Cut-off Trends
Strategic target setting starts with knowing the history. These are the normalized SSC CGL Tier-I cut-offs for the broad “all other posts” shortlist, not specialist AAO, JSO, or SI lists.
Highest UR cut-off
153.19
2024 Tier-I
Recent safe target
155+
For UR planning
Lowest recent year
2022
Large shortlist effect
Comparison basis
Tier-I
All other posts list
| Year | List | UR | OBC | EWS | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Tier-I | List-3 · All other posts | 153.18981 | 146.26291 | 142.01963 | 126.45554 | 111.88930 |
| 2023 Tier-I | List-4 · All other posts | 150.04936 | 145.93743 | 143.44441 | 126.68201 | 118.16655 |
| 2022 Tier-I | List-3 · Other than AAO & JSO | 114.27651 | 114.27651 | 102.35275 | 89.08864 | 77.57858 |
| 2021 Tier-I | List-4 · All other posts | 130.18384 | 117.87106 | 109.64915 | 94.58598 | 81.52690 |
Recommended planning targets
These are not official cut-offs. They are safer preparation targets based on recent Tier-I trends.
UR
155-160+
Keeps you above recent high-cutoff years.
OBC / EWS
148-155+
Aim close to UR because the gap is often small.
SC
130-140+
Gives buffer over recent Tier-I shortlists.
ST
120-130+
Useful buffer for tougher shifts and normalization.
Why is 2022 so low?
SSC CGL 2022 had a very large “all other posts” Tier-I shortlist, so the cutoff dropped sharply. For recent cycles, a 150+ Tier-I target is a safer planning benchmark for UR candidates.
Factors affecting cut-off
- trending_up Total number of vacancies
- psychology Difficulty level of the shifts
- groups Total number of candidates appearing
Year-wise reading
The cutoff table is useful only when you read it with context. Here is the practical takeaway from each year.
2024
Cut-off moved up again
UR crossed 153 and OBC/EWS stayed close, so a 150-only target is no longer comfortable for general competition.
2023
High but stable
The UR, OBC, and EWS cut-offs clustered around the mid-140s to 150 range, making accuracy more important than blind attempts.
2022
Unusually low year
This year should be treated as an exception while setting targets, not as the normal benchmark.
2021
Moderate baseline
Useful for trend context, but current preparation targets should be based more on 2023 and 2024.
How to read cut-offs
- Tier-I cut-off only decides who moves ahead; final merit depends on Tier-II.
- SSC publishes separate lists for different post groups, so compare the same list across years.
- Normalized marks can differ from raw marks because SSC adjusts across shifts.
- Use cut-offs for target setting, not for minimum preparation. Keep a 5-10 mark buffer.
Source note: values are from SSC result write-ups. SSC fixes separate Tier-I cut-offs for specialist post lists, so this table intentionally tracks the broad all-other-posts shortlist for year-to-year comparison.