What the numbers represent
Prelims is a screening stage. The table below shows the category-wise aggregate cutoff out of 100 for the five latest completed cycles available for comparison.
| Recruitment cycle | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 66.75 | 64.50 | 65.50 | 59.25 | 51.50 |
| 2024-25 | 61.75 | 60.25 | 60.50 | 55.00 | 49.00 |
| 2023-24 | 59.25 | 59.25 | 59.25 | 53.00 | 47.50 |
| 2022-23 | 59.50 | 59.50 | 58.25 | 52.50 | 47.75 |
| 2021-22 | 63.00 | 62.75 | 61.25 | 54.75 | 49.25 |
Mains is a different qualification point. The next table shows the category-wise aggregate cutoff used for shortlisting to Phase III, out of the Mains total applicable in that cycle. It is not the final selection cutoff and it is not an interview cutoff.
| Recruitment cycle | Mains total | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 250 | 75.00 | 75.00 | 69.50 | 62.75 | 62.51 |
| 2024-25 | 250 | 87.50 | 87.50 | 75.00 | 75.00 | 75.00 |
| 2023-24 | 250 | 70.00 | 70.00 | 62.25 | 57.50 | 57.50 |
| 2022-23 | 250 | 88.93 | 84.60 | 80.96 | 73.83 | 66.86 |
| 2021-22 | 250 | 94.85 | 90.01 | 86.54 | 77.32 | 75.01 |
SBI's 2026-27 Mains has a revised total and has not happened. There is therefore no 2026 Mains cutoff in this analysis. The 2026 Prelims result is current-cycle information, not a verified historical cutoff entry here.
Reading the trend
The UR Prelims cutoff moved from 63.00 in 2021-22 to 59.50 and 59.25, then 61.75 and 66.75. That is movement, not a staircase. The reserved-category columns move in the same broad direction, but the gaps change from cycle to cycle.
Mains is even less suitable for a one-line prediction. The 2021-22 and 2022-23 values are much higher than 2023-24, while 2024-25 rises again and 2025-26 falls. The marks were obtained under the same nominal 250-mark maximum, but the papers, vacancies, candidate performance and shortlist conditions were not identical.
A cutoff can move because of paper difficulty, normalization, vacancies, the strength and size of the candidate pool, or the number of candidates SBI chooses to carry forward. A movement alone cannot prove that a paper was easier or harder. Category gaps also reflect the qualifying distribution and cannot be treated as a guaranteed future gap.
How a student should use this
Prelims and Mains cutoffs are not directly comparable. Prelims screens candidates; Mains determines the Phase III shortlist and carries into final merit. Prepare to produce a stable, accurate score above uncertain historical movement. Historical cutoff is a reference point, not a target score.
Use the tables to check whether your mock performance is stable across sections and to understand the scale of competition. Do not lower preparation because one year was low, and do not assume a high year proves the next paper will be easy. Current official notices remain the authority for the active cycle.