The UPSC Cut Off is determined by several factors that influence the minimum marks required for candidates to progress to the next stage of the Civil Services Examination. These factors are carefully considered by officials when calculating the cut-off for each stage, including Prelims, Mains, and the final UPSC Cut Off.

1. Difficulty Level of the Examination: A more challenging exam may lead to a lower cut-off, while an easier exam could result in a higher cut-off as more candidates score well.

2. Number of Vacancies: A higher number of vacancies may lead to a lower cut-off, as more candidates can be selected based on their performance.

3. Reservation Policy: The cut-off varies across categories like General, OBC, SC, and ST due to the reservation system, which adjusts based on the number of seats and aspirants in each category.

4. Performance of Candidates: Exceptional performance by candidates can raise the cut-off, while average performance might lower it.

5. Normalisation Procedure: For the Prelims, UPSC follows a normalisation process to ensure fairness, adjusting marks based on varying difficulty levels in different sets of question papers.

6. Overall Competition: The quality and number of candidates competing in a particular year can significantly affect the cut-off, with higher competition leading to a higher cut-off.