UPSC CSE 2025 Cut-Off Marks: Complete Category-Wise Breakdown
The Union Public Service Commission has officially released the minimum qualifying marks for Civil Services Examination 2025 — covering Prelims, Mains, and the Final merit list. Here is everything you need to know, with a full data breakdown and strategic implications for future aspirants.
The UPSC CSE 2025 Prelims General category cut-off stands at 92.66 marks (GS Paper-I). The Mains cut-off for General is 739 marks, and the Final cut-off is 963 marks. Cut-offs have been released for all eight categories including EWS, OBC, SC, ST, and PwBD sub-categories.
Understanding the CSE 2025 Cut-Off Release
Every year, after the final results of the Civil Services Examination are declared, UPSC publishes the minimum qualifying marks secured by the last recommended candidate across all categories and all three stages of the examination. This data — often called the "cut-off" — is among the most closely studied figures in competitive examination planning.
On 9 March 2026, UPSC officially released the cut-off marks for CSE 2025. The data covers three examination stages: the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, the Civil Services Main Examination, and the Final merit (which combines Mains written marks and Personality Test scores).
For aspirants preparing for CSE 2026, this data is not merely historical — it is a planning benchmark. Understanding where the bar was set, how categories compare, and what the marks imply for preparation intensity is a critical part of any serious strategy.
The Prelims cut-off marks are calculated only on the basis of GS Paper-I. GS Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature, with a minimum requirement of 33% marks as per Rule-15 of the Civil Services Examination 2025. A candidate must clear both, but only GS Paper-I scores determine the merit for shortlisting to Mains.
CSE 2025 Prelims Cut-Off Marks (GS Paper-I)
The following are the minimum marks secured by the last recommended candidate at the Preliminary stage, across all categories:
| Category | Prelims Cut-Off (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 92.66 |
| EWS (Economically Weaker Section) | 89.34 |
| OBC (Other Backward Classes) | 92.00 |
| SC (Scheduled Castes) | 84.00 |
| ST (Scheduled Tribes) | 82.66 |
| PwBD-1 (Locomotor disability incl. cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy) | 76.66 |
| PwBD-2 (Blindness and low vision) | 54.66 |
| PwBD-3 (Deaf and Hard of hearing) | 40.66 |
| PwBD-5 (Multiple disabilities) | 40.66 |
Note: Prelims is a screening test. These marks reflect the threshold for shortlisting to Mains — not for final selection.
CSE 2025 Mains Cut-Off Marks
The Mains cut-off reflects the minimum aggregate marks secured across the seven competitive written papers — Essay, GS-I, GS-II, GS-III, GS-IV, Optional Paper-I, and Optional Paper-II — by the last candidate called for the Personality Test (interview).
To be considered for the Personality Test, a candidate must have secured at least 10% marks in each of the seven competitive papers (Essay, GS-I, GS-II, GS-III, GS-IV, Optional-I, and Optional-II), in addition to meeting the overall aggregate cut-off.
| Category | Mains Cut-Off (Written) |
|---|---|
| General | 739 |
| EWS | 706 |
| OBC | 717 |
| SC | 700 |
| ST | 694 |
| PwBD-1 | 703 |
| PwBD-2 | 708 |
| PwBD-3 | 536 |
| PwBD-5 | 451 |
CSE 2025 Final Cut-Off Marks
The Final cut-off represents the minimum aggregate marks (Mains written + Personality Test) secured by the last recommended candidate in the final merit list for service allocation. This is the true measure of what it takes to make it into the IAS, IFS, IPS, and other Group A and B Central Services.
| Category | Final Cut-Off (Mains + Interview) |
|---|---|
| General | 963 |
| EWS | 926 |
| OBC | 931 |
| SC | 905 |
| ST | 902 |
| PwBD-1 | 917 |
| PwBD-2 | 944 |
| PwBD-3 | 804 |
| PwBD-5 | 631 |
The Final marks are the aggregate of CS(Main) written examination marks and Personality Test marks.
How UPSC Resolves Ties in Final Ranking
When two or more candidates secure identical aggregate marks in CSE 2025, UPSC resolves the tie using a three-step principle approved by the Commission:
- Compulsory Papers + Interview: The candidate securing more marks in the five compulsory common papers (Essay, GS-I, GS-II, GS-III, GS-IV) combined with Personality Test marks is ranked higher.
- Compulsory Papers Only: If still equal, the candidate with higher marks in the five compulsory written papers alone (excluding the interview) is ranked higher.
- Seniority in Age: If marks remain identical after both above criteria, the older candidate is ranked higher.
Compulsory Papers = Essay, General Studies-I, II, III, and IV. Optional papers are excluded from tie-breaking.
What the CSE 2025 Cut-Offs Tell Us: A Strategic Reading
1. The Prelims Bar Remains Demanding for General and OBC
With the General category cut-off at 92.66 and OBC at 92.00 (out of 200), the Prelims threshold remains high for the two largest candidate pools. The proximity of OBC and General cut-offs reflects the competitive nature of both categories. A score above 100 in GS Paper-I should be the practical preparation target for a safe margin.
2. The Mains Written Cut-Off Is Where the Real Gap Opens
The Mains cut-off for General (739) versus ST (694) shows a 45-mark differential. Given the scope of the Mains examination, consistent performance across all seven papers — not peak performance in one or two — determines Mains qualification. Single-paper spikes cannot compensate for weakness elsewhere.
3. The Final Cut-Off: Interview Marks Matter Significantly
The difference between the Mains written cut-off and the Final cut-off for General category is 963 − 739 = 224 marks. The Personality Test carries a maximum of 275 marks. This means candidates near the Mains cut-off boundary need a strong interview performance to make the final list — the interview is not supplementary but integral to the selection calculus.
4. PwBD-2 Final Cut-Off Is Notably Higher than PwBD-1
PwBD-2 (Blindness and low vision) has a Final cut-off of 944 — higher than PwBD-1 (917) — despite having a significantly lower Prelims cut-off (54.66 vs 76.66). This pattern may reflect vacancy availability and candidate performance distribution within each PwBD sub-category, and is worth tracking across future cycles.
Official UPSC Cut-Off Document
The following is the official cut-off marks document released by the Union Public Service Commission for Civil Services Examination 2025, dated 9 March 2026. You may also open it directly on upsc.gov.in.
Official document published by the Union Public Service Commission · 9 March 2026
- Prelims target: Aim for 100+ in GS Paper-I regardless of category. Ensure CSAT clears 33% comfortably — do not neglect it entirely.
- Mains strategy: Consistent performance across all seven papers is more reliable than exceptional scores in two or three. Avoid paper-wise collapse.
- 10% per paper rule: A hard eligibility condition. Scoring near-zero in any one paper disqualifies regardless of overall total.
- Interview weight: With the Personality Test carrying up to 275 marks, candidates near the Mains cut-off must treat interview preparation as primary — not residual.
- Tie-breaking awareness: Compulsory papers (Essay + all four GS papers) carry special weight in ranking. Optional papers do not factor into tie-breaking.
- Category verification: Ensure your category certificate is valid and updated. Cut-off differences between categories are data-backed — claims must be supported by proper documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GS Paper-II (CSAT) considered for the Prelims cut-off?
No. The Prelims cut-off is based solely on GS Paper-I. GS Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature, with a minimum requirement of 33% marks as per Rule-15 of the Civil Services Examination, 2025. Both papers must be attempted, but only Paper-I score determines Mains shortlisting.
What does the Final cut-off include?
The Final cut-off is the aggregate of marks secured in the Civil Services Main written examination and the Personality Test (interview). It represents the total score of the last recommended candidate in each category for final service allocation.
Can a candidate with Mains marks above the cut-off be excluded from the final list?
Yes. Mains written cut-off determines eligibility for the Personality Test, not the final list. The Final cut-off is a separate, higher threshold. A candidate must also meet the 10% per paper minimum in each of the seven competitive papers.
How are PwBD categories defined?
PwBD-1 covers locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy. PwBD-2 covers blindness and low vision. PwBD-3 covers deaf and hard of hearing. PwBD-5 covers multiple disabilities.
Where can I access the official cut-off document?
The official document is available on the UPSC website at upsc.gov.in. It was released on 9 March 2026.
Conclusion
The CSE 2025 cut-off data is a precise, official mirror of where the competitive bar sits across every stage and category of India's most demanding examination. For General category aspirants, the threshold of 92.66 at Prelims, 739 at Mains, and 963 at Final is clear. For reserved category aspirants, the data confirms meaningful, structured relief — but also reveals that the distances are not vast.
For anyone preparing for CSE 2026, the right use of this data is neither anxiety nor complacency. It is calibration — knowing what the floor is, and building a preparation plan that places you well above it across all stages.
At Legacy IAS, our mentorship approach is built around exactly this: helping aspirants translate data like this into a grounded, personalised, stage-by-stage strategy — rather than chasing cut-offs in isolation from what actually builds scores.
