UPSC Cut Off Marks & Multi-Year Trends
Official UPSC cutoff scores for Preliminary, Main written examination, and final recommendation across 2019–2023. Insights into score targets and category dynamics.
1. UPSC Prelims Cut Off Marks (Out of 200 in GS-I)
Prelims cutoff is determined strictly on General Studies Paper I marks, subject to the candidate scoring at least 33% (66.67 marks) in CSAT Paper II.
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
* Note: Prelims cutoff dropped from ~98 marks (2019) to ~75.4 marks (2023) primarily due to analytical question framing and stringent CSAT filters.
2. UPSC Mains Written Cut Off Marks (Out of 1,750)
Marks required in the 7 merit papers (Essay + GS I to IV + Optional Papers I & II) to be called for the UPSC Personality Test.
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
3. Final Recommendation Cut Off (Out of 2,025)
Total score required (Written Mains 1,750 + Interview 275) for the last recommended candidate in each category.
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
What Score Should Aspirants Target?
Prelims Target
90–95+ Marks
Aiming for 95 marks in GS 1 creates a safe cushion regardless of paper difficulty, eliminating post-exam anxiety.
Mains Target
800+ Marks
A written score of 800+ (approx. 46%) virtually guarantees an IAS/IPS service allotment with even average interview marks.
Optional Target
280–300+ Marks
Your optional subject is the single biggest score differentiator across the entire competitive spectrum.
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