UPSC Prelims Marks Calculator with Negative Marking

How to use this UPSC Prelims marks calculator

Tap a preset: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) or CSAT Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks). For any other exam, type the total questions and maximum marks yourself.
Enter how many questions you attempted in the paper or mock test.
Check your answers against the key and enter how many of the attempted questions were wrong.
Keep 1/3 negative marking for UPSC, or choose the ratio your exam uses, such as 1/4 for many SSC papers.
Press Calculate to see your net score, then Save Score to add it to your history and trend chart in this browser.

UPSC Prelims marking scheme at a glance

Paper	Questions	Marks per correct	Deduction per wrong	Total	Role
GS Paper I	100	2	0.66 (one-third of 2)	200	Decides the Prelims cut-off
CSAT (GS Paper II)	80	2.5	0.83 (one-third of 2.5)	200	Qualifying at 33% (66 marks)

UPSC deducts one-third of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer. This calculator uses the exact one-third (2/3 of a mark in GS Paper I), so three wrong answers cost exactly 2 marks. Unanswered questions score zero, and marking more than one option counts as a wrong answer.

The negative marking formula, with a worked example

Net score = (Correct × marks per question) − (Wrong × marks per question × 1/3)

GS Paper I example: you attempt 85 questions and 22 are wrong, so 63 are correct. Marks for correct answers = 63 × 2 = 126. Penalty = 22 × 2/3 = 14.67. Net score = 111.33 out of 200, which is above every official General category cut-off from 2020 to 2025 (the highest was 92.66 in 2025).

CSAT example: you attempt 60 questions and 15 are wrong, so 45 are correct. 45 × 2.5 = 112.5, minus 15 × 0.8333 = 12.5, gives 100 out of 200. That clears the 66-mark qualifying line comfortably.

Tips and common mistakes

Use the right maximum marks. GS Paper I and CSAT both total 200 marks, but CSAT has 80 questions, so each one is worth 2.5 marks.
Know the break-even point. A blind guess among four options has an expected value of zero. Eliminating one option turns a guess into a small expected gain; eliminating two makes it clearly worthwhile.
Do not ignore CSAT. A strong GS Paper I score does not count if you score below 66 in CSAT.
Treat coaching answer keys as estimates. UPSC releases its official Prelims answer key only after the final result of that year’s examination, so your exact score can change.
Track mocks, not one paper. Save each mock score and watch the trend line; the Prelims score simulator compares a score with past official cut-offs.

Frequently asked questions

How many marks are deducted for a wrong answer in UPSC Prelims?

One-third of the marks for that question is deducted: 0.66 marks in GS Paper I, where each question carries 2 marks, and 0.83 marks in CSAT, where each question carries 2.5 marks. A question you leave blank carries no penalty.

How do I calculate my UPSC Prelims GS Paper I score?

Multiply your correct answers by 2 and subtract two-thirds of a mark for every wrong answer. For example, 60 correct and 20 wrong gives 120 − 13.33 = 106.67 out of 200.

What is the qualifying mark for CSAT?

You need at least 33% in CSAT (GS Paper II), which is 66 out of 200. CSAT is qualifying only, so its marks are not added to your merit; the Prelims cut-off is decided on GS Paper I alone.

What was the UPSC Prelims cut-off in 2025?

The official General category cut-off for CSE 2025 Prelims was 92.66 out of 200 in GS Paper I. The other categories were EWS 89.34, OBC 92.00, SC 84.00 and ST 82.66, as published by UPSC.

Is guessing worth it in UPSC Prelims?

A completely blind guess between four options has an expected score of zero, because the average gain (0.5 marks) equals the average penalty (0.5 marks). If you can rule out even one option, a guess gains about 0.22 marks on average.

What happens if I mark more than one answer?

It is treated as a wrong answer and attracts the same one-third penalty, even if one of the options you marked is correct.