SSC CPO Exam Previous Year Cut Off

The SSC CPO exam is one of the most sought-after examinations conducted by the Staff Selection Commission SSC for the recruitment of aspirants to the posts of Sub-Inspectors SI in Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces CAPFs and Assistant Sub Inspectors ASI in CISF. It is a two-tiered online written exam. The SSC CPO exam Paper 1 contains four sections that that test candidates’ General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Knowledge & General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension. Candidates qualifying for Paper 1 would be eligible to progress onto the next stage, which is a physical endurance test (PET), followed by the SSC CPO Paper 2, which tests the candidate's knowledge of English Language and Comprehension.

There are several reasons that have made the SSC CPO recruitment exam very popular. First, it gives successful candidates a position in the police services of the country which is considered a well-settled respectable career. Along with that comes the competitive SSC CPO salary, allowances, and job security among others. Along with those are also dynamic and challenging environments where one feels responsible and serves the nation.

For those preparing to give the SSC CPO exam, the SSC CPO cut offs from previous years can be an essential criteria to look at. On the basis of previous year cut-offs, aspirants can be guided with respect to the competition level and scores that are needed to clear the written exams, enabling them to prepare in a suitable manner. Information about SSC CPO cut off sets an adequate target before the candidate, based on which their study strategies can be shaped toward the expected standards of the exam. Previous year cut-off is generally determined by two factors i.e. no of vacancies and difficulty level of the exam. To help you in your SSC CPO 2024 exam preparation, we have provided the SSC CPO previous year cutoffs for the year 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. It will help you in getting a clear idea about the difficulty level of the SSC CPO exam. Please refer to the below tables for the SSC CPO exam previous year cut off.

SSC CPO 2019 Cut Off: Paper 1

CategoryMaleFemale
UR 101.19 104.12
OBC 91.28 97.78
SC 70.67 75.45
ST 74.54 73.59
EWS 86.95 91.72

Female – Open Vacancies

 CategoryTotal
SCSTOBCEWSUR
Cut-off marks 75.45 73.59 97.78 91.72 104.12 -
Candidates available 892 420 1302 531 890* 4035

* 92-SC, 22-ST, 876-OBC and 283 EWS candidates qualifying at UR standard have been shown under their respective categories.

Male – Open Vacancies

 CategoryTotal
SCSTESMOBCEWSUR
Cut-off marks 70.67 74.54 40.00 91.28 86.95 101.19 -
Candidates available 8282 4403 3292 14658 5314 5939* 41888

* 1375-SC, 775-ST, 126-ESM, 9386-OBC and 3057 EWS candidates qualifying at UR standard have been shown under their respective categories.

Male – Departmental Candidates (Delhi Police)

 CategoryTotal
SCSTOBCEWSUR
Cut-off marks 70.67 74.54 91.28 # 101.19 -
Candidates available 90 59 172 15 54* 390

# No vacancy reported.

* 13-SC, 04-ST, 114-OBC and 15-EWS candidates qualifying at UR standard have been shown under their respective categories.

Male–Specialized Categories of Ex-Servicemen (Delhi Police)

 CategoryTotal
SCSTOBCEWSUR
Cut-off marks 65.89 40.00 83.58 # 91.02 -
Candidates available 20 08 40 03 52* 123

# No vacancy reported.

SSC CPO Paper-1 Previous Year 2018 Cut Off of Male Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 140.08 133.36 114.23 111.17 70.00

SSC CPO cut off – Male departmental candidates, Delhi police

CategoryGENERALOBCSCST
Cut Off Marks 93.43 87.67 55.91 58.26

SSC CPO cut off – Male specialized category of ex-serviceman, Delhi police

CategoryGENERALOBCSCST
Cut Off Marks 70 60 50 50

SSC CPO Paper-1 Previous Years 2018 Cut Off of female Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 137.60 127.51 99.50 110.31

SSC CPO Paper-1 Previous Years 2017 Cut Off of male Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 117.25 102.00 90.25 90.00 43.00

SSC CPO Paper-I Previous Years 2017 Cut Off of female Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 112.50 97.75 84.75 81.00

SSC CPO Paper-I Previous Years 2016 Cut Off of male Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 89.75 77.00 67.75 67.25 30.00

SSC CPO Paper-I Previous Years 2016 Cut Off of female Candidates

CategoryGENERALOBCSCSTEx-Servicemen
Cut Off Marks 83.50 69.50 60.25 58.25 30.00

Factors Affecting the SSC CPO Cutoffs

A lot of factors determine the SSC CPO cut off, and understanding those can greatly help a candidate pass through the examination. So, let's discuss some key factors determining the cut off each year below, narrated in detail so that you may understand how the competition is structured and how you can use this information to your advantage:

Number of Vacancies

One of the greatest factors influencing the previous year cut-off is the total number of vacancies announced in that particular recruitment cycle. When the numbers of available positions are high, then the cut-off increases relatively less because more candidates can get selected in this case. When the number of vacancies is lesser, then the competition will become much stiffer, which leads to a higher SSC CPO cut off. For example, if you have lesser number of candidates required in a specific year, then even the smallest variation in marks can change whether you qualify or not qualify the examination. According to that, the SSC CPO previous year cutoffs, can be compared with the number of vacancies as to how the numbers vary and what you should target in terms of marks.

Level of Difficulty of the Exam

Another critical element that plays affects the SSC CPO cut off is the general level of difficulty of the examination. The SSC CPO is a two-paper test, Paper 1 and Paper 2, and will check candidates from general questions related to subjects such as General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Knowledge & General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English. In case the SSC CPO written exams are especially challenging in a specific year, fewer candidates will score high marks, which might lead to a lesser SSC CPO cut off. Conversely, when the exam is relatively easier, the SSC CPO cut off tends to rise with the increased number of candidates scoring higher. Hence, by observing the previous year cut-offs with the analysis of the difficulties in those years’ exam papers, you can get an idea as to how you should shape your preparation.

Average Candidate Performance

The general performance of the entire lot that has appeared for the SSC CPO exam also forms a very significant criterion by which the SSC CPO cut off is determined. For example, if all candidates have secured high marks and most are scoring well, the SSC CPO cut off will be high to filter in the highest scorer, whereas, if in case the overall performance is not up to the mark, then the cutoff will remain low, and more candidates will be accommodated. Reviewing the previous year cut-off along with the overall performance of candidates will provide you with an idea of what scores one needs to be considered relatively competitive, hence you can set goals accordingly. You will come to know exactly what kind of score you require in order to stay ahead of or be at par with the competition.

Normalization Process

Since the SSC CPO exam is conducted in multiple shifts, the SSC uses a normalization process to ensure fairness across shifts that may have different difficulty levels. This process adjusts the marks of candidates based on the difficulty of the shift they appeared in. If you happen to be in a tougher shift, your score may be normalized upward, and vice versa for an easier shift. This adjustment directly impacts the SSC CPO cut off, as it aims to level the playing field. Understanding how normalization works and comparing it with the  previous year cut-off can help you gauge where you stand after this adjustment.

These factors would help you to better plan and prepare for the SSC CPO examination. Understanding SSC CPO previous year cut-off trends and how such cutoffs are influenced by various factors will keep you focused on the right goals through your preparation journey.

Importance of SSC CPO Previous Year Cut-Offs

SSC CPO previous year cut-off can be an invaluable resource for aspirants as they get ready to face the current SSC CPO recruitment cycle. The previous year cut-offs can offer information to aspiring candidates, thereby help aspirants have better strategic planning for their preparation. Some of the notable ways through which SSC CPO previous year cut-offs can benefit the candidates who are looking to appear in this year’s ongoing SSC CPO exams are:

Know the Level of Competition

SSC CPO previous year cut-offs give candidates an idea of the competition they might face in the current recruitment process. It gives a kind of bottom line; the minimum mark that would enable them to qualify for other rounds of the selection procedure. Therefore, aspirants can estimate what score they need to achieve by referring to older SSC CPO cutoffs. This helps aspirants set achievable goals for themselves based on this information, knowing that it may fluctuate from year to year based on factors like the number of vacancies, performance by the candidates, and the difficulty level of the exam.

Determining Score Requirements for Each Category

The SSC CPO cutoff varies for different categories; these are General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS applicants. The previous year cut-off can help a candidate determine what particular scores would be needed for their category. According to the trends of the SSC CPO cutoff of the specific category for which they are preparing, their preparation can be modulated. For instance, if candidates are preparing in OBC or SC, they must prepare with the target score that a candidate belonging to that category has needed to qualify the SSC CPO exam over the last years. Category-wise SSC CPO cutoffs help people stay focused on goals and prepare with an exact score expectation.

Strategizing Time Management and Focus Areas

The SSC CPO previous year cut-offs will enable the candidates to allocate their time and attention better on those sections which are more important for the exam. For example, if Paper 1 had a higher cutoff in subjects like Quantitative Aptitude or General Awareness, the candidate can actually pay more importance to those sections of the exam during preparation. With this information regarding the SSC CPO cutoffs, aspirants can better balance their efforts across all sections by maximizing their scores in subjects that are normally more challenging. Aspirants can also prepare to optimize time during the examination.

Tracking Trends for Predicting the Current Year SSC CPO Cutoff

The analysis of the trends of SSC CPO previous year cut-offs for several older years may help candidates get a probable SSC CPO cut-off likely to be followed this year. However, SSC CPO cutoffs may change every year, but a pattern could emerge like a progressive rise or stabilization over several years. If the SSC CPO cutoff has increased consecutively for some years now, then candidates should prepare themselves to score higher marks. This analysis keeps the candidate ahead of the curve by providing a well-educated guess of the competitive nature of the current year.

Boosting Confidence and Motivation

The SSC CPO previous year cut-off not only helps candidates set realistic goals but also serves as a source of motivation. When candidates know the approximate score they need to achieve, it gives them a clear target to aim for. This clarity will also manage to reduce anxiety during examinations and boost confidence, because, they can make sure that during their practice and preparation stage for the SSC CPO exam, candidates are able to boost their confidence every time they score their goal SSC CPO cutoff score during mock tests or practice papers. Moreover, when candidates understand clearly how past SSC CPO cutoffs have gone about, they will try to push even harder simply because they see that the margin between qualifying and not qualifying will not be as wide as thought in the first place.

Therefore, SSC CPO previous year cut-offs serve as a major source of knowledge for competition level. SSC CPO cutoffs help the candidate plan their preparation and increase the level of confidence of the exam-taker.