SBI PO Cut Off Marks of Prelims, Mains & Final: Past 5 Years Analysis

The SBI PO cut off is the minimum score required to qualify each stage of the SBI PO exam selection process. There are four cut-offs in total: Prelims, Mains, Interview qualifying marks, and Final (normalised to 100).

Knowing the SBI PO cut off marks of the last 5 years helps aspirants like you assess the level of competition. It gives you an idea of the level of competition you’ll face and helps you set a realistic target score for both the Prelims and Mains exams.

SBI PO Cut Off 2026

Below is the SBI PO Prelims Cut Off 2026:

*SBI normalizes the final SBI probationary officer cut off marks to 100, where 

• The SBI PO Mains marks (230) normalize to 75.
• The GD + Interview marks (50) normalize to 25.

Important Note: This normalization is applicable to all the final results of the SBI PO exams

SBI PO Cut Off 2025

Below is the official overall cut off for the SBI probationary officer 2025 Prelims, Mains, and final selection.

*SBI normalizes the final SBI probationary officer cut off marks to 100, where 

• The SBI PO Mains marks (250) normalize to 75.
• The GD + Interview marks (50) normalize to 25.

Important Note: This normalization is applicable to all the final results of the SBI PO exams.

SBI PO Cut Off 2024

Below is the official overall cut off for the SBI probationary officer 2024 Prelims, Mains, and final selection.

SBI PO Cut Off 2023

Below is the official overall cut off for the SBI probationary officer 2023 Prelims, Mains, and final selection.

SBI PO Cut Off 2022

Below is the official overall cut off for the SBI probationary officer 2022 Prelims, Mains, and final selection.

SBI PO Cut Off: Key Takeaways for Aspirants

Listed below are the cut off marks of SBI probationary officer prelims, mains, interview, and final selection from the years 2019 to 2025 for the unreserved/general category.

From the above table, here are the key takeaways for aspirants of the SBI PO exam:

1. Targeting Just the Cut-off Marks is Risky

• Targeting just the cut-off marks is a risky strategy.
• You must aim to score above the cut-off marks.

2. Just Clearing the Mains Cut-off may not be Enough

• Merely scoring the cut off marks in the Mains exam isn’t sufficient.
• You must aim to clear mains with a comfortable margin so the pressure to score excellent marks in the GD and interview can be reduced.

3. Understand the Difficulty Level

• The decreasing prelims, mains, and final cut-offs over the previous 3 years indicate an increase in exam difficulty.
• Analyzing the SBI PO previous year question paper can help you understand the difficult level.
• This trend emphasizes the need for exceptional performance throughout the selection process. Hence, focusing on a strong understanding of the concepts is advisable. 

4. Don’t Take Interview Lightly

• Instances exist where candidates excelled in mains but scored poor marks in group discussion and interview.
• It is advisable not to take the group discussion and interview lightly.
• Dedicate time to mock group discussions and interviews
• Seek feedback and address any areas that may need improvement.

Here you can find out the detailed SBI PO salary including in-hand salary, CTC, allowances, and perks.

How to Check SBI PO Cut Off

Follow the below-mentioned steps to check the SBI probationary officer cut off:

Step 1

Visit the official website of SBI.

Step 2

Click on the “Careers” mentioned in the top right corner of the page. 

Step 3

 Scroll down the page and click on the “Current openings”.

Step 4

A new page opens with various recruitment notifications.

Step 5

Scroll the SBI PO notification page, and search for Recruitment of Probationary Officer (ADVERTISEMENT NO: CRPD/PO/2026-27/09).

Step 6

Click on the “MARKS SECURED BY THE CANDIDATES IN PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION”.

Step 7

• Enter the required information and press submit.
• The category-wise cut offs along with your detailed SBI PO Mains and Interview marks will be displayed on your screen.

Here you can check the SBI PO result.

What is the SBI PO Prelims Cut Off?

The Prelims cut off is used only to shortlist candidates for Mains. It does not count in the final merit list.

• No sectional cut off in Prelims. Only overall aggregate cut off applies.
• Top approximately 10 times the vacancies (category-wise) are shortlisted for Mains.
• With 1,500 vacancies in 2026, approximately 15,000 candidates (across all categories) will qualify for Mains.

What is the SBI PO Mains Cut Off?

The Mains cut off is used to shortlist candidates for Phase III (Psychometric Test, Group Exercise, Interview). Top approximately 3 times the vacancies (category-wise) are shortlisted.

• Sectional cut offs apply in Mains. Each section must be cleared individually.
• Aggregate cut off also applies.
• Mains is out of 230 marks (objective 200 + descriptive 30) in 2026 and may follow in upcoming years too.

What are the SBI PO Phase III Qualifying Marks?

Phase III includes the Psychometric Test, Group Exercise, and Personal Interview.

Psychometric Test

• Non-scoring. Does not contribute to final merit.
• Mandatory to attend. Missing it disqualifies you from GE and Interview.
• No cut off applicable.

Group Exercise + Interview Qualifying Marks

SBI releases qualifying marks for the Group Exercise and Interview after results. These are the minimum marks required in Phase III to be considered for final selection.

The qualifying marks for Phase III have been consistent across recent cycles: 20 for UR and EWS, 17.50 for SC, ST, and OBC out of 50.

Scoring above the qualifying marks does not guarantee selection. Final selection is from the top of the category-wise merit list based on the normalised final score.

What is the SBI PO Final Cut Off?

The final cut off is calculated after normalising marks from Mains and Phase III combined.

How is the Final Cut-Off Calculated?

Final cut off is out of 100. Candidates above the final cut off in their category are provisionally selected.

What is the Safe Score for SBI PO Prelims and Mains?

Safe score for Prelims (General category)

• Cut off range in recent years: 59.25 to 66.75.
• Safe score: 70 or above.
• This gives a buffer above the highest recent cut off and accounts for normalization adjustment.

Safe Score for Mains (General category)

• Mains cut off range: 70 to 94.85 out of 250
• Safe target: 90 to 100 out of 250 for a comfortable buffer
• Impact on final merit: Mains is normalised to 75 out of 100. Higher Mains score significantly improves final selection chances.

Score just Above the cut off:

• Clearing the Prelims cut off by 1 to 2 marks does not guarantee Mains shortlisting in all cases.
• Shortlisting is done from the top of the merit list down to ~10x vacancies. The actual qualifying score is always at or above the official cut off.
• If 15,000 candidates are to be shortlisted and you are ranked 14,998, you will make it. If you are 15,001, you will not — even if you are above the minimum cut off.

Score below the cut off:

• You do not qualify for the next stage.
• Your Prelims score is not carried forward. You must reappear in the next cycle.

What are the Factors Affecting the SBI PO Cut Off?

1. Number of vacancies

More vacancies mean more candidates are shortlisted at each stage. This generally moderates the cut off. With 1,500 vacancies in 2026 vs 600 in 2025, the expected cut off may be slightly lower than 2025, all else being equal.

2. Number of candidates appearing

More candidates competing means the cut off tends to go up. SBI PO attracts lakhs of applicants every cycle. The exact appearing count influences cut off movement.

3. Paper difficulty

Harder paper leads to lower average scores and lower cut off. Easier paper pushes scores up and cut off rises.

4. Normalization

SBI PO Prelims is conducted in multiple shifts. Different shifts may have different difficulty levels. Scores are normalized to account for this. Your raw score from the answer key is not your final score.

5. Category-wise competition

Each category has a separate cut off and separate shortlisting. Competition within SC, ST, OBC, and EWS categories determines their respective cut offs independently of the UR cut off.

6. Changes in exam pattern or marks distribution

Pattern changes can shift average scores. The 2026 Prelims pattern (English 40Q/40M, QA 30Q/30M, Reasoning 30Q/30M) gives more weight to English vs the older pattern.