In this guide
IBPS PO uses two kinds of cut-off at each objective stage:
- a sectional cut-off for each section, and
- an overall cut-off for the total.
You must clear both. A near-perfect reasoning score is wasted if your English score is a fraction of a mark below its cut-off. This rule catches candidates who were strong enough to clear on total marks. They planned for a total, not for every section.
How cut-offs work
- They are fixed after the exam, based on how candidates performed, the difficulty of the paper and the number of vacancies.
- They differ by category. Your own category's figures are the only ones that matter to you.
- The prelims and the mains each have their own sectional and overall cut-offs.
- Where the exam runs in several shifts, scores may be normalised before cut-offs are applied, so your raw mock-style score and your final scorecard can differ a little.
- IBPS has published cut-offs and candidates' scores on its website after results. Keep those notices for the last two or three cycles; they are your reference.
Why strong candidates fail them
- Ignoring a "boring" section. Many candidates who enjoy quant and reasoning let English slide, especially now that mains English carries only 20 marks.
- Spending too long on one question in a timed section, then running out of time for the easy ones at the end.
- Guessing heavily in a weak section. Negative marks fall hardest where your accuracy is lowest, which is exactly the section closest to its cut-off.
- A single bad day. Averages hide how low you can score. The cut-off does not care about your average; it cares about the day.
Measure your real margin
After ten full mocks, fill this in for each section:
| Section | Average score | Lowest score in last 10 | Past cut-off (your category) | Margin on a bad day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ||||
| Quant | ||||
| Reasoning |
The last column is your lowest score minus the past cut-off. Take past cut-offs from IBPS's official notices, and remember your mock series may be harder or easier than the real paper.
A worked example (made-up numbers)
The cut-offs below are invented purely to show the method. They are not real figures for any year.
Suppose an aspirant's last ten mocks give these results, and suppose the cut-offs they are comparing against were English 9, Quant 7 and Reasoning 10.
| Section | Average | Lowest | Illustrative cut-off | Margin on average | Margin on a bad day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 11.5 | 8.25 | 9 | +2.5 | −0.75 |
| Quant | 15.6 | 12.0 | 7 | +8.6 | +5.0 |
| Reasoning | 22.9 | 17.1 | 10 | +12.9 | +7.1 |
On averages, the aspirant looks safe everywhere. On a bad day, English fails. That is the danger zone, and it is invisible if you only track totals. The fix is not to push reasoning from 23 to 26; it is to lift English's floor from about 8 to 12.
Protect the weak section
- Daily practice: 30–45 minutes on the weak section, every day, even when other sections feel more urgent.
- Easy questions first: in the exam, answer the quick, familiar types first in that section, so you bank marks before the timer bites.
- Aim for a safe margin, not a top score. A few marks above the cut-off on a bad day is enough.
- Accuracy over attempts: in the weak section, attempt only what you are sure of or can narrow to two options.
A plan for each weak section
| If your weak section is | Likely cause | What to do for three weeks |
|---|---|---|
| English | Slow reading; grammar gaps | One editorial and one RC daily; a grammar rule a day with 10 error-spotting questions; fillers and cloze in every sectional test |
| Quant | Slow calculation; weak arithmetic basics | 15 minutes of simplification daily; percentage–fraction drill; one DI set a day; skip rare arithmetic types in the exam |
| Reasoning | Puzzles not settling | One puzzle a day with a timer; practise drawing the diagram first; do quick types (inequality, syllogism) first in every test |
For English specifically, the English plan sets out a daily routine, and for puzzles, solving puzzles faster helps.
In the mains
The mains has sectional cut-offs too, including English, even though it now carries only 20 marks for 40 questions. The same method applies:
- Track each mains section's lowest score in your mains mocks.
- Banking awareness can surprise candidates: a section with no calculation feels safe until the questions are on facts you never revised. Regular revision is the only protection.
- The descriptive test is usually evaluated only for candidates who clear the objective cut-offs, and the notification sets out any minimum it requires.
Balance, not perfection
| Approach | Result |
|---|---|
| Very high in two sections, below the cut-off in one | Not selected |
| Comfortably above the cut-off in all sections, average total | In the race |
| Above the cut-off in all sections, strong total | The strongest position |
The second row beats the first every time. Balance first, then push the total.
What to do next
- Download the last two or three cycles' cut-off notices for your category from ibps.in.
- Fill the margin table after your next ten mocks, using your lowest scores.
- Name your danger section and give it 30–45 minutes a day for three weeks.
- Recheck the table after three weeks. Read the prelims strategy for exam-day selection.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection website .
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