Short answer: according to RPSC's official result notices, the RAS Prelims cut-off for the General category (male posts) was 84.72 in 2021, 100.69 in 2023 and 71.59 in 2024. The paper carries 200 marks. Cut-offs swing by almost 30 marks from one year to the next, depending mainly on how difficult the paper was, so treat past cut-offs as a range, not a target.
Official cut-off marks: General and reserved categories
These are the figures printed in RPSC's "Result Preamble and Cut-Off Marks" notices for the Preliminary Examination. RPSC also publishes separate cut-offs for widow, divorcee, ex-servicemen, sportsperson and disability categories; see the source PDFs below.
Male posts
| Category | 2021 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 84.72 | 100.69 | 71.59 |
| EWS | 84.72 | 100.69 | 71.59 |
| OBC | 84.72 | 100.69 | 71.59 |
| MBC | 84.72 | 99.31 | 71.59 |
| SC | 72.69 | 91.49 | 63.98 |
| ST | 76.85 | 94.25 | 67.56 |
Female posts
| Category | 2021 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 79.63 | 97.01 | 69.80 |
| EWS | 79.63 | 97.01 | 69.80 |
| OBC | 79.63 | 97.01 | 69.80 |
| MBC | 79.63 | 84.60 | 63.98 |
| SC | 66.20 | 82.30 | 59.51 |
| ST | 72.22 | 91.49 | 63.98 |
The notices list further rows for scheduled-area candidates: "TSP" in 2021, "SA" in 2023 and 2024. For example, the General (SA) cut-off for male posts was 100.69 in 2023 and 65.32 in 2024. Check the PDF for your exact category.
How many candidates qualified for Mains
| Exam | Prelims held on | Result date | Candidates declared qualified |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAS 2021 | 27 October 2021 | 19 November 2021 | 20,102 |
| RAS 2023 | 1 October 2023 | 20 October 2023 | 19,348 |
| RAS 2024 | 2 February 2025 | 20 February 2025 | 21,539 |
The counts are the "Total Candidates" figures printed in each notice. All three results came out within about three weeks of the exam (18 to 23 days).
What the numbers tell you
- The cut-off follows the paper, not a formula. 2023 needed about 29 marks more than 2024 in the General category. The style of the 2024 paper, the most statement-heavy of the three according to our previous-year analysis, is one likely reason it was lower. That is our interpretation, not an RPSC statement.
- Reserved-category gaps also vary. SC (male) was 12.03 marks below General in 2021, 9.20 in 2023 and 7.61 in 2024.
- Female posts have separate, usually somewhat lower cut-offs, as in all three years above.
Using past cut-offs for 2026 preparation
- Aim above the highest recent figure in your category on full-length practice papers, not at the average. A General-category candidate who scores well above 100 on RPSC-level papers is covered even in a high-cut-off year.
- Remember the scale. The cut-offs are on the 200-mark scale. Our mock tests score out of 150, so multiply a mock score by 4/3 before you compare (see the exam pattern guide).
- Don't treat mock scores as predictions. A mock that is harder or easier than the real paper shifts your score. Our guide on analysing mock scores shows what to track instead.
- Mains and the interview decide selection. Prelims is a screening test, and its marks are not counted in the final merit.
Official sources
- RAS Prelims 2021: Result preamble and cut-off marks (RPSC, 19 November 2021)
- RAS Prelims 2023: Result preamble and cut-off marks (RPSC, 20 October 2023)
- RAS Prelims 2024: Result preamble and cut-off marks (RPSC, 20 February 2025)
Figures copied from the RPSC PDFs on 11 November 2026. RASTestSeries.com is not affiliated with RPSC. Cut-offs for 2026 will be set by RPSC after the exam; no one can know them in advance.