UPSC prelims deducts one third of the marks assigned to a question for an incorrect answer. Leaving a question unanswered attracts no penalty, while marking more than one answer counts as wrong even if one choice is correct. These rules apply to the objective papers under the official Civil Services Examination 2026 notice, including General Studies Paper II, commonly called CSAT.
| Response | Effect under the notice |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | Marks assigned to that question |
| Wrong answer | One third of the question's marks deducted |
| More than one answer | Treated as wrong |
| No answer | No penalty |
| CSAT qualifying requirement | 33 percent of 200 marks |
How is UPSC prelims negative marking calculated?
The rule is linked to the value of the individual question. It is not a flat deduction of one third of a mark for every wrong response. In the official 2026 examination notice, the Commission describes the deduction as one third, with 0.33 shown in brackets. That distinction matters whenever candidates compare scores from papers whose questions carry different marks.
For illustration, suppose a question carries three marks. A correct response earns three and an incorrect response loses one. If a practice exercise has 20 correct answers, six incorrect answers and the rest blank, with every question worth three marks, the arithmetic is 60 minus six, or 54. This is an example of the rule, not a description of the actual question count or marks per question in either UPSC paper.
The general calculation is: marks from correct answers minus one third of the marks attached to wrong answers. Keep unanswered questions in a separate column when checking a response sheet. They do not become wrong answers merely because the candidate did not attempt them. Similarly, counting only the number attempted cannot establish a score without separating correct and incorrect responses.
Does CSAT have negative marking?
Yes. Paper II is qualifying, but that does not remove the penalty for incorrect answers. The notice places negative marking within the preliminary examination scheme and separately specifies the qualifying standard for General Studies Paper II. A candidate should therefore work out the net score after deductions before comparing it with the qualifying threshold.
Both preliminary papers carry 200 marks and each lasts two hours under the 2026 scheme. Paper II requires at least 33 percent. On a 200 mark paper, that percentage equals 66 marks. This figure is the arithmetic equivalent of the published requirement; it is not a forecast of the General Studies Paper I cutoff or a statement about final selection.
UPSC draws the list for the mains stage using the Paper II qualifying condition and the qualifying marks it determines for Paper I. A strong Paper I performance cannot substitute for meeting the Paper II requirement. Likewise, clearing the CSAT requirement does not by itself mean a candidate qualifies for mains. The two checks must be read together.
What happens if two options are marked?
The notice expressly treats more than one answer as an incorrect answer, even where one of the selected alternatives is right. A candidate cannot collect partial credit by selecting several possible answers. The same penalty applies as for any other wrong response. This is a useful rule to remember when reviewing practice sheets that allow multiple selections but are meant to simulate a single answer examination.
A blank answer is different. The notice says no penalty applies where no answer is given. That does not turn leaving questions blank into a universal examination strategy. The official document prescribes scoring, not a recommended number of attempts. Any practice target should recognise that a higher attempt count can include more wrong responses and therefore a larger deduction.
How should candidates check a practice score?
First, identify the marks assigned to each question in the paper being used. Next, total the marks for correct answers. Then calculate the penalty for incorrect answers, including questions where more than one response was marked. Finally, subtract that penalty and compare the resulting net score with the relevant qualifying requirement. Keep full precision during the calculation rather than repeatedly rounding intermediate deductions.
Do not use a practice score to claim an official result. Answer keys, the Commission's assessment and the examination specific instructions control the real outcome. The 2026 notice also makes attendance in both preliminary papers mandatory for evaluation. Missing one paper leads to disqualification under that provision, regardless of a candidate's estimated score in the other paper.
This guide explains the published 2026 scoring rules. Candidates preparing for a later examination should read that year's notice before relying on the same scheme. For the wider process, see our guides to UPSC examination stages, age limits and attempts and optional subject rules.
