UPSC Prelims Cutoff Analysis: Why 90 is the New 100
A few years ago, students aimed for 110+ marks to feel safe. Today, scoring 90 feels like a victory. UPSC Prelims Cutoff
The UPSC Prelims Cutoff is the most unpredictable number in the Civil Services Exam. However, there is a clear trend: the exam is getting tougher, and the cutoff is getting lower.
At Trademark IAS, we don’t just guess numbers; we analyze patterns. Here is the detailed breakdown of the UPSC Prelims Cutoff trends for the last 5 years and what it means for your 2025 strategy.
The 5-Year Trend (General Category)UPSC Prelims Cutoff+
Look at how the mighty have fallen. The cutoff has dropped significantly from the “116 Era” of 2016.
| Year | General Cutoff | Difficulty Level |
| 2023 | 75.41 | Very Tough (CSAT factor) |
| 2022 | 88.22 | Moderate to Tough |
| 2021 | 87.54 | Tough (Sports/Agri questions) |
| 2020 | 92.51 | Moderate |
| 2019 | 98.00 | Moderate |
Observation: The UPSC Prelims Cutoff has crashed by almost 20 marks in 5 years. This means you don’t need to answer more questions; you need to answer more accurately.
Category-Wise Cutoff Breakdown (Last Year) UPSC Prelims Cutoff
It is crucial to know where you stand in your specific category.
| Category | Cutoff Marks | Net Correct Questions (Approx) |
| General | 75.41 | ~38 Questions |
| EWS | 68.02 | ~34 Questions |
| OBC | 74.75 | ~37 Questions |
| SC | 59.25 | ~30 Questions |
| ST | 47.82 | ~24 Questions |
Why is the Cutoff Dropping? UPSC Prelims Cutoff
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“Randomness” of Options: UPSC introduced “Pair-based” options (Only 1 pair, Only 2 pairs), which killed the Elimination Technique.
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CSAT Toughness: Many high-scoring GS students failed CSAT, lowering the overall competition.
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Unconventional Topics: Sudden focus on specific themes like Agriculture or Ancient Terms.
What is the “Safe Score” for 2025? UPSC Prelims Cutoff
Based on our analysis of the UPSC Prelims Cutoff trends, here is your target for 2025:
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Target Score: 95+ Marks.
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Why? Even if the paper is tough and cutoff goes to 80, aiming for 95 keeps you safe from negative marking errors.
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Target Attempts: 75-80 Questions (with 80% accuracy).
How to Calculate Your Marks (Formula)
Don’t wait for the result. Calculate it yourself.
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Formula:
(Correct Answers × 2) - (Wrong Answers × 0.66) -
Example: You attempted 80. Correct 50. Wrong 30.
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Score = (50 × 2) – (30 × 0.66)
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Score = 100 – 19.8 = 80.2 (You are likely SAFE).
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Conclusion
The falling UPSC Prelims Cutoff is not good news; it is a warning. The margin for error is zero.
To cross the magic number, you need practice, not just knowledge.
Test Your “Safe Score” Now.
Take our free All-India Mock Test and see where you stand.
[Start Free Mock Test] | [Download Cutoff PDF]
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