UPSC Prelims Cut-Off Over the Years
Official cut-offs (2015–2025)
Prelims merit is decided by GS Paper I marks only (200 marks). Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying — candidates need at least 33% (66 marks) in CSAT to qualify for evaluation, but it does not add to the cut-off calculation.
| Year | Gen | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD 1 | PwBD 2 | PwBD 3 | PwBD 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.66 | 89.34 | 92 | 84 | 82.66 | 76.66 | 54.66 | 40.66 | 40.66 |
| 2024 | 87.98 | 85.92 | 87.28 | 79.03 | 74.23 | 69.42 | 65.30 | 40.56 | 40.56 |
| 2023 | 75.41 | 68.02 | 74.75 | 59.25 | 47.82 | 40.40 | 47.13 | 40.40 | 33.68 |
| 2022 | 88.22 | 82.83 | 87.54 | 74.08 | 69.35 | 49.84 | 58.59 | 40.40 | 41.76 |
| 2021 | 87.54 | 80.14 | 84.85 | 75.41 | 70.71 | 68.02 | 67.33 | 40.03 | 45.80 |
| 2020 | 92.51 | 77.55 | 89.12 | 74.84 | 68.71 | 70.06 | 63.94 | 40.82 | 42.86 |
| 2019 | 98 | 90 | 95.34 | 82 | 77.34 | 53.34 | 44.66 | 40.66 | 61.34 |
| 2018 | 98 | — | 96.66 | 84 | 83.34 | 73.34 | 53.34 | 40 | 45.34 |
| 2017 | 105.34 | — | 102.66 | 88.66 | 88.66 | 85.34 | 61.34 | 40 | — |
| 2016 | 116 | — | 110.66 | 99.34 | 96 | 75.34 | 72.66 | 40 | — |
| 2015 | 107.34 | — | 106 | 94 | 91.34 | 90.66 | 76.66 | 40 | — |
Marks shown are official GS Paper I cut-offs out of 200. EWS category was introduced in 2019. PwBD categories follow disability-classification criteria.
Trend: General, OBC, SC, ST & EWS
Key findings
- Historical Peak (2016): General category cut-off reached an all-time high of 116.00 marks in 2016 when the paper was fact-heavy and direct.
- Historical Low (2023): General category cut-off dropped to 75.41 marks due to an exceptionally difficult CSAT paper and unconventional GS pair-based questions.
- Post-2023 Recovery: Cut-offs rebounded to 87.98 in 2024 and 92.66 in 2025 as candidates adapted to new question patterns.
- General vs. OBC Convergence: The difference between General and OBC cut-offs has narrowed from 5.34 marks in 2016 to less than 0.7 marks in 2024–2025.
- EWS Trend: Since its introduction in 2019 (90.00 marks), EWS cut-offs initially trended closer to SC/ST marks before stabilizing at 89.34 in 2025, just below OBC.
Safe score benchmark targets
Provides a safe buffer above the 5-year average (~88.5 marks) even in moderate-to-easy question sets.
EWS cut-off has closely tracked OBC marks in recent cycles (89.34 in 2025).
With ST cut-offs touching 82.66 in 2025, maintaining a 45+ net correct target ensures clear qualification.
Frequently asked questions
Are CSAT (Paper II) marks counted towards the UPSC Prelims cut-off?+
No. CSAT (General Studies Paper II) is strictly qualifying in nature. Candidates must secure at least 33% marks (66 out of 200 marks). Only marks scored in GS Paper I are considered for determining the Prelims cut-off and qualifying candidates for the Mains examination.
How is the UPSC Prelims cut-off determined by the Commission?+
The cut-off is the score of the last candidate selected in each category to appear for the Mains examination. UPSC typically calls approximately 11 to 12.5 times the total number of notified vacancies for the Mains stage. Factors influencing the cut-off include total vacancies, difficulty level of GS Paper I & CSAT, and overall candidate performance.
What is considered a safe score for UPSC Prelims GS Paper I?+
For General and OBC candidates, targeting a net score of 95 to 102 marks (48–51 net correct questions out of 100) is considered a safe threshold across all recent difficulty trends. For EWS, a score of 90–95 is advisable, while SC/ST candidates should aim for 85–90 marks.
What was the lowest UPSC Prelims cut-off in the last 10 years?+
The lowest Prelims cut-off in recent history occurred in 2023, where the General category cut-off fell to 75.41 marks (out of 200). This sharp drop was attributed to the high difficulty level of CSAT and the introduction of "only one pair / only two pairs" question formats in GS Paper I.
What happens if questions are dropped or cancelled in UPSC Prelims?+
When UPSC deletes or drops disputed questions after releasing the final answer key, the total marks for Paper I (200) are distributed pro-rata across the remaining valid questions. For example, if 2 questions are dropped, the remaining 98 questions carry 2.04 marks each.
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