SEBI has been trying to bring regulations towards Finfluencers, specifically people who create contents related to trading and investing might be asked to clear NISM Research Analyst certification. Since I have been regularly posting educational stock market content through Groww in regional languages, I have decided to enrol for the exam.


I have been trading since 2008, being into the markets for so long doesn't necessarily make NISM Research Analyst exam easier. It covers multiple finance concepts like Financial Analysis, Valuation Analysis, Legal & Regulatory frame work , Economic and fundamental analysis & valuation principles. If you are from accounts/commerce background or if you are someone who is preparing for other certifications like FRM, CFA, CQA etc then NISM Research Analyst exam will be super easy for you. If you are trying to trying to clear this exam, the following guidance would really help you out in clearing it.

If you have an idea of reading the complete work book, preparing well and then having a plan to schedule the exam, dont do that. You will never be ready, you will keep on postponing the exam. Better fix a one week deadline, schedule the exam first and then start preparing for it.

I downloaded the workbook, printed it. Am not comfortable reading from an electronic device for a long period.

Just kept highlighting certain points while reading it, so that it becomes easier to revise later on.

First check the weightage of each chapters, certain chapters have higher weightage where more questions will come from these 5 chapters mentioned below which has more weightage. So make sure you give importance to these topics first, remember only 30% of the questions have calculated based questions, rest 70% covers theory part. Where you will be asked to find the right answer from multiple choices. Correct answer carry 1 mark and wrong answer carry 0.25 negative mark. Minimum mark required to pass the exam is 60 marks.

It's hard to read all 250 pages of this workbook. So first I learned all the calculation concepts from the company analysis chapters, some of the theory part as a trader/investor we already know but most of the other theory part we need to study and understand. Practiced all the calculation based questions.

I have used pass4sure mock test portal which helps you with multiple sample questions around 30 to 40% of the questions you can answer if you go through these mock test. Also they provide short notes of entire chapters, so instead of reading 250 pages of work book, this short notes from this mock test portal helps. This is highly recommended.

After all such preparations, I have attended the exam today and cleared it. Just manage to get pass mark, because I tried answering all the questions, even to the questions which am not 100% sure of the answer I just answered randomly. Don’t do this. 

Answer only if you 100% sure or else, just leave that question, this will save you from negative mark. If you just follow the above approach, definitely there is a higher chance that you will clear in first attempt. Irrespective of whether you are from finance background or not, if you plan and prepare well enough, you can clear it.



Kirubakaran Rajendran
Full Time Algo Trader