the JAIIB exam, the fee structure for the non-members applying for the DBF exam depends on the number of attempts taken to clear the test. Below is a table to help you understand the application fee structure:

Attempts	Fee Amount (in INR)*
First Attempt	3200
Second Attempt	1000
Third Attempt	1000
Fourth Attempt	1000

* the mentioned amounts are estimates and exclusive of GST, as applicable.

To apply for the DBF Exam, click here

DBF Exam Benefits

Having an IIBF diploma in your hand after successfully clearing all the three modules of the DBF exam, will build a whole new level of career opportunities waiting for you. If you are wondering what a Diploma in Banking and Finance can do for you, read the points given below.

• After clearing the DBF exam successfully, your CV is shared with more than 600 members of the institution like Banking and Financial institutions for hiring.
• For those who have cleared the written test for Bank exams such as IBPS PO, SBI PO or clerks and are looking forward to the interview round, can easily make their way after passing the DBF exam.
• The diploma holders can be exempted from taking the JAIIB exam. However, most of the banks give additional incentives and increments to those having the JAIIB degree.

Also Read:

• Career in Bank Management: A Path to Success
• How to Become a Bank Manager
• Banking Courses after Graduation
• List of Banking Courses
• CFA Course

FAQs

Clearing the DBF exam opens the door to thousands of opportunities for you in the Banking and Finance sectors. If you are looking forward to pursuing a degree in banking and finance from one of the top universities in the world, and don’t know where to begin from, then you can reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu who can help you identify the right university to accelerate your career. Moreover, we do have an option to directly connect you with our mentors working in some of the top global companies.