What the IBPS RRB PO cut-off means
There are three qualifying bars. In the prelims you have to clear both tests, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude, on their own. In the Mains you need a minimum score in each of the five tests, and your total has to be high enough in the merit order to be called for the common interview. The interview then has its own pass mark. Your final merit combines your Mains and interview scores.
Prelims cut-off (both tests)
The Officer Scale-I prelims is a screening test with just two tests. To reach the Mains you have to score at least the minimum cut-off in both of them. IBPS then shortlists an adequate number of candidates in each category for the Mains, depending on its requirements.
| Test | Questions / marks | Cut-off rule |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 / 40 · 25 min | Must clear — minimum set by IBPS |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 / 40 · 20 min | Must clear — minimum set by IBPS |
| Total | 80 / 80 · 45 min | Category-wise shortlist for Mains |
Source: clause D of the CRP RRBs-XV notification (01.09.2026). The notification doesn’t give the cut-off marks themselves. Prelims marks are used only to shortlist candidates for the Mains and don’t count in the interview shortlist or the final merit list.
Interview pass mark, by category
This is the only category-wise pass mark the notification prints. The common interview carries 100 marks, and the minimum qualifying mark is not less than 40%, or 35% for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates.
Source: clause J of the notification. These are minimums (“not less than”), so the bar can be higher. If you don’t reach the minimum, your interview score isn’t disclosed. The interviews are coordinated by the nodal RRBs with the help of NABARD and IBPS.
Mains cut-off: every test, plus your rank
Clause F of the notification says each Officer Scale-I candidate needs a minimum score in each test of the Main exam to be considered for the interview. Passing every test may still not be enough: your total also has to be high enough in the order of merit.
What decides the cut-off
IBPS doesn’t fix the marks in advance. According to the notification, these four things shape where the line falls:
Vacancies in your state
The interview shortlist is capped at three times the declared vacancies in each state. The updated Annexure I (25.09.2026) lists 4,256 indicative Officer Scale-I vacancies across 28 RRBs, the sum of its bank-wise table.
Category-wise shortlisting
IBPS shortlists an adequate number of candidates in each category, depending on its requirements, at both the prelims and the Mains stage.
Normalisation
If an exam runs in more than one session, corrected scores are normalised using the equi-percentile method and taken to two decimal places.
Negative marking
Every wrong answer costs a quarter of that question’s marks, and cut-offs apply to this corrected score. Questions you leave blank cost nothing.
How the final merit list works
Only Mains marks count for the interview shortlist and the final merit list. Your combined final score uses the Mains (80%) and the common interview (20%). You must qualify in both and be high enough in merit to be considered for provisional allotment. For Officer Scale-I, allotment is restricted to the RRBs of the state you applied for and is made against the actual vacancies those RRBs report.
Two more rules decide close cases. If two or more candidates have the same score, the older candidate is placed higher. Reserved-category candidates selected on the General standard are treated as General candidates. IBPS may also draw up a reserve list in each category, to the extent of vacancies under the rules in force, if enough candidates are available. Being on the reserve list doesn’t guarantee allotment.
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Clear every test, not just the total
IBPS RRB PO cut-offs apply test by test. A strong total can’t make up for one weak test. JobSafal helps you spot the weak test early and fix it before exam day.
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Accuracy over guessing
Practise deciding when to skip, since every wrong answer costs a quarter of the question’s marks.
Timed mocks
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