UPSC Prelims 2020: Cut-off is expected to remain low

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  UPSC Prelims 2020: Cut-off is expected to remain low

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1. The CANDIDATES APPEAR AT THE EXAM CENTRES WEARING A MASK or a face cover, not an usual seen at any competitive exam centre in India, but without it, examiners were not allowing to enter the centres.  
2. Amid many ups and downs around COVID 19 Pandemic, finally UPSC conducted its UPSC Prelims 2020 on October 4, 2020 (Sunday) at 2569 centres of 72 cities across India. Nearly 10.58 lakh candidates had registered for the exam out of which around five lakh appeared. Which was an exceptionally low attendance. Over 60,000 candidates had availed the option of changing the centre.
3. The exam was conducted in two sessions. The first session was held from 9:30 to 11:30 am and the second was from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm. In the morning shift paper of General Studies (GS) and in the afternoon shift CSAT was conducted. Both the papers were  of objective in nature and were  conducted in offline mode. GS paper contained 100 questions while CSAT had 80 questions.  
4. Total 796 vacancies are notified this year, 100 fewer than last year.
5. Paper Pattern – Questions were asked from the areas like Environment, History, Polity, Arts and Culture and Agriculture. Current affairs questions although less in number was from past six-month period and questions were not from the COVID-19 period. More conceptual and statement based questions were asked.
6. Difficulty Level – The candidates who have appeared in the prelims rated the paper as difficult to moderate. Questions related to history and economy were found tough. 
7. Mains - The candidates who had cleared the prelims will appear for main, scheduled to be held on January 8, 2021. Time gap between Mains and Prelims is very less, a fine idea about expected marks in prelims is going to be nucleus of preparation strategy. Aspirants being sure about their selection based on expected marks can prepare for Mains without much doubt. But students who find themselves on boundary line of expected cut off would be under pressure while preparing.
8. Attendance – Attendance of the candidate remained low. For example It was 35-40% in Ranchi, 50% in Lucknow and 65% in Telangana. Overall attendance was of 50%.
9. Expected Cut off - Though predicting UPSC cut-off is not a good idea, but one thing is sure, in the given scenario the cut-off is expected to remain low. According to experts for a General Category candidate it could be around 95 marks 
10. The cut-off marks and answer keys of screening test held through CS (P) examination will be uploaded on the commission’s websites, upsc.gov.in or upsconline.nic.in only after the entire process of the examination is over, that is, after the declaration of the final result.
11. The road ahead - Aspirants should start preparing for Mains.

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