The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination is the first step towards one of the most coveted careers in India. To excel in this examination, it is essential to understand the UPSC Prelims total marks, the distribution of marks across papers, and the criteria for qualification. In this article, we provide detailed information about the UPSC Prelims total marks 2025, the marks distribution for General Studies (GS) and CSAT, the qualifying marks, and the cut-off trends.

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025

The UPSC Prelims is a screening test comprising two papers—General Studies Paper I (GS) and the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Only candidates who qualify for this stage are eligible to appear for the Mains examination. Understanding the UPSC Prelims marks system is crucial for efficient preparation and strategic planning.

UPSC Prelims Total Marks 2025 Details

The total marks for the UPSC Prelims exam are 400. These are distributed across two papers:

1. General Studies Paper I (GS):
   • Total Marks: 200
   • Number of Questions: 100
   • Each question carries 2 marks.
   • Negative Marking: 1/3rd of the marks allocated to the question is deducted for every incorrect answer.
2. Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT):
   • Total Marks: 200
   • Number of Questions: 80
   • Each question carries 2.5 marks.
   • Negative Marking: 1/3rd of the marks allocated to the question is deducted for every incorrect answer.

Marks Distribution in UPSC Prelims Exam

To better understand the UPSC Prelims exam marks distribution, let’s break down the weightage and focus areas for each paper:

UPSC GS Paper 1 General Studies (GS):

o   Covers topics like History, Polity, Geography, Economy, Environment, Science & Technology, and Current Affairs.

o   This paper is used to determine the cut-off marks for qualification.

o   Performance in GS is crucial as it determines whether you move to the next stage of the exam.

UPSC CSAT (Paper II):

o   Tests comprehension, reasoning, analytical ability, and quantitative aptitude.

o   Qualifying in nature: Candidates must secure at least 33% or 66 marks out of the UPSC Prelims total marks for CSAT.

o   Scores in CSAT are not considered for determining the overall cut-off.

UPSC Prelims Qualifying Marks and Cut-Off

1. UPSC Prelims Qualifying Marks:
   • For General Studies (Paper I): The cut-off varies annually based on the difficulty level and the number of candidates.
   • For CSAT (Paper II): A minimum of 33% (66 marks) is required to qualify.
2. UPSC Prelims Cut-Off Marks:
   • The UPSC Prelims cut-off is the minimum score required in the GS paper to qualify for the Mains.
   • Trends from past years indicate that the cut-off ranges between 90-100 marks for the General category.
   • Factors affecting the cut-off include the number of vacancies, the difficulty level of the paper, and the performance of candidates.

UPSC Previous Year Cut offs

The UPSC releases official cutoff marks for each stage of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) every year. These marks indicate the minimum scores needed to move to the next stage or secure a final selection. Below is a summary of cutoff trends for recent years.

Prelims Cut-Off 2023 (Out of 200 marks):

UPSC Cut off Marks 2022

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the minimum qualifying marks for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. These cutoffs were categorized for different stages of the exam and various categories of candidates. Here’s a summary:

•       The Preliminary cutoff is based on GS Paper-I only, as GS Paper-II is of qualifying nature with a requirement of 33% marks.
•       For the Mains stage, candidates needed to secure at least 10% marks in each of the seven competitive papers (Essay, GS-I, GS-II, GS-III, GS-IV, Optional-I, and Optional-II).

UPSC Cut off Marks 2021

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) sets the cut-off marks for each stage of the Civil Services Examination (CSE). These marks represent the minimum scores required by candidates to advance to the next stage or to be selected in the final merit list. Below are the cut-off marks for the CSE 2021 across various categories:

UPSC Cut-off Marks 2020

The UPSC releases cut-off marks at different stages of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to determine the minimum scores required for progression and final selection. Below is the category-wise cut-off for CSE 2020:

UPSC Cut-Off Marks 2019

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the category-wise cut-off marks for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2019. The cut-off marks represent the minimum scores required at each stage—Preliminary, Mains, and Final—to qualify for the next stage or recommendation. Below is a summary of the cut-off marks for various categories:

Expected UPSC Cut-Off 2024

While the official cut-off marks for 2024 will only be announced after the examination process concludes, several coaching institutes and experts have projected expected cut-offs based on current trends and analysis of the 2023 exam.

Expected Prelims Cut-Off 2024:

Key Insights:

• Scoring high in GS is imperative as it directly impacts your selection.
• Clearing the CSAT is equally important to ensure eligibility, even though it is qualifying in nature.

Preparation Tips Based on Marks Distribution

1. Prioritize High-Weightage Topics in GS:
   • Focus on Current Affairs, Polity, and Environment as these areas often dominate the question paper.
   • Use NCERTs and standard reference books for conceptual clarity.
2. Don’t Neglect CSAT:
   • Practice regularly, especially in areas like quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning.
   • Refer to books like Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal and practice comprehension passages.
3. Time Management:
   • Allocate time for both papers, ensuring adequate preparation for CSAT despite its qualifying nature.
   • Regularly solve previous year’s question papers to understand the UPSC Prelims exam marks distribution.
4. Mock Tests and Revision:
   • Regular mock tests help in understanding the UPSC Prelims paper marks breakdown and exam pattern.
   • Revision is key to retaining facts and figures for GS.

UPSC Prelims Total Marks 2025