Preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam and not sure how to figure out your Prelims score? You’re in the right place. This UPSC Marks Calculator method makes it super easy to estimate how you did in the Prelims.

Also Read - UPSC Civil Services Exam

UPSC Prelims Marking Scheme 

UPSC Prelims is the first stage of the examination. It consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT). Both papers are objective-type (multiple-choice questions). Here’s how the UPSC prelims paper marking scheme works:

For Prelims Paper-1 (General Studies)

Total Questions: 100
Maximum Marks: 200
Negative Marking: 1/3

For Prelims Paper-2 (CSAT)

Total Questions: 80
Maximum Marks: 200
Negative Marking: 1/3

Also Read: UPSC Exam Pattern

UPSC Prelims Paper Breakdown 

Here’s a breakdown of both Prelims papers to help you understand the format, marking scheme, and what each paper actually tests.

UPSC Prelims Negative Marking

UPSC Civil Services Exam takes place in three phases: the Preliminary exam, the Mains, and the final Interview round.

The Prelims is just a screening round, so your marks here won’t count in the final result. But clearing it isn’t easy, mainly because of the negative marking. For every wrong answer, they cut one-third of the marks for that question.The Prelims consists of two separate papers: one is General Studies Paper 1, and the other is Paper 2, which is also known as CSAT. Let’s break down how negative marking works in both papers.

UPSC Prelims General Studies Paper I Negative Marking

General Studies Paper-1 in UPSC Prelims is a 200-mark paper made up of 100 multiple choice questions, with each question carrying 2 marks. You’ll get two hours to finish it. As mentioned above, for every incorrect answer in the UPSC Preliminary Examination, 1/3rd of the total marks allotted to that question is deducted. Therefore, for each incorrect answer in General Studies-1, 0.66 marks are deducted.

How to Calculate Marks of UPSC Prelims Paper 1

Suppose a candidate answered 75 questions correctly and 25 incorrectly out of 100 questions in UPSC General Studies-1. To calculate their score, here’s what we do:

• For each correct answer, the candidate scores 2 marks: 75 x 2 = 150 marks.
• But the candidate also answered 25 questions incorrectly. For each wrong answer, 0.33 marks are deducted: 25 x 0.66 = 16.5 marks.
• So, 16.5 marks are deducted from the total correct score, which gives them a final score of 150-16.5 = 133.5 marks for Paper I.

UPSC Prelims CSAT Paper 2 Negative Marking

CSAT Paper officially called General Studies Paper-2 in the UPSC Prelims also follows the one-third negative marking rule, just like Paper-1. It includes a total of 80 questions, with the entire paper carrying 200 marks. That means each question is worth 2.5 marks. You earn full marks for every correct response, but if you answer incorrectly, 0.83 marks are deducted. As mentioned before, UPSC cuts one-third of the marks assigned to a question for each incorrect answer.

How to Calculate Marks of UPSC Prelims Paper 2

Let’s suppose a candidate answered 55 questions correctly and 25 incorrectly out of 80 questions in UPSC CSAT. To calculate their score, here’s what we do:

• For each correct answer, the candidate scores 2.5 marks: 55 x 2.5 = 137.5 marks.
• But the candidate also answered 25 questions incorrectly. For each wrong answer, 0.83 marks are deducted: 25 x 0.83 = 20.75 marks.
• So, 20.75 marks are deducted from the total correct score, leaving them with a final score of 137.5 – 20.75 = 116.75 marks for Paper II.

Note: The CSAT paper in the UPSC Prelims is only qualifying in nature. To clear it, candidates need to score at least 66 marks, which is 33% of the total 200 marks.

Ways to Avoid Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims?

To minimize the chances of negative marking in the UPSC Prelims, keep these tips in mind:

• Understand the syllabus and exam pattern thoroughly. This helps you figure out which topics matter most and lets you prepare with better focus.
• Go through previous year question papers and take mock tests regularly. It will give you a good understanding of the types of questions asked in the exam and help you develop a strategy for answering them.
• Attempt all the questions that you are completely sure about. For questions that you are not sure about, try to eliminate at least two incorrect options before making a guess.
• Avoid marking more than one answer for a question.If you select two options and only one is right, you'll still lose marks due to negative marking.
• Skip questions that you have no clue about. You won’t lose any marks if you skip a question and leave it unanswered.
• Read the questions carefully. Don’t rush, make sure you understand what the question is asking before you start answering it.
• Look for keywords in the given question. It will help you in identifying the correct answer.
• Use the elimination process. If you are not sure about the answer, try to eliminate the wrong options first.
• Be mindful of the time. Don’t waste too much time on a single question. If you are not sure about the answer, move on to the next question and come back to it later if you have time.
• Don’t make wild guesses. If you don’t know the answer, it is better to leave the question blank than to make a wild or a random guess.

Remember, it’s better to answer fewer questions and get them right than to try too many and end up getting a lot wrong. So take your time, stay careful, and try not to make silly mistakes.

UPSC Prelims Exam Previous Year Cut-Off Marks

Looking at the trend over the past few years, the cutoff marks for UPSC Prelims have consistently gone down across all categories, reflecting the increasing difficulty level of the exam and the changing pattern of questions.

Here’s a table showing the cutoff for each category from 2018 to now.