SBI Clerk Prelims expected cut off 2026 released for junior associate posts

The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the expected cut-off marks for the SBI Clerk Prelims 2026 examination, which was conducted on 26 and 27 September 2026 across various states and Union Territories in India. These estimated scores aim to provide candidates with an approximate range for qualifying for the subsequent Mains examination for Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales) posts.

This year, SBI released a total of 9,124 vacancies for Junior Associate positions, with 7,680 earmarked for regular recruitment and 2,086 for backlog posts. The prelims examination, a crucial first phase in the selection process, consisted of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 60 minutes, featuring negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer.

Expected Cut-Off Marks for Prelims 2026

The expected cut-off for regular posts in the General category is estimated to range between 68 to 78 marks out of 100. For regions with high demand and limited seats, this range may increase to 75 to 80 marks for regular vacancies. The expected cut-off for backlog vacancies across reserved groups is anticipated to be between 52 to 65 marks out of 100. SBI does not apply sectional minimum cut-offs, relying solely on aggregate cut-off limits for its selection phase.

The official SBI Clerk cut-off for prelims will be released with the official result on sbi.co.in. The expected cut-off is an estimate based on factors such as exam difficulty, candidate feedback, number of attempts, available vacancies, and previous trends. Candidates can estimate their scores by counting correct answers, deducting negative marks for incorrect answers, and excluding unattempted questions.

Factors Influencing the Cut-Off and Selection Process

The cut-off marks are not fixed in advance but are determined by SBI after considering several factors. These include the overall difficulty level of the examination, the total number of candidates who appeared, the number of vacancies available in each state or Union Territory, the overall performance of candidates, category-wise competition, and variations in difficulty across different shifts of the exam. If the examination is conducted in multiple shifts, scores may be normalized.

The selection process for Junior Associates comprises three phases: Phase I (Prelims), Phase II (Mains), and a Local Language Test. Candidates who qualify in the Prelims as per the official criteria will be eligible for the SBI Clerk Mains Examination and are advised to begin their preparation for the next stage. No vacancies were released for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh (UT), Delhi (NCT), Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, or Puducherry for the 2026 exam in one source.

Previous Year Cut-Off Trends

For context, the SBI Clerk Prelims Cut Off 2025 for the General (UR) category ranged from 0.25 in Ladakh to 81.75 in Jammu & Kashmir. In the preceding year, 2024, the General (UR) category cut-off for Prelims varied from 29.5 in Chhattisgarh to 72.5 in Karnataka. These figures provide a historical perspective on the qualifying marks for the preliminary stage of the examination.

Regarding the Mains examination, the SBI Clerk Mains Cut Off 2025 for the General (UR) category spanned from 70 in Mizoram to 97.75 in Tamil Nadu. In 2024, the Mains cut-off for the General (UR) category ranged from 70 in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Nagaland, up to 93 in Karnataka. These previous year trends are considered by the State Bank of India when determining the current year’s cut-off marks.

Checking Official Results and Cut-Offs

Candidates can access the official SBI Clerk cut-off marks following the declaration of the Prelim Result. To do so, they should visit the official State Bank of India portal at sbi.co.in/web/careers. From there, candidates need to navigate to the ‘Current Openings’ section and locate the link for ‘Recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support and Sales) 2026’.

Upon finding the relevant link, candidates should click on ‘SBI Clerk Prelims Result and Cut Off Marks’. They will then be prompted to log in using their Registration No./Roll No. and Date of Birth/Password. After successful login, the category-wise score table and scorecard will be displayed, which candidates can download as a PDF document for future reference.

Further reading

• SBI Clerk 2026 prelims begin today for 9,766 junior associate posts
• RSSB LDC result 2026 released for Grade II, Junior Assistant posts; typing test next
• RSSB Clerk/Junior Assistant 2026 result out: next stage is typing test
• Uttarakhand Police recruitment 2026 notification expected soon for 1,500 posts
• WBSSC Group C and D result expected soon for 8,478 non-teaching posts

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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