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Is there a sectional cut-off in SBI PO Prelims?
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No. The 2026 SBI PO advertisement has no sectional cut-off in the Prelims. Candidates are shortlisted on their total score, roughly ten times the vacancies for each category, and the Prelims marks are not counted in the final merit.
How the SBI PO stages filter candidates
| Stage | Qualifying rule |
|---|---|
| Phase I Prelims | No sectional cut-off; about 10 times the vacancies per category shortlisted on aggregate |
| Phase II Mains | Sectional qualifying score in each test, including the descriptive paper; about 3 times the vacancies shortlisted for Phase III on aggregate |
| Phase III | Must qualify separately |
The Prelims has 40 questions of English, 30 of Quantitative Aptitude and 30 of Reasoning, in separately timed 20-minute sections, for 100 marks in total. The advertisement shows only the total marks, not marks per section.
Compare with other bank exams
| Exam (2026) | Sectional cut-off in Prelims |
|---|---|
| SBI PO | No |
| SBI Junior Associate | No (no minimum for individual tests or the aggregate) |
| IBPS PO | Yes, in each of the three tests |
| IBPS Clerk (CSA) | Yes |
| IBPS RRB (Office Assistant, Scale I) | Yes, in both tests |
What this means for your attempt strategy
- You can afford a weaker section. With only the total counting, a strong Quant and Reasoning score can carry a weaker English score. That is a risk worth taking only if the total is safe.
- The Mains is stricter. There every test, including the descriptive paper, has a sectional qualifying score, so the weak section you hid in Prelims returns.
- Wrong answers still cost marks. A quarter of the question's marks is deducted; see negative marking in SBI PO.
If you are practising for both SBI and IBPS, run your mocks twice: once judging on total score (SBI) and once checking that every section clears a safe mark (IBPS). The bank exam mock test strategy explains how to analyse the result, and the SBI PO preparation strategy covers the phase.
Source
- SBI PO 2026 detailed advertisement CRPD/PO/2026-27/09 (18 June 2026): selection procedure.
Rules may change between cycles. Confirm them in the latest advertisement. The paper itself is in the SBI PO syllabus and exam pattern.
Know which section is costing you the cut-off
Take a free bank-exam assessment on PrepMatic. It shows where you stand in Quant, Reasoning and English, then builds a daily study plan and mock tests focused on your weak subjects.
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- SBI PO syllabus and patternSBI PO 2026 pattern and syllabus: prelims English 40, Quant 30, Reasoning 30; mains with the new email and situation-analysis descriptive; 75:25 merit weights.
- SBI PO preparation strategyHow to prepare for SBI PO: what differs from IBPS PO, a 24-week plan, mains-level DI and reasoning, the new descriptive test, and interview prep.
- Bank exam mock testsBank exam mock test strategy for IBPS and SBI: how many mocks to take, when to start, prelims vs mains mocks, sectional timing and a mock analysis method.
- Negative marking in SBI POSBI PO deducts one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer in Prelims and Mains. See the penalty by section for 2026.
More in Bank exams
- SBI PO descriptive paperSBI PO Mains 2026 has a typed descriptive test, Communication Skills: 3 questions, 30 marks, 30 minutes. See the format and why letter and essay is outdated.
- SBI PO salarySBI PO starts at a basic pay of ₹48,480 plus four advance increments in scale JMGS-I. See the pay scale, the advertised CTC, bond and probation terms.
- SBI PO attempt limitSBI PO allows 6 attempts for UR/EWS, 9 for OBC and PwBD, and no limit for SC/ST. Only appearing in Mains counts. Rules from the 2026 advertisement.
- SBI PO age limitSBI PO age limit is 21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026. See upper-age relaxation for OBC, SC/ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen, and why relaxations do not stack.
- RRB PO and Clerk togetherYes. In IBPS RRBs-XV you can apply for Office Assistant and one officer post, with a separate application and fee for each. Dates, fees and limits.
- RBI Grade B salaryRBI Grade B starts at a basic pay of ₹78,450 a month in a 16-year scale. The 2026 advertisement states gross emoluments of about ₹1.55 lakh a month.
- RBI Grade B interview marksThe RBI Grade B interview carries 75 marks and final merit is Phase II plus the interview. Phase I marks do not count. 2026 rules and how it compares.
- Negative marking in IBPS POYes. IBPS PO deducts one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer, in Prelims and Mains. See what it costs per section.