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How to Avoid Negative Marking in UPSC CMS Exam 2024?

One-third marks will be deducted for the wrong answer based on the negative marking in UPSC CMS. Read on for tips to avoid the negative marking in UPSC CMS 2024.
authorImageDeeksha Dixit13 Jul, 2024
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How to Avoid Negative Marking in UPSC CMS Exam 2024?

Negative Marking in UPSC CMS 2024 : The Union Public Service Commission has fixed a negative marking for most of its exams, including the Combined Medical Services Examination 2024. The rule of negative marking in UPSC CMS states that there will be a penalty of 1/3 mark for the wrong answer.

It has been observed that this negative marking often affects the total score, worrying candidates. Therefore, as the exam approaches, it becomes necessary to know how to avoid the UPSC CMS 2024. Topper tips shared here will help in avoiding penalties in CMS Exam 2024 .

Negative Marking in UPSC CMS Exam 2024

The UPSC CMS exam includes negative marking to penalize incorrect answers. For every wrong answer, one-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted from your total score. This means that if 2.08 marks are allotted for correct answers, 1/3 marks will be deducted for each wrong answer. Further, if a candidate gives more than one answer, it will also be treated as the wrong answer. This system of negative marking in UPSC CMS 2024 encourages accuracy and discourages guesswork. Understanding the negative marking scheme is essential for devising an effective answering strategy on exam day.

UPSC CMS Marking Scheme 2024

The UPSC CMS marking scheme gives an idea of negative marking. There are two papers and each paper consists of 120 questions worth 250 marks. Hence roughly, 2.08 marks are allocated to each question. There is no negative marking for unattempted questions. However, for every incorrect answer, 1/3rd marks are deducted. The marking scheme of the UPSC CMS 2024 exam is as follows:
UPSC CMS Marking Scheme 2024
Paper Subject Total Questions Marks Negative Marking
Paper 1 General Medicine & Pediatrics 120 250 1/3rd Marks
Paper 2 Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Preventive & Social Medicine 120 250 1/3rd Marks
Total 240 500

Tips to Avoid Negative Marking in UPSC CMS 2024

Candidates need to understand well that not every question is supposed to be marked in the exam. Instead, candidates should focus on marking questions with more accuracy as the cut-off usually stays below 60%. Here are tips to avoid negative marking in UPSC CMS: Attempt only questions you are confident about: With negative marking, it's better to leave a question blank than guess and get it wrong. Focus on attempting only questions you are very confident you can answer correctly. For example, if you are more comfortable with one-liner questions then solve them first. Manage your time wisely: Allocate your time to questions you are most likely to answer correctly. If you're stuck on a question, move on rather than wasting time. Attempting questions you are unsure about increases the risk of getting them wrong and losing marks.

Eliminate incorrect answer choices : For multiple-choice questions, eliminate answer choices you know are incorrect. This increases your chances of selecting the right answer if you need to guess. Eliminating the wrong option is better than randomly guessing. Revise your answers before submitting: Before submitting your paper, quickly review your answers. Double check that you haven't accidentally selected the wrong answer choice. Catching and correcting silly mistakes can help avoid negative marks. Avoid Random Marking: Be careful while marking the answers to the questions. Sometimes candidates end up marking wrong answers on the sheet even when they know the correct answer.

UPSC CMS Exam Answer Strategies

Adopting effective answer strategies can help you minimize errors while avoiding penalties in the CMS exam. For instance, focus on extreme words in the question that may confuse you. Here are some correct answering techniques for CMS question papers:
  1. Learn Elimination from PYQs : Solve as many previous-year papers as possible. This familiarizes you with the question pattern, helps you identify extreme words, and improves accuracy.
  2. Take Mock Tests: Regularly take mock tests under timed conditions to identify and minimize mistakes. This exercise will be useful on exam day to avoid random guessing and silly mistakes.
  3. Quick Review of the Paper : Have a glance at the question paper first before starting to attempt it. Many times, easy questions are hidden in between, or your strong areas might be given in the last. Decide where to start after going through the entire question paper.
  4. Solve in Multiple Rounds: Try to attempt the question paper in two to three rounds to ensure that you have visited each question at least once. Sometimes, a question seems challenging on the first attempt but may appear easy on further reading.
  5. Attempt Questions Strategically : Start with the easy ones to build confidence, move to moderate, and leave tough for the last round. If you are still unable to answer them, leave them blank.
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Negative Marking in UPSC CMS 2024 FAQs

Is there a negative marking in UPSC CMS 2024?

Yes, there is a negative marking in the UPSC CMS 2024 exam.

What is the negative marking in UPSC CMS Exam 2024?

One-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every wrong answer.

What is the marks distribution for the UPSC CMS 2024 exam?

Each paper has 120 questions worth 250 marks, with approx 2.08 marks per question and 1/3rd mark deducted for wrong answers.

How to tackle negative marking in UPSC CMS 2024?

Attempt only questions you are confident about, eliminate wrong choices, and review your answers to minimize errors.

Should I attempt all questions if there is a negative marking?

No, it is better to leave questions unanswered if you are unsure, to avoid the risk of negative marking.
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