UPSC CSE Cut Off Guide 2026 – Prelims, Mains & Final Cut-off Marks

UPSC CSE cutoff 2025 will depend on various factors like the number of vacancies, exam difficulty, and candidate performance. The cutoff marks change every year and are influenced by category-wise relaxations, vacancies in services like IAS and IPS, and overall competition. In 2025, predictions suggest varying cutoff ranges for both Prelims and Mains exams. These trends are based on historical data and past exam patterns. The final cutoff, however, will depend on factors such as exam difficulty and the performance of candidates across different categories.

How is the UPSC CSE Cutoff 2025 Calculated?

Each year, the cut-off changes because of these different factors, so it's never exactly the same. Let's break down the important elements that influence it:

Number of Vacancies: The total number of vacancies for services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other civil services significantly impacts the cut-off. When there are fewer vacancies, the competition becomes fiercer, which leads to a higher cut-off score.
Exam Difficulty Level: The difficulty of the exam also plays a crucial role. If the UPSC exam is relatively easier, more candidates are likely to score higher marks, which pushes the cut-off upwards. Conversely, if the exam is tough, the cut-off may be lower.
Number of Candidates Appearing: The more candidates that appear for the exam, the higher the level of competition. With more candidates performing well, the cut-off is generally set higher.
Category-wise Relaxations: UPSC follows a reservation system for categories like SC, ST, OBC, and PwD. Candidates from these categories often have different cut-off scores, which can be lower compared to the general category, depending on the specific rules each year.

The cutoff for UPSC 2025 is determined by a combination of factors, and it can change every year based on the prevailing conditions.

Factors Affecting the UPSC Cutoff 2025

The cutoff for UPSC 2025 will be influenced by several key factors. Here are some important aspects to consider:

Changes in Exam Pattern: If the UPSC decides to alter the exam pattern or syllabus for 2025, it could directly impact the cut-off scores. For instance, adding new subjects to the Prelims or modifying the difficulty level could affect how candidates perform, thus influencing the final cut-off.
Impact of Current Affairs: UPSC tends to focus a significant portion of its exams on current affairs. If the questions in 2025 are based on complex or niche events, the cut-off could fluctuate. A tough or specific question set might increase the difficulty, leading to a higher cut-off, while simpler or broader questions could have the opposite effect.
Candidate Performance: The overall performance of the candidates plays a critical role in determining the cut-off. If a significant number of candidates perform exceptionally well, the cut-off will likely rise. Conversely, if fewer candidates are able to meet the benchmark, the cut-off might decrease.

These factors, along with other potential changes in exam guidelines, will shape the cut-off for UPSC 2025.

UPSC CSE Prelims Cutoff 2025 Expected

The Prelims exam consists of two papers, with only General Studies I being considered for the cut-off. The CSAT paper is qualifying in nature.

Category	Cutoff
General	87.98
EWS	85.92
OBC	87.28
SC	79.03
ST	74.23
PwBD-1	69.42
PwBD-2	65.30
PwBD-3	40.56
PwBD-5	40.56

UPSC CSE Mains Cutoff 2025 Expected

The cutoff for the Mains exam is set according to the candidate's performance in the written test. Below are the category-wise cut-offs for Mains 2025 Expected.

Category	Cutoff
General	729
EWS	696
OBC	702
SC	685
ST	684
PwBD-1	663
PwBD-2	696
PwBD-3	307
PwBD-5	361

UPSC CSE Final Cutoff 2025 Expected

The final cutoff marks for each category are determined by the combined performance in both the Mains exam and the Interview. Candidates who score higher than the final cut-off are eligible for selection in various civil services positions.

Category	Cutoff
General	947
EWS	917
OBC	910
SC	880
ST	884
PwBD-1	876
PwBD-2	913
PwBD-3	701
PwBD-5	461

UPSC CSE Cutoff 2024 Prelims

UPSC Prelims Cutoff indicates the minimum marks required for candidates to qualify for the Mains examination. The cut-off varies for each category and is listed below.

Category	UPSC Cut-Off
General	75.41
EWS	68.02
OBC	74.75
SC	59.25
ST	47.82
PwBD-1	40.4
PwBD-2	47.13
PwBD-3	40.4
PwBD-5	33.68

UPSC CSE Cutoff 2024 Mains

UPSC Mains Cut-Off represents the minimum marks needed to qualify for the final selection. The cut-off for each category is shown in the table below.

Category	UPSC Cut-Off
General	741
EWS	706
OBC	712
SC	694
ST	692
PwBD-1	673
PwBD-2	718
PwBD-3	396
PwBD-5	445

UPSC CSE Final Cutoff 2024

UPSC Final Cut-Off marks reflect the minimum score required for candidates to be selected for one of the 23 services offered by the UPSC. The final selection depends on the combined performance in the Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages. Below are the cut-off marks for various categories.

Category	UPSC Cut-Off
General	953
EWS	923
OBC	919
SC	890
ST	891
PwBD-1	894
PwBD-2	930
PwBD-3	756
PwBD-5	589

UPSC CSE Prelims Cutoff Trends

This table provides the cutoff marks for the UPSC Civil Services Prelims Exam for different categories over the years.

Category	2023	2022	2021	2020
General	75	88	87.5	92
OBC	74	87	84	89.5
ST	48	70	70	75.5
SC	58	80	72.5	74
EWS	63	82	76	77.5
PWD 1	45	50	70	60
PWD 2	47	55	68	63
PWD 3	43	40	55	45
PWD 4	41	42	60	46

UPSC CSE Mains & Final Cutoff Trends

The table below provides an overview of the Mains and Final cutoff marks for various categories in the UPSC Civil Services Examination from 2020 to 2023.

Category	Year	Mains Cut Off (Out of 1750)	Final Cut Off (Out of 2025)
General	2023	741	953
	2022	748	960
	2021	745	953
	2020	736	944
EWS	2023	720	923
	2022	715	926
	2021	713	916
	2020	687	894
OBC	2023	714	923
	2022	714	923
	2021	707	910
	2020	698	907
SC	2023	692	890
	2022	699	893
	2021	700	886
	2020	680	875
ST	2023	692	891
	2022	706	900
	2021	700	883
	2020	682	876
PwBD 1	2023	673	879
	2022	677	879
	2021	668	892
	2020	648	867
PwBD 2	2023	718	930
	2022	706	913
	2021	712	932
	2020	699	910
PwBD 3	2023	396	632
	2022	351	590
	2021	388	689
	2020	425	802
PwBD 4	2023	527	721
	2022	419	702
	2021	560	701
	2020	300	575

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ans: Candidates who do not meet the UPSC cut-off, whether for the Prelims or Mains, are eliminated from the selection process. However, they can take the exam again in the following year. UPSC allows candidates to appear for the exam multiple times until they reach the upper age limit or exhaust the number of permissible attempts. To improve their chances in the next attempt, candidates must reassess their preparation strategy, identify weaknesses, and address gaps in their knowledge.

Ans: Current affairs play a major role in both the Prelims and Mains exams. The UPSC often includes questions related to recent events, policy changes, and significant national and international developments. The difficulty of these questions can influence the overall cut-off. If the questions focus on highly specialized or challenging current affairs, it can lead to a higher cut-off as fewer candidates will score well. On the other hand, if the questions are more general or predictable, it could result in a lower cut-off.

Ans: Clearing the UPSC cut-off requires a strategic approach, focusing on both the Prelims and Mains exams. Candidates should focus on comprehensive and systematic preparation, with a clear understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern. Time management is crucial, and mock tests can help gauge performance. Additionally, current affairs play an essential role, so consistent reading of newspapers, journals, and reports is necessary. Revising previous years' questions and understanding the exam trends can also help in scoring better marks, which can increase the chances of clearing the cut-off.

Ans: In rare cases, the UPSC may revise the cut-off after the results are announced, but this is not common. Revisions generally occur if there is an error in the exam process or if there is a significant change in the number of vacancies or other logistical factors. However, such changes are usually made transparently and after careful consideration.

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