Calculate Your UPSC Prelims Marks with Negative Marking System
Calculate Your UPSC Exam Score – UPSC exams are already the toughest exam. And, to make it more difficult UPSC introduced a negative marking system. A negative marking system was introduced in 2007 first and since then it has been part of the marking pattern. Negative marking systems allow the checker to deduct certain marks if any IAS candidate provides the wrong answer. It impacts the total score and IAS aspirants lose a lot of marks owing to this marking system.
Exams patterns were changed in between but the model of negative marking remains the same. For each wrong answer, ⅓ marks are deducted from the total score i.e. 0.33%. This impacts your overall results. Don’t just wild guess your answer because it will certainly backfire.
You need to be very selective while answering the questions because one wrong answer may change the outcome of the results. Therefore, be very sure before answering the questions. If you guess any answer and you are not sure then it’s better to leave it as it is rather than losing the marks for right answers.
Check out How to Calculate Your UPSC Prelims Marks after negative marking.
UPSC has three stages of the exam and they are as follows:
- Preliminary examination
- Mains examination
- Personality test or Personality interview
A synopsis of Negative Marking in all three categories of UPSC exam:
| UPSC Exam Category | Negative Marking |
| Preliminary Exam | Yes |
| Mains Exam | No |
| Personality test | No |
Negative Marking Calculation for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary exam
As mentioned above, there is a 0.33% negative marking for each wrong. IAS prelims are mainly to eliminate the weaker candidates and it’s merely a qualifier exam. UPSC Prelims is divided into two papers.
Prelims Paper I & Prelims Paper II
| Prelims Exam | No of Questions | Total Marks | Maks for each right answer | Marks for each wrong answer |
| Preliminary Paper I | 100 | 200 | 2 | 0.66 |
| Preliminary Paper II | 80 | 200 | 2.5 | 0.83 |
Calculation method for UPSC Prelims Paper I:
IAS Prelims Paper I had 100 questions and each question carrying 2 marks. The total paper is of 200 marks.
If you have answered 60 questions correctly and 40 questions incorrectly then you score calculation would be:
Right Answers = 60 * 2 marks ( For each right answer)
Total Marks for right answers = 120
Now we will subtract the 0.33 % for each negative answer.
Wrong answers = 40 * 0.66 (For each wrong answer)
Total marks lost in negative marking = 40*0.66 = 26.4
So the total score after negative marking = Total marks for correct answers – Total marks for incorrect answers.
In this case, the final score of IAS Prelims paper I = 120-26.4 = 95.6
Calculation Method for UPSC Prelims Paper II:
Calculate Your UPSC Exam Score – IAS Prelims Paper II marks are also calculated in the same method. However, there are only 80 questions in Paper II so each right answer gives you 2.5 marks and each wrong answer leads to the deduction of 0.83 marks as per 1/3rd rule. There are a total of 80 questions for 200 marks and each question is worth 2.5 marks.
UPSC Prelims Paper II Score Calculation example:
Let’s Calculate the UPSC Exam Score, where the candidate has given 60 right answers and 20 wrong answers. Let’s calculate the score
Right Answers = 60 * 2.5 (For each right answer)
Total Marks before negative marking = 150
Wrong Answers = 20 * 0.83 (For each wrong answer)
Total Marks lost in negative marking = 16.6
The effective final score for the candidate in Prelims Paper II = 150-16.6 = 133.4
So if we calculate the final score for this candidate in Prelims after negative marking then the total score he would get is:
Prelims Paper I score after negative marking = 95.6
Prelims Paper II score after negative marking = 133.4
The final score would be after negative marking = 95.6+133.4 = 229
Once you go through this article thoroughly, you will be able to calculate marks on your own.
Special note: Prelims Paper II is only a qualifier paper. You need to get 33% to qualify this paper. However, Paper I score is used for the cut off purposes.
Important Points:
- There is no negative marking in UPSC mains exam. The nature of the question of Mains exams are subjective and the same goes for the Personality test.
- Decision-based or situation based questions are generally exempted from negative marking.
It’s a very simple calculation method. Even if you find any difficulty then you could reach our Whatsapp number. –
Frequently Asked Questions About (Prelims Negative marking calculation)
Questions: Does IAS mains have a negative marking pattern?
Answer: No, Mains answer is mainly subjective & essay type. There is no negative marking in UPSC Mains paper.
Question: When was Negative Marking introduced in UPSC exams?
Answer: UPSC introduced negative marking for Prelims in 2007.
Question: Is there negative marking in the IAS interview?
Answer: No, there is no negative marking in the IAS interview. UPSC only apply negative marking pattern in Civil Services Prelims examination
Source: https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-negative-mark-for-IAS-exam-prelims-and-Mains