Analyzing NABARD Grade A Cut-Off Trends

Introduction

The NABARD Grade A exam is one of the most prestigious and sought-after banking exams for candidates aspiring to work in the field of agriculture and rural development. The exam tests candidates on a variety of subjects, including general awareness, quantitative aptitude, reasoning, and English language, along with specialized knowledge in subjects like agriculture and rural development. Over the years, the cut-off for the NABARD Grade A exam has varied, influenced by factors such as the number of candidates, the difficulty level of the exam, and vacancies available. This blog will provide a detailed analysis of the NABARD Grade A cut-off from 2021 to 2024, offering insights into the trends and patterns to help aspirants better understand the expectations and prepare more effectively.

• Note:
  • Analysis is being done from 2021 because pattern was changed from here so previous cutoff will not have that significance NABARD Grade A 2021 Phase 1 (Prelims) Cut-Off
  • We have take UR cut off as a base for common understanding so that all can have a target as per that
  • The cutoff analysis is for generalist stream for NABARD Grade A Exam.

 NABARD Grade A (General Discipline) Cut-Offs (2021–2024)

Year	Prelims Cut-Off (UR)	Mains Cut-Off (UR)	Final Cut-Off (UR)
2021	53.50	118.42	164.33
2022	41.75	130.50	164.33
2023	46.00	128.50	172.75
2024	47	126.75	168

NABARD Grade A Subject-Wise Cut-Off (UR Category) – 2021 to 2024

NABARD Grade A Cut-Offs (2021–2024) – Subject-Wise Comparison

Year	Exam Phase	Reasoning (20)	English Language (30)	Computer Knowledge (20)	Quantitative Aptitude (20)	Decision Making (10)	General Awareness (20)	ESI (40)	ARD (40)	General English (100) (Mains)	ESI & ARD Objective (50) (Mains)	ESI & ARD Descriptive (50) (Mains)
2021	Phase 1	3.75	11.25	3.25	5.00	1.25	3.00	4.50	6.50	50.25	18.75	21.25
2022	Phase 1	3.75	12.50	5.50	3.00	1.50	3.25	2.25	6.75	49.00	19.00	23.75
2023	Phase 1	3.00	10.25	2.75	3.00	1.50	2.75	3.50	4.25	53.25	22.50	31.00
2024	Phase 1	3.25	10.75	4.00	4.50	2.00	1.25	3.50	6.25	54.00	22.25	32.00

Observations from the Subject-Wise Cut-Off Trends:

1. English Language Cut-Off Increased Over Time:
   • In 2021, it was 11.25, peaked at 12.50 in 2022, and slightly dropped to 10.25 in 2023 before rising again to 10.75 in 2024.
   • Indicates fluctuations in difficulty levels of the English section over the years.
2. Decision Making Remained Low Across All Years:
   • First introduced in 2021 with a cut-off of 1.25.
   • Saw minor fluctuations but never exceeded 2.00 in 2024.
   • Suggests low difficulty or limited impact on the overall score.
3. General Awareness Cut-Off Dropped Significantly in 2024:
   • 2021: 3.00
   • 2022: 3.25
   • 2023: 2.75
   • 2024: 1.25
   • Indicates tougher GA section in 2024, leading to lower scores across candidates.
4. ESI & ARD Scores in Mains Increased Every Year:
   • Objective Section:
     • 2021: 18.75, increased to 22.50 in 2023, slightly dropped to 22.25 in 2024.
   • Descriptive Section:
     • 2021: 21.25, rose consistently to 32.00 in 2024.
   • Suggests that candidates have adapted better to these sections, improving their scores.
5. General English (Mains) Saw a Major Increase:
   • Cut-off was 50.25 in 2021, increased to 54.00 in 2024.
   • Indicates higher evaluation standards and growing competition.

• NABARD Grade A has become more competitive, especially in ESI & ARD (Descriptive) and General English (Mains).
• General Awareness cut-offs dropped, likely due to tougher questions in recent years.
• Decision Making remains a low-impact section, but it’s still important for qualification.
• English and Subject Knowledge (ESI/ARD) are now the most crucial areas for scoring well in both Prelims and Mains.

NABARD Grade A 2021 Phase 1 (Prelims) Cut-Off

The Phase 1 exam consisted of both qualifying and merit sections.

Qualifying Section Cut-Offs (Not Counted for Merit)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
Reasoning (20)	3.75	3.75	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25
English Language (30)	11.25	11.25	7.50	7.50	7.50	7.50
Computer Knowledge (20)	3.25	3.25	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00
Quantitative Aptitude (20)	5.00	5.00	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50
Decision Making (10)	1.25	1.25	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00

Merit Section Cut-Offs (Considered for Shortlisting)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General Awareness (20)	3.00	3.00	1.75	1.75	1.75	1.75
Economic & Social Issues (ESI) (40)	4.50	4.50	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD)(40)	6.50	6.50	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00

Overall Cut-Off (Out of 100)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	53.50
EWS	32.75
OBC	45.75
SC	44.00
ST	41.50
PwBD	VI: 14.25, HI: 37.50, LD: 38.75, MD: 12.75

NABARD Grade A 2021 Phase 2 (Mains) Cut-Off

Paper-Wise Cut-Offs

Paper	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General English (Descriptive) (100)	50.25	50.25	48.50	48.50	48.50	48.50
ESI & ARD Objective (50 marks)	18.75	18.75	16.00	16.00	16.00	16.00
ESI & ARD Descriptive (50 marks)	21.25	21.25	19.00	19.00	19.00	19.00

Total Cut-Off (Phase 2, out of 200)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	118.42
EWS	115.50
OBC	114.08
SC	109.67
ST	109.83
PwBD	VI: 93.92, HI: 106.00, LD: 114.17

Final Selection Cut-Off (Phase 2 + Interview out of 250)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	164.33
EWS	159.75
OBC	160.17
SC	152.92
ST	157.83
PwBD	HI: 141.50, LD: 147.75

Analysis of NABARD 2021 Cut-Offs

• Introduction of Decision Making:
  • 2021 was the first year the “Decision Making” section was introduced in Phase 1. Although qualifying in nature, it required basic analytical thinking.
• Merit vs. Qualifying Sections:
  • Only marks from ESI, ARD, and GA in Phase 1 were used for shortlisting. Many aspirants scored well in Reasoning and Quant, but still failed due to poor ESI/ARD preparation.
• Phase 2 Impact:
  • Descriptive answers in General English and ESI/ARD played a decisive role. Many aspirants struggled with structure, grammar, or content depth.
• Final Selection Gap:
  • The difference between Phase 2 and Final cut-offs shows that interviews had significant weightage (50 marks). Performance here was crucial to break into the final list.
• Reserved Categories Advantage:
  • Cut-offs for SC/ST/PwBD categories were relatively lower, giving opportunities for qualified candidates from marginalized communities.

NABARD Grade A 2022 – Phase 1 (Prelims) Cut-Off

Sectional Cut-Offs (Qualifying Nature – Not for Merit)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
Reasoning (20)	3.75	3.75	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50
English Language (30)	12.50	12.50	9.25	9.25	9.25	9.25
Computer Knowledge (20)	5.50	5.50	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00
Quantitative Aptitude (20)	3.00	3.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Decision Making (10)	1.50	1.50	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00

Sectional Cut-Offs (Merit Sections – Considered for Shortlisting)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General Awareness (20)	3.25	3.25	1.75	1.75	1.75	1.75
Economic & Social Issues (ESI) (40)	2.25	2.25	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD)(40)	6.75	6.75	3.25	3.25	3.25	3.25

Overall Phase 1 Cut-Off (Out of 100)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	41.75
EWS	29.25
OBC	37.75
SC	33.25
ST	30.75
PwBD	VI: 9.00, HI: 10.75, LD: 24.75, MD: 10.50

NABARD Grade A 2022 – Phase 2 (Mains) Cut-Off

Paper-Wise Sectional Cut-Offs

Paper	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General English (Descriptive) (100)	49.00	49.00	46.25	46.25	46.25	46.25
ESI & ARD Objective (50)	19.00	19.00	15.75	15.75	15.75	15.75
ESI & ARD Descriptive (50)	23.75	23.75	20.25	20.25	20.25	20.25

Total Phase 2 Cut-Off (Out of 200)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	130.50
EWS	121.50
OBC	124.50
SC	120.00
ST	119.25
PwBD	VI: 108.50, HI: 97.25, LD: 114.00, MD: 96.00

Final Selection Cut-Off (Phase 2 + Interview out of 250)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	171.50
EWS	165.75
OBC	167.50
SC	160.00
ST	156.00
PwBD	VI: 147.25, HI: 135.25, LD: 156.25, MD: 141.00

Analysis of NABARD Grade A 2022 Cut-Offs

• Phase 1 Difficulty Increased:
  • Cut-off dropped significantly from 2021 (UR: 53.50 → 41.75), possibly due to tougher questions in ARD and ESI sections.
• More Competitive Phase 2:
  • Despite lower prelims cut-offs, mains cut-offs rose (UR: 118.42 in 2021 → 130.50 in 2022).
• High English Cut-Offs:
  • The descriptive paper proved critical, with 49/100 being the UR cut-off.
• Interview Matters More:
  • Final selection cut-offs saw a jump, stressing the importance of scoring well in the interview (UR: 171.50/250).
• Consistent Trends Across Categories:
  • All categories showed higher Phase 2 and Final cut-offs than the previous year, indicating increasing competition.

NABARD Grade A 2023 – Phase 1 (Prelims) Cut-Off

Sectional Cut-Offs (Qualifying Only)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
Reasoning (20)	3.00	3.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
English Language (30)	10.25	10.25	7.00	7.00	7.00	7.00
Computer Knowledge (20)	2.75	2.75	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Quantitative Aptitude (20)	3.00	3.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Decision Making (10)	1.50	1.50	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00

Merit-Based Sectional Cut-Offs (Used for Shortlisting)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General Awareness (20)	2.75	2.75	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25
Economic & Social Issues (ESI) (40)	3.50	3.50	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD)(40)	4.25	4.25	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25

Overall Phase 1 Cut-Off (Out of 100)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	46.00
EWS	33.50
OBC	42.50
SC	37.50
ST	30.25
PwBD	VI: 9.00, HI: 10.75, LD: 24.75, MD: 10.50

NABARD Grade A 2023 – Phase 2 (Mains) Cut-Off

Paper-Wise Sectional Cut-Offs

Paper	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General English (Descriptive) (100)	53.25	53.25	51.25	51.25	51.25	51.25
ESI & ARD Objective (50)	22.50	22.50	19.50	19.50	19.50	19.50
ESI & ARD Descriptive (50)	31.00	31.00	28.00	28.00	28.00	28.00

Total Phase 2 Cut-Off (Out of 200)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	128.50
EWS	121.00
OBC	125.50
SC	120.75
ST	111.50
PwBD	VI: 98.00, HI: 99.25, LD: 115.50, MD: –

Final Selection Cut-Off (Out of 250 = Mains + Interview)

Category	Final Cut-Off
UR	172.75
EWS	168.50
OBC	172.75
SC	166.00
ST	156.75
PwBD	VI: 150.25, LD: 160.50, HI: – , MD: –

Analysis of NABARD Grade A 2023 Cut-Offs

• Prelims Competition:
  • The UR cut-off rose from 41.75 (2022) to 46.00 (2023), indicating tougher competition or better average performance.
• Mains Performance:
  • The UR mains cut-off slightly dipped to 128.50 from 130.50 in 2022 — suggesting a slightly easier paper or more lenient evaluation.
• Final Selection Insights:
  • UR and OBC final cut-offs increased to 172.75, indicating consistent top performance needed across all stages.
• Category Trends:
  • Marginal improvements in SC, ST, and PwBD cut-offs show better representation and performance.
• ARD & ESI Weight:
  • These sections remain the most defining areas across both phases, especially for merit shortlisting.

NABARD Grade A 2024 – Phase 1 (Prelims) Cut-Off

Sectional Cut-Offs (Qualifying Nature – Not for Merit)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
Reasoning (20)	3.25	3.25	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
English Language (30)	10.75	10.75	7.25	7.25	7.25	7.25
Computer Knowledge (20)	4.00	4.00	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50
Quantitative Aptitude (20)	4.50	4.50	2.25	2.25	2.25	2.25
Decision Making (10)	2.00	2.00	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25

Sectional Cut-Offs (Merit Sections – Considered for Shortlisting)

Subject	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General Awareness (20)	1.25	1.25	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Economic & Social Issues (ESI) (40)	3.50	3.50	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Agriculture & Rural Development (ARD)(40)	6.25	6.25	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00

Overall Phase 1 Cut-Off (Out of 100)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	47.00
EWS	38.00
OBC	44.25
SC	39.25
ST	37.50
PwBD	VI: 20.50, HI: 6.75, LD: 31.75, MD: 12.00

NABARD Grade A 2024 – Phase 2 (Mains) Cut-Off

Paper-Wise Sectional Cut-Offs

Paper	UR	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD
General English (Descriptive) (100)	54.00	54.00	51.50	51.50	51.50	51.50
ESI & ARD Objective (50)	22.25	22.25	19.25	19.25	19.25	19.25
ESI & ARD Descriptive (50)	32.00	32.00	30.00	30.00	30.00	30.00

Total Phase 2 Cut-Off (Out of 200)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	126.75
EWS	123.00
OBC	123.50
SC	121.00
ST	120.25
PwBD	VI: 116.50, HI: 113.75, LD: 111.75, MD: –

Final Selection Cut-Off (Phase 2 + Interview out of 250)

Category	Cut-Off
UR	168.00
EWS	170.25
OBC	169.00
SC	170.00
ST	169.25
PwBD	VI: 165.75, HI: 140.50, LD: –, MD: –

Analysis of NABARD Grade A 2024 Cut-Offs

• Phase 1 Observations:
  • The overall cut-off for the UR category increased from 46.00 in 2023 to 47.00 in 2024, indicating a more competitive prelims examination.
• Phase 2 Performance:
  • The mains cut-off for the UR category decreased slightly from 128.50 in 2023 to 126.75 in 2024, suggesting a marginally easier mains paper or better candidate performance.
• Final Selection Dynamics:
  • The final cut-off for the UR category decreased from 172.75 in 2023 to 168.00 in 2024, highlighting the continued importance of interview performance in final selection.
• Category-Wise Trends:
  • All categories experienced an increase in prelims cut-offs compared to the previous year, emphasizing the need for comprehensive preparation across all stages of the exam.

Conclusion

The NABARD Grade A exam cut-off trends from 2021 to 2024 highlight the growing competition and changing exam dynamics. While the cut-off may fluctuate from year to year, understanding these trends can provide valuable guidance for future aspirants. It is crucial for candidates to stay updated on the expected cut-offs, analyze previous year patterns, and strategically plan their preparation. Ultimately, staying focused, understanding the exam structure, and working diligently toward mastering the syllabus will enhance a candidate’s chances of success in securing a coveted position at NABARD.

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