SSC CPO Cut-off 2026
Category-wise cut-off marks and what drives them.
Updated 22 October 2026
What is the SSC CPO cut-off?
The SSC CPO cut-off is the minimum normalised score you need to move to the next stage or to make the final list. SSC releases a Paper-I cut-off (category-wise and gender-wise) to shortlist candidates for the PST/PET, and a final cut-off based on Paper-I plus Paper-II marks, set force-wise.
SSC CPO Paper-I cut-off 2024
The most recent published figures are from the 2024 cycle, when Paper-I was out of 200 marks:
| Category | Male (2024) | Female (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| General / UR | 119.80 | 135.27 |
| OBC | 113.51 | 128.64 |
| EWS | 111.44 | 127.40 |
| SC | 89.86 | 106.75 |
| ST | 82.66 | 98.11 |
| ESM | 40.07 | 42.69 |
From 2026, Paper-I is out of 100 marks, so these numbers cannot be compared directly with this year's paper. Roughly halving them gives a ballpark only; the real 2026 cut-off will depend on applicants, vacancies and paper difficulty. The new structure is explained on the SSC CPO exam pattern page.
Final (Paper-I + Paper-II) cut-off
The final cut-off is released separately for Delhi Police, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB, by gender and category, once the result is out. It will be added here when SSC publishes it for the current cycle.
Minimum qualifying marks
In recent CPO notices the minimum qualifying marks in each paper have been:
| Category | Minimum qualifying marks |
|---|---|
| UR | 30% |
| OBC / EWS | 25% |
| All other categories | 20% |
Confirm these in the 2026 notification. Clearing the minimum does not guarantee selection – the cut-off is usually much higher.
How normalisation works
SSC holds its computer-based tests over many shifts, and no two shifts get the same paper. To make scores comparable:
- your performance is compared with others who sat in your shift;
- marks are adjusted so that a tougher shift does not put you at a disadvantage;
- cut-offs and merit lists are prepared on normalised marks, not raw marks.
That is why the score you work out from the SSC CPO answer key may shift slightly on your scorecard.
What decides the cut-off
- Vacancies – about 1,871 tentative posts in 2026; more posts usually means a lower cut-off.
- Candidates who appear, and how they perform.
- Difficulty of the paper across shifts.
- Normalisation of shift-wise scores.
- Category-wise reservation and vacancies in each category.
- Force preference – popular forces fill up at higher scores.
- PET drop-outs – the number who clear PST/PET affects the final cut-off.
Women's cut-offs have been higher than men's because there are far fewer posts for women (147 SI (GD) and 112 Delhi Police posts for women in 2026). See SSC CPO posts and salary for the post-wise split.
Frequently asked questions
What was the SSC CPO 2024 cut-off for General candidates?
The Paper-I cut-off for General/UR was 119.80 for men and 135.27 for women, out of 200 marks.
Why is the female cut-off higher in SSC CPO?
Far fewer posts are reserved for women than for men, so competition for each seat is tighter. This pushes the female cut-off above the male cut-off in every category.
Will the SSC CPO 2026 cut-off be out of 100?
Yes for Paper-I, because the 2026 Paper-I carries 100 marks instead of 200. The final cut-off will combine Paper-I (100) and Paper-II (320).
Is the SSC CPO cut-off calculated on raw marks?
No. Cut-offs are based on normalised marks, which adjust for differences in difficulty between shifts.
Always check the latest official notification on ssc.gov.in before applying.