SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Trend of Last 5 Years (2019-2023)

The State Bank of India Probationary Officer (SBI PO) exam is one of the most competitive banking exams in India, attracting lakhs of aspirants every year. The Preliminary Exam serves as the first stage of the selection process and is scheduled for 08 & 15 March 2025, understanding the cut-off trends is crucial for aspirants to tackle the competition and set realistic targets.

SBI PO Cut Off Trend of the Last 5 Years i.e. from 2019 to 2023 will have an idea about the cut off releases from the last 5 years in the prelims exam. This article provides a detailed analysis of the SBI PO Prelims Cut-Off Trends from 2019 to 2023, helping candidates strategize their preparation effectively.

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Trend of Last 5 Years (2019-2023)

The SBI PO Prelims Cut-Off Trends (2019–2023) highlight the competitive nature of the exam and the importance of consistent preparation. By analyzing these trends, aspirants can set realistic targets and strategize their preparation effectively. With the right approach, dedication, and practice, cracking the SBI PO Prelims 2025 is within reach.

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Trend Analysis

Let’s analyse the preliminary examination cut off trends from 019-2023, examining patterns across different categories and what they reveal about the competition level

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Category-Wise Analysis

General Category:

• The highest cut-off has  been observed in 2019 at 71.00, marking the peak across all categories and years
• Significant drop to 58.5 in 2020, showing a 12.5-point decrease
• Stabilization period from 2021-2023 with cut-offs ranging between 59.25-63.00
• The most recent cut-off (2023) at 59.25, indicating normalized competition levels

EWS Category:

• Parallel trends with the OBC category
• Started strong in 2019 with 68.25
• Maintained close alignment with General category cut-offs
• 2023 cut-off identical to General at 59.25

OBC Category:

• Strong correlation with General category trends
• Peak cut-off in 2019 at 68.25
• Consistent decline and stabilization post-2019
• The 2023 cut-off matches the General category at 59.25

SC Category:

• The most stable category with a consistent range between 50.00 and 54.75
• Peak cut-off in 2019 at 61.75, aligning with overall high trends that year
• The lowest point in 2020 at 50.00, showing the pandemic impact
• The current trend shows stability with the 2023 cut-off at 53.00

ST Category:

• Most variable cut-offs among all categories
• The lowest cut-off recorded in 2020 at 43.75
• Identical high points in 2019 and 2021 at 54.75
• Recent trend shows moderate levels with the 2023 cut-off at 47.50

Overall Analysis:

• The overall trend shows moderation from 2019’s peak levels
• Post-pandemic stabilization visible across all categories
• Convergence of cut-offs among General, OBC, and EWS categories
• Consistent maintenance of affirmative action benefits through appropriate category-wise gaps

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off Year-wise Analysis

2023:

• The current trend shows an equilibrium
• Identical cut-offs for General, OBC, and EWS at 59.25
• Maintained reasonable gap for SC and ST categories

2022:

• Stabilization period
• Consistent patterns across categories
• Reduced gap between General and reserved categories

2021:

• Increased cut-offs in comparison to previous year’s
• More normalized competition levels
• ST category showed significant improvement

2020:

• Marked decline across all categories
• impact of COVID-19 pandemic
• Largest gap between General and reserved categories

2019:

• Exceptional year with the highest cut-offs across all categories
• The general category peaked at 71.00
• The smallest gap between General and reserved categories

Overall Analysis:

• As this year, the vacancy released is the lowest in the last 5 recruitment cycles, so Cut Off may slightly increase.
• Target scoring 10–15 marks above the previous year’s cut-off to ensure qualification.
• General category candidates should target 65+ scores
• Reserved category candidates should aim for category-specific benchmarks
• Preparation strategies should account for normalized competition levels
• Candidates should consider recent trends while setting preparation goals

SBI PO Prelims Cut Off: Factors that Decide the Cut off

As mentioned above, are providing you with the cut-off trends of the past three years, which will help the candidates in identifying the difficulty level and the number of questions they are required to attempt to qualify for the examination and to score more than the cut-off set up by the board. The cut-off trend is based on the two following factors:

1. Number of Vacancies: This factor influences the total number of vacancies released by the SBI for the SBI PO recruitment. An increase or decrease in vacancies can fluctuate and influence the cut-off.
2. Level Of Difficulty: The second factor is the difficulty level of the examinations. When the exam seems to be easy, the cut-off increases, and simultaneously the more exams are tough, the less cut-off will be released by the recruitment board.
3. A number of candidates appear in the examination.