NABARD Grade A Cut Off: Previous Year Marks and Trends

The NABARD Grade A cut-off is the minimum score a candidate needs at each stage to move forward. NABARD publishes category-wise cut-offs after Phase I, after Phase II and with the final select list, usually along with a wait list. This page gives the latest cut-offs reported for General (RDBS) candidates and explains how to use them to set a realistic target.

The figures below come from the 2025-26 cycle (Phase I on 20 December 2025, Phase II on 25 January 2026). They are reproduced from secondary sources that cite NABARD's notices, so verify them on https://www.nabard.org. No cut-off exists yet for the 2026-27 cycle.

NABARD Grade A cut-off 2025-26 (General, RDBS)

Specialist disciplines such as Finance, Computer/IT and Legal have separate cut-offs, and they are published on the official site. Final cut-offs are sometimes close for OBC and UR, because the number of seats in each category and the wait list decide the last selected rank.

Earlier cycle reference

For a sense of trend, the 2023 General (RDBS) cut-offs reported by secondary sources were as follows.

The Phase I scale and the way merit sections were counted can differ between cycles, so compare the two tables for direction only. Even so, Phase II cut-offs have stayed in the range of roughly 120 to 135 out of 200 for the unreserved and reserved categories in these two cycles.

What affects the NABARD Grade A cut-off

• Paper difficulty: A harder ESI or ARD paper pulls marks down.

• Number of vacancies: More seats lower the rank, and therefore the marks, needed for each stage.

• Number of candidates: A larger applicant pool pushes the shortlisting ratio up.

• Descriptive evaluation: Phase II writing marks vary with the evaluator and the quality of answers, so they shift the final cut-off.

• Category-wise seats: The cut-off is decided separately for each category and discipline.

How to set your target score

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.

• Phase I: Clear every qualifying section comfortably and aim for at least 10 marks above the last UR merit cut-off, which means about 65 out of 100 in General Awareness, ESI and ARD.

• Phase II: Plan to score 140 or more out of 200, with equal attention to the descriptive papers.

• Final: Add an interview target of 35 or more out of 50, so the total clears the final cut-off range of about 160 to 175 out of 250 with some margin.

These targets are our own planning guidance and not official numbers. Use mock scores to check where you stand: average your last five full mocks and compare them with these benchmarks.