A Complete CBLR Exam 2024 Guide with CBLR Exam Study Material, Syllabus, and Previous Year’s Question Papers

This article is for CBLR Exam preparation to obtain a customs broker license in India in the year 2024. This is a complete guide to the Customs Broker Exam right from making the CBLR exam application, CBLR Exam Study Material for 2024, Eligibility, important dates, forms & formats, syllabus, previous year question papers, tips, etc.

This is a very detailed article on CBLR Exam preparation and you will get all the answers to your questions regarding this exam. You can find your topic by selecting it from the table of contents. We have mentioned the Customs Broker exam eligibility, the Application Form and how to fill it out, how to submit the application form in customs, how to pay fees for the exam, what to study that is the syllabus, where to study that the exam books, CBLR exam study material for the year 2024 exam, questions papers, exam format, important updates, etc.

About Customs Broker Examination 2024

There is only one exam to become a Customs Broker or Custom house agent in India and that is Customs broker Exam is also called as CBLR Exam or F card Exam or Rule 6 Exam. The full form of the CBLR exam is the “Customs Broker Licensing Regulation Exam”. To become a customs broker in India you need to pass the CBLR Exam. The Custom Broker exam was also known as the Rule 9 exam previously but it is now changed to the Rule 6 exam.

CBLR Exam Study Material for the year 2024 examination

If you are looking for CBLR Exam Study Material for 2024, Here is the list of topics you must study for the CBLR 2024 exam –

• The Customs Act, 1962 (MOST IMPORTANT CBLR exam study material)
• The Customs Tariff Act, of 1975
• Foreign Trade Act, 1992
• Allied Acts
• Indian Customs Tariff Classifications
• Duty Calculations
• Export & Import Procedures
• Arrival & Entry of goods process
• Re-importation of goods
• Duty Drawback, remission, refund, schemes
• Rules, Regulations, and Notifications
• Bonding procedures and clearance
• Online filing of bill of entry and bill of export

If you are looking for CBLR 2024 exam study material online then you must basically study everything from this link here – https://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/customs this covers the entire syllabus and serves as the CBLR Exam Study Material.

DO NOT MISS STUDYING THE CUSTOMS ACT 1962! 70% of the questions are from the customs act, you cannot afford to miss it if you want to clear the exam. You should know and understand this book in and out to clear the online exam at any cost!

That’s a lot to study. Isn’t it? If not, then you better start studying…

When is the CBLR exam?

The CBLR exam is conducted once every year. Currently, applications for Customs broker Exam 2023 are in process. Dates for the latest exam are given below.

About Customs Broker Exam In India:

Exam Name	Custom Broker Exam/ Custom House Agent exam/ F card Exam/ Rule 6 Exam / CBLR Exam
CBLR Exam is Conducted by	NACIN on behalf of Customs
CBLR Exam Level	Above Average to Difficult
CBLR Exam Notification	Download here
CBLR Exam Date	Soon to be declared
CBLR Exam Application date	18.10.2023 to 17.11.2023 till 6 pm (for 2024)
CBLR exam admit card download dates	to be released soon
CBLR Exam Date	not declared yet (expected in the month of March 2024)
CBLR Exam Modes	Online MCQ exam & Oral
CBLR Exam Time	3 Hours
CBLR Exam Result 2023	Download here

What is the CBLR Exam format?

The CBLR exam is conducted in 3 stages –

1. The Application Stage – You have to submit the application form along with the required documents to customs. The customs check the applications and release a list of the candidates that are eligible to appear for the exam. Before applying for the customs broker exam, you must obtain all the books and the latest CBLR exam study material.
2. The Online Exam – If your name appears on the list, you will have to appear for an online exam. The CBLR online exam has 150 MCQ-based questions with negative markings for wrong answers. The passing is 60%, that is, you have to obtain 270 marks out of 450 marks. (+3 for a right answer and -1 for the wrong answer)
3. The Oral Exam – If you pass the online exam with 270 marks or more, only then you must appear for the oral exam wherein you will be asked questions related to this field, and panelists will give you marks based on your answers. The passing of the CBLR oral exam is also 60%.

It is necessary for a candidate appearing for the customs broker exam to pass all three stages to get the customs broker license. If failed in any one of the stages, he/she has to re-attempt the exam.

How many attempts are there for CBLR Exam?

The CBLR exam has a total of 6 attempts. After 6 attempts you will no longer be eligible to appear for the Customs Broker exam again. 

You can make these attempts in any number of years or even take a gap between the attempts. For example, if you made 3 attempts in a row for 3 years and now wish to take a break for the next 2 years, you can do so and make 4^th attempt after 2 years. The gap won’t be counted as an attempt.

Please Note: Application for CBLR Exam is considered an attempt!

For example, if you submitted the application form for the exam and it was rejected for a reason unknown to you, it will be considered as an attempt made for the exam out of the 6 attempts.

CBLR Exam Eligibility Criteria –

Before making an application for CBLR Exam, it is extremely important to check the customs broker exam eligibility criteria first because if you are not eligible and you still make an application and it gets rejected, it will be considered as one full attempt!

So here are the customs broker exam eligibility criteria as per customs –

1. Should be a citizen of India.
2. Should be a person of sound mind.
3. Does not adjudicate as insolvent.
4. You should have an Aadhar Number.
5. Should have a Pan Card.
6. Should not have been penalized for any offense and no legal case or proceeding is pending.
7. No criminal proceeding is pending.
8. Should be a graduate of a recognized university.
9. Should have a professional degree in any one of these –
10. Accounting or
11. Finance or
12. Management or
13. CA/CS or
14. MBA/PGDM or
15. LLM or
16. ACMA/FCMA or
17. Diploma in Customs Clearance from any government-recognized university or
18. Should have at least 2 years experience as a G-card holder in customs.
19. Should have financial viability of a minimum of 5 lakhs.
20. Apart from the above, you can also apply if you are a retired Group-A officer with a minimum of 5 years of experience in the Indian Revenue Service.

If you think you are eligible as per the above-mentioned points, you can then move to the next step which is making the documents set to apply for the exam.

How to Apply for CBLR Exam?

Below are the steps to follow to apply for CBLR Exam or custom broker exam –

• Every year customs releases a public notice/notification for the exam in which they mention application submission dates and documents to be submitted.
• If you are eligible for the customs broker exam, you must prepare the documents required for the exam and submit them to the customs house in the time frame given in the notification. (Check the CBLR exam eligibility criteria given above)
• Customs, after reviewing all the applications, releases a list of candidates selected for the exam. If your name appears in the list as accepted, you become eligible to appear for the CBLR online exam.
• Once you clear the online exam you become eligible for the oral exam
• When the Oral exam is cleared, you get your F card.

Below are all the details for applying for the customs broker exam –

Documents needed to apply for CBLR Exam –

First, make sure the below list of documents for the CBLR Exam is ready. (Download formats needed from the table below)

1. Form A
2. 2 passport size Photographs (latest one)
3. Affidavit on Rs.100 stamp paper (Notarised)
4. Original Sound mind certificate (self-attest)
5. Self-attested Aadhar Card Copy
6. Self-attested Pan Card Copy
7. Solvency Certificate
8. Self-attested copy of 10^th, 12^th, Graduation mark sheets
9. Self-attested copy of Professional degree and mark sheet
10. Challan of Rs.500/- (Original and duplicate) as exam fee.
11. Postage Stamp on Cover Letter

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS** –

• The given filled formats below are only for reference purposes. Candidates are requested to edit the formats with their own details. Eximpedia will not be responsible for wrongly filled application forms.
• Kindly read the Exam Notification issued by your State/City Customs thoroughly before submitting the form. The given formats are as per “Mumbai Customs House” requirements.
• Please make sure you take a receiving copy from the customs house once you submit the form

List of Documents Needed for the CBLR Exam	View Here
Cover Letter Format	Download here
Application Form A for CBLR Exam	Download here
Affidavit Format to be printed on Rs.100 stamp paper & Notarised	Download here
Sound Mind Certificate	Download here [To be obtained from an authorized medical practitioner (Doctor) with M.D or Higher degree or from a government hospital]
Solvency Certificate	Download here [To be obtained from your CA or recognized bank in which you have an account]
Challan of Rs.500 (Exam Fees)	Please contact the nearest custom house in the city

How to submit the application form for CBLR Exam?

Once all your documents are ready as per the list, you can submit the form for the CBLR exam either by post or by physically visiting the Customs House in your city.

FAQs for submitting the CBLR Exam application form –

• How many sets should I prepare for submitting the application form?

Kindly prepare 2 sets of the same documents before submitting the application. One for customs submission and the second for receiving a copy (customs give a stamp after you submit the form on this) which will be for your records.

• Where should I send the documents set for the Exam by post?

The address to send the post is given in the notification issued for CBLR Exam. Please make sure the post reaches prior to the last date of application before 6 pm.

• Where should I submit the documents for CBLR Exam?

You can submit the documents for CBLR Exam in the Customs Broker Section inside the Customs House in your city. Once you submit the form, ask them to give a stamp on the receiving copy. You can also submit the documents by post to the address given in the exam notification.

• How much are the CBLR Exam Fees?

The Fee for the Customs broker exam is Rs.500/-

• How to pay the fees for CBLR Exam?

You must pay the fees by Challan.

• You can get the Challan from any stationery shop near a court or near a customs house. The Challan must be in quadruplicate.
• Fill the challan with your details – Please see the challan in the table given above for reference
• Go to the accounts department of the customs house, give them all the 4 challans along with Rs.500/-
• The accountant will give paid stamps on the challans.
• Then attach the “Original and duplicate” with your set of documents for the exam that you will be submitting.

• I do not have a solvency of Rs. 5 lakhs, can I still apply for the exam?

No, you cannot apply for the exam if you do not have Rs.5 lakhs solvency.

• I am still in the last year of my professional degree; can I apply for the exam?

No, you cannot apply for the exam unless you have a degree and you have passed the final exam.

• How will I know if my application for CBLR Exam has been accepted?

Once all applications are reviewed by customs for deficiency, customs release the list of candidates that can appear for the online examination. You can find the list below in the “results section” once the list is released. If you do not find the list here, you can also check the same on the notice board of the customs house in your city.

• Is a postage stamp necessary? Where to get it from? and where to stick it?

Although it is not written anywhere about the postage stamp, some of our students were asked to stick Rs. 5/- postage stamp on the cover letter before submitting it. This will differ in every city/state. So please confirm it from your end before submission. You can get the postage stamp from any stationery shop near the court or customs house. You must stick it on the cover letter.

Now, that you successfully submitted the application form for the customs broker exam along with your documents, you must wait for a few days until customs releases the list of candidates appearing for the online exam and if your name does not appear in the list, the reason for the rejection of the application will also be mentioned besides your name.

CBLR EXAM 2023 RESULTS –

Application list result of CBLR Exam 2024 MUMBAI	To be declared soon
Application list result of CBLR Exam 2024 LUDHIANA	To be declared soon
Application list result of CBLR Exam 2024 VIZAG	To be declared soon
CBLR Exam 2024 Admit Card download	To be declared soon
CBLR Exam 2024 Online Exam result	To be declared soon
CBLR Exam 2024 Oral Exam result	To be declared soon

FAQ AFTER submitting the application form for CBLR Exam –

• My application form for CBLR Exam is accepted, what to do next? OR My name is there in the application form list as accepted, what to do next?

If your application for CBLR Exam is accepted, you have to –

• Immediately note down your serial number and your reference number given in the list released by customs
• Fill in Annexure C with your details – reference number, name, Aadhar number, pan number, 10digit mobile number, email-id, and photographs.
• Submit duly filled Annexure C in the customs house or by emailing them (You must enquire about this in the customs house via the helpdesk or by visiting them in your city).

• My application form for CBLR Exam is rejected or on hold, what do I do?

First, see the reason for the rejection or hold of the application. Physically visit the custom house and enquire if the deficiency can be fulfilled and follow the steps as the officers suggest. It is counted as an attempt. You can try applying for it next year if they say it is rejected.

Once Annexure C is submitted, the process of applying for the CBLR Exam is complete.

The next step is – CBLR Exam preparation for the online exam.

Faqs for CBLR EXAM Preparation –

The FAQs will give you information on the customs broker exam study material or the CBLR exam study material for the year 2024 exam, syllabus, books, study guide, etc.

• What books to study for CBLR Exam?

Although there is a book for every single topic to study for CBLR Exam, if you don’t want to burn your pockets, it is better to study online, you will find the entire CBLR Exam Study Material. However, here are the books you can consider buying for the exam –

The Customs Act is also known as BARE Act, Foreign Trade Act, Comprehensive Guide to CBLR online exam by Balachandra Bharathi.

Apart from this, we would advise studying the rest of the material online from the official customs website  – https://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/customs

• Previous year Question papers for CBLR EXAM or CUSTOM BROKER EXAM –

It is very important to know what type of questions are asked in the exam and also solve the previous year’s question papers to know where you stand.

The online exam was started in 2019 and there was no negative marking in 2019 it was the easiest exam conducted. From 2020, the exam is only getting difficult to crack and will not be getting easier anytime soon. Please solve/ refer to papers keeping this information in mind. Don’t consider the 2019 CBLR Exam for its level of difficulty now.

Here are the previous year’s question papers for CBLR Exam with solutions –

CBLR EXAM Question paper 2019	View Here
CBLR EXAM Question paper 2020	View Here
CBLR EXAM Question paper 2021	View Here
CBLR EXAM Question paper 2022	View Here
CBLR EXAM Question paper 2023	View Here

Where can I do the Custom Broker Exam Course? Or CBLR Exam Classes?

There are not many classes that give courses for the customs broker exam. However, Tayal’s Institute is one of the best classes for preparing for the exam (Eximpedia members/ followers get a discount). You can get more details on it Here – https://eximpedia.com/tayal-institute-cblr-exam-course-review/

Another place where you can get the CBLR Exam Study Material or course is the customs broker association (BCBA), do email us to get more details on the same.

If you want a full-fledged diploma in customs clearance course, then you can do it from any government institute in your city. For example, In Mumbai, you can do it from Garware Institute, Santacruz.

Important Tips to Clear Customs Broker Exam or CBLR Exam :

• Do not start studying at the last moment, it is not as easy as you think. Look at the syllabus entirely in and out and then estimate the study time so much that you should remember everything in the syllabus and know the Customs Act effortlessly. (To make anything effortless, you need to put endless effort into it)
• Solve previous year’s question papers at any cost! It is seen that many questions were indeed repeated. You can miss anything but never the question papers and the customs act!
• Most importantly you must obtain and keep all the latest CBLR exam study material handly with you as soon as you make up your mind to appear for the Customs Broker exam.
• Study as much as you can, and don’t bother to listen to others during exams and think “I didn’t know I had to study that” or “Oh no! I didn’t study that topic”. Believe us, in this exam no matter how much you study you will feel that something is left out, which is okay!
• ATTEMPT ONLY IF YOU ARE SURE OF THE ANSWER – Since there is a negative marking, please keep this in mind, if you are very sure of the answer only then attempt it. You might take risks but never on questions, you absolutely have no idea about.
• Do not get disheartened, if you fail. In every attempt, you are going to learn something new or in fact a lot of new things. The understanding in every attempt only gets better and so does your knowledge. Learning is important!
• If you clear the online exam, do not stop revising the concepts and the syllabus because now the same things might be asked of you during oral exams. CBLR Oral exam will test your knowledge and understanding of the concepts, your practical experience, your language, your communication skills, your confidence, your willingness, and your dedication to work in this industry, etc.
• If you are appearing for the exam just for sake of it, then DON’T! don’t waste your attempt and time. We would advise, you rather attempt when you are sure that you will be able to study and give the time and effort it needs to clear the exam because it is not as easy as you think it is!

Other articles on CBLR Exam –

Details on CBLR Exam

How to become a customs broker in India?

The Eximpedia team is grateful for the support it is receiving from you!

Keep your suggestions and questions coming. We just want to give back to society as much as we can and help you excel in this industry by sharing whatever knowledge we have with you!

If you have any other queries or questions, please feel free to mail us at [email protected]

If you have any other queries or questions, please feel free to mail us at [email protected]

---

Fill out the form below to get all the above details on your EMAIL or WhatsApp

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝗘𝗫𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 | Export and Import (@eximpedia_)