UPSC Interview is also termed the Personality Test. It is the third stage of the Civil Services Examination and carries a weightage of 275 marks from a total of 2,025.
This test is conducted only on those candidates who qualify the UPSC Mains examination.
The board, led by an UPSC member or a specialist chosen by the Commission, spends about 20 to 30 minutes with each candidate.
It is pertinent to note that the board does not test the academic performance of the candidate. They test the alertness of the mind, presence of mind, sound judgment ability, and public life suitability of the candidate.
UPSC Interview Marks: Weightage and Scoring Pattern
Total marks of the Personality Test are 275. Once the 1,750 marks from the Mains examination are added to it, it amounts to a total of 2,025 marks that are used for making merit lists.
There is no such pass percentage for the interview. But in practice, those recommended for an interview usually score 40% to 75% of the 275 marks, and those scoring above 200 marks are really very good.
- Marks of the Mains Written Test: 1,750 marks (out of)
- Marks of the Personality Test: 275 marks (out of)
- Total marks: 2,025 marks (out of)
UPSC Final Cut-Off: Mains Plus Interview
Official final cut-off marks are released by UPSC only after the entire selection process concludes. Based on official records, the General category final cut-offs were 963 in 2025, and 947 in 2024, 953 in 2023, and 960 in 2022, and 963 in 225
| Category | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 963 | 947 | 953 | 960 |
| EWS | 926 | 917 | 923 | 926 |
| OBC | 931 | 910 | 919 | 923 |
| SC | 905 | 880 | 890 | 893 |
| ST | 902 | 884 | 891 | 900 |
This should be your target after clearing the written test, as it will give you an idea of how far the interview helped that year.
UPSC Interview Marks Distribution
However, while assessing the candidate appearing for the UPSC exam, the panel comprising the board member and experts will not only look into simple facts.
The mental alertness, analytical skill, linguistic skills, decision-making skill, leadership quality, social awareness, and integrity will be considered.
Honesty up to “I don’t know” is valued. The total marks one could secure before 2013 were 300, which varied from 90 to 245. The marks have now been reduced to 275, and candidates score between 45% and 75%.
Highest Marks Scored in UPSC Interview
UPSC gives out the marksheets of all the recommended candidates once the results are declared, and the aspirants keep an eye on who scored the best in the Personality Test every year.
| Year | Candidate | Interview Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tejaswini Singh | 225 |
| 2024 | Shah Margi Chirag | 210 |
| 2023 | Aniket Shandilya | 215 |
| 2022 | Yimkum I Ozukum / Tenzin Yangki / Zenden Lingzerpa | 210 |
| 2020 | Apala Mishra | 215 |
| 2014 | Zainab Sayeed | 220 |
Zainab Sayeed set a landmark record of 220 marks in 2014, but that record was surpassed in the 2025 exam cycle. Tejaswini Singh (AIR 62) scored 225 out of 275 in the Personality Test, which is the current highest recorded score.
Qualities the UPSC Interview Board Evaluates
There is no fixed marking scheme candidates can memorise. Instead, the board forms an overall impression across a set of traits laid out by UPSC itself.
- Mental alertness: How quickly you grasp a question and respond without rambling.
- Critical thinking: Whether you can break down an issue instead of reciting a memorised answer.
- Communication: Clarity, structure, and comfort speaking under pressure.
- Judgement and balance: How you weigh competing sides of a difficult question.
- Leadership and social awareness: Empathy, and how you would handle people on the ground.
- Ethical grounding: Honesty and consistency, especially when a question tries to catch you out.
How Interview Marks Decide Your Final Rank and Service
In the case of two candidates competing against each other for the final selection, they might end up being very close in the written examination.
They would find themselves very different in the final list after the interviews since the Personality Test carries far more weight than people think.
This is such that a candidate scoring 200 marks in the interview ends up with an advantage of about 20-30 marks over another candidate with 170 marks, and this is enough to distinguish which among IAS, IPS, IFS, or a low-preference service you end up joining.
UPSC 2026 Exam Cycle: Current Status
The UPSC Prelims 2026 was conducted on May 24, 2026, while the UPSC Mains 2026 was held on August 21, 2026.
The examination of UPSC Prelims 2027 has been declared to be held on 23rd May 2027.
Considering the trend followed by the last three cycles, the results, call letters, and finally the cut-off and interview marks for this cycle will be available between late 2026 and early 2027.
Conclusion: UPSC Interview Marks Can Make a Big Difference In Your Final Rank
Since 2013, UPSC has maintained the same weightage for the interview at 275 marks, with only a few getting above 210 marks in the interview.
The existing pattern of 2,025 marks will continue without any changes in the 2026 and 2027 exams. Anudeep Durishetty is the UPSC aspirant who scored the highest aggregate marks in UPSC with 1,126 marks.
Tejaswini Singh (AIR 62, CSE 2025) holds the current highest record UPSC interview score of 225 marks out of 275, surpassing the previous record of 220 marks set by Zainab Sayeed in 2014. However, most top scorers of UPSC achieved AIR 1 mostly on account of their good Mains results.
FAQs
The UPSC Interview, or Personality Test, carries 275 marks, added to the Mains score to form the final total out of 2,025.
No. UPSC does not set a pass mark for the interview. Candidates are judged on overall personality and suitability rather than a fixed threshold.
Typically 20 to 30 minutes, though some panels extend it to around 40 minutes.
Yes, the UPSC interview, which is also known as the Personality Test, is difficult, but not in terms of testing your bookish knowledge.
This is a very intense process, which lasts from 25 to 30 minutes and includes 5 members of the panel trying to check your mental acuity and emotional stability.
