UPSC CMS Cut Off Marks
UPSC CMS cut off marks vary each year depending on the number of vacancies, difficulty level of the paper, and total candidates appearing. The final cut off is announced by UPSC after the personality test. Understanding how cut offs work helps you set a realistic target score and plan your attempt strategy accordingly.
Indicative Cut Off Marks (Out of 480)
| Year | General (UR) | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Not yet available | — | — | — |
| 2024 | ~345–365 | ~315–335 | ~300–315 | ~285–300 |
| 2023 | ~340–360 | ~310–330 | ~295–310 | ~280–295 |
| 2022 | ~330–355 | ~305–325 | ~285–305 | ~270–285 |
| 2021 | ~325–345 | ~300–320 | ~280–300 | ~265–280 |
| 2020 | ~320–340 | ~295–315 | ~275–295 | ~260–275 |
How UPSC CMS Cut Offs Are Determined
Cut offs are not pre-determined. They result from several interacting factors:
Vacancy count: Higher vacancies generally lead to lower cut offs. The 2026 exam has 1,358 vacancies, among the highest in recent years, which may contribute to a relatively favourable cut off.
Number of candidates appearing: CMS typically sees 15,000–25,000 candidates. The ratio of approximately 1 in 12–18 makes it less competitive per seat than NEET PG or INICET.
Paper difficulty: A harder paper pulls the cut off down, an easier one pushes it up. CMS difficulty has been moderately consistent from 2020–2025.
Category-wise norms: UPSC applies standard reservation. UR cut off is highest, followed by OBC, SC, and ST. Candidates must meet their own category’s cut off — a UR candidate cannot qualify using the SC cut off.
Cut Off Calculation Notes
Example: If you attempt 200 questions (out of 240) and get 160 correct, 40 wrong and leave 40 unattempted:
Score = (160 × 2) − (40 × 0.667) = 320 − 26.68 = 293.32
Strategy Tip: A typical cut-off-safe target for general category is approximately 75% accuracy on attempted questions with 85% attempt rate (about 205 questions attempted).
Scoring Strategy to Clear the Cut Off
Clearing the cut off requires a deliberate attempt strategy:
Attempt 85–90% with accuracy: Attempt around 200–215 questions while maintaining 75–80% accuracy. Be reasonably sure before marking, but do not leave too many unattempted.
Blind guessing is costly: Each wrong answer costs 0.667 marks. Random guessing on 20 questions statistically yields zero marks. But if you can eliminate two options, educated guessing between two becomes positive — that is where it helps.
Balance both papers: The cut off is combined. Do not neglect Paper II (Surgery, OBG, PSM). PSM is high-yield and often underprepared by candidates who focus only on clinical subjects.
Set a category-specific target: SC/ST candidates need lower scores than UR. Use the indicative table to set your target. For UR, aiming for 350+ out of 480 provides a comfortable margin.
Common Mistakes in Cut Off Estimation
Many candidates misjudge their chances due to avoidable errors:
Ignoring negative marking: The most common mistake. Calculate score as (Correct × 2) − (Wrong × 0.667), not simply 2 × correct.
Confusing written cut off with final cut off: The written cut off (to qualify for interview) is lower than the final allocation cut off. The personality test carries 100 marks and can shift your final ranking significantly.
Applying previous year cut offs blindly: Cut offs change every year with vacancy count and difficulty. A 2022 cut off cannot be directly applied to 2026.
Neglecting subjects: Candidates who score heavily in Medicine but ignore PSM or OBG lose easily gainable marks. A balanced approach across both papers is more reliable.