What the SBI PO cut-off means
There are three qualifying bars. The prelims has no sectional cut-off: SBI ranks candidates in each category on their aggregate marks and calls about 10 times that category’s vacancies to the Mains. The Mains needs a minimum score in each of its five tests and a minimum aggregate, and up to about 3 times the category vacancies go on to Phase III. Phase III (group exercise and interview) has its own qualifying marks. The final merit list then combines your Mains and Phase III marks.
Prelims cut-off: aggregate only
The prelims is a screening test, and SBI says plainly that there is no sectional cut-off in it. It draws a merit list for each category on aggregate marks and shortlists about 10 times the number of vacancies in that category for the Mains, starting from the top of the list.
| Test | Questions · time | Cut-off rule |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 Q · 20 min | No sectional cut-off |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 Q · 20 min | No sectional cut-off |
| Reasoning Ability | 30 Q · 20 min | No sectional cut-off |
| Total | 100 Q / 100 marks · 1 hour | Category-wise merit on aggregate; about 10× vacancies called for the Mains |
Source: para 8 (Phase-I) of advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09. The advertisement gives 100 marks for the whole paper and doesn’t split them by section, and it doesn’t give the cut-off marks. Prelims marks are used only for the Mains shortlist and don’t count in the final merit list. SBI shows each candidate’s own prelims marks through a login on its careers site.
Total vacancies, by category
Because SBI shortlists category by category, the size of each shortlist follows that category’s vacancies: about 10× for the Mains and up to about 3× for Phase III. These are the 2026 totals (regular plus backlog vacancies).
Source: the vacancy table on page 2 of the advertisement (1,446 regular + 54 backlog = 1,500). Vacancies are provisional and may vary with the Bank’s actual requirement. PwBD reservation is horizontal: VI 15, HI 16, LD 14, d&e 16. The shortlist ratios are approximate, and SBI doesn’t print category-wise cut-off marks.
Mains cut-off: every test, plus the aggregate
Para 8 says you must reach a minimum qualifying score in each test of the Mains: Tests I to IV and the descriptive paper, individually. SBI decides these sectional cut-offs depending on the number of vacancies. It then draws a category-wise merit list on the Mains aggregate and shortlists up to about 3 times the category vacancies for Phase III, provided you also reach the minimum aggregate score it sets.
What decides the cut-off
SBI doesn’t fix the marks in advance. According to the advertisement, these four things shape where the line falls:
Number of vacancies
The Mains sectional cut-offs are decided “depending upon the number of vacancies”. This cycle has 1,500 vacancies, which may vary.
Category-wise merit
Both shortlists are drawn from the top of each category’s merit list, so the cut-off differs by category.
Shortlist ratios
About 10× the category vacancies are called for the Mains and up to about 3× for Phase III.
Negative marking
Every wrong answer costs a quarter of that question’s marks, and the merit lists use this corrected score. Questions you leave blank cost nothing.
How the final merit list works
You have to qualify in the Mains (Phase II) and in Phase III separately. Your Mains marks, objective and descriptive together (230), are scaled to 75, and your group exercise and interview marks (50) are scaled to 25, for a total out of 100. Prelims marks aren’t added. The provisional selection list is made from the top of each category’s merit list.
Phase III also includes a psychometric test for personality profiling. It carries no marks in the final merit, but its findings are placed before the interview panel. If candidates have the same marks at the cut-off point of the final merit list, they’re ranked by age, oldest first (Sr. No. 30 of the advertisement’s important instructions).
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