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The SBI Clerk cutoff is among the most complex cutoff structures in Indian banking examinations. Unlike a national threshold, the SBI Clerk cutoff operates at the state level - each state has its own separate cutoff determined by that state's vacancy count, the number of candidates who appeared from that state, the difficulty of the examination in that region, and the performance distribution of candidates. A candidate from Tamil Nadu competes against a very different effective cutoff than a candidate from Chhattisgarh applying in the same examination cycle and the same category.
Understanding this state-wise complexity is essential for setting realistic preparation targets and evaluating whether a given mock test score reflects adequate readiness for a specific state's historical cutoff pattern.
This page covers the SBI Clerk cutoff framework, state-wise Prelims and Mains cutoff data from recent cycles including the official 2025 Mains cutoff released on 10th March 2026, year-wise trends, factors driving cutoff movement, and preparation benchmarks by state category.
For the complete examination guide, visit the SBI Clerk main page. For the exam pattern that shapes these scores, see the SBI Clerk Exam Pattern page.
Prelims Cutoff: Released alongside the Prelims result. This is a qualifying cutoff - candidates who clear it proceed to Mains. Prelims marks are NOT counted in the final merit. From 2019 onwards, there is no sectional cutoff in Prelims. Only a state-wise overall cutoff applies.
Mains Cutoff: Released alongside the Mains scorecard. This is the final selection threshold. Candidates who score above the Mains cutoff for their state and category qualify for the Language Proficiency Test (LPT) and subsequent joining process.
SBI Clerk removed sectional cutoffs from 2019. Before 2019, candidates had to clear minimum marks in each section separately. From 2019 onwards, only the overall state-wise cutoff applies at both Prelims and Mains stages. This makes it possible (in theory) to compensate for a weak section with strong performance in another, as long as the overall score clears the state cutoff.
Each state has its own recruitment pool. The cutoff for State A is determined solely by the competition within State A - the number of vacancies in State A versus the performance of candidates who applied for State A. A candidate from one state cannot be compared against the cutoff of another state.
This means choosing which state to apply for is a genuinely strategic decision, not just a logistical one. States with higher vacancy counts relative to their applicant pool typically have lower effective cutoffs.
The SBI Clerk Mains 2025 was conducted on 21st November 2025 for 6,589 vacancies (5,180 regular + 1,409 backlog). The Mains result was declared on 27th February 2026, and the state-wise cutoff marks were released on 10th March 2026.
The highest Mains cutoff for the General (UR) category in the 2025 cycle was 97.75 marks (out of 200) for Tamil Nadu, making it one of the most competitive states. Other high-cutoff states in the General category included:
Lower-cutoff states in the General category included:
These figures are compiled from official scorecard data and expert analysis. For exact state-specific cutoffs, candidates must log into sbi.co.in with their registration credentials to access the official scorecard which displays the applicable cutoff for their state and category.
The Prelims was conducted on 20th, 21st, and 27th September 2025. The Prelims result and cutoff were released in November 2025 (exact date: 4th November 2025 per available sources).
The Prelims paper was rated Easy to Moderate across most shifts. Across major states, General category Prelims cutoffs ranged from approximately 55 to 80 marks out of 100:
The highest Prelims General category cutoffs were observed in states where SBI has large customer bases but relatively fewer clerk vacancies relative to the aspirant pool.
The 2024 cycle had 14,191 vacancies - one of the highest in SBI Clerk history. The very high vacancy count moderated cutoffs compared to the 2025 cycle. General category Mains cutoffs across states ranged from approximately 44 to 90.
State-wise highlights (General category, approximate):
The sharp difference between the 2024 cutoff (where Maharashtra was at 44.75) and the 2025 cutoff pattern reflects the dramatic vacancy reduction - from 14,191 in 2024 to 6,589 in 2025. Fewer vacancies with similar competition levels push cutoffs higher.
The 2023 cycle had 8,283 vacancies. Mains cutoffs were moderate across most states. General category cutoffs ranged from approximately 65 to 86 across states.
The 2022 cycle had no SBI Clerk examination - SBI did not conduct a Clerk recruitment drive in 2022. The 2022 dates sometimes referenced in other materials relate to the 2022 Prelims being conducted in November/December 2022 under what SBI called the 2023 cycle or continuation of 2022 recruitment.
The 2021 cycle had 5,454 vacancies. Given the post-COVID environment and the reduced vacancy count, Mains cutoffs were moderately high. General category cutoffs ranged from approximately 62 to 82 across states.
| State 2025 (Mains) 2024 (Mains) 2023 (Mains) 2021 (Mains) | ||||
| Tamil Nadu | 97.75 | ~85 to 89 | ~78 to 82 | ~72 to 76 |
| Andhra Pradesh | ~94.50 | 90.25 | ~80 to 84 | ~68 to 72 |
| Karnataka | ~88 to 92 | 72.50 | ~75 to 79 | ~66 to 70 |
| Delhi | ~87.00 | ~80 to 84 | ~75 to 79 | ~65 to 69 |
| Maharashtra | ~78 to 82 | 44.75 | ~68 to 72 | ~58 to 62 |
| Uttar Pradesh | ~72 to 76 | ~60 to 62 | ~64 to 68 | ~55 to 60 |
| Bihar | ~70 to 74 | 47.25 | ~60 to 64 | ~50 to 55 |
| Gujarat | ~74 to 78 | 47.00 | ~66 to 70 | ~56 to 60 |
Note: 2025 figures are from released scorecard data and expert compilation. 2024 figures include official releases. 2023 and 2021 figures are from official SBI scorecards compiled by analysts. Always verify from the official SBI portal for precise state-specific cutoffs.
The 2024 to 2025 jump in Maharashtra (from 44.75 to ~78-82) and Bihar (from 47.25 to ~70-74) illustrates the dramatic impact of the vacancy reduction. When vacancies fell from 14,191 to 6,589, the effective cutoff rose by 25 to 30 marks in low-competition states.
The most direct driver of state-wise cutoff variation is the number of vacancies allocated to each state relative to that state's applicant pool. Consider:
The SBI Clerk Prelims is conducted across multiple shifts. While SBI normalises marks to account for difficulty variation across shifts, the normalisation is not perfect. Candidates in easier shifts may face a slight disadvantage as their raw scores are adjusted downward, while candidates in harder shifts see their scores adjusted upward.
States with deeper banking exam preparation cultures (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi) consistently produce higher-scoring candidate pools, pushing cutoffs higher independent of vacancy counts. This reflects both stronger preparation quality and higher aspirant density in these states.
In years when the overall Prelims or Mains paper is relatively easy (Easy to Moderate), cutoffs rise across all states because more candidates score in the 70 to 90 range. The 2025 Prelims being rated Easy to Moderate contributed to the higher Prelims cutoffs compared to some earlier years when papers were more difficult.
The 2024 cycle Prelims was conducted in February and March 2025. General category Prelims cutoffs:
The spread from 29.50 (Chhattisgarh) to 72.50 (Karnataka) illustrates the enormous state-wise variation in Prelims cutoffs.
The 2023 cycle Prelims was rated slightly more difficult than 2024. Cutoffs came in lower than 2024 across most states, with General category cutoffs in the 50 to 68 range for most major states and lower for smaller states.
Given the state-wise nature of the cutoff, preparation targets must be calibrated to the specific state the candidate is applying for.
Prelims target: 80 to 90 marks out of 100. The 2025 Prelims cutoffs in these states were in the high 70s to low 80s. Targeting 85+ provides a 5 to 8-mark buffer.
Mains target: 100 to 120 marks out of 200. The 2025 Mains cutoff in Tamil Nadu reached 97.75. Targeting 110+ provides meaningful margin in these competitive states.
Prelims target: 72 to 80 marks out of 100.
Mains target: 85 to 100 marks out of 200, providing a comfortable buffer above the typical 72 to 85 range for these states.
Prelims target: 60 to 70 marks out of 100.
Mains target: 75 to 90 marks out of 200.
Note: "Lower-competition" does not mean easier - it means the cutoff is lower due to fewer vacancies and applicants in those states. The exam paper difficulty is the same across all states.
Within each state, cutoffs vary by category following the standard reservation principles. The General/UR category has the highest cutoff, and SC/ST categories have the lowest cutoffs within the same state.
Typical percentage difference from General category (approximate):
Exact category-wise cutoffs vary significantly by state and year. Always verify from the official SBI scorecard for precise state and category combinations.
Step 1: Identify the state you will apply for and its historical Mains cutoff trend (at least 3 years).
Step 2: Set your Mains preparation target at the historical average plus 10 to 15 marks for buffer.
Step 3: Work backward to Prelims - ensure your Prelims preparation target is at least 10 marks above the recent Prelims cutoff for your state to handle paper difficulty variation.
Step 4: Use the SBI Clerk Prelims Test Series on Aspirant Mitraa to calibrate mock test scores against these state-specific targets.
Step 5: For Mains, the General/Financial Awareness section is the most differentiating. Candidates who consistently score 35 to 45 in this section (out of 50) versus those who score 20 to 25 see a 15 to 20 mark difference in total Mains score - often the difference between clearing and missing the cutoff in competitive states.
Is there a sectional cutoff in SBI Clerk Prelims? No. SBI removed sectional cutoffs from the 2019 cycle onwards. Only the overall state-wise cutoff applies at both Prelims and Mains stages.
When is the SBI Clerk Mains cutoff released? The Mains cutoff is released alongside the Mains scorecard, typically 2 to 4 weeks after the Mains result declaration. For the 2025 cycle, the Mains result was on 27th February 2026 and the cutoff was released on 10th March 2026.
Is the same cutoff applicable across all states? No. The SBI Clerk cutoff is state-wise. Each state has its own cutoff determined by that state's vacancy count, number of applicants, and candidate performance. Tamil Nadu's General cutoff in Mains 2025 was 97.75 while Bihar's was approximately 70 to 74.
Why was the 2025 Mains cutoff higher than 2024 in most states? The 2025 cycle had 6,589 vacancies versus 14,191 in 2024 - a reduction of approximately 54%. Fewer vacancies with a similar-sized candidate pool means fewer candidates can be selected from the same score range, pushing cutoffs higher.
Can I check the official cutoff for my state? Yes. After the result and scorecard are released, log into sbi.co.in with your Registration Number and Password or Date of Birth. Your individual scorecard shows both your marks and the applicable cutoff for your state and category.