HPPSC HPAS Cut-Off: Previous Year Marks, Trends and Target Score

The HPPSC HPAS cut-off is the lowest score that takes a candidate to the next stage of the H.P. Administrative Service Combined Competitive Examination. For Prelims, it is set category-wise on Paper I (General Studies, out of 200), provided the candidate has also scored at least 33% in the qualifying Aptitude paper. For Mains, there is a fixed 45% aggregate threshold, after which the interview list is drawn on merit.

HPPSC does not publish a consolidated cut-off table on its website, so the figures below are compiled from third-party reports. Use them as a benchmark for your mock tests, not as official numbers.

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HPAS Previous Year Prelims Cut-Off

These are Paper I marks as reported by third-party exam portals; they have not been verified against an HPPSC document. Category-wise cut-offs for the 2024 and 2025 cycles have not been officially published in a consolidated form, and the 2026 cut-off will only be known after the Prelims, tentatively scheduled for 13 December 2026.

Fixed Qualifying Marks in HPAS

Some thresholds are fixed by the scheme of examination and do not change from year to year.

Clearing these lines is necessary but not enough. Final selection depends on your rank within the small number of posts in your category.

HPAS Cut-Off Trend

The reported unreserved cut-off has stayed roughly between 104 and 117 out of 200 in the years above, which is about 52% to 58% of Paper I. Reserved-category cut-offs have moved more sharply from year to year, mainly because HPAS has very few posts in each category, so a small change in vacancies shifts the line a lot.

What Affects the HPAS Cut-Off

• Number of posts: HPAS cycles have only around 20 to 35 posts. Fewer posts mean fewer Mains seats and a higher Prelims line.

• Paper difficulty: A tough Himachal GK or current affairs section pulls the cut-off down; an easier paper pushes it up.

• Number of applicants: More serious candidates mean more competition for the roughly 20-times-vacancies Mains list.

• Negative marking: With one-third deduction, scores cluster lower than raw attempts suggest.

How to Set Your Target Score

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat past figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

• Prelims Paper I: Aim for 120 or more out of 200 in full-length mocks if you are in the unreserved category; that is about 60 correct answers net of penalties.

• Prelims Paper II: Aim for 100 or more in practice so that a bad day still keeps you above 66.

• Mains: Target well above the 45% aggregate, since the interview list is drawn on merit from only about three times the number of posts.

Official HPPSC website: https://hppsc.hp.gov.in/