UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025, Expected & Previous Year Cut Offs

UPSC Prelims 2025 has been successfully concluded on 25th May 2025. UPSC Prelims 2025 cut off is expected to be 86 (+/- 4) for the General Category. The UPSC Cut Off plays an important role in determining the fate of thousands of aspirants appearing for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.

The official UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2024 was 87.98 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 5 years’ marks, etc.

UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 Expected

The UPSC Prelims 2025 cut off marks carry a significant impact on an aspirant’s journey towards their dream of becoming a civil servant in India. The Preliminary Examination has 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, requiring candidates to secure a minimum of 33% to pass.  The UPSC Prelims 2025 Expected Cut Off for General Category is 86 (+/- 4).

‹ ›

Also Read: 

• UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025
• UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2025

UPSC Cut-off Marks 2024

The UPSC has officially released cut-off marks for various stages of the UPSC CSE 2024. The same is discussed in the sections that follow. 

UPSC CSE Prelims Cut-off 2024

The UPSC CSE Prelims Exam consists of two papers – General Studies-I and General Studies-II (CSAT). Only the marks obtained in the General Studies-I are counted for merit ranking. General Studies-II (CSAT) is only qualifying in nature, with minimum qualifying marks of 33%.

The UPSC Prelims Cut-off 2024 for the different categories of candidates is as follows.

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Xperience 2025

UPSC CSE Mains Cut-off 2024

The UPSC CSE Mains Exam comprises nine papers, with seven contributing to merit ranking. The English Language and Indian Language Papers are only qualifying in nature and marks obtained therein are not considered for merit.

The UPSC Mains Cut-off 2024 for the different categories of candidates is as follows.

UPSC Final Cut-off 2024

The UPSC Final Cut-Off is derived by combining candidates’ scores in the Mains Examination as well as that in the Personality Test (Interview). Candidates who score equal to or more than the UPSC Final Cut-Off marks make it to the final list. They are, then, allocated different services based on their rank, service preferences, and the number of vacancies.

The UPSC Final Cut-Off 2024 for the different categories of candidates is as follows.

UPSC Prelims Cut Off Last 5 Years

Candidates appeared in UPSC Prelims 2025 scheduled on 25 May 2025, must refer the table below to get the idea regarding the UPSC Prelims Cut Off Last 5 Years:

UPSC Mains Cut Off

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.

UPSC Mains Cut Off for Previous 5 Years

Candidates appearing in the UPSC Mains 2025, must refer the table below to get the details for UPSC Mains Cut Off for Previous 5 Years:

UPSC Final Cut Off

The UPSC Final Cut Off marks are determined by amalgamating the scores obtained by candidates in the Mains Examination and the Personality Test (Interview) stage. The Mains Examination carries the weightage of seven papers, while the Interview stage contributes the remaining. Each candidate’s performance is evaluated, and the final cut-off is calculated based on their combined scores.

Aspirants who manage to surpass the UPSC Final Cut Off marks are eligible for appointment to the various civil services based on their merit ranking. The allocation of services is done according to the candidate’s rank, preference, and availability of vacancies.

UPSC Final Cut Off for Last 5 Years

Candidates can refer to the table shared below to get the details for UPSC Final Cut Off for Last 5 Years.

UPSC Cut Off 2023-24 (Official)

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.

Download: UPSC CSE Cut Off 2023 PDF

The official UPSC Cut Off for Prelims and Mains 2023 was released on 18th April 2024.

Factors Influencing UPSC Cut Off 2025

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.