UPSC CAPF (AC) Expected Cut Off 2026; Category-Wise Paper 1 Cut Off, Previous Year Trends & Selection Process

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the CAPF (Assistant Commandants) Examination 2026 on 19 July 2026 for recruitment to 349 Group A officer vacancies in the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB.

With the written examination now over, thousands of candidates are eager to know the expected cut off marks to assess their chances of qualifying for the next stage of the recruitment process.

While UPSC will release the official Paper 1, Written, and Final Cut Off only after announcing the examination results, experts estimate the General category Paper 1 cut off to remain around 120–130 marks out of 250, depending on the exam’s difficulty level, candidate performance, and the number of vacancies.

This article provides the latest UPSC CAPF (AC) Expected Cut Off 2026, category-wise estimates, previous years’ cut-off trends, qualifying criteria, and the factors likely to influence the final selection.

UPSC CAPF (AC) Expected Cut Off 2026 – Check Category-Wise
Written Exam Held on 19 July 2026 — Expected Paper 1 Cut Off 110-130 (Out of 250)
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Particulars Details
Conducting Body Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination — CAPF (AC) 2026
Forces Covered BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB
Written Exam Date 19 July 2026 — Paper 1 (10 AM–12 PM) & Paper 2 (2 PM–5 PM)
Total Vacancies (2026) 349 (Approx., Across BSF/CRPF/CISF/ITBP/SSB)
Selection Stages Written Exam (Paper 1 + Paper 2) → PST/PET & Medical Test → Personality Test (Interview)
Total Marks (Final) 600 (450 Written + 150 Interview/Personality Test)
Current Status Written Exam Concluded — Official Cut Off Awaited (Released Only After Result)
Official Website upsc.gov.in

Important Note on This Article

Please Note: UPSC releases the official CAPF (AC) Cut Off marks (Paper 1, combined Written, and Final) only AFTER the corresponding result is declared — the written cut off comes with the written result, and the final cut off comes only after the Personality Test/Interview stage is complete. Since the CAPF (AC) 2026 written exam was held very recently on 19 July 2026, no official cut off has been released yet. The figures below are expected/estimated cut offs based on exam analysis, previous years’ trends, and the number of vacancies this year — they are NOT official UPSC figures. Always cross-check with the official UPSC website once the result and cut off PDF are released.

read more; UPSC CAPF Question Paper 2026 PDF

UPSC CAPF (AC) 2026 Exam Pattern (For Reference)
Paper Details
Paper 1 (General Ability & Intelligence) Objective Type | 125 Questions | 250 Marks | Covers Reasoning, Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Security Issues
Paper 2 (General Studies, Essay & Comprehension) Descriptive Type | 200 Marks | Essay Writing, Precis Writing, Comprehension & Language Skills
Total Written Marks 450 (250 + 200, though official combined figure is sometimes rounded — Refer Official Notification)
Negative Marking (Paper 1) 1/3rd Mark Deducted Per Wrong Answer
Important: Only candidates who clear the Paper 1 threshold have their Paper 2 (descriptive) evaluated by UPSC.

read more; UPSC CAPF Exam Analysis 2026

UPSC CAPF (AC) 2026 Expected Cut Off — Category-Wise (Estimated)
Category Expected Paper 1 Cut Off (Out of 250)
General ~120–130
EWS ~110–120
OBC ~110–120
SC ~95–110
ST ~90–105
Ex-Servicemen Significantly Lower (Relaxed Norms Apply)
Note: These are estimated ranges only, based on the overall Paper 1 difficulty (rated Moderate), 349 approximate vacancies, and historical category-wise gaps. Actual cut off can vary significantly — Refer Official Notification/Cut Off PDF once released by UPSC after the result.

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UPSC CAPF Minimum Qualifying Marks (Fixed Criteria)
Stage Minimum Qualifying Requirement
Paper 2 (General/OBC/SC/ST) 25% (50 out of 200 Marks)
Paper 2 (Ex-Servicemen) 10–15% (Relaxed — Refer Official Notification for Exact Figure This Year)
Combined Written (Paper 1 + Paper 2, All Categories) 25% of 450 Total Marks
Note: There is no separate sectional cut off within Paper 1 — only an overall minimum qualifying threshold. Meeting the minimum qualifying marks does NOT guarantee shortlisting; actual category-wise cut off (which is usually higher) determines final selection at each stage.

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Previous Years’ UPSC CAPF (AC) Final Cut Off Trend (Out of 600)
Year / Category Final Cut Off Marks (Approx.)
2021 — General 325
2021 — EWS 305
2018 — General 282
2018 — OBC 281
2018 — SC 255
2018 — ST 251
2018 — Ex-Servicemen 169
Not Specified / Data Not Consistently Available for 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 & 2024 in the sources reviewed — Refer Official UPSC Cut Off PDFs (available under the “Cut Off Marks” section on upsc.gov.in) for the complete, verified year-wise record.

Factors That Influence UPSC CAPF Cut Off Every Year

  • Number of Vacancies: Fewer vacancies generally push the cut off higher due to increased competition; more vacancies can slightly lower it
  • Difficulty Level of the Exam: A tougher Paper 1/Paper 2 typically results in a lower cut off, and vice versa
  • Number of Candidates Appearing: Higher turnout generally increases overall competition and can raise cut off marks
  • Category-Wise Reservation Policy: Reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Ex-Servicemen) consistently have lower cut offs than General, reflecting reservation norms
  • Overall Candidate Performance: If a large number of candidates score unusually high or low, UPSC may adjust the effective cut off accordingly

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19 July 2026 Exam Analysis — Difficulty & Good Attempts

  • Paper 1 (General Ability & Intelligence) was rated Moderate in difficulty by candidates, covering Reasoning, Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science and Security Issues
  • A good attempt in Paper 1 is considered around 85–95 questions out of 125, with 80%+ accuracy — since accuracy matters more than volume due to 1/3rd negative marking
  • Paper 2 (descriptive) tested Essay Writing, Precis Writing and Comprehension — success here depends more on structure, clarity, and word-limit discipline than on recall
  • Only candidates who cross the Paper 1 threshold will have their Paper 2 evaluated by UPSC

How to Calculate Your Probable Paper 1 Score

  • Formula: Score = (Correct Answers × 2) − (Wrong Answers × 0.66)
  • Compare your marked responses against the official/unofficial answer key once released
  • Since each wrong answer deducts 1/3rd mark, avoid pure guesswork — only count answers you attempted with reasonable confidence
  • Add your Paper 2 score separately (once declared) to get your total Written Score out of 450, then compare against the expected cut off ranges above

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What Happens After the Written Cut Off — Next Stages

  • Physical Standards Test (PST) & Physical Efficiency Test (PET): Candidates clearing the written cut off are called for physical standards (height, chest, weight) and physical efficiency tests (running, long jump, etc.) as prescribed for CAPF (AC)
  • Medical Examination: Candidates clearing PST/PET undergo a detailed medical examination as per CAPF medical standards
  • Personality Test / Interview: Conducted for 150 marks; candidates’ overall personality, communication, and suitability for a paramilitary leadership role are assessed
  • Final Merit List: Prepared out of 600 marks (450 Written + 150 Interview); the Final Cut Off is released along with the Final Result
  • Reserve List: UPSC also maintains a reserve list of candidates, which remains valid until the next CAPF (AC) notification is issued, and can be used to fill any further vacancies

How to Check the Official Cut Off (Once Released)

  • Visit the official UPSC website — upsc.gov.in
  • Click on the “Examinations” tab
  • Navigate to “Cut Off Marks”
  • Locate and click the link for “CAPF (AC) Exam Cut Off” for the relevant year
  • Open the PDF and check the category-wise cut off marks for Paper 1, combined Written, and Final selection

important links

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) — UPSC CAPF Expected Cut Off 2026

Q1. Has UPSC released the official CAPF (AC) 2026 cut off?
No. The written exam was held on 19 July 2026, and UPSC releases the official cut off only after declaring the corresponding result. The figures in this article are expert-estimated, not official.

Q2. What is the expected Paper 1 cut off for General category in 2026?
Based on exam difficulty and approximately 349 vacancies, the expected Paper 1 cut off for General category is around 120–130 marks out of 250. This is an estimate only.

Q3. What is the minimum qualifying mark for Paper 2?
25% (50 out of 200 marks) for General/OBC/SC/ST candidates, and a relaxed 10–15% for Ex-Servicemen candidates.

Q4. Is there negative marking in UPSC CAPF Paper 1?
Yes, 1/3rd mark is deducted for each wrong answer in Paper 1.

Q5. How many total marks is the UPSC CAPF final selection out of?
600 marks — 450 from the Written Exam (Paper 1 + Paper 2) and 150 from the Personality Test/Interview.

Q6. What was the previous year’s General category final cut off?
In 2021, the General category final cut off was 325 out of 600, and EWS was 305. Data for some intermediate years was not consistently available across sources — refer to the official UPSC Cut Off PDFs for the complete record.

Q7. When will the official CAPF (AC) 2026 written cut off be released?
UPSC has not announced a specific date. It is typically released along with the written result — candidates should keep checking upsc.gov.in for updates.

Q8. What comes after clearing the written cut off?
Candidates proceed to the Physical Standards Test (PST), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Medical Examination, and finally the Personality Test (Interview), before the Final Merit List is prepared.

Disclaimer: This article presents EXPECTED/ESTIMATED cut off marks for UPSC CAPF (AC) 2026, compiled from exam analysis, historical trends, and approximate vacancy figures available as of 20 July 2026. These are not official UPSC figures. The official cut off is released by UPSC only after the result is declared. Candidates must rely solely on upsc.gov.in for authoritative and confirmed cut off marks.

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