IBPS PO Cut Off 2025: Prelims State & Category-wise Qualifying

1. Present the expected / preliminary category-wise cut-off ranges

2. Compare with past year cut-offs to identify trends

3. Discuss whether state-wise cut-offs apply (or not)

4. Analyze factors influencing cut-off shifts

5. Offer strategies & takeaways for future aspirants

1. Expected & Published Category-wise Prelims Cut-off Ranges

Based on leading exam portals and subject-expert analysis, here are the common expected cut-off ranges (out of 100)for IBPS PO Prelims 2025:

* These are expert estimates / expected ranges, not yet confirmed by IBPS. Actual cut-offs may slightly vary depending on exam normalization, difficulty shifts, or survey of candidate performance.

Some portals (like Guidely) have slightly different expectations: e.g., UR = 50, SC = 48, ST = 43. However, most consolidations point toward ~46–48 for General / OBC / EWS categories. 

Why these ranges make sense

• The total marks in prelims are 100 (Reasoning + Quant + English).

• The cutoff buffer tends to be modest because Prelims is screening in nature.

• From past years, most “safe scores” for General category hovered around 47–50 for prelims when difficulty was moderate. 

Let’s now see how these estimates compare to past years.

2. Past Year Cut-off Trends & Comparisons

Understanding previous years’ cut-offs helps spot patterns and set realistic targets.

IBPS PO Prelims Cut-offs (Recent Years)

Below is a snapshot of some recent years (General category) cut-offs for Prelims:

From these:

• 2023 saw a higher cutoff (54.25), possibly due to easier paper or surging competition. 

• 2024’s cut of ~48.5 is closer to our expected range for 2025. 

• The fluctuation shows that cut-off can shift significantly depending on exam difficulty, number of aspirants, and normalization adjustments.

Differences Across Categories in Past Years

• In 2024, SC cutoff was ~48.00, ST ~41.00 

• For PWD categories like HI, VI, ID, cut-offs are very low (in the teens) — reflecting adjusted benchmarks. 

These past baselines help validate the expected 2025 ranges above.

3. What About State‐wise Cut-offs?

One question often raised: Does IBPS release state-wise cut-offs for PO Prelims?

• The IBPS PO exam is national level, and cut-offs are category & section wise, not state wise.

• Most expert sources state explicitly that state-wise cut-offs are not published — only national level cut-offs are relevant. 

• Some aspirants may confuse “state-wise scoring” (for region quotas in other exams), but for IBPS PO, there is no state-wise cutoff layer.

Thus, when preparing, you should aim for the national cutoff bracket for your category, not depend on state-based easing.

4. Factors That Influence Cut-off Shifts

Why do IBPS PO cut-offs change year to year (often significantly)? Here are the key determinants:

1. Exam Difficulty & Normalization

If a particular shift is tougher or easier, the normalization process adjusts scores. A harder paper may push cutoffs lower; an easier one pushes them higher.

2. Number of Candidates & Applications

More aspirants competing for roughly fixed PO/MT vacancies can raise competition and hence the cutoff.

3. Vacancy Count / Seat Allocation

If IBPS increases or decreases PO/MT vacancies, that directly impacts how many candidates need to be shortlisted, which affects the cutting line.

4. Performance Clustering / Score Distribution

If many candidates cluster in a mid-score range, IBPS tends to raise cutoff to distinguish top performers.

5. Sectional Minimums

Often IBPS enforces sectional minimum cut-offs (in Reasoning / Quant / English). Even if overall score is sufficient, failing one section cutoff can disqualify. This pushes aspirants to balance across sections.

6. Category Reservation & Relaxations

Reserved category norms, relaxations, and seat adjustments (for SC/ST/OBC/PwD) affect category cutoffs and their spread.

So, while expected ranges give a guide, slight upward or downward tweaks are expected in the official cut-off release.

5. Strategizing Based on Cut-off Trends

What can future and current aspirants learn from these cut-off trends? Here are actionable insights:

Aim Higher Than Expected Ranges

Don’t settle for just meeting the expected cutoff — target 51 to 55+ (on a 100 scale) to stay safe, especially in years of easier papers or high competition.

Balanced Sectional Approach

Focus on consistent performance across all three sections rather than overemphasis on one subject. Sectional minimum rules can nullify good overall scores.

Use Past Cut-offs Wisely

While the 2025 expected ranges are helpful, always refer to cut-off trends over 3–5 years to spot patterns and volatility.

Take Mock Tests Under Real Time Constraints

Simulate exam conditions to see how much buffer you need to cross the expected cutoff with comfort.

Time & Accuracy Over Attempts

In banking exams, accuracy and time management often matter more than attempting maximum questions. A safe, accurate attempt often yields better results than many guesses.

Revisit Weak Areas Frequently

If your mock scores are in the 42–45 range, prioritize revising weaker topics and increasing speed until you consistently cross 48+.

6. What to Expect in Official Release & How to Download

When IBPS releases the official Prelims Cut-off 2025, expect:

• Separate cut-offs for each category (General, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PWD categories)

• Sectional & overall cut-offs

• Cut-off published along with scorecards on the IBPS CRP PO/MT portal

• Downloadable PDF link or notification on ibps.in under the CRP PO/MT XV section 

How to Check Official Cut-off (Once Published):

1. Visit www.ibps.in

2. Navigate to CRP PO/MT XV section

3. Click on link “Cut-Off Marks / Result / Scorecard”

4. Log in using Registration / Roll Number and Password / DOB

5. View cut-offs / download PDF / check your score vs cut-off

You should verify your cut-off and scorecard quickly; any discrepancy should be reported within stipulated time.

7. Sample Comparison: Expected vs Past & Practical Implications

Let’s imagine a candidate in the General category:

• 2025 expected cutoff: 46–48

• 2024 actual cutoff: 48.50

• 2023 had a higher cutoff: 54.25

If the 2025 paper is slightly tougher, cutoff may lean toward 46–47. But if many aspirants score well, cutoff might bump to 49–50.

Now consider an SC category aspirant:

• 2025 expected: 45.5–47.5

• 2024 actual: 48.00

That suggests a narrow margin — SC candidates should aim comfortably above 48 to be safe, assuming upward shift.

For ST:

• Expected: 37–40

• But 2024 ST cutoff was ~41.00 

If ST aspirants cluster scoring close to 38–40, cutoff may push toward 40–42 range.

Thus, expected ranges are helpful for planning, but real cutoffs often end up a little higher especially for General / OBC categories.

8. Key Takeaways & Final Advice

• The IBPS PO Prelims cutoff for 2025 likely hovers around 46–48 for General / OBC / EWS categories, with SC slightly lower (45.5–47.5), and ST in the 37–40 range.

• No state-wise cutoff is published; the exam is nationally benchmarked.

• Past years show volatility: 2023’s cutoff was high (54.25), 2024 hovered ~48.50 — so be prepared for fluctuations.

• Cutoff trends are shaped by exam difficulty, number of aspirants, vacancies, score distributions, and sectional guardrails.

• For safety, aim above the expected range rather than just goaling for its lower bound.

• Use cut-off trends to guide your target score, mock test pacing, accuracy strategy, and final exam mindset.