- Total Marks: 100
- Total Time: 60 Minutes
- Sections:
- Essay – 30
- Precis – 30
- Comprehension – 40
Nature of paper:
✔ Policy-oriented
✔ Sustainability-focused
✔ Analytical
✔ Time-intensive
This was not an easy paper.
But it was not brutally difficult either.
It was moderately difficult with high differentiation through structure and time management.
🧠 Section-Wise Scoring Behaviour (Realistic View)
📝 Essay (30 Marks)
Most candidates:
- Wrote 240–300 words
- Struggled with structure
- Either over-wrote or rushed conclusion
Expected average score range:
👉 14–18 marks
Strong structured writers:
👉 20–23 marks
✍ Precis (30 Marks)
This will likely be the biggest differentiator.
Common mistakes:
- One long paragraph
- Retaining statistics
- Missing India reform angle
- 130 or 180 words instead of discipline 150
Expected average:
👉 12–16 marks
Well-trained candidates:
👉 20–24 marks
📖 Comprehension (40 Marks)
Moderate–High difficulty due to articulation demand.
Common issue:
- Fluffy answers
- Time shortage
- Missing conceptual depth
Expected average:
👉 18–24 marks
Strong candidates:
👉 26–32 marks
📈 Expected Overall Score Distribution
Based on:
- Paper difficulty
- Time pressure
- Historical SEBI marking strictness
- Structured answer dependency
We can estimate:
| Category | Expected Score Range |
|---|---|
| Below Average Attempt | 40–50 |
| Average Attempt | 50–60 |
| Good Structured Attempt | 60–70 |
| Very Strong Attempt | 70–80 |
🎯 Expected Safe Score (General Category)
📌 Likely Safe Zone: 62–70 marks
Possible cut-off range:
👉 60–65 (if checking is strict)
👉 65–70 (if evaluation is liberal)
It is unlikely to cross 72+ unless marking is extremely generous.
⚠ Important Reality
SEBI evaluation is:
- Not inflated
- Not IBPS-style
- Not lenient for verbosity
It rewards:
✔ Structure
✔ Neutral tone
✔ Policy linkage
✔ Word discipline
✔ Clarity
One weak section can pull total score down significantly.
📊 Compared to Previous Years
| Year | Paper Level | Likely Cut-Off Nature |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Moderate | Mid 60s |
| 2025 | Moderate-High | Early 60s |
| 2026 | Moderate + Time Pressure | Early-Mid 60s |
Trend shows:
Cut-off remains stable but structure-dependent.
🧠 Psychological Advice for Aspirants
If your expected score is:
- 55–60 → Borderline but possible
- 60–65 → Competitive
- 65+ → Strong zone
- 70+ → Very safe
But remember:
Your perception after exam is usually 5–7 marks inaccurate.
Stay calm.
🚀 Bank Whizz Expert Conclusion
SEBI 2026 Mains will reward:
- Structured writers
- Policy-aware aspirants
- Time-disciplined candidates
If you practiced:
✔ 150-word exact précis
✔ 250-word structured essays
✔ 70-word precise RC answers
✔ Timed full mocks
You are in a strong position.