SSC CGL Previous Year Cut Off Analysis – Tier 1 & Tier 2 Trends (Category-Wise)

Understanding the SSC CGL cut off is one of the smartest things an aspirant can do before and during preparation. The cut off tells you the realistic target score you need — not a vague “study hard” goal, but an actual number. This guide analyses the SSC CGL previous year cut off marks category-wise, explains how the cut off is decided, breaks down the year-on-year trend, and gives you a realistic safe score to aim for in the next exam. Unlike a plain list of numbers, this is a genuine analysis to help you plan your preparation around a concrete target.

The figures below are official SSC cut-off marks from previous cycles. Cut offs change every year based on vacancies, difficulty, and the number of candidates, so treat these as trend indicators, not fixed guarantees.

How the SSC CGL Cut Off Is Decided

The SSC CGL cut off is not a fixed number set in advance. The Staff Selection Commission calculates it after the exam, based on four main factors:

• Number of vacancies: More vacancies generally mean a lower cut off, because more candidates need to be selected. Fewer vacancies push the cut off up.
• Difficulty of the paper: An easier paper means more candidates score high, raising the cut off. A tough paper lowers it.
• Number of candidates who appeared: A larger, more competitive pool pushes the cut off higher.
• Normalisation: Since the exam runs in multiple shifts, SSC normalises scores to account for shift-wise difficulty differences. This is why cut offs are shown with decimal points (e.g. 322.77), not round numbers.

The selection happens in stages: Tier-1 shortlists candidates for Tier-2, and the final selection is based mainly on Tier-2 performance, followed by document verification and any skill test.

SSC CGL Tier 1 Cut Off 2024 (Category-Wise)

The Tier-1 exam is the qualifying stage to reach Tier-2. Below are the SSC CGL Tier-1 cut off marks for the 2024 cycle (List-3, covering all posts other than JSO and Statistical Investigator), which shortlisted candidates for the Tier-2 exam.

Category	Tier 1 Cut Off (2024)
UR (General)	136.83
OBC	130.36
EWS	127.41
SC	114.97
ST	106.36

In the 2024 cycle, a total of over 1,86,000 candidates qualified Tier-1 across all lists to appear for Tier-2. The minimum qualifying percentage in Tier-1 is 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for other categories — but note that qualifying marks and the shortlisting cut off are different: you need to clear the shortlisting cut off (shown above), which is much higher than the bare qualifying minimum.

SSC CGL Final (Tier 2) Cut Off 2024 (Category-Wise)

This is the cut off that actually decides selection. The final SSC CGL 2024 cut off, based on Tier-2 performance, is shown below along with the number of candidates who made it in each category. A total of 88,051 candidates progressed at this stage.

Category	Final Cut Off (2024)	Candidates Available
UR (General)	322.77	11,631
OBC	306.28	28,628
EWS	300.04	14,575
SC	285.46	15,875
ST	266.50	8,295
ESM	202.28	5,497
OH	258.66	1,043
HH	181.89	1,011
VH	219.45	810

Notice that the OBC category had the largest number of candidates available (28,628), while UR had the highest cut off (322.77). This reflects how the cut off and competition interact differently across categories.

SSC CGL Cut Off Trend – Is It Rising?

One of the most useful things previous-year data shows is the direction of the cut off. For the General (UR) category, the trend over recent cycles has been clearly upward:

• The UR final cut off moved from roughly the 270s in the 2022 cycle to above 320 in the 2024 cycle.
• This rise reflects growing competition, more candidates appearing, and in some cycles, easier or well-attempted Tier-2 papers.

What this means for you: do not prepare to just “match” last year’s cut off. Because the trend is rising, you should aim comfortably above the most recent cut off to stay safe. Preparing only to hit last year’s number is risky when competition keeps climbing.

SSC CGL Safe Score – What Should You Target?

Based on the trend, here is a realistic safe-score approach by category. A “safe score” means a target that gives you a strong margin above the recent cut off, so a slightly tougher year or higher competition does not knock you out.

Category	Recent Final Cut Off (approx.)	Suggested Safe Target
UR (General)	~322	340+
OBC	~306	325+
EWS	~300	320+
SC	~285	305+
ST	~266	285+

These are guidance targets, not official numbers. The idea is simple: aim for a score that would have cleared the cut off comfortably even in the toughest recent year, and you build in a safety margin against rising competition.

How to Use Cut Off Data in Your Preparation

Previous-year cut offs are not just trivia — they are a planning tool. Here is how to use them:

• Set a concrete Tier-2 target. Instead of “score as much as possible,” work backwards from a safe score and plan how many questions you need to attempt accurately across sections.
• Prioritise high-weightage sections. Tier-2’s Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning carry heavy weight; small gains there move your score most toward the safe target.
• Track your mock-test scores against the safe score. If your mocks are consistently landing above your category’s safe target, you are on track. If not, you know exactly how big the gap is.
• Factor in normalisation. Since your raw score gets normalised, do not obsess over a single mark — focus on being comfortably above the target band.

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Disclaimer: The cut off figures in this guide are based on official SSC data from previous cycles. Cut offs vary every year with vacancies, exam difficulty, and candidate numbers, and the safe-score targets are guidance estimates, not official figures. Always verify the latest cut off from the official SSC website (ssc.gov.in) and the relevant notification.

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