UPSC CSE Marking Scheme 2025: Negative Marking & Scoring

Cracking the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) isn’t just about hard work it’s about smart strategy. One wrong guess in Prelims could cost you dearly, while Mains rewards depth over speed. 🎯 With over 10 lakh aspirants competing for ~1,000 seats, understanding the UPSC marking scheme 2025 is like having a secret weapon.

This guide breaks down the negative marking rules, score calculation tricks, and expert-backed tactics to maximize your marks. Whether you’re a first-timer or a retaker, these insights could be the difference between selection and heartbreak.

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Key Highlights 📌

Aspect	Details
Exam Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Prelims Total Marks	400 (200 per paper)
Mains Total Marks	1,750 (7 papers)
Interview Marks	275
Negative Marking	Only in Prelims (⅓ deduction per wrong answer)
CSAT Qualifying Marks	33% (66/200)
Final Merit Calculation	Mains (1,750) + Interview (275)
Official Website	upsc.gov.in

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UPSC Prelims Marking Scheme🔍

The Prelims is a make-or-break stage. Here’s how scoring works:

1. General Studies (GS) Paper-I

• Questions: 100 MCQs
• Marks per question: +2 for correct, -0.66 for wrong (⅓ penalty)
• Total marks: 200
• Example: If you answer 70 correctly and 30 wrong, your score is:
• Correct: 70 × 2 = 140
• Deductions: 30 × 0.66 = 19.8
• Net score = 120.2

2. CSAT (GS Paper-II)

• Questions: 80 MCQs
• Marks per question: +2.5 for correct, -0.83 for wrong
• Qualifying marks: 66/200 (33%)
• Pro tip: Even if you ace GS-I, failing CSAT means disqualification .

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UPSC Mains Marking ✍️

Unlike Prelims, Mains is descriptive—no negative marking, but tougher evaluation:

Paper	Marks	Nature
Essay (Paper-I)	250	Merit-based
GS I-IV (Papers II-V)	250 each	Merit-based
Optional (Papers VI-VII)	250 each	Merit-based
Total (Mains)	1,750	Counted for final rank

Real-life insight: Topper Ishita Kishore (AIR 1, 2022) scored 54% in Mains—proving quality > quantity matters here .

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Interview (Personality Test): The 275-Mark Game Changer 🎤

• No negative marking, but tricky questions can derail confidence.
• What’s tested? Clarity, ethics, crisis handling (e.g., “How’d you handle a riot as DM?”)
• Expert tip: Retired IAS Amitabh Kant says, “Interviewers spot authenticity—not rehearsed answers” .

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5 Pro Tips to Beat Negative Marking & Maximize Scores 🏆

1. Prelims: Guess Smartly

• Eliminate 2 options before guessing (reduces wrong attempts by 50%).

1. Mains: Structure Matters

• Use bullet points, subheadings—examiners skim 1,000+ papers daily.

1. CSAT: Don’t Ignore It

• 20% of aspirants fail here despite clearing GS-I .

1. Interview: Be Yourself

• UPSC chairperson M. Sathiyavathy says, “We reject robotic candidates.”

1. Mock Tests: Track Speed

• Solve previous papers under timed conditions .

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Final Thought 🏃

The UPSC marking scheme rewards consistency, precision, and adaptability. While Prelims filters with negative marking, Mains and Interview test depth and personality.

Fun fact: Only 0.1% of applicants clear all stages—so every mark you save counts! 🎯