UPSC Cut Off Marks 2021: Detailed Analysis

The UPSC Cut Off 2021 were recently announced by Union Public Service Commission, and they provide valuable insights into the minimum marks required for selection in various categories. In this article, we will explore the UPSC Cut Off 2021 in detail and analyze the trends and patterns observed this year. We will also discuss the significance of these cut-off marks for aspirants, and provide tips on how to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services examination.

It is interesting to note that the minimum qualifying marks for the Preliminary exam have decreased this year despite the low number of vacancies. This could be due to various factors, such as changes in the exam pattern, the difficulty level of the paper, and the overall performance of the candidates.

However, the increase in the Mains and Final selection cut-off marks indicates that the competition at the later stages of the exam is still intense.

It is also noteworthy that a candidate needed only 47% marks to secure a place in the final merit rank list. This highlights the fact that the UPSC exam is not just about scoring high marks, but also about performing consistently across all stages of the exam.

Finally, the lower cut-off marks for candidates belonging to reservation categories are in line with the government’s policy of affirmative action to promote social equality and inclusion. Now we can jump into the detailed analysis of UPSC Cut off 2021 stagewise.

Table of Contents

UPSC Cut Off 2021

UPSC Prelims – 87.54 out of 200 (43.77%)
UPSC Mains – 745 out of 1750 (42.57%)
UPSC Interview – 953 out of 2025 (47.06%)

After UPSC Civil Services Exam 2021, there were many speculations and predictions regarding the UPSC Cut off Marks. Now an end to all rumors, UPSC released Cut off Marks for Civil Service Exam 2021.

Note: UPSC Cut off 2021 is based on GS Paper‐I only. However, General Studies Paper-II was of qualifying in nature, with 33% marks as per Rule 15 of the Civil Services Examination, 2021.

UPSC Cut Off 2020 – Comparison

UPSC Prelims – 92.51 out of 200 (46.25%)
UPSC Mains – 736 out of 1750 (42.05%)
UPSC Interview – 944 out of 2025 (46.61%)

The exam difficulty level was high that why UPSC Cut off Marks (prelims) went low in 2021

It’s interesting to note that the trend reversed in the Mains and Interview cut-offs, with 2021 having lower cut-offs than 2020. We are looking forward to see how these trends continue in the future.

UPSC Cut Off 2021: Categorywise Comparison

Exam	General	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD-1	PwBD-2	PwBD-3	PwBD-5
CSE Prelims	87.54	80.14	84.85	75.41	70.71	68.02	67.33	43.09	45.80
CSE Mains	745	713	707	700	700	668	712	388	560
CSE Final	953	916	910	886	883	892	932	689	701

UPSC Cut off 2020: Categorywise Comparison

Exam	General	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD-1	PwBD-2	PwBD-3	PwBD-5
CSE Prelims	92.51	77.55	89.12	74.84	68.71	70.06	63.94	40.82	42.86
CSE Mains	736	687	698	680	682	648	699	425	300
CSE Final	944	894	907	875	876	867	910	675	465

As we can see from the above tables, UPSC Mains cut off Marks were slightly higher in 2021 than 2020

UPSC Mains Cut-Off Marks 2021.

Now we straightly jump into UPSC Cut off 2021 analysis

Why UPSC Prelims Cut Off Mark went low in 2021?

It was not a surprise for the serious aspirants who prepared well for the exam. The cut-off went low due to various factors.

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The difficulty level of General Studies Paper 1 was increased
General Studies Paper 2 was also a bit difficult which eliminated some candidates who scored well in paper 1 and weak in General Studies Paper 2
All of the above, One question was deleted in Paper 1 which was unprecedented compared to 2020 or previous years.

How many Marks need to score to find your place in the final rank list for General Category?

To secure a spot in the final rank list under general merit for the prestigious Civil Services, candidates only needed to obtain 47% marks in 2021. This translates to a total score of 953 out of 2025.

It’s worth noting that although the UPSC has strict evaluation standards, achieving this score is certainly achievable for dedicated and hardworking aspirants

Variation in UPSC 2021 Final CutOff Score: Analysis for different categories

The cut-off score for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category was 37 marks lower than the general merit cut-off for final selection.
The Other Backward Classes (OBC) category cut-off score was 43 marks lower than the general category cut-off for final selection.
The UPSC 2021 Cut off scores for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories were lower by 67 and 70 marks, respectively, when compared to the general category cut-off (also known as the open merit cut-off).

Want to avoid repeating Mistakes?

Maybe many of you are close enough to clear UPSC Cut off 2021 but fail to avoid mistakes. This is a continuing story in most cases.

The only solution to avoid such mistakes is by practicing more and more. UPSC Exam 2024 is approaching 14 months away. If you make mistakes in practice tests then you have the option not to repeat the mistake in the next test. In that way, you can reduce the errors and make sure that you will clear prelims in 2024. To get the upper hand in Prelims, you need to join UPSC Prelims Test Series. Don’t be late and think too much. The door to Mains is not yet closed.

Five Mantras for getting succeed in UPSC Civil Service Exam

Understand and reread the UPSC Syllabus thoroughly
Start IAS Preparation with the basic IAS Study materials such as NCERT Books and standard UPSC Books
Test your progress continuously by taking UPSC Prelims Mock Tests and avoid mistakes.
Read Hindu Newspaper and other current affairs sources which are relevant to UPSC Exams specifically for UPSC Civil Services Exam
Start Answer Writing Practice for Civil Service Mains Exam from the right beginning of your IAS preparation