UPSC Prelims Score & Negative Marking Calculator
Work out your net marks for GS Paper I and CSAT with one-third negative marking, compare them with ten years of UPSC cut-offs, or check your 2026 answers against UPSC's key.
Out of 100 total questions
+2.00 marks each
24
-0.67 marks each
18
0 marks penalty
Your verdict
Move the sliders to compare your score with UPSC's cut-offs.
💡 Did you know?
Cutting just 4 borderline wild guesses would recover +2.67 marks for your net score.
Audit your elimination strategy with ShivamHow this score compares with official UPSC CSE Cutoffs
Official minimum qualifying marks in GS Paper I published by UPSC with each final result. Every year since 2016, with Mains and final cut-offs →
116
Cleared105.34
Cleared98
Cleared98
Cleared92.51
Cleared87.54
Cleared88.22
Cleared75.41
Cleared87.98
Cleared92.66
ClearedPrelims 2026 · GS Paper I and CSAT
Check your 2026 Prelims answers
Tap the option you marked for each question. Your score is worked out against UPSC's provisional answer key (Series A). UPSC publishes its final key only after the final result, so a few answers may still change. Your picks stay on this device.
Had a Series B, C or D booklet? The questions are the same in a different order: find each one by its opening words.
Negative marking tests judgment as much as knowledge. Learn where to stop.
In your mocks, track accuracy separately for sure answers, 50-50 guesses and wild guesses. Within a few tests you will see which kind of guess earns you marks and which kind costs them.
Take the next step
Timed tests · UPSC's marking
PYQ Test Pass
Every Prelims and CSAT paper since 2011 as a timed test, sectional sets, a monthly ranked Grand Test and a mistakes bank, in English and Hindi.
One mentor · Prelims to interview
Prepare with a mentor who reads your answers
Weekly targets, a weekly one-to-one and every assigned Mains answer evaluated. Start with a free 30-minute strategy call.
Book · English + हिंदी
The UPSC Syllabus X-Ray
All 928 sub-topics of the syllabus, ranked by how often UPSC has asked them, so you know what to study first.
Marking Rules & Mechanics
Frequently asked questions about UPSC marking
How is negative marking calculated in UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1? +
In GS Paper 1, each of the 100 questions carries 2 marks (total 200 marks). For every incorrect answer, one-third (1/3) of the mark assigned to that question is deducted as negative marking penalty: 2 / 3 = 0.666 marks. Unattempted questions carry zero penalty.
What is the negative marking deduction for CSAT (Paper 2)? +
CSAT contains 80 questions carrying 2.5 marks each (total 200 marks). For every incorrect answer, one-third of 2.5 marks is deducted: 2.5 / 3 = 0.833 marks. Candidates must score at least 33%, that is 66 marks out of 200, to qualify CSAT.
What is the exact formula for calculating UPSC Prelims marks? +
For GS Paper 1: Net Score = (Correct Answers × 2) − (Incorrect Answers × 0.666). For CSAT: Net Score = (Correct Answers × 2.5) − (Incorrect Answers × 0.833).
What is considered a safe score for UPSC Prelims GS 1? +
UPSC does not publish a "safe score". It publishes the cut-off, and that moves with the paper. For the General category, the GS Paper I cut-off was 87.54 in 2021, 88.22 in 2022, 75.41 in 2023, 87.98 in 2024, 92.66 in 2025. Scoring above the highest of these gives you a margin, but a tougher or easier paper shifts the line, so treat any number as a target to beat in mocks, not a guarantee.
How many questions should I attempt in UPSC Prelims? +
There is no fixed right number; it depends on your accuracy. A wrong answer costs a third of what a right one earns, so attempts only help while you stay accurate. For example, 90 attempts at 70% accuracy gives 63 right and 27 wrong: 126 − 18 = 108 marks. Find your own number from timed mocks: note your accuracy on sure answers and on 50-50 guesses, and stop attempting where your guesses start losing marks.
