After the release of the Mains result, the successful candidates will progress to the final stage of the CSE – the Personality Test, commonly known as the interview.This stage assesses the candidates’ personality, leadership qualities, and suitability for a career in the civil services. The interview stage is an opportunity for the aspirants to present themselves beyond the written examinations, showcasing their depth of understanding and perspective on various issues. The interview carries a weightage of 275 marks, making it an integral part of the selection process.
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The ratio of shortlisting candidates for the interview round is typically around 1:3, meaning that approximately one in three candidates who clear the Mains exam will be invited for the interview. This indicates the highly competitive nature of the selection process and the importance of performing well in both the Mains and the interview.
UPSC CSE Mains Cut-off (Expected)
The cut-off marks for the UPSC CSE Mains vary from year to year and are determined by various factors, including the overall performance of the candidates, the difficulty level of the question papers, and the number of vacancies available. However, based on the trends of previous years, the expected cut-off for the General category in 2023 is estimated to be around 750 marks.
In the preceding year, out of approximately 6 lakh applicants, 13,090 candidates made it through the Prelims to the Mains stage. From this pool, a further shortlisting process resulted in 2,070 candidates being called for the interview round. The ratio of shortlisting for the interview phase is a testament to the stringent selection criteria set by the UPSC.
UPSC CSE 2022: Category-Wise Performance
The table illustrates the category-wise performance in UPSC CSE Prelims, Mains, and Final stages for the year 2022. It showcases the cut-off marks for each category, delineating the competitive landscape of the examination.
Taking the example of the different categories, the cut-off for the General category stood at 748 marks, while the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) had a cut-off of 715. Other categories such as OBC, SC, and ST had cut-offs of 714, 699, and 706, respectively. The cut-offs for candidates under the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) categories varied, with PwBD-1, PwBD-2, PwBD-3, and PwBD-5 having cut-offs of 677, 706, 351, and 419, respectively.
The cut-off marks for the Mains stage play a pivotal role in determining the fate of aspirants. The cut-off is the minimum score required to secure a spot in the next stage of the selection process or, ultimately, in the coveted list of successful candidates. Examining the cut-offs from the previous year provides valuable insights for aspirants aiming to decode the expectations of the examination process.