Marking schemes of popular exams
| Exam | Questions | Right | Wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL / CHSL Tier 1 | 100 | +2 | −0.5 |
| SSC GD Constable | 80 | +2 | −0.25 |
| IBPS / SBI PO and Clerk Prelims | 100 | +1 | −0.25 |
| RRB NTPC / Group D | 100 | +1 | −1/3 |
| UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 | 100 | +2 | −0.66 |
| UPSC CSAT | 80 | +2.5 | −0.83 |
| NEET UG | 180 | +4 | −1 |
| JEE Main | 75 | +4 | −1 |
| CUET UG (per subject) | 50 | +5 | −1 |
| CTET | 150 | +1 | 0 |
Schemes are taken from recent notifications and can change. Check your exam's current notification.
The maths of guessing
Expected marks per guess = (marks for right ÷ options left) − (penalty × wrong options left ÷ options left)
In SSC CGL (+2, −0.5, 4 options), a pure guess is worth +0.125 marks on average, because the chance of being right (1 in 4) pays more than the expected penalty. In RRB and UPSC Prelims the penalty is exactly one-third, so a pure guess is worth zero on average, but ruling out just one option makes it +0.22 marks per question in UPSC. That is why "eliminate, then guess" works and blind guessing does not.
Use it after the answer key
- Download your response sheet and the official answer key.
- Count right, wrong and unattempted questions.
- Enter them here with the exam selected, and compare with last year's cut-off in the target box.
Log every mock test in the mock test tracker to see whether your accuracy is improving.