KPSC KAS Cut Off: Stage-wise Rules and How to Set Your Target

The KPSC KAS cut-off is the lowest score that moves a candidate from one stage of the Karnataka Gazetted Probationers exam to the next, worked out separately for each category. The Karnataka Public Service Commission applies it three times: at prelims, at the language papers in mains, and in the final merit list after the personality test.

This page explains how each stage is filtered for the 2026-27 cycle, why you should be careful with cut-off figures you see online, and how to set a realistic target score for your mock tests.

Table of Contents

How the Cut-off Works at Each Stage

Only the language paper minimum is a fixed number. Every other cut-off is relative: it depends on how others score and on the number of posts in your category.

Previous Year Cut-off: What Is Reliable

KPSC publishes lists of candidates who qualify for mains and for the personality test, and the final selection list, but category-wise cut-off marks are not always released in a simple table. Many figures circulating online for recent cycles are labelled "expected" and are estimates rather than official numbers.

We have not reproduced unverified figures here. If you want past benchmarks, use marks or lists published on the KPSC website for that cycle, and note the scheme in force that year. Final cut-offs from older cycles were calculated on a different interview weightage, so they cannot be compared directly with the current 1,275-mark total.

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

What Affects the KPSC KAS Cut-off

• Number of posts: The 2026-27 cycle has 319 posts against about 384 in the previous cycle. Fewer posts mean a smaller mains pool and usually a higher prelims cut-off.

• Category-wise vacancies: Because shortlisting is category-wise, a category with few posts can have a higher cut-off than one with many.

• Paper difficulty: A tougher Paper I or Paper II lowers raw scores across the board.

• Negative marking: With half a mark lost per wrong answer, accuracy separates candidates more than the number of attempts.

• Number of candidates: A larger field of serious candidates pushes cut-offs up.

How to Set Your Target Score

1. Clear the language minimum easily: Aim for well above 52.5 in both Kannada and English in practice papers so the qualifying rule is never a risk.

2. Track your net prelims score: Measure your score after negative marking in full-length tests, not your number of attempts.

3. Watch accuracy: If more than one in five of your attempted answers is wrong, reduce guessing before you try to attempt more.

4. Build mains marks early: Final merit is decided out of 1,275, so steady answer-writing practice matters more than a very high prelims score.

Official KPSC website: https://kpsc.kar.nic.in/