NABARD Grade A Prelims 2025 General cut-off: 52–56 marks (out of 80). Mains cut-off: 72–78 marks (out of 150). Agriculture stream cut-offs slightly lower than General stream in most years.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Cut-off figures shown are estimated based on available data and expert analysis. Always verify official cut-offs from nabard.org official notifications.
General Knowledge (40) + Agriculture/General stream (40). Qualifying for Mains.
ESI Paper (100) + ARD Paper (100). Cut-off applied on combined ESI + ARD score.
HR + Subject. Final merit = Mains (75%) + Interview (25%).
Agriculture stream cut-offs (Prelims out of 80 | Mains out of 200 combined ESI+ARD).
| Category | Prelims Cut-off | Mains Cut-off | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 52–56 | 72–78 | Competitive |
| OBC | 49–53 | 67–72 | Competitive |
| SC | 44–48 | 60–65 | Competitive |
| ST | 40–44 | 56–62 | Competitive |
| EWS | 50–54 | 70–76 | Competitive |
| PwD | 35–42 | 50–58 | Relaxed |
General category trend. Cut-offs have risen ~2–3 marks since 2019 — competition is increasing.
| Year | Prelims (Gen) | Mains (Gen) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 50–53 | 68–72 | First major recruitment post-2016 |
| 2020 | 51–55 | 70–74 | COVID year; delayed cycle |
| 2021 | 53–57 | 72–76 | Cut-off rose due to smaller agri pool |
| 2022 | 54–58 | 73–78 | High competition; strong agri candidates |
| 2023 | 55–59 | 74–79 | Peak difficulty — Mains very tight |
| 2024 | 53–57 | 72–77 | Slight easing; more seats released |
| 2025 ⭐ | 52–56 | 72–78 | Results expected mid-2026 |
Score 60+ to clear Prelims comfortably and qualify for Mains.
80+ in ESI + 80+ in ARD = 160+ total for strong Mains ranking.
Competitive final merit (Mains 75% + Interview 25%) for interview call.
ARD Paper is the differentiator. 80–90% syllabus overlaps with IBPS AFO. Use AgriDots notes for Agronomy, Soil Science, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Economics, and Extension Education.
Rural Credit, SHG-Bank Linkage, Priority Sector Lending, Microfinance, NABARD Annual Report highlights, Kisan Credit Card, PMFBY, Agricultural Insurance — these can add 10–15 marks in ARD Mains.
Indian Economy, Social Issues, Rural Development, Current Affairs (focus on agriculture budget, government schemes). ESI is General stream — all NABARD candidates appear for the same paper.
NABARD repeats question patterns. NABARD ARD previous year papers show high emphasis on rural development, cooperative credit, and NABARD schemes. Solve at least 5 full papers.
This is one of the most frequently searched NABARD cut-off questions. Candidates generally need to think about both sectional and overall performance, which is why no serious preparation plan should ignore a weak qualifying section.
Use them as a minimum benchmark, not as your real target. A better strategy is to aim for a safe margin above the likely range so paper difficulty and competition shifts do not hurt your chances.
Search demand here is high because candidates often confuse stages. Phase 1 and Mains help you survive the process, while the final cut-off reflects the combined conversion of later stages rather than just one paper.
Yes. Public discussion around recent cycles repeatedly points to interview impact, especially when Mains scores are clustered closely. Final conversion is not decided by written performance alone.
No. They are useful for trend reading and target planning, but they cannot perfectly predict the next cycle because vacancies, paper difficulty, and candidate strength all shift over time.
The safest approach is balanced preparation with a clear ARD edge, reliable qualifying-section discipline, and enough revision to avoid losing easy marks. Most candidates improve faster by fixing repeat mistakes than by chasing difficult extras.