UPSC CSE 2026 – Previous Year Cutoff Trends & Expected Cutoff

UPSC CSE 2026

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Overview Syllabus Eligibility Exam Pattern Selection How to Apply Cutoff Books Prep Tips Papers

UPSC CSE cutoffs are among the most closely studied benchmarks in Indian competitive examinations. Cutoffs vary each year based on vacancy count, difficulty level of Mains, and the competitive profile of candidates. Two critical cutoffs exist: Prelims cutoff (for Mains shortlisting) and Final cutoff (Mains + Interview combined).

Prelims GS-I Cutoff (Out of 200) – Year-Wise

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST	EWS
2024	100.34	88.67	79.34	72.67	96.01
2023	91.34	84.01	74.34	67.34	88.67
2022	87.54	80.54	70.20	64.87	85.54
2021	87.54	83.54	73.54	67.54	86.20
2020	92.51	87.18	76.18	66.18	90.84

Final Cutoff (Mains + Interview, Out of 2025) – Year-Wise

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST	EWS
2024	1009	980	951	927	995
2023	1017	988	956	936	1003
2022	1011	983	952	932	999
2021	997	967	936	916	983

Expected UPSC CSE 2026 Cutoff (Projected)

Category	Prelims (Expected /200)	Final (Expected /2025)
General	95–105	1005–1020
OBC	85–95	975–990
SC	75–82	945–960
ST	67–75	920–935
EWS	90–100	990–1005

Projections based on 5-year trend analysis. Actual cutoffs depend on vacancies, paper difficulty, and normalization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Why did the UPSC Prelims cutoff drop significantly in 2023 compared to 2024?

The difficulty level of the 2023 Prelims GS-I paper was higher, leading to a lower raw-score cutoff. UPSC sets cutoffs based on relative performance, so harder papers yield lower cutoffs.

Q.What is a safe score in UPSC CSE Prelims for General category?

A score of 110+ out of 200 is generally considered safe for General category candidates to confidently proceed to Mains preparation.

Q.Does UPSC normalize Mains marks across different optional subjects?

No formal normalization is applied to Mains. However, the choice of optional subject and the examiner's evaluation style can influence scores. UPSC periodically reviews marking patterns.

Q.How much should one score in the interview to improve rank significantly?

Scoring 180+ out of 275 in the interview is considered above average and can improve your rank meaningfully. Most candidates score between 150–180.

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