UPSC Prelims Expected Cut Off 2025, Last 5 Years’ Trends, Exam Analysis

UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025: Check the expected UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 here. Also, view the UPSC Prelims Cut Off trends for the last 5 years.

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UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 is a very important criterion for candidates aiming to qualify for the prestigious Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 determines whether a candidate will proceed to the next stage of the examination—the UPSC Mains 2025. This article gives a whole and comprehensive view of everything you need to know about the UPSC Prelims Cut-off 2025, including trends, previous years’ data, and expectations for the future.

The UPSC Prelims Cut off plays a critical role in determining a candidate’s progress in the Civil Services Examination. Understanding the trends from the UPSC Prelims Cut off previous years, anticipating the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 will help candidates stay ahead in the race. UPSC Prelims Expected Cut off 2025 will be provided soon.

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025

What is the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025?

UPSC Prelims cut off 2025 is the minimum score that candidates must secure in the UPSC Preliminary Exam to be eligible for the UPSC Mains exam. It is decided by the UPSC based on several factors, including the difficulty level of the paper, the number of candidates, and the total number of vacancies in the Civil Services.

Also Read: UPSC CSAT Exam Analysis 2025

UPSC Prelims Expected Cut Off 2025

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 was conducted on May 25, 2025. While the official cutoff marks will be released alongside the final results in 2026, TheIAShub coaching institute experts have provided expected cutoff ranges based on the exam’s difficulty and past trends.

Expected UPSC Prelims 2025 Cutoff (General Studies Paper I)

Category Expected Cutoff Range
General 85–90 marks
EWS 82–87 marks
OBC 83–88 marks
SC 74–78 marks
ST 70–74 marks
PwBD-1 68–72 marks
PwBD-2 65–70 marks
PwBD-3 40–45 marks
PwBD-5 40–45 marks

UPSC Prelims Exam Analysis 2025

The UPSC Prelims 2025, held on 25 May 2025, was marked by a moderate to difficult level of questioning, with a noticeable shift toward analytical and conceptual understanding. General Studies Paper I featured a significant number of statement-based and current affairs-linked questions, especially in Geography, which many candidates found challenging. Other subjects like Polity, History, and Environment maintained a moderate difficulty level. The CSAT paper was also tougher than usual, with lengthy comprehension passages and complex reasoning and quantitative aptitude questions, making time management a key challenge. Overall, the exam tested depth over breadth, favoring well-prepared aspirants with strong conceptual clarity.

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Exam Analysis 2025

UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 Difficulty Level

The UPSC Prelims 2025, conducted on 25 May 2025, was reported to be moderately tough by the majority of the candidates and experts too. General Studies Paper I comprised an even mix of fact and analytical questions and witnessed a clear increase in environment, science and technology, and international affairs questions. History and polity still maintained a consistent weightage, while current affairs were addressed in moderation but tended to be posed indirectly in a way requiring more conceptual knowledge. CSAT (Paper II) also proved to be a moderate to slightly tough test, especially in the comprehension and data interpretation sections that proved time-consuming for many test-takers. Overall, due to the well-proportioned but conceptually demanding nature of the paper, the expected cut-off for the General category is likely to be in the range of 85–90 marks, slightly less than last year’s cut-off.

Component Analysis
Exam Date 25 May 2025
Overall Difficulty Moderately Difficult
General Studies Paper I Balanced mix of factual and analytical questions
Key Subjects Environment, Science & Tech, International Affairs
Other Subjects History and Polity (steady weightage), Current Affairs (moderate, indirect)
CSAT (Paper II) Moderate to slightly tough; comprehension and data interpretation were time-consuming
Expected Cut-Off (General Category) 85–90 marks

UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025

Like the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2024 the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 will depend on several factors such as the exam’s difficulty level, changes in the reservation policy, and the overall performance of candidates. However, candidates can take note of the following tips to improve their chances of scoring higher:

  • Focus on Current Affairs: The General Studies paper is heavily influenced by current affairs. A solid understanding of the latest developments can make a big difference.
  • Revise Regularly: Regular revision helps in retaining information and improving accuracy in the exam.
  • Practice Mock Tests: Mock tests help familiarize candidates with the pattern and improve time management skills.
  • Balanced Preparation: Do not neglect any subject. A balanced preparation approach can help ensure that you are well-prepared for all areas.

Also Read: CSAT Question Paper 2025

UPSC Prelims Cut off Last 5 Years

Here is an overview of the UPSC Prelims official cut off marks from 2020 to 2024. These cut-offs are released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) after the final result and show the minimum marks required to qualify for the Mains exam.

UPSC Official Cut-Offs (2020–2024)

Year Gen OBC SC ST EWS PwBD 1 PwBD 2 PwBD 3 PwBD 5
2024 87.98 87.28 79.03 74.23 85.92 69.42 65.30 40.56 40.56
2023 75.41 74.75 59.25 47.82 68.02 40.40 47.13 40.40 33.68
2022 88.22 87.54 74.08 69.35 82.83 49.84 58.59 40.40 41.76
2021 87.54 84.85 75.41 70.71 80.14 68.02 67.33 40.03 45.80
2020 92.51 89.12 74.84 68.71 77.55 70.06 63.94 40.82

How is UPSC Prelims Cut off Calculated?

The UPSC Prelims Cut off is calculated based on the total marks of two papers—General Studies Paper-I and the CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) Paper-II.

  • General Studies Paper-I is the key paper for deciding the cutoff.
  • CSAT Paper-II is qualifying. Candidates need to score at least 33% in CSAT to proceed to the next stage, but the marks obtained in CSAT are not included in the total cut off.

The UPSC Prelims Cut off is determined after considering the overall performance of candidates and the level of difficulty of the exam.

Factors Affecting the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025

The UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 is one of the most awaited figures for every civil services aspirant. It determines whether a candidate qualifies for the Mains examination and is influenced by a variety of factors. While the cut-off marks vary each year, understanding the key elements that impact the UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 can help students better analyze their chances and prepare accordingly.

  • Number of Vacancies: The total number of vacancies released by UPSC plays a crucial role. A higher number of vacancies may lead to a lower UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025, while fewer vacancies may push the cut-off higher due to increased competition.
  • Difficulty Level of the Exam: The complexity of questions in the General Studies Paper-I directly affects the cut-off. If the paper is tough, the UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 is likely to be on the lower side, and vice versa.
  • Number of Candidates Appearing: A large number of serious aspirants appearing in the exam increases the competition. This may result in a higher UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025, especially if many candidates perform well.
  • Overall Performance of Candidates: If the majority of candidates score high marks, the cut-off tends to rise. Hence, the average performance of all aspirants impacts the UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 significantly.
  • Reservation and Category-Wise Cut Off: The cut-off differs for each category (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwBD). The UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 will also reflect this category-wise variation based on the reservation policy.
  • Previous Year Trends: Analyzing past year cut-offs can help predict the UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2025 range. However, it should be considered only as a reference, not a fixed benchmark.

UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025: What to Expect?

Since the UPSC Prelims 2025 will be concluded on 25th May 2025, official UPSC Prelims Cut off will be declared by the UPSC after the final declaration of result. While predicting the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 can be tricky, certain trends can offer some insight. 

Based on the exam’s difficulty level, the number of vacancies, and the previous years’ cutoffs, it is expected that the UPSC Prelims Cut off 2025 will be similar to that of previous years.  However, if the exam becomes relatively easier or if the number of vacancies increases, there could be a decrease in the cutoff.

Candidates must keep in mind that their preparation strategy should aim for a score higher than the expected cutoff, as this will give them a buffer in case the exam is difficult.

UPSC Prelims Cut off FAQs

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The expected cut-off of UPSC Prelims is between 90 to 95 marks. The reason is that the UPSC prelims 2024 was seen as Moderate.

The UPSC Prelims Cut Off for CSAT paper is fixed at 33% out of 200 marks which is approximately 66 marks. The UPSC Prelims Cut Off analysis is provided here to help you understand the evolution of minimum passing marks over the years.

The minimum qualifying mark to successfully clear the UPSC CSAT paper is fixed at 33% by the Union Public Service Commission. It is a 200-mark paper in which candidates need to score at least 66 marks to qualify.

No, the cut off is released after the final results of the examination to maintain confidentiality during the selection process.

 


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Are you dreaming of becoming an IAS officer? Then, IAShub can be your best guide. It is one of the Best IAS Coaching in Delhi. Many students who want to clear the UPSC exam join IAShub for learning. The institute gives both online and offline classes. Their teachers are experienced and helpful. They easily explain every topic. Students also get notes, tests, and tips to do well in the exam.

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UPSC Exam Overview

The UPSC Civil Services Exam has three parts:

  • Prelims: It has two papers: General Studies and CSAT.
  • Mains: It has nine papers, including essays and optional subjects.
  • Interview: It tests the personality and confidence of the student.

This exam is tough, but with the right guidance, it becomes easy to manage. Students must study smart and stay regular.

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Best IAS Coaching In Delhi FAQs

Yes, IAShub offers live and recorded online classes. Students can attend from any part of India.

Classes are available in both English and Hindi, so students can choose the language they are comfortable with.

The classroom centre is located in Delhi. Students can visit and join offline batches there.

IAShub gives interview guidance sessions to help students prepare for the final round of UPSC.
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