English Cut-off in Bank Exams 2026: Official Sectional Marks

The English cut-off in bank exams is the minimum score you must reach in the English section, separately from the overall cut-off, to move to the next stage. IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, RBI Assistant and RBI Grade B apply sectional cut-offs, while SBI PO has none at prelims and SBI Clerk prescribes no subject minimum at all. So the same English score can be enough in one exam and fall short in another.

This page gives the latest English sectional cut-offs that the recruiting bodies have published officially, explains where to find the ones that are not published, and shows how to set a safe target. Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

RBI Grade B English Cut-off, Phase I (PY 2026)

Published by the RBI Services Board with the Phase I result on 25 June 2026, for the exam held on 13 June 2026. English Language carried 30 marks.

No cut-off was listed for PwBD categories A and B in this table.

RBI Assistant English Cut-off, Prelims (PY 2025)

The RBI's cut-off notice for the Assistant preliminary exam gives one set of sectional cut-offs for all offices. English Language carried 30 marks.

The overall prelims cut-off was set office-wise and was far higher. For the general category it ranged from 90.25 (Mumbai) to 96.75 (Chandigarh) out of 100, so clearing the English minimum alone was nowhere near enough.

Where to Find Other English Cut-offs

• IBPS PO, Clerk and RRB: IBPS applies sectional cut-offs and shows them, with your own sectional scores, in the scorecard on ibps.in after each result. Figures quoted elsewhere online are unofficial.

• SBI PO: No sectional cut-off in prelims. In mains, each test including the descriptive paper has a minimum decided by the bank.

• SBI Clerk: No individual subject minimum at prelims or mains, so English matters only through your aggregate.

What the Figures Tell You

In both RBI exams, the English minimum for the general category sat between 40% and 50% of the section's marks. The aggregate needed was much higher. In practice, English rarely blocks a well-prepared candidate, but it does eliminate candidates who neglect it, and a strong English score is one of the easier ways to lift the aggregate.

The RBI Grade B table shows this clearly. A general category candidate who scored exactly 14.50 in English would have needed about 94 more marks from the other 170 marks (General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning) to reach the 108.75 aggregate. Scoring 20 or more in English eases that pressure on every other section. Remember too that Phase I only shortlists for Phase II, where the 100-mark English writing paper counts towards the final merit.

What Affects the English Cut-off

• Paper difficulty: Long or inference-heavy passages pull the English cut-off down.

• Vacancies and applicants: More vacancies relative to applicants lower the aggregate, though sectional minimums move less.

• Normalisation: Scores across shifts are equated, so your normalised score can differ slightly from your raw count.

How to Set Your English Target

1. Aim well above the minimum: In a 30-mark prelims section, target 18 to 20 in mocks so that one tough passage does not push you below the cut-off.

2. Protect accuracy: Keep accuracy at 80% or more, since negative marking pulls a borderline score under.

3. Track sectional scores: Record your English score in every mock and compare it with the latest official cut-off for your category.

You can verify the RBI figures on the RBI Grade B result page.