SBI PO Cut Off 2026: Category wise Previous Year Cutoff Trend for Prelims, Mains, Final Selection

SBI PO Cut Off 2026

The SBI PO Cut Off 2026 will be released separately for the Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and final selection stages. The State Bank of India will publish the category-wise qualifying marks after each stage of the recruitment process.

The SBI PO 2026 notification has announced 1,500 vacancies. Since the Prelims examination is scheduled for August 2026, the official SBI PO Prelims cut-off will be available after the examination and result declaration.

Until then, candidates can use the previous year’s category-wise cut-offs to set a realistic target. However, aspirants should not prepare merely to match the last cut-off. Attempt a free SBI PO mock test, evaluate your present score and aim to build a safe margin above the expected qualifying marks.

SBI PO Cut Off 2026: To Be Released

SBI PO Cut Off 2026 Release Date

The SBI PO Cut Off 2026 release date has not been announced separately. SBI generally makes the cut-off marks available with or after the scorecard for the corresponding recruitment stage.

The expected release sequence is shown below:

Candidates should regularly check the SBI Careers portal instead of relying solely on unofficial expected cut-off figures.

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off 2026

The SBI PO Prelims Cut Off 2026 will be calculated out of 100 marks. The Preliminary Examination includes English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.

According to the official notification:

• SBI will prepare a category-wise merit list using aggregate Prelims marks.
• There will be no sectional cut-off in Prelims.
• Candidates do not need to clear a separate minimum score in English, Quantitative Aptitude or Reasoning Ability.
• Approximately 10 times the number of category-wise vacancies will be shortlisted for Mains.

Therefore, candidates should focus on maximising their total score while maintaining accuracy across all three sections.

Is There a Sectional Cut Off in SBI PO Prelims 2026?

No, there is no sectional SBI PO Cut Off in Prelims 2026. SBI will shortlist candidates according to their total aggregate marks in the Preliminary Examination.

This means a candidate does not have to achieve a separately prescribed qualifying score in each section. However, every section has an individual time limit of 20 minutes, so candidates cannot shift unused time between sections.

Although there is no sectional cut-off, ignoring one section can substantially reduce the overall score and make it difficult to clear the category-wise aggregate cut-off.

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off 2025

The SBI PO Prelims Cut Off 2025 provides the most recent benchmark for candidates preparing for the 2026 examination.

The General category cut-off increased to 66.75 in 2025 compared with 61.75 in the preceding recruitment cycle. Candidates should therefore avoid assuming that the next cut-off will remain close to one particular year.

SBI PO Prelims Previous Year Cut Off

The table below shows the category-wise SBI PO Prelims cut-offs from recent years.

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Trend

The SBI PO Prelims cut-off does not follow a consistently increasing or decreasing pattern.

For the General category, the cut-off moved as follows:

The seven-year data shows a range of 58.50 to 71 marks. This variation demonstrates why preparing only according to the previous year’s cut-off can be risky.

A practical target for General-category candidates is to consistently score above 70 marks in full-length mock tests while maintaining high accuracy. Reserved-category candidates should also aim well above their previous qualifying marks instead of treating the past cut-off as the final target.

SBI PO Mains Cut Off 2026

The SBI PO Mains Cut Off 2026 will be decided after the Main Examination. The revised Mains examination carries a total of 230 marks:

• Objective test: 200 marks
• Descriptive test: 30 marks
• Total: 230 marks

SBI will apply two qualifying conditions at the Mains stage:

1. Candidates must score the minimum qualifying marks in each objective section and in the descriptive paper separately.
2. Candidates must also obtain the category-wise minimum aggregate qualifying score.

Only candidates satisfying both conditions will be considered for shortlisting to Phase III.

Is There a Sectional Cut Off in SBI PO Mains 2026?

Yes, there is a sectional SBI PO Cut Off in Mains 2026.

The official notification specifies that candidates must secure the minimum qualifying score individually in:

• Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• General Awareness, Economy and Banking Knowledge
• English Language
• Descriptive Paper

The State Bank of India will decide the sectional cut-offs based on the number of vacancies and candidate performance.

This is an important change candidates must understand. Some older SBI PO resources state that there is no sectional cut-off in Mains, but that information is not applicable to the 2026 recruitment notification.

SBI PO Mains Cut Off 2025

The SBI PO Mains Cut Off 2025 was calculated out of 250 marks under the earlier examination pattern.

Candidates should not directly apply these figures to the SBI PO 2026 Mains examination because the total marks have changed from 250 to 230. The 2025 figures remain useful for understanding the relative competition across categories.

SBI PO Mains Previous Year Cut Off

The following table presents older SBI PO Mains cut-offs. These were calculated under the examination pattern applicable to the respective recruitment year.

 

SBI PO Phase III Cut Off 2026

Phase III of the SBI PO recruitment process consists of:

• Psychometric Test
• Group Exercise
• Personal Interview

The Group Exercise carries 20 marks, while the Interview carries 30 marks. Together, they account for 50 marks.

The minimum qualifying marks for the Group Exercise and Interview will be decided by SBI. Candidates must qualify Phase II and Phase III separately to remain eligible for final selection.

The Psychometric Test is used for personality profiling. Its findings are placed before the interview panel, but the notification does not assign separate marks to the Psychometric Test.

SBI PO Final Cut Off 2026

The SBI PO Final Cut Off 2026 will be released after the completion of the Main Examination and Phase III.

The final merit list will not include Prelims marks. SBI will combine the marks obtained in:

• Phase II: Main Examination
• Phase III: Group Exercise and Interview

The marks will be normalised as follows:

Therefore, the Mains examination contributes 75% to the final merit score, while the Group Exercise and Interview contribute 25%.

Candidates should not treat the Mains examination merely as a qualifying round because it carries the largest weight in the final merit list.

SBI PO Final Cut Off 2025

The category-wise SBI PO Final Cut Off 2025 was calculated out of 100 after normalising the Mains and Phase III marks.

 

These marks show that final selection depends not only on clearing the Mains cut-off but also on securing a competitive score across Mains, Group Exercise and Interview.

SBI PO Previous Year Final Cut Off

 

How Is the SBI PO Cut Off Calculated?

SBI does not publish a fixed formula in advance for determining the cut-off. However, the qualifying marks are generally influenced by the following factors:

Number of vacancies

A higher number of vacancies may allow more candidates to advance, while fewer vacancies can increase competition. SBI has announced 1,500 vacancies for the 2026 recruitment cycle.

Difficulty level of the examination

A difficult paper generally leads to lower average scores and may result in a lower cut-off. An easier paper can produce higher attempts and raise the qualifying marks.

Number of candidates appearing

The total number of applicants and actual test-takers affects the competitive pool. However, the number of serious candidates and their performance matter more than registration figures alone.

Category-wise performance

SBI prepares separate category-wise merit lists. Therefore, the qualifying marks can differ across General, OBC, EWS, SC, ST and PwBD categories.

Normalisation

When an examination is conducted across multiple shifts, scores may be adjusted through the normalisation process to account for differences in difficulty. The score displayed on the candidate’s scorecard is used for merit preparation.

Available shortlisting ratio

SBI plans to shortlist approximately:

• 10 times the category-wise vacancies for Mains
• Up to three times the category-wise vacancies for Phase III

These ratios influence the qualifying threshold at each stage.

What Is a Good Score for SBI PO Prelims 2026?

A good score for SBI PO Prelims 2026 should be comfortably above the expected category-wise cut-off.

Based on recent trends, candidates may set the following mock-test targets:

 

These targets are not official cut-offs. They are preparation benchmarks designed to provide a buffer against changes in difficulty, normalisation and competition.

Accuracy is equally important because one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer in the objective tests.

How to Check SBI PO Cut Off 2026?

Candidates can check the SBI PO Cut Off 2026 by following these steps:

1. Visit the official SBI Careers website.
2. Open the “Current Openings” section.
3. Find the Recruitment of Probationary Officers 2026.
4. Select the result or marks-secured link for the relevant stage.
5. Enter the registration number or roll number.
6. Enter the date of birth or password, as requested.
7. Complete the security verification.
8. Submit the details to open the scorecard.
9. Check the category-wise cut-off and marks obtained.
10. Download or print the scorecard for future reference.

SBI may display the cut-off through individual scorecards instead of releasing a separate public PDF.

Difference Between SBI PO Qualifying Marks and Cut Off

Candidates often use qualifying marks and cut-off interchangeably, but they may refer to different requirements.

Qualifying marks are the minimum marks prescribed by SBI for a particular section or stage. For example, candidates must meet the sectional qualifying marks in the 2026 Mains examination.

The cut-off is the competitive score required to enter the next stage or final merit list. It is influenced by vacancies, category-wise performance and the number of candidates shortlisted.

A candidate may clear the minimum sectional marks but still fail to meet the aggregate category-wise cut-off.

How to Score Above the SBI PO Cut Off 2026

Build a margin above previous cut-offs

Do not set your mock-test target equal to the previous year’s qualifying marks. Aim for a margin of at least five to ten marks in Prelims.

Prioritise accuracy

Negative marking can significantly reduce the final score. Avoid speculative attempts and answer questions only when you can eliminate incorrect choices confidently.

Respect sectional timings

Each Prelims section has a separate 20-minute duration. Develop a section-specific attempt strategy instead of relying on one strong subject.

Prepare for Mains sectional cut-offs

The 2026 notification requires candidates to clear every objective section and the descriptive paper separately in Mains. Do not ignore English, General Awareness or descriptive writing.

Analyse every mock test

After attempting a mock test, review:

• Correct and incorrect answers
• Time spent per section
• Accuracy percentage
• Easy questions missed
• Marks lost through negative marking
• Topics requiring revision

Prepare for Mains before the Prelims result

The time between the Prelims result and Mains examination may be limited. Candidates should begin Mains-level Data Interpretation, Reasoning, Banking Awareness and descriptive practice early.