The IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off for the General category is expected to remain around 60–78 marks in Prelims, depending on the state, while the Mains cutoff may remain around 75–95 marks. The actual cutoff will vary based on state-wise vacancies, category, exam difficulty and competition. IBPS Clerk cutoff is released state-wise and category-wise, so candidates should compare their expected scores with the cutoff trend of their respective state.
In this blog, candidates can check the IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off for Prelims and Mains, category-wise and state-wise cutoff predictions, previous year cutoff trends, safe score targets, good attempts, factors affecting the cutoff and important FAQs.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off: Quick Overview
The IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off gives candidates an estimated Prelims and Mains score range, helping them understand the competition and set realistic preparation targets.
| Exam Stage | General Expected Cut Off |
| Prelims | 60–78 |
| Mains | 75–95 |
The expected cutoff is not the official cutoff. Candidates should keep a score buffer above the expected range because the final cutoff can change according to state-wise competition, vacancies and exam difficulty.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Expected Cut Off 2026: Category-wise
The IBPS Clerk Prelims Expected Cut Off 2026 for the General category is expected to remain between 65–75 marks. The expected cutoff for reserved categories may remain lower, depending on the category and state.
| Category | Expected Cut Off |
| General | 65–75 |
| OBC | 63–73 |
| SC | 55–65 |
| ST | 50–60 |
| EWS | 63–72 |
Important: IBPS Clerk cutoff varies state-wise, rather than having one common national cutoff like some other banking examinations. Candidates should therefore check their state-specific trend before deciding their target score.
IBPS Clerk Mains Expected Cut Off 2026: Category-wise
The IBPS Clerk Mains Expected Cut Off 2026 for the General category is expected to remain around 78–92 marks. The cutoff can vary depending on the state, category, vacancies and overall performance of candidates.
| Category | Expected Cut Off |
| General | 78–92 |
| OBC | 75–88 |
| SC | 65–78 |
| ST | 60–72 |
| EWS | 75–88 |
Candidates should aim for a score comfortably above the expected cutoff instead of preparing only to cross the minimum expected range.
IBPS Clerk Expected State-wise Cut Off 2026
The IBPS Clerk Expected Cut Off 2026 is different for different states because vacancies and competition vary across states. Based on the expected trend, states such as Delhi, Haryana, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh may have comparatively higher Prelims cutoffs.
| State | Expected Prelims Cut Off |
| Delhi | 76–82 |
| Haryana | 75–80 |
| Bihar | 74–80 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 72–78 |
| Rajasthan | 72–77 |
| West Bengal | 70–76 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 70–75 |
| Punjab | 68–74 |
| Gujarat | 67–72 |
| Maharashtra | 65–72 |
| Karnataka | 55–65 |
| Tamil Nadu | 60–68 |
| Telangana | 63–70 |
| Kerala | 73–78 |
| Odisha | 72–77 |
| Uttarakhand | 75–80 |
Candidates should remember that high-competition states generally have higher cutoffs, while states with comparatively lower competition may have lower cutoffs.
IBPS Clerk Previous Year Cut Off Trend
Previous year cutoff trends help candidates understand the range in which the IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off may fall. The Prelims General-category cutoff has generally remained within the 60–78 marks range across recent years.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Previous Year Cut Off Trend
| Year | General Cut Off Range |
| 2025 | 60–77 |
| 2024 | 62–78 |
| 2023 | 59–75 |
| 2022 | 60–76 |
The previous year trend shows that the Prelims cutoff can fluctuate according to the difficulty level, state-wise vacancies and competition.
IBPS Clerk Mains Previous Year Cut Off Trend
| Year | General Cut Off Range |
| 2025 | 78–95 |
| 2024 | 75–92 |
| 2023 | 80–96 |
| 2022 | 78–94 |
The Mains cutoff has generally remained within the 75–95 marks range, although the actual cutoff can differ significantly between states.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off: Good Attempts and Safe Score
Candidates should focus on both good attempts and a safe score while analysing their IBPS Clerk performance. A good number of attempts is useful only when accuracy is maintained.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Expected Good Attempts
| Section | Good Attempts |
| Reasoning | 25–30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 20–26 |
| English | 22–27 |
| Total | 70–80 |
For the General category, candidates should target 75+ marks in Prelims to stay comfortably above the IBPS Clerk 2026 expected cutoff range.
IBPS Clerk Mains Expected Good Attempts
| Section | Good Attempts |
| General Awareness | 28–34 |
| Reasoning | 24–30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 18–24 |
| English | 22–26 |
For Mains, candidates should target 85+ marks as a broad safe-score benchmark.
IBPS Clerk Safe Score Strategy 2026
An IBPS Clerk safe score gives candidates a buffer above the expected cutoff and reduces dependence on small changes in the final cutoff.
| Exam Stage | General Category Safe Score |
| Prelims | 75+ |
| Mains | 85+ |
To improve the chances of staying above the cutoff, candidates should focus on:
- Improve accuracy while attempting questions.
- Take regular IBPS Clerk mock tests and analyse performance.
- Practise previous year question papers.
- Strengthen weak topics through topic-wise practice.
- Revise Banking Awareness and other important General Awareness topics regularly.
- Work on calculation speed for Quantitative Aptitude.
- Practise Reasoning questions with a focus on speed and question selection.
Factors Affecting IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off
The IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off can change depending on several factors. Candidates should consider these factors before deciding their target score.
Number of Vacancies
The number of vacancies available in a particular state can influence the level of competition. Higher vacancies may reduce competition for available seats, while fewer vacancies can increase the cutoff pressure.
Exam Difficulty
The difficulty level of the examination directly affects the expected cutoff. If the paper is relatively easy, more candidates may score higher marks, which can push the cutoff upward.
Number of Applicants
A large number of candidates competing for limited vacancies can increase competition and affect the cutoff.
State-wise Competition
IBPS Clerk cutoff is released on a state-wise basis. Therefore, the number of candidates and their performance in a particular state can significantly affect the cutoff.
Normalisation
When an examination is conducted in multiple shifts, differences in difficulty levels may be considered through the normalisation process. This can also affect candidates’ final scores and cutoff calculations.
How to Stay Above the IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off?
Candidates should not prepare with the objective of scoring exactly around the IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off. Instead, they should aim for a reasonable score buffer.
Target 75+ in Prelims
A General-category candidate should aim for 75+ marks in Prelims. This target provides a better cushion than preparing only for the expected cutoff of 65–75 marks.
Target 85+ in Mains
Candidates should aim for 85+ marks in Mains as a broad safe-score target. The exact score required can vary according to the state and category.
Maintain Accuracy
Attempting a large number of questions without maintaining accuracy can reduce the final score. Candidates should focus on selecting questions they can solve correctly within the available time.
Analyse Mock Tests
Mock tests should not be used only to check the score. Candidates should analyse incorrect questions, skipped questions, time spent on each section and weak topics after every test.
IBPS Clerk Practise Previous Year Papers
IBPS Clerk Previous year papers help candidates understand the types of questions asked, difficulty level and important topics. Regular practice can also improve speed and question selection.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off: Score-wise Assessment
Candidates can use the following score bands as a broad preparation benchmark for IBPS Clerk Prelims:
| Score | Assessment |
| 80+ | Very good position for most states |
| 75–79 | Competitive in many states |
| 70–74 | Depends heavily on the state |
| Below 70 | Risky in high-cutoff states |
Since IBPS Clerk cutoff is state-wise, candidates should consider their state and category before judging whether their score is sufficient.
Is IBPS Clerk Prelims Qualifying in Nature?
Yes, IBPS Clerk Prelims is qualifying in nature, while the Mains examination plays the key role in determining the final merit and provisional allotment. Candidates must therefore clear the Prelims cutoff to appear for Mains and should focus strongly on their Mains preparation as well.
Why Does IBPS Clerk Cut Off Vary State-wise?
The IBPS Clerk cutoff varies from state to state mainly because the number of vacancies, number of applicants and level of competition are different across states. As a result, candidates from different states may need different scores to qualify.
For example, the expected Prelims cutoff is comparatively higher for Delhi and Haryana, while the expected range is lower for Karnataka. Candidates should therefore always compare their score with the cutoff trend of their own state.
Conclusion
The IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off may remain around 60–78 marks in Prelims and 75–95 marks in Mains, with considerable variation across states and categories. For the General category, candidates can use 75+ in Prelims and 85+ in Mains as broad safe-score targets.
Since the cutoff depends on state-wise vacancies, competition, exam difficulty, candidate performance and normalisation, candidates should not prepare only to cross the expected cutoff. A higher score provides a better buffer and improves the chances of staying ahead of the competition.
Candidates can strengthen their preparation with regular mock tests, previous year papers, topic-wise practice and consistent revision to improve speed, accuracy and overall performance.
Related IBPS Clerk Blogs
FAQs on IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off
What is the IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off?
The IBPS Clerk 2026 Expected Cut Off for Prelims may remain between 60–78 marks, depending on the state. For the General category, the expected range is around 65–75 marks. The Mains cutoff may remain around 75–95 marks, with the General-category estimate at 78–92 marks.
What is the safe score for IBPS Clerk Prelims 2026?
A General-category candidate should target 75+ marks in IBPS Clerk Prelims 2026. A score of 80 or above can provide a stronger position in most states, while scores between 70–74 may depend heavily on the candidate’s state and category.
Is IBPS Clerk Prelims qualifying in nature?
Yes, IBPS Clerk Prelims is qualifying in nature. Candidates need to qualify in Prelims to move to the Mains examination. Final merit and provisional allotment depend on performance in the Mains examination.
Why does IBPS Clerk cutoff vary from state to state?
IBPS Clerk cutoff varies state-wise because vacancies, number of applicants and competition are different across states. Therefore, candidates should compare their scores with the previous and expected cutoff of the state for which they are applying.
What is a good attempt for IBPS Clerk Prelims 2026?
The expected total good attempts for IBPS Clerk Prelims are around 70–80 questions, including 25–30 in Reasoning, 20–26 in Quantitative Aptitude and 22–27 in English. Candidates should focus on accuracy along with the number of attempts.
What is the expected IBPS Clerk Mains cutoff 2026?
The IBPS Clerk Mains Expected Cut Off 2026 for the General category is estimated at around 78–92 marks, while the broader expected range across states may remain around 75–95 marks. The actual cutoff will depend on state-wise competition and other factors.
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