What Is The Pass Mark And Category-wise Cut-off For Assam Public Service Commission (apsc) Examination?

To clear this common confusion, here’s a detailed explanation of how APSC determines the qualifying marks and cut-off scores for candidates appearing in the APSC Preliminary Examination.

1. Understanding APSC Exam Structure

The APSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) consists of three stages:

1. Preliminary Examination – Screening test with objective-type papers.

2. Main Examination – Descriptive papers evaluating analytical and writing skills.

3. Interview (Personality Test) – Final selection stage.

The Preliminary Exam acts as the first filter, and only those candidates who meet the cut-off marks are allowed to appear for the Main Examination.

2. Is There a Fixed Pass Mark for APSC?

There is no single or fixed “pass mark” for the APSC exam. Instead, there are two important benchmarks:

1. Qualifying Marks for the CSAT Paper (Paper-II)

2. Category-wise Cut-Off Marks for General Studies Paper-I

Let’s understand each of these in detail.

3. Minimum Qualifying Marks for APSC CSAT (Paper-II)

• You must score at least 33% marks to qualify.

• The marks obtained in the CSAT paper are not counted towards the final merit for the prelims.

• Failing to secure 33% will disqualify you, even if you score high in the other paper.

4. How the APSC Cut-Off Marks Are Calculated

• Number of candidates appearing

• Difficulty level of the question paper

• Number of available vacancies

• Category and gender of the candidate

Hence, cut-off marks change every year — there is no fixed pass mark.

5. APSC Cut-Off Trends (Example for 2025 Prelims)

To understand how cut-offs differ, here’s an example:

These are indicative numbers to show how marks vary among categories and genders. The official figures are released by APSC after every examination cycle.

6. Where to Check Official APSC Cut-Off Marks

1. Visit the official APSC website: https://apsc.nic.in

2. Navigate to the Results or Cut-Off Marks section.

3. Look for the APSC CCE Preliminary or Main Cut-Off Notification.

4. Download and verify your category-wise cut-off score.

Always rely on the official PDF notification to confirm the cut-off marks for your exam cycle.

7. Key Points to Remember About APSC Pass Marks

• There is no fixed pass mark; the required score changes annually.

• You must score a minimum of 33% in CSAT to qualify that paper.

• Only marks from General Studies Paper-I are considered for the Preliminary cut-off.

• The cut-off marks differ by category and gender.

• The APSC website is the only authentic source for official data.

8. APSC Main Examination Qualifying Marks

Once a candidate clears the Preliminary Examination, they move on to the Main Examination, which includes essay-type descriptive papers.

While the cut-off for the Main Exam is declared after evaluation, candidates must:

• Secure minimum qualifying marks in each paper as prescribed by APSC.

• Perform well across all papers to reach the interview stage.

The final merit list for APSC is based on Main Exam + Interview marks combined.

9. Tips to Score Above APSC Cut-Off

If you are preparing for the APSC exam, here are a few strategies to increase your chances:

• Focus more on General Studies Paper-I, as it determines your selection for Mains.

• Aim to score 10–15 marks above the previous year’s cut-off for your category.

• Practice mock tests to manage time and accuracy.

• Revise Assam-related current affairs, as APSC emphasizes regional knowledge.

• Keep updated with the official APSC notifications for exam changes.

10. Conclusion

To summarize, the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) does not prescribe a fixed pass mark for its Combined Competitive Examination. Instead, candidates must:

• Qualify the CSAT paper with a minimum of 33% marks, and

• Meet or exceed the category-wise cut-off in General Studies Paper-I.

The cut-off marks vary every year depending on competition, category, and gender. Therefore, aspirants should always refer to the official APSC website for the most accurate and updated information on qualifying marks and selection criteria.

Summary :
The APSC exam qualifying marks depend on a 33% minimum requirement in the CSAT paper and category-wise cut-off in the General Studies paper. There is no fixed pass mark, and the cut-off varies annually for different categories and genders. Official cut-off marks are published on the APSC website after every exam cycle.