Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims and Mains

Negative marking in the UPSC exam makes it more difficult for candidates to succeed. The Civil Services Examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, is the gateway to prestigious government jobs. However, the introduction of negative marking has made it harder for candidates to pass the first stage of the recruitment process, the Preliminary Examination.

Over time, negative marking has had a significant negative impact on candidate performance in the Preliminary Examination. This article discusses the role of negative marking in the UPSC Civil Services Examination's three stages - Prelims, Mains and Interview and how it can affect your performance.

Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims

The UPSC exam has three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test. The Preliminary Examination is a screening test, and the marks scored in this stage are not counted in the final result. However, this round is challenging due to negative marking. In the UPSC Preliminary Examination, for every incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the total marks allocated to that question is deducted. The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers: General Studies-1 and General Studies-2 (CSAT). Let's look at the negative marking in the Preliminary Examination for both papers.

Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims General Studies Paper-I

General Studies-1 is a 200-mark paper with 100 questions, each worth 2 marks. The duration of the paper is two hours. As mentioned above, for every incorrect answer in the UPSC Preliminary Examination, 1/3rd of the total marks allocated to that question is deducted. Therefore, for each incorrect answer in General Studies-1, 0.66 marks are deducted.

Suppose a candidate answered 70 questions correctly and 30 incorrectly out of 100 questions in General Studies-1. To calculate their score, we do the following:

• For each correct answer, the candidate receives 2 marks: 70 x 2 = 140 marks.
• However, the candidate also answered 30 questions incorrectly. For each incorrect answer, 0.33 marks are deducted: 30 x 0.66 = 19.8 marks.
• Therefore, 16.5 marks are deducted from the candidate's score for correctly answered questions, leaving them with a final score of 140-19.8 = 120.2 marks for Paper I.

CSAT Negative Marking

CSAT, also known as General Studies Paper-2 in the Preliminary Examination, has a negative marking just like Paper-1. The UPSC Preliminary Examination GS-2 consists of 80 questions carrying 200 marks, each worth 2.5 marks. For each correct answer, 2.5 marks are awarded, while for each incorrect answer, 0.83 marks are deducted. As mentioned above, negative marking in the UPSC Preliminary Examination is 1/3rd of the total marks allocated to that question.

Suppose a candidate answered 65 questions correctly and 15 incorrectly out of 80 questions in CSAT. To calculate their score, we do the following:

• For each correct answer, the candidate receives 2.5 marks: 65 x 2.5 = 162.5 marks.
• However, the candidate also answered 15 questions incorrectly. For each incorrect answer, 0.83 marks are deducted: 15 x 0.83 = 12.45 marks.
• Therefore, 4.95 marks are deducted from the candidate's score for correctly answered questions, leaving them with a final score of 162.5 - 12.45= 150.05 marks for Paper II.

Note: CSAT is a qualifying paper, and candidates only need to score 66 marks to pass.

How to Calculate UPSC Prelims Marks?

To calculate your UPSC Preliminary Examination marks, you need to follow these steps:

• Multiply the number of correct answers by the marks per question.
• Subtract the number of incorrect answers multiplied by the negative marking factor from the total marks.
• The negative marking factor for the UPSC Preliminary Examination is 1/3rd of the marks per question.
• For example, let's say you answered 75 questions correctly and 25 questions incorrectly in the General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Preliminary Examination.
• Step 1: Multiply the number of correct answers by the marks per question:
• Correct answers * Marks per question = 75 * 2 = 150
• Step 2: Subtract the number of incorrect answers multiplied by the negative marking factor from the total marks:
• Incorrect answers * Negative marking factor = 25 * 0.66 = 16.5
• Total marks = 150 - 16.5 = 133.5
• Therefore, your total marks for the General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Preliminary Examination would be 133.5.
• You can use the same steps to calculate your marks for the General Studies Paper-2 (CSAT) of the UPSC Preliminary Examination.

Negative Marking in UPSC Mains

Negative marking is not used in the UPSC Main Examination. This means that candidates can answer all of the questions, even if they are unsure of the answers. However, it is important to note that candidates will not be penalized for answering incorrectly.

• This is in contrast to the Preliminary Examination, where negative marking is used to discourage candidates from guessing answers. In the Preliminary Examination, for every incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the total marks allocated to that question is deducted.
• The decision to not use negative marking in the Main Examination is likely due to the fact that the Main Examination is a more demanding exam, and candidates need to be able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. By not using negative marking, candidates are able to focus on answering the questions that they are most confident about, without having to worry about being penalized for guessing.

Negative Marking in UPSC Interview

There is no negative marking in the UPSC Interview. This means that candidates will not be penalized for giving incorrect answers to the questions asked by the interview board.

• The decision to not use negative marking in the Interview is likely due to the fact that the Interview is a more subjective assessment. The interview board is looking for candidates who have the potential to be successful civil servants, and they are not as concerned with whether or not candidates know the correct answers to every question.
• Instead, the interview board is looking for candidates who can demonstrate their critical thinking skills, their ability to communicate effectively, and their knowledge of current affairs. Candidates who are able to do this are more likely to be successful in the Interview, even if they do not know the answer to every question.
• However, it is important to note that even though there is no negative marking in the Interview, candidates should still be prepared to answer the questions asked by the interview board thoughtfully and intelligently. This means doing your research on current affairs and being able to articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely.

How to Avoid Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims?

To avoid negative marking in the UPSC Prelims exam, you should follow these tips:

• Understand the syllabus and exam pattern thoroughly. This will help you identify the topics that are most important and focus your preparation accordingly.
• Solve previous year question papers and take mock tests. This will give you a good understanding of the types of questions asked in the exam and help you develop a strategy for answering them.
• Attempt all the questions that you are completely confident about. For questions that you are not sure about, try to eliminate at least two wrong options before making a guess.
• Avoid marking more than one answer for a question. If you mark two answers and one of them is correct, you will still be penalized with negative marks.
• Leave out questions that you have no clue about. There is no penalty for leaving a question blank.
• Read the questions carefully. Make sure you understand what the question is asking before you start answering it.
• Look for keywords in the question. This can help you identify the correct answer.
• Use the process of elimination. If you are not sure about the answer, try to eliminate the wrong options first.
• Be mindful of the time. Don't get stuck on a single question. If you are not sure about the answer, move on to the next question and come back to it later if you have time.
• Don't make wild guesses. If you don't know the answer, it is better to leave the question blank than to make a wild guess.

Remember, it is better to attempt fewer questions correctly than to attempt more questions and get many of them wrong. So, be careful and avoid making silly mistakes.

FAQs

Does the UPSC exam have negative marking?

Yes, negative marking is a part of the UPSC exam. 1/3rd of the marks allocated to each question are deducted for an incorrect answer in the Preliminary Examination. No negative marking in the Mains and Interview.

Is there a negative marking in UPSC Prelims?

Yes, there is negative marking in the UPSC Prelims. 1/3rd of the marks for each incorrect answer are deducted in both UPSC Prelims General Studies Paper I and Paper II.

When did negative marking in UPSC start?

Negative marking in the UPSC Preliminary Examination was introduced in 2007. Before 2007, there was no negative marking in the Preliminary Examination. However, the Union Public Service Commission decided to introduce negative marking to discourage candidates from guessing answers.