UPSC Cut-off Marks 2015–2025: Prelims, Mains and Final, Category-wise (with 2026 Outlook)
Quick Answer
Last updated: 26 October 2026 · Official source: upsc.gov.in. Dates from the UPSC calendar are tentative and can change; always confirm on the official website.
UPSC Prelims Cut-off (GS Paper I, out of 200)
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.66 | 89.34 | 92.00 | 84.00 | 82.66 |
| 2024 | 87.98 | 85.92 | 87.28 | 79.03 | 74.23 |
| 2023 | 75.41 | 68.02 | 74.75 | 59.25 | 47.82 |
| 2022 | 88.22 | 82.83 | 87.54 | 74.08 | 69.35 |
| 2021 | 87.54 | 80.14 | 84.85 | 75.41 | 70.71 |
| 2020 | 92.51 | 77.55 | 89.12 | 74.84 | 68.71 |
| 2019 | 98.00 | 90.00 | 95.34 | 82.00 | 77.34 |
| 2018 | 98.00 | — | 96.66 | 84.00 | 83.34 |
| 2017 | 105.34 | — | 102.66 | 88.66 | 88.66 |
| 2016 | 116.00 | — | 110.66 | 99.34 | 96.00 |
| 2015 | 107.34 | — | 106.00 | 94.00 | 91.34 |
EWS reservation started with CSE 2019, so earlier years show “—”. CSAT (Paper II) is only qualifying, at 33% (66.67 marks out of 200); it does not affect the cut-off.
UPSC Mains Cut-off (written, out of 1,750)
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 739 | 706 | 717 | 700 | 694 |
| 2024 | 729 | 696 | 702 | 685 | 684 |
| 2023 | 741 | 706 | 712 | 694 | 692 |
| 2022 | 748 | 715 | 714 | 699 | 706 |
| 2021 | 745 | 713 | 707 | 700 | 700 |
| 2020 | 736 | 687 | 698 | 680 | 682 |
| 2019 | 751 | 696 | 718 | 706 | 699 |
This is the minimum written score (Essay, GS I–IV and Optional) needed to be called for the interview.
UPSC Final Cut-off (Mains + Interview, out of 2,025)
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 963 | 926 | 931 | 905 | 902 |
| 2024 | 947 | 917 | 910 | 880 | 884 |
| 2023 | 953 | 923 | 919 | 890 | 891 |
| 2022 | 960 | 926 | 923 | 893 | 900 |
| 2021 | 953 | 916 | 910 | 886 | 883 |
| 2020 | 944 | 894 | 907 | 875 | 876 |
| 2019 | 961 | 909 | 925 | 898 | 893 |
Trends and What Decides the Cut-off
- Paper difficulty: The biggest factor. The tough 2023 Prelims paper pulled the General cut-off down to 75.41; it bounced back to 87.98 in 2024 and 92.66 in 2025.
- Number of vacancies: Fewer posts generally mean a higher cut-off. Vacancies have fallen from 1,105 (2023 notification) to about 933 (2026 notification).
- Number of candidates: About 5.5 lakh candidates appeared in the 2026 Prelims for roughly 13,300 Mains seats.
- Category-wise reservation: Separate cut-offs are set so that each category fills its share of the Mains and interview shortlist.
What Score Should You Aim For in 2027?
- Prelims: Aim for 100+ in mock tests in GS Paper I, which gives a safety margin over any recent cut-off.
- CSAT: Aim for 90+ in practice to stay well clear of 66.67.
- Mains: A General candidate needs around 740–750 in the written stage to be safe for the interview, and 950+ overall for a final rank.
- Practise with real papers: Use the last ten years of Prelims papers to check where you stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the UPSC Prelims cut-off for 2025?
For General candidates it was 92.66 out of 200 in GS Paper I. It was 89.34 for EWS, 92.00 for OBC, 84.00 for SC and 82.66 for ST.
What was the UPSC final cut-off for 2025?
For General candidates, 963 out of 2,025 (Mains plus Interview). It was 926 for EWS, 931 for OBC, 905 for SC and 902 for ST.
When will the UPSC 2026 cut-off be released?
UPSC releases all the cut-offs of a cycle after the final result. For CSE 2026 this is expected around March–April 2027.
Is CSAT counted in the Prelims cut-off?
No. The cut-off is based only on GS Paper I. CSAT is qualifying and needs 33%.
What was the lowest UPSC Prelims cut-off in recent years?
In 2023, when the General cut-off fell to 75.41 because of a very tough paper.
Related Resources on Strive Edge IAS
- Current cycle: UPSC Mains Result 2026
- Pattern and marks: UPSC Exam Pattern 2027
- CSE 2027 essentials: UPSC Notification 2027, UPSC Calendar 2027, UPSC Syllabus 2027 and UPSC Eligibility 2027
- Daily practice: Daily Current Affairs, Prelims Pinpointer and Mains Answer Writing
- Previous papers: UPSC Prelims PYQs and UPSC Mains PYQs
