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UPSC mains total marks comprise 1750 for merit papers, excluding qualifying ones. The final rank is determined by adding the UPSC mains total marks and the 275 marks from the interview.
UPSC mains total marks depend on seven descriptive papers out of the total nine. The marks scored in language papers are not considered while calculating the final score of the candidate, as they are just qualifying in nature. The UPSC mains total mark distribution has remained stable at 1750. Candidates who obtain the cutoff marks determined by the UPSC will qualify for the Personality Test.
UPSC mains total marks are a reflection of the vastness and toughness of the exam. Candidates have to read a variety of subjects and perform reasonably well in all those subjects to secure a position on the merit list.
UPSC mains exam consists of nine papers, out of which two are qualifying in nature and the rest are considered to determine merit ranking. The details about the UPSC mains exam are provided in the table below.
| Exam Name | UPSC Civil Services (Main) Exam 2024 |
| Eligibility | Qualify Prelims |
| UPSC Mains Exam Date | Between 20th & 29th September 2024 |
| Exam Format | Descriptive Paper |
| Number of Papers | 9 |
| Duration | 3 hours each |
| Qualifying Papers | Paper A (Indian Language)
Paper B (English) |
| Papers used for Calculating Merit | Essay
General Studies 1 General Studies 2 General Studies 3 General Studies 4 Optional Paper 1 Optional Paper 2 |
| Cutoff marks | Varies (741 for General in 2023) |
UPSC mains total marks are pegged at 1750. A total of seven papers, each worth 250 marks, make up the total marks. Evaluation of the ‘Essay’, ‘General Studies, and Optional Subject papers of all candidates will occur concurrently with the assessment of their qualifying papers in ‘Indian Languages’ and ‘English’.
However, only candidates who achieve at least 25% marks in both ‘Indian Language’ and English in their qualifying papers will have their ‘Essay’, General Studies, and Optional Subject papers considered.
Marks from Essay, GS 1 to 4, and Optional Papers will be included in the merit ranking, with the Commission having the discretion to set qualifying marks for these papers. The breakdown of total marks is given below:
| Paper | Total Marks |
| Paper A: Indian Language | 300 (Only Qualifying) |
| Paper B: English | 300 (Only Qualifying) |
| Essay | 250 |
| General Studies 1 | 250 |
| General Studies 2 | 250 |
| General Studies 3 | 250 |
| General Studies 4 | 250 |
| Optional Paper 1 | 250 |
| Optional Paper 2 | 250 |
| Grand Total | 1750 |
The UPSC Mains examination is a crucial stage in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), testing candidates on various subjects through descriptive papers. Understanding the UPSC Mains total marks and subject-wise distribution is essential for effective preparation.
The UPSC Mains consists of nine papers, out of which seven contribute to the final merit ranking. The total marks for the merit-based papers amount to 1750 marks, while two language papers are of a qualifying nature.
| Subject-wise UPSC Mains Marks Distribution | ||
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks |
| Qualifying Papers | ||
| Paper A | Indian Language | 300 (Qualifying) |
| Paper B | English | 300 (Qualifying) |
| Merit Papers | ||
| Paper I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper II | General Studies-I | 250 |
| Paper III | General Studies-II | 250 |
| Paper IV | General Studies-III | 250 |
| Paper V | General Studies-IV | 250 |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject Paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject Paper 2 | 250 |
| Total Marks (Merit-based) | 1750 | |
The UPSC Mains does not have negative markings, making it crucial for candidates to focus on content, structure, and clarity while writing answers.
The marks of language papers are not considered while calculating UPSC mains total marks. A candidate has to just qualify these papers. The details of these papers are provided below.
| Paper | Marks | Nature of Paper | Minimum Marks Needed | Exam Duration |
| Paper A: Indian Language | 300 | Qualifying | 75 | 3 hrs |
| Paper B: English | 300 | Qualifying | 75 | 3 hrs |
Essay paper is considered while calculating UPSC mains total marks. A candidate needs to score at least 10% in this paper to be eligible to be considered for merit ranking. The details are given below.
| Paper | Marks | Nature of Paper | Minimum Marks Required | Exam Duration |
| Essay | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
General Studies have the highest weightage of 1000 marks out of the UPSC mains total marks. The marks scored in these papers will determine if a candidate qualifies Mains or not. The details of general studies papers are given below.
| Paper | Marks | Nature of Paper | Minimum Marks Required | Exam Duration |
| General Studies 1 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 2 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 3 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 4 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
The optional papers have the second highest weightage at 500 marks in the UPSC mains total marks. A candidate has a great opportunity to score more marks in optional papers. The details are given below.
| Paper | Marks | Nature of Paper | Minimum Marks Required | Exam Duration |
| Optional Paper 1 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
| Optional Paper 2 | 250 | Considered for Merit Ranking | 10% (25 marks) | 3 hrs |
Cutoff marks are the minimum marks a candidate has to score to secure qualification for a Personality Interview. The UPSC mains cutoff marks are not fixed and vary every year. The details of the cutoff marks for the last five years are given here.
| GM | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PWD-1 | PWD-2 | PWD-3 | PWD – 5 | |
| 2023 | 741 | 706 | 712 | 694 | 692 | 673 | 718 | 396 | 445 |
| 2022 | 748 | 715 | 714 | 699 | 706 | 677 | 706 | 351 | 419 |
| 2021 | 745 | 713 | 707 | 700 | 700 | 688 | 712 | 388 | 560 |
| 2020 | 736 | 687 | 698 | 680 | 682 | 648 | 699 | 425 | 300 |
| 2019 | 751 | 696 | 718 | 706 | 699 | 663 | 698 | 374 | 561 |
Clearing the cutoff is not an easy task. It is a whole process that needs a proper strategy and sincere dedication. Here are some tips you can follow to clear UPSC mains cutoff marks.
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| Must Read | |
| NCERT Notes For UPSC | UPSC Daily Current Affairs |
| UPSC Blogs | UPSC Daily Editorials |
| Daily Current Affairs Quiz | Daily Main Answer Writing |
| UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers | UPSC Test Series 2024 |
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