UPSC Marking Scheme 2025 Prelims, Mains, and Interview

Learn everything about the UPSC marking scheme 2025, including UPSC prelims paper marking scheme, UPSC negative marking, CSAT marking scheme, UPSC mains marking scheme, and more. A complete guide to help you crack the UPSC exam!

UPSC marking scheme is the backbone of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination. It is a systematic way of evaluating candidates’ knowledge, skills, and aptitude across the three stages of the exam: Prelims, Mains, and the Interview.

This article will explain everything you need to know about the UPSC marking scheme, including the UPSC prelims paper marking scheme, UPSC negative marking, CSAT marking scheme, UPSC mains marking scheme, UPSC optional marking scheme, UPSC prelims marks distribution, UPSC mains marks distribution, and UPSC mains total marks. Let’s dive in!

What is UPSC Marking Scheme 2025?

The UPSC marking scheme refers to the system of awarding and deducting marks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The exam is conducted in three stages: Prelims, Mains, and the Interview (Personality Test). 

Each stage has a different marking pattern, and understanding it is crucial for effective preparation. The UPSC marking scheme ensures fairness and transparency in evaluating candidates’ knowledge, skills, and aptitude.

UPSC Prelims Marks Distribution 2025

Understanding the UPSC prelims marks distribution is essential for effective preparation. Here’s a quick summary:

Paper General Studies Paper-I (GS) Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper-II
Type of Paper Objective (Multiple Choice Questions) Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)
Total Marks 200 200
Number of Questions 100 80
Duration 2 hours 2 hours
Negative Marking 0.66 marks for each wrong answer 0.83 marks for each wrong answer

The Prelims are designed to test candidates’ basic knowledge of current affairs, general studies, and their aptitude. It is essential to note that candidates must clear both papers independently to proceed to the Mains.

UPSC Mains Marks Distribution

The UPSC Mains is a descriptive exam consisting of nine papers. These papers test a candidate’s in-depth knowledge and writing skills. The UPSC mains marks distribution is as follows:

  • Number of Papers: 9 (Including 4 General Studies papers, 1 Essay paper, 2 Language papers, and 2 Optional papers)
  • Total Marks: 1750
  • Duration: 3 hours for each paper
  • Negative Marking: No negative marking in the Mains exam
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025 Mains
Paper Name of Paper Time Duration Maximum Marks
Qualifying Papers
Paper A Indian Language 3 Hours 300
Paper B English 3 Hours 300
Merit Papers
Paper I Essay 3 Hours 250
Paper II General Studies-I 3 Hours 250
Paper III General Studies -II 3 Hours 250
Paper IV General Studies -III 3 Hours 250
Paper V General Studies -IV 3 Hours 250
Paper VI Optional Paper 1 3 Hours 250
Paper VII Optional Paper 2 3 Hours 250
Total 1750 Marks

UPSC Prelims Paper Marking Scheme 2025

The 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:

  • General Studies Paper-I:
      • Total Questions: 100
      • Total Marks: 200
      • Each question carries 2 marks.
      • UPSC negative marking: For every incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks (0.66) are deducted.
      • No marks are deducted for unanswered questions.
  • CSAT (General Studies Paper-II):
    • Total Questions: 80
    • Total Marks: 200
    • Each question carries 2.5 marks.
    • UPSC negative marking: For every incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks (0.83) are deducted.
    • CSAT is qualifying in nature, and you need to score at least 33% to clear it.

UPSC Negative Marking 2025

UPSC negative marking is a critical aspect of the Prelims exam. It is designed to discourage random guessing. If you are unsure about an answer, it is better to leave the question unanswered rather than risk losing marks. Remember, no marks are deducted for unanswered questions.

CSAT Marking Scheme 2025

The CSAT marking scheme is straightforward. Since CSAT is a qualifying paper, you only need to score 66 marks out of 200 (33%) to clear it. However, it is essential to prepare well for CSAT as failing to qualify in this paper will disqualify you from the Mains exam, regardless of your performance in General Studies Paper-I.

UPSC Mains Marking Scheme 2025

The UPSC Mains exam is the second stage and consists of 9 descriptive-type papers. The UPSC mains marking scheme is more detailed and varies for each paper. Here’s a breakdown:

  • Qualifying Papers:
      • Paper-A (Indian Language): 300 marks (qualifying, marks not counted in the final tally).
      • Paper-B (English): 300 marks (qualifying, marks not counted in the final tally).
  • Merit Papers:
    • Essay Paper: 250 marks.
    • General Studies Papers (I to IV): 250 marks each (total 1000 marks).
    • Optional Subject Papers (Paper-I and Paper-II): 250 marks each (total 500 marks).
    • The UPSC mains total marks for merit papers are 1750. These marks, along with the Interview marks, determine your final rank.

UPSC Optional Marking Scheme 2025

UPSC optional marking scheme is part of the Mains exam. You can choose one optional subject from the list provided by UPSC. Each optional subject has two papers, and each paper carries 250 marks. The optional subject plays a significant role in determining your final score, so choose wisely and prepare thoroughly.

Tips to Maximize Marks in the UPSC Exam 2025

Here are a few tips and advice from the toppers which proved to be game changers in the preparation for the UPSC exam some tips are as follows:

  • Understand the Syllabus: Familiarize yourself with the UPSC syllabus and focus on high-weightage topics.
  • Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve previous year question papers to understand the UPSC marking scheme and question patterns.
  • Time Management: Allocate time wisely during the exam to attempt all questions.
  • Avoid Guesswork: Be cautious about UPSC negative markings and avoid random guessing.
  • Focus on Optional Subject: Since the optional subject carries 500 marks, prepare it thoroughly to boost your score.

Explore IAS Hub Courses for the upcoming UPSC Prelims 2025 and Mains Exam.

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UPSC Marking Scheme 2025 FAQs

Yes, UPSC negative marking applies in Prelims. For every incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks are deducted.

You need to score at least 66 marks out of 200 (33%) to qualify in the CSAT paper.

The UPSC mains total marks are 1750 for merit papers, and the Interview carries 275 marks, making it 2025 marks in total.

The UPSC mains marks distribution includes Essay (250 marks), General Studies (1000 marks), Optional Subject (500 marks), and Interview (275 marks).

 

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