UPSC Cut Off
Cracking the UPSC Civil Services Exam is a dream for countless aspirants in India. It’s a gateway to prestigious positions like IAS, IPS, and IFS, etc. But the path to success is paved with challenges, and the UPSC Cut Off is one of the most crucial hurdles you’ll encounter.
The UPSC Cut Off is an integral component of the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission in India. UPSC Cut Off 2023 was released along with the final result on 18th April 2024. The UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2023 was 75.41 for the General Category. Read this article till the end to know more about the previous year’s UPSC Cut Off, factors affecting the cut-off marks, last 10 years’ marks, etc.
UPSC Cut Off 2023
The UPSC Cut Off refers to the minimum marks that candidates must secure to qualify for the subsequent stages of the Civil Services Examination. The exam consists of three successive stages: the Preliminary Examination, the Mains Examination, and the Personality Test (Interview). Each stage has its own cutoff, and only candidates who meet these criteria proceed to the next level.
The UPSC Cut Off 2023 for Prelims and Mains has been released on 18 April 2024.
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut Off | UPSC Mains Cut Off | Final Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 75.41 | 741 | 953 |
| EWS | 68.02 | 706 | 923 |
| OBC | 74.75 | 712 | 919 |
| SC | 59.25 | 694 | 890 |
| ST | 47.82 | 692 | 891 |
| PwBD-1 | 40.40 | 673 | 894 |
| PwBD-2 | 47.13 | 718 | 930 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.40 | 396 | 756 |
| PwBD-5 | 33.68 | 445 | 589 |
UPSC Prelims Cut Off Last 5 Years
| Category | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 75.41 | 88.22 | 87.54 | 92.51 | 98 | 98 |
| OBC | 74.75 | 87.54 | 89.12 | 89.12 | 95.34 | 96.66 |
| ST | 47.82 | 69.35 | 70.71 | 68.71 | 77.34 | 83.34 |
| SC | 59.25 | 74.08 | 75.41 | 74.84 | 82 | 84 |
| PWD 1 | 40.40 | 49.84 | 68.02 | 70.06 | 53.34 | 73.34 |
| PWD 2 | 47.13 | 58.59 | 67.33 | 63.94 | 44.66 | 53.34 |
| PWD 3 | 40.40 | 40.40 | 43.09 | 40.82 | 61.34 | 40.00 |
| PWD 4 | 33.68 | 41.76 | 45.80 | 42.86 | 61.34 | 45.34 |
| EWS | 68.02 | 82.83 | 80.14 | 77.55 | 90 | —— |
UPSC Mains Cut Off for Previous 5 Years
| Category | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENERAL | 741 | 748 | 745 | 736 | 751 | 774 |
| OBC | 712 | 714 | 707 | 698 | 718 | 732 |
| ST | 692 | 706 | 700 | 682 | 699 | 719 |
| SC | 694 | 699 | 700 | 680 | 706 | 719 |
| PWD 1 | 673 | 677 | 688 | 648 | 663 | 711 |
| PWD 2 | 718 | 706 | 712 | 699 | 698 | 696 |
| PWD 3 | 396 | 351 | 388 | 425 | 374 | 520 |
| PWD 4 | 445 | 419 | 560 | 300 | 561 | 460 |
| EWS | 706 | 715 | 713 | 687 | 696 | —- |
UPSC Final Cut Off for Last 5 Years
| Category | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 953 | 960 | 953 | 944 | 961 | 982 |
| OBC | 919 | 923 | 910 | 907 | 925 | 938 |
| SC | 890 | 893 | 886 | 875 | 898 | 912 |
| ST | 891 | 900 | 883 | 876 | 893 | 912 |
| PWD 1 | 894 | 879 | 892 | 867 | 861 | 899 |
| PWD 2 | 930 | 913 | 932 | 910 | 890 | 908 |
| PWD 3 | 756 | 632 | 689 | 675 | 653 | 754 |
| PWD 4 | 589 | 590 | 701 | 465 | 708 | 718 |
| EWS | 923 | 926 | 916 | 894 | 909 | —— |
UPSC Cut off 2022
UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2022
The Preliminary Examination comprises two papers, General Studies I and General Studies II. However, it is important to note that while General Studies I is considered for merit ranking, General Studies II is merely qualifying in nature, necessitating candidates to secure a minimum of 33% to pass.
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 88.22 |
| EWS | 82.83 |
| OBC | 87.54 |
| SC | 74.08 |
| ST | 69.35 |
| PwBD-1 | 49.84 |
| PwBD-2 | 58.59 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.40 |
| PwBD-5 | 41.76 |
UPSC Mains Cut Off 2022
Once candidates secure more than the UPSC Mains Cut Off marks, they are considered eligible for the final round of the selection process, i.e. the Interview.
UPSC Mains consists of nine papers, out of which seven papers are considered for merit ranking. The remaining two papers, namely the English Language Paper and the Indian Language Paper, are of qualifying nature. Candidates must secure a minimum qualifying marks in these language papers as prescribed by the UPSC.
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 748 |
| EWS | 715 |
| OBC | 714 |
| SC | 699 |
| ST | 706 |
| PwBD-1 | 677 |
| PwBD-2 | 706 |
| PwBD-3 | 351 |
| PwBD-5 | 419 |
UPSC Final Cut Off 2022
| Category | UPSC Final Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 960 |
| EWS | 926 |
| OBC | 923 |
| SC | 893 |
| ST | 900 |
| PwBD-1 | 879 |
| PwBD-2 | 913 |
| PwBD-3 | 632 |
| PwBD-5 | 590 |
UPSC Cut off 2021
UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2021
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 87.54 |
| EWS | 80.14 |
| OBC | 84.85 |
| SC | 75.41 |
| ST | 70.71 |
| PwBD-1 | 68.02 |
| PwBD-2 | 67.33 |
| PwBD-3 | 43.09 |
| PwBD-5 | 45.80 |
UPSC Mains Cut Off 2021
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 745 |
| EWS | 713 |
| OBC | 707 |
| SC | 700 |
| ST | 700 |
| PwBD-1 | 688 |
| PwBD-2 | 712 |
| PwBD-3 | 388 |
| PwBD-4 | 560 |
UPSC Final Cut Off 2021
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 953 |
| EWS | 916 |
| OBC | 910 |
| SC | 886 |
| ST | 883 |
| PwBD-1 | 892 |
| PwBD-2 | 932 |
| PwBD-3 | 689 |
| PwBD-4 | 701 |
UPSC Cut off 2020
UPSC Prelim Cutoff 2020
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 92.51 |
| EWS | 77.55 |
| OBC | 89.12 |
| SC | 74.84 |
| ST | 68.71 |
| PwBD-1 | 70.06 |
| PwBD-2 | 63.94 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.82 |
| PwBD-4 | 42.86 |
UPSC Mains Cutoff 2020
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 736 |
| EWS | 687 |
| OBC | 698 |
| SC | 680 |
| ST | 682 |
| PwBD-1 | 648 |
| PwBD-2 | 699 |
| PwBD-3 | 425 |
| PwBD-4 | 300 |
UPSC Final Cut Off
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 944 |
| EWS | 894 |
| OBC | 907 |
| SC | 875 |
| ST | 876 |
| PwBD-1 | 867 |
| PwBD-2 | 910 |
| PwBD-3 | 675 |
| PwBD-4 | 465 |
UPSC Cut off 2019
UPSC Prelim Cutoff 2019
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 98 |
| EWS | 90 |
| OBC | 95.34 |
| SC | 82 |
| ST | 77.34 |
| PwBD-1 | 53.34 |
| PwBD-2 | 44.66 |
| PwBD-3 | 54.66 |
| PwBD-4 | 61.34 |
UPSC Mains Cutoff 2019
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 751 |
| EWS | 696 |
| OBC | 718 |
| SC | 706 |
| ST | 699 |
| PwBD-1 | 663 |
| PwBD-2 | 698 |
| PwBD-3 | 374 |
| PwBD-4 | 561 |
UPSC Final Cut Off 2019
| Category | UPSC Cut Off |
|---|---|
| General | 961 |
| EWS | 909 |
| OBC | 925 |
| SC | 898 |
| ST | 893 |
| PwBD-1 | 861 |
| PwBD-2 | 890 |
| PwBD-3 | 653 |
| PwBD-4 | 708 |
UPSC Cut off 2018
UPSC Prelim Cutoff 2018
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut off Marks 2018 (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 98 |
| OBC | 96.66 |
| SC | 84 |
| ST | 83.34 |
| PwBD – 1 | 73.34 |
| PwBD – 2 | 53.34 |
| PwBD – 3 | 40 |
| PwBD – 5 | 45.34 |
UPSC Mains Cutoff 2018
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut off Marks (out of 1750) |
|---|---|
| General | 774 |
| OBC | 732 |
| SC | 719 |
| ST | 719 |
| PwBD – 1 | 711 |
| PwBD – 2 | 696 |
| PwBD – 3 | 520 |
| PwBD – 5 | 460 |
Candidates who scored a minimum of 774 marks (which 49%) in the UPSC mains written exam would have cleared it. The candidates would also have had to qualify the language papers (English and Indian language) with at least 25% of the marks.
The UPSC has also released the total marks secured by the last person in every category. The table gives you those numbers-
| Category | Marks secured by the last recommended candidate (out of 2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 982 |
| OBC | 938 |
| SC | 912 |
| ST | 912 |
| PwBD – 1 | 899 |
| PwBD – 2 | 908 |
| PwBD – 3 | 754 |
| PwBD – 5 | 718 |
UPSC Prelims Cut off 2017
UPSC has conducted the exam of Prelims 2017 on June 18, 2017. The cutoff marks for the UPSC Prelims exam 2017 is 105.34 for the general category.
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut off 2017 Marks (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 105.34 |
| OBC | 102.66 |
| SC | 88.66 |
| ST | 88.66 |
| PH (Various categories) | 40 to 85.34 |
UPSC Prelims cut off 2016
UPSC has conducted the exam of Prelims 2016 on August 7, 2016. The cutoff marks for the UPSC Prelims exam 2016 is 116 for the general category.
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut off Marks (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 116 |
| OBC | 110.66 |
| SC | 99.34 |
| ST | 96 |
| PH (Various categories) | 40 to 75.34 |
UPSC Prelims cut off 2015
UPSC has conducted the exam of Prelims 2015 on August 23, 2015. The cutoff marks for the UPSC Prelims exam 2015 is 107.34 for the general category.
| Category | Prelims Cut off Marks (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 107.34 |
| OBC | 106 |
| SC | 94 |
| ST | 91.34 |
| PH (Various categories) | 40 to 90.66 |
UPSC Prelims cut off 2014
UPSC has conducted the exam of Prelims on August 24, 2014. The cutoff marks for the UPSC Prelims exam 2014 is 205 (out of 400) for the general category.
| Category | Prelims Cut off Marks (out of 400*) |
|---|---|
| General | 205 |
| OBC | 204 |
| SC | 182 |
| ST | 174 |
| PH (Various categories) | 113 to 167 |
*From 2011 to 2014, even Prelims Paper-II (Aptitude)’s marks were counted while shortlisting candidates to the Mains exam. Hence cutoffs look Higher than in 2015 and 2016.
UPSC Prelims Cut-off Marks: Over the Years
| Year | Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 284/450 |
| 2006 | 282/450 |
| 2007 | 256/450 |
| 2008 | 244/450 |
| 2009 | 250/450 |
| 2010 | 248/450 |
| 2011 | 198/400 |
| 2012 | 209/400 |
| 2013 | 241/400 |
| 2014 | 205/400 |
| 2015 | 107.34/200 |
| 2016 | 116.00/200 |
| 2017 | 105.34/200 |
| 2018 | 98/200 |
| 2019 | 98/200 |
| 2020 | 92.51/200 |
UPSC Mains Cut-off Marks: Over the Years
| Year | Mains Marks (out of 2000) of the last candidate (General Category) | Mains+ Interview (out of 2300) marks of the last candidate (General Category) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 986 | 1203 |
| 2006 | 975 | 1179 |
| 2007 | 1005 | 1210 |
| 2008 | 954 | 1161 |
| 2009 | 899 | 1127 |
| 2010 | 904 | 1134 |
| 2011 | 842 | 1090 |
| 2012 | 700 | 936 |
| 2013 | 562 [out of 1750] | 775 [out of 2025] |
| 2014 | 678 [out of 1750] | 889 [out of 2025] |
| 2015 | 676 [out of 1750] | 877 [out of 2025] |
| 2016 | 787 [out of 1750] | 988 [out of 2025] |
| 2017 | 809 [out of 1750] | 1006 [out of 2025] |
| 2018 | 774 [out of 1750] | 982 [out of 2025] |
Factors Influencing UPSC Cut Off
The UPSC Cut Off is influenced by various factors that play a crucial role in determining the minimum marks required for candidates to qualify for the next stage of the Civil Services Examination. These factors are taken into consideration by officials while calculating the cut off for each stage of the examination, including Prelims, Mains, and the Final UPSC Cut Off. Here are the key factors influencing the Cut Off for UPSC CSE:
- Difficulty Level of the Examination: If the question paper is more challenging, it may lead to a lower cutoff, as candidates might find it difficult to score high marks. Conversely, if the paper is relatively easier, the cut off may increase as more candidates may score higher marks.
- Number of Vacancies: A higher number of vacancies might lead to a lower UPSC cut off, as more candidates can be accommodated based on their performance.
- Reservation Policy: The UPSC follows a reservation policy for different categories like General, OBC, SC, ST, etc. The cut off marks for these categories may vary based on the number of aspirants and the number of seats reserved for each category.
- Performance of Candidates: If the majority of candidates perform exceptionally well, the cut off may increase. On the other hand, if the overall performance is average, the cut off may decrease.
- Normalisation Procedure: For Prelims, UPSC follows a normalisation procedure to ensure fairness when calculating the cut-off. This procedure adjusts the marks of candidates across different sets of question papers with varying difficulty levels.
- Overall Competition: The level of competition and the quality of candidates appearing in a particular year can also influence the UPSC cut off. Higher competition may lead to a higher cut off.
UPSC Cut Off – Tie Breaking Rules
In the UPSC CSE, in situations where two or more candidates achieve the same aggregate marks, the UPSC employs a ‘Tie-breaking’ principle to establish inter-se merit among these candidates:
- First Criterion: The candidate who scores higher marks in the Compulsory Papers and the Personality Test combined will be ranked higher in the merit list.
- Second Criterion: In the event that the marks obtained by the candidates in the aforementioned criteria are still equal, the candidate who is senior in age will be given preference and ranked higher.
By incorporating this ‘Tie-breaking’ principle, the UPSC ensures fairness and transparency in the ranking process, enabling a systematic approach to differentiate between candidates who attain the same overall marks.