Negative Marking in Sarkari Exams: When to Guess and When to Skip

Almost every major government exam in India cuts marks for wrong answers. Many aspirants respond in one of two extreme ways: they either refuse to guess at all, or they mark every question and hope for the best. Both can cost you a selection. The good news is that you do not need to rely on gut feeling. A little simple maths tells you exactly when a guess helps you and when it hurts.

How much each exam deducts

Common Negative Marking Schemes
Exam	Marks per Correct	Cut per Wrong	Share Deducted
SSC CGL / CHSL (Tier 1)	2	0.50	1/4
IBPS / SBI PO & Clerk	1	0.25	1/4
RRB NTPC / Group D	1	0.33	1/3
UPSC Prelims (GS Paper 1)	2	0.66	1/3

Always confirm the exact scheme in your exam's official notification, because it can change from one cycle to the next. What matters is the last column: does the exam cut one-quarter or one-third of a question's marks for a wrong answer?

The one idea that decides everything

Expected Marks from a Guess
Expected marks = (chance of being right × marks for correct) − (chance of being wrong × marks cut). If the result is above zero, the guess helps you on average. If it is zero or below, leaving the question blank is just as good or better.

Exams that cut 1/4 (SSC, Banking)

Take SSC CGL: +2 for correct, −0.5 for wrong, four options. A completely blind guess is right 1 time in 4. Expected marks = 0.25 × 2 − 0.75 × 0.5 = +0.125. Even a blind guess is slightly positive. If you can eliminate just one wrong option, your chance becomes 1 in 3 and the expected marks jump to +0.33 per question. Eliminate two options and it rises to +0.75.

Takeaway: in exams with a 1/4 penalty, attempt any question where you can rule out at least one option with confidence.

Exams that cut 1/3 (Railway, UPSC)

Take RRB NTPC: +1 for correct, −1/3 for wrong. A blind guess gives 0.25 × 1 − 0.75 × 1/3 = 0. On average, a pure guess earns nothing and adds risk. Eliminate one option and it becomes 1/3 − 2/3 × 1/3 = +0.11. Eliminate two and it becomes +0.33.

Takeaway: in exams with a 1/3 penalty, never guess blindly. Attempt only when you can rule out at least one option, and be more confident still when you can rule out two.

Quick Decision Table
Options You Can Eliminate	1/4 Penalty (SSC, Banking)	1/3 Penalty (RRB, UPSC)
None (blind guess)	Small gain – optional	No gain – skip
One	Attempt	Attempt
Two	Definitely attempt	Definitely attempt

Where the maths can mislead you

Your 'elimination' must be real. If you often rule out the correct answer by mistake, your true odds are worse than the maths assumes. Check this in your mock tests.
Expected value is an average. Over a whole paper, it works. On a single question, you can still lose marks.
Time is also a cost. Spending three minutes to squeeze out a 50-50 guess may cost you two easy questions at the end. Move on and come back if time allows.
Cut-offs are close. In competitive exams, a few marks separate selection from rejection, so even small positive gains add up.

Train this in your mock tests

In every mock test, mark each answer you were not sure about with a small symbol.
After checking, count how many of those uncertain answers were right.
If more than about 1 in 3 of your 50-50 guesses are right, your elimination is working, so keep attempting them.
If fewer are right, your elimination is weak: guess less and spend that time on revision of those topics.

You can practise this right now with our free Mock Tests, which use negative marking just like the real exams.

Important Questions

Question: Should I attempt all questions in SSC CGL?
Answer: Not blindly. SSC deducts 0.5 for a wrong answer, so a blind guess only gives a tiny average gain. Attempt questions where you can eliminate at least one option.
Question: Is guessing good in RRB NTPC?
Answer: A purely blind guess gives zero expected marks in RRB NTPC because one-third of a mark is cut for each wrong answer. Guess only when you can rule out at least one option.
Question: How much negative marking is there in UPSC Prelims?
Answer: In GS Paper 1, each wrong answer costs 0.66 marks, which is one-third of the 2 marks for that question.

*This is an original editorial piece for general guidance. Always check the marking scheme in your exam's official notification.*