People often prefer regulatory bodies like SEBI, IFSCA, IRDAI, and PFRDA over NABARD primarily due to the urban postings, specialized financial sector roles, and faster exposure to dynamic policy-making environments. These institutions operate in highly professional, corporate-like settings—mostly headquartered in cities like Mumbai, Gandhinagar, or Hyderabad—providing officers with a metropolitan lifestyle, better infrastructure, and more visibility within the financial ecosystem. The job roles here are also seen as more aligned with core finance, capital markets, insurance, or pension regulation, which opens doors to lateral movement, deputations, or secondments in both domestic and international financial institutions. While NABARD is highly respected, its field-heavy nature—focused on agriculture and rural development—often involves semi-urban or rural postings in the initial years, which may not appeal to everyone, especially those looking for a fast-paced or metro-centric career. Additionally, perceived growth opportunities, project exposure, and the scope for policy influence in organizations like SEBI or IFSCA add to their allure among aspirants with finance or economics backgrounds.

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