State Bank of India releases the SBI PO (Probationary Officer) cutoff for Prelims, Mains and the final recruitment separately. The SBI PO cutoff marks vary for the candidates hailing from different categories. SBI considers multiple factors during the preparation of the cutoff list. Candidates can check the round-wise cutoff of SBI PO along with the results by visiting the official website (sbi.co.in).
It is mandatory for the candidates to qualify as per the cutoff score of SBI PO Preliminary examination to appear for the Mains examination. Similarly, candidates obtaining a score equal to or greater than SBI PO Mains exam cutoff will be eligible to appear for the Phase-III of SBI PO recruitment process i.e. Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD-PI).
As per the previous years trends, the number of candidates who qualify for SBI PO Mains exam (after satisfying the SBI PO Prelims cutoff) is 10 times the number of available vacancies PAN India. Moreover, the number of shortlisted candidates for the GD-PI round is three times the total vacancies at hand. Read this article to know the expected SBI PO cutoff 2021 and the previous years’ cutoff for all the three phases of SBI PO selection – Prelims (Phase I), Mains (Phase II) and GD/PI (Phase III).
SBI-PO Cutoff – Key Highlights
- State Bank of India is the sole authority to determine and release the SBI PO cutoff.
- Cutoffs for all three phases i.e. Preliminary exam, Mains exam and the GD-PI are released separately.
- SBI decides the last rank or the SBI PO cutoff after taking multiple factors into account.
- SBI PO cutoff witnesses an upward trend in case there is an increase in the number of test-takers and vice-versa.
- State Bank of India won’t allow a candidate to appear in the subsequent phases of selection if he/she fails to meet the cutoff of any round.
- The SBI PO final cutoff is released on the grounds of candidates’ performance in Mains exam and GD-PI round. However, it is mandatory to score equal to or more than the SBI PO Prelims cutoff to qualify for the Mains exam.
Factors Determining SBI PO Cutoff 2021-22
The State Bank of India determines the SBI PO cutoff on the basis of multiple factors such as:
- Number of applicants
- Number of test-takers
- Performance of candidates
- SBI PO vacancies available
- Difficulty level of exam
- Previous year’s cutoff trends
- Category of candidates
SBI PO cutoff – Expected Cutoff for SBI PO 2021
Candidates can check the table below learn about the expected round-wise SBI PO cutoff 2021 (based on expert analysis)
SBI PO 2021 Prelims Cutoff (Indicative)
| Category | Cutoff |
| UR (General) | 58.5 |
| OBC | 56 |
| EWS | 56.75 |
| SC | 50 |
| ST | 43.75 |
| LD | 47.25 |
| VI | 47.75 |
| HI | 13.5 |
*In the final SBI PO cutoff, 75% weightage is given to scores of candidates in Mains exam, and the performance of candidates in GD-PI round holds 25% of weightage.
Read More: SBI PO Application Form – Dates, How to Fill & Submit Form, Eligibility
SBI PO Cutoff 2021 after Phase I – Preliminary Exam
Major features of cutoff after the SBI PO Preliminary exam are as follows:
- SBI PO Prelims cutoff denotes the minimum score that a candidate is required to attain out of 100 to take the Mains examination.
- State Bank of India will release the SBI PO cutoff 2021 for Prelims examination on its official website along with the result of the Preliminary round.
- There will be no sectional cutoff in Prelims.
- The marks of candidates in Phase I (Preliminary exam) will not be considered during the preparation of the final merit list.
SBI PO Cutoff 2021 after Phase II – Mains Exam
SBI PO Mains exam consists of objective as well as a descriptive test. SBI PO Mains exam cutoff will have the following characteristics:
- The objective paper of SBI PO Mains exam will hold a maximum of 200 marks whereas the descriptive test will consist of two questions (Essay & Letter Writing) for a total of 50 marks.
- Phase II SBI PO cutoff 2021 consists of the minimum score a candidate needs to score out of 250 (objective+descriptive) to qualify for Phase III of SBI PO recruitment
- State Bank of India will release the cutoff for Mains exam on its official website along with the release of the SBI PO Mains result
- SBI considers the candidates’ performance in the Mains examination while preparing the final merit list for recruitment. It is advised to give your best shot in the SBI PO Mains exam to ensure a sure-shot selection.
SBI PO Cutoff 2021 after Phase III – Final Cutoff
Candidates with a score as per the final cutoff will be eligible for the recruitment of Probationary Officers at various branches of the State Bank of India. Here are some basic pointers to keep in mind about the final SBI PO cutoff 2021:
- SBI will scale down the candidates’ score in the Mains exam to 75 and the score of the GD-PI round to 25.
- SBI PO final cutoff 2021 will have the minimum score a candidate requires out of 100 (scaled score of Phase II & Phase III) to be qualified for the recruitment.
SBI PO Cutoff – Previous Years’ Statistics
Candidates can analyse the previous years’ cutoff data to forecast the SBI PO cutoff 2021 for all three phases. The past two years’ statistical data of cutoff for the SBI PO exam is given below.
SBI PO Cutoff 2019
| Category | Prelims cutoff (Out of 100 marks) | Mains cutoff (Out of 250 marks) | Final cutoff (Out of 100 marks) |
| General | 71 | 104.42 | 54.11 |
| SC | 61.75 | 77.63 | 45.74 |
| ST | 54.75 | 82.50 | 43.90 |
| OBC | 68.25 | 94.28 | 48.78 |
| EWS | 68.25 | 100.89 | 50.13 |
| PWD (LD) | 59.50 | 86.51 | 47.11 |
| PWD (VI) | 64.75 | 101.75 | 52.58 |
| PWD (HI) | 16.25 | 75.36 | 35.29 |
| D&E | 0.25 | 75.14 | 33.37 |
SBI PO Cutoff 2018
| Category | Prelims cutoff (out of 100) | Mains cutoff (out of 250) | Final cutoff (out of 100) |
| General | 56.75 | 93.10 | 50.79 |
| OBC | 56.75 | 86.42 | 46.26 |
| SC | 49 | 77.13 | 43.99 |
| ST | 43 | 75.01 | 39.87 |
| PWD (OH) | 45.25 | 75.03 | 43.04 |
| PWD (VH) | 49 | 88.91 | 47.09 |
| PWD (HI) | 14.75 | 75.16 | 32.69 |
SBI PO Cutoff – Sectional Cutoff
Sectional cutoff refers to the cutoff for each section of the Preliminary and Mains examination. Candidates had to clear sectional cutoff in the SBI PO exam until the start of the 2017-18 recruitment cycle. However, candidates can now have a sigh of relief as the SBI doesn’t have any sectional cutoff for the SBI PO recruitment exam. Candidates are promoted to the subsequent phase of the recruitment exam after qualifying each phase of the SBI recruitment process as per phase-wise SBI PO cutoff.
SBI PO Cutoff – FAQs
✔️ Will the State Bank of India consider my SBI PO Preliminary exam score for the preparation of the final merit list?
No. The Preliminary exam for SBI PO recruitment is a qualifying exam. State Bank of India considers the Preliminary exam score to shortlist the candidates for the Mains exam as per the SBI PO cutoff.
✔️ Does the SBI cutoff increase every year?
It is not necessary that the SBI PO cutoff score increases with every preceding year. However, determination of the cutoff involves multiple factors including the number of applicants, difficulty level of exam, number of vacancies, etc. As per trend analysis, the number of applicants increases every year and so does the cutoff.
✔️ Will there be any sectional cutoff 2021 in SBI PO Prelims or Mains exam?
No. The SBI PO Prelims or Mains exam will not have any sectional cutoff. Thus, candidates can improve their overall score in Prelims and Mains exams by obtaining great scores in their stronger areas and compensating for their loss in weaker sections.
✔️ How can I check SBI PO cutoff 2021 via the result window?
The SBI PO result login window will also comprise the cutoff list. Candidates can log in to the official website of SBI - sbi.co.in, using their roll number and date of birth, and access their SBI PO result along with the cutoff .
✔️ Does the State Bank of India release a single cutoff list for all the phases of SBI PO recruitment process?
No. The State Bank of India releases the round-wise SBI PO cutoff with the result of each round. Hence, there will be separate cutoffs for all the three phases of SBI PO recruitment 2021 - Prelims, Mains, and the final cutoff.
