The IB ACIO cut off is the minimum score required to qualify each stage of the selection process of the IB ACIO exam. There are separate cut offs for Tier 1, Tier 2, and the final merit list.
One important fact before reading further: IB does not publish an official cut off. No scorecard is released. No marks are shared with candidates. What appears on Ministry of Home Affairs website after Tier 1 is a PDF listing shortlisted roll numbers only. No scores are attached.
All previous year IB ACIO cutoff figures are estimates based on candidate-reported raw marks. The 2017 cut off is more reliable as that exam had no normalization.
What is the IB ACIO Cut Off Structure Tier-Wise?
The IB ACIO exam pattern has three tiers. Each tier has its own qualifying threshold.
What is the IB ACIO Tier 1 Cut Off?
Tier 1 is an objective MCQ paper of 100 marks. The IB ACIO Tier 1 cut off is set category-wise.
Two separate numbers apply:
1. Minimum Qualifying Marks
| IB ACIO Tier 1 Minimum Qualifying Marks | |
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks (out of 100) |
| UR | 35 |
| OBC | 34 |
| EWS | 35 |
| SC | 33 |
| ST | 33 |
These are the floor marks. Scoring 35 as a UR candidate does not mean shortlisting. It only means technical eligibility.
2. Actual Cut Off
- The actual IB ACIO Tier 1 cut off is significantly higher than the minimum.
- Shortlisting for Tier 2 is done at 10 times the number of vacancies.
- For 3,717 vacancies, approximately 37,170 candidates are shortlisted across categories.
- The cut off varies by category and by exam shift.
What is the IB ACIO Tier 2 Cut Off?
Tier 2 is a descriptive paper of 50 marks. The IB ACIO Tier 2 cut off is fixed for all categories.
- Minimum qualifying marks: 17 out of 50 (33%)
- Applies to every category equally.
- Candidates scoring below 17 are eliminated regardless of Tier 1 performance.
- Scoring exactly 17 does not guarantee an interview call.
- Tier 2 score is added to Tier 1 for interview shortlisting.
- Interview shortlisting is at 5 times the number of vacancies.
What is the IB ACIO Final Cut Off?
- The final merit list is based on Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Interview combined (out of 250).
- IB does not publish a “final cut off” separately.
- The final merit list shows selected roll numbers only.
Does IB Release the Official Cut Off After the Result?
No. IB does not declare cutoffs at any stage.
- No individual scorecard is issued.
- No cut off PDF is published on the Ministry of Home Affairs website.
- Shortlisted candidates only receive a PDF with their roll number.
This is how results have been declared across all past cycles.
What was the IB ACIO Cut Off in Previous Years?
The figures below are estimates based on candidate-reported raw marks after each cycle. IB has not published these officially.
From 2021 onwards, Tier 1 is conducted across multiple shifts. Raw marks are normalized.
The normalization formula is not disclosed. A candidate with 52 raw marks in a difficult shift may receive a higher normalized score than someone with 55 marks in an easier shift.
The figures below represent the raw mark range at which candidates reported being shortlisted. Actual normalized thresholds were different for each shift.
What was the IB ACIO Cut Off in 2017?
2017 was a single-paper, non-Computer Based Test (CBT) exam. No normalization was applied.
IB ACIO 2017 Tier 1 Cut Off
| IB ACIO 2017 Tier-1 Cut Off | |
| Category | Cut Off (out of 100) |
| UR | 65 |
| OBC | 60 |
| SC | 50 |
| ST | 50 |
EWS category did not exist in 2017.
IB ACIO 2017 Tier 2 Cut Off
| IB ACIO 2017 Tier 2 Cut Off | |
| Category | Cut Off (out of 50) |
| UR | 30 |
| OBC | 25 |
| SC | 20 |
| ST | 20 |
The paper was moderate in difficulty. The IB ACIO Tier 1 cut off of 65 for UR reflects this.
What was the IB ACIO Cut Off in 2021?
The IB ACIO cutoff 2021 is estimated from candidate surveys. The exam was held from 18 to 20 February 2021 in multiple shifts. Normalization was applied.
IB ACIO 2021 Tier 1 Cut Off (Estimated Raw Marks)
| IB ACIO 2021 Tier-1 Shift-Wise Estimated Marks Range | |
| Category | Estimated Mark Range (Across Shifts) |
| UR | 50 to 55 |
| OBC | 45 to 50 |
| EWS | 45 to 48 |
| SC | 40 to 45 |
| ST | 35 to 40 |
| Ex-Servicemen | ~35 |
Key points:
- Paper difficulty was moderate to difficult.
- Some UR candidates with 49 to 50 raw marks also reported being shortlisted, depending on their shift.
- Tier 2 minimum qualifying: 17 out of 50.
- Combined Tier 1 + Tier 2 threshold for interview shortlisting: Not reliably available.
What was the IB ACIO Cut Off in 2023?
The IB ACIO cut off 2023 data comes from the exam held on 17 and 18 January 2024, conducted in 8 shifts (4 per day). Heavy normalization was applied across shifts.
IB ACIO 2023 Tier 1 Cut Off (Estimated Raw Marks, Shift-Wise Range)
| IB ACIO 2023 Tier-1 Shift-Wise Estimated Marks Range | |
| Category | Estimated Mark Range (Across Shifts) |
| UR | 53 to 58 |
| OBC | 44 to 55 |
| EWS | 46 to 52 |
| SC | 38 to 47 |
| ST | 37 to 42 |
Key points:
- The range reflects shift difficulty variation.
- Candidates in the hardest shift (17 Jan, Shift 3) qualified at lower raw marks.
- IB ACIO 2023 Tier 2 cut off: minimum 17 out of 50
Estimated Tier 2 score for candidates who reached interview (UR): 28 to 33.
What was the IB ACIO Cut Off in 2025?
The 2025 cycle covered 3,717 vacancies.
Key Dates:
- Tier 1: 16 to 18 September 2025
- Tier 2: 11 January 2026
- Interview: 1 to 30 April 2026
The official cut off has not been released yet and will be updated when it is released.
IB ACIO 2025 Tier 1 Cut Off (Estimated Raw Marks)
| IB ACIO 2025 Tier-1 Shift-Wise Estimated Marks Range | |
| Category | Estimated Mark Range (Across Shifts) |
| UR | 55 to 62 |
| OBC | 48 to 55 |
| EWS | 50 to 56 |
| SC | 43 to 50 |
| ST | 40 to 46 |
Key Points:
- These are preliminary estimates based on candidate-reported data.
- The higher vacancy count (3,717) may bring the final cut off slightly lower than 2023.
Tier 2 estimated range for UR candidates reaching interview: 28 to 35
How does Normalization Work in IB ACIO?
IB ACIO Tier 1 uses different question papers across shifts. Because difficulty varies between shifts, IB normalizes scores before declaring results.
How does the IB ACIO Cut Off Vary by Shift?
- Difficult Shift: Raw score is adjusted upward after normalization.
- Easy Shift: Raw score may be adjusted downward after normalization.
- The score calculated from the answer key is the raw mark, not the normalized score.
- A raw score of 52 in a difficult shift can become a normalized score of 58 or higher.
IB does not disclose the normalization formula. This makes all IB ACIO cut off figures inherently imprecise. The final cut off, which is not officially publicised, is based on normalized marks, not raw marks.
Note: The drop from 65 in 2017 to 50 to 55 in 2021 is explained by the shift to CBT format with multi-shift normalization. In 2017, all candidates took one paper, making comparison straightforward.
Is There a Sectional Cut Off in IB ACIO?
No. There is no IB ACIO sectional cutoff.
- Total score out of 100 determines Tier 1 qualification.
- No minimum is required in any individual section.
- Only category-wise aggregate minimum marks is given.
However, neglecting any section carries risk:
- Each section carries 20 marks.
- Scoring very low in one section forces an unrealistic score in others.
- All five sections should receive consistent preparation.
What Score do You Need to Move to Each Stage?
Score Required to Qualify for Tier 2
- Minimum qualifying: UR/EWS 35, OBC 34, SC/ST 33.
- Actual threshold in recent cycles: 50 to 62 for UR.
- Shortlisting ratio: Top 10x vacancies, category-wise
- For 3,717 Vacancies: approximately 37,170 candidates shortlisted across all categories
Score Required to Qualify for the Interview
- Minimum Tier 2 qualifying: 17 out of 50 (all categories)
- Shortlisting: Top 5x vacancies based on combined Tier 1 + Tier 2 score.
- For 3,717 Vacancies: approximately 18,585 candidates called for interview.
- A higher Tier 2 score significantly improves interview shortlisting chances.
What is a Safe Score to Target in IB ACIO?
| IB ACIO Safe Score for Tier 1 | |
| Category | Safe Score (Tier 1, out of 100) |
| UR | 65+ |
| OBC | 58+ |
| EWS | 60+ |
| SC | 52+ |
| ST | 48+ |
Reasons to target above the estimated IB ACIO cut off:
- Tier 1 marks are counted in the final merit list. A higher Tier 1 score directly improves final selection chances.
- The cut off can shift upward if the paper is easier across shifts.
- Normalized scores are unknown before the result. A buffer above the estimated cut off is the only way to manage this uncertainty.
What are the Factors That Affect the IB ACIO Cut Off?
1. Number of Vacancies
- More vacancies allow a lower score to qualify.
- Vacancy trend: 750 (2014), 1,430 (2017), 2,000 (2021), 1,995 (2023), 3,717 (2025).
- The 2025 cycle has the highest vacancy count in IB ACIO history.
2. Number of Candidates Appearing
- A larger candidate pool increases competition.
- The 2025 cycle attracted a very large number of applicants given the high vacancy count.
- More candidates do not automatically raise the cut off.
3. Exam Difficulty Level
- A difficult paper suppresses scores. The cut off falls.
- An easier paper raises average scores. The cut off rises.
- 2021 and 2023 papers were moderate to difficult. This kept the cut off in the 50 to 58 raw mark range.
4. Category-Wise Performance
- Cut offs are calculated separately by category.
- If fewer qualified candidates exist in a category relative to its vacancy share, the cut off for that category may drop to the minimum qualifying mark.
How does the IB ACIO Cut Off Pattern Compare to SSC CGL?
| IB ACIO vs SSC CGL Cut Off Pattern | ||
| Parameter | IB ACIO | SSC CGL |
| Tier 1 Total Marks | 100 | 200 |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 per wrong answer | 0.50 per wrong answer |
| Official Cut Off Published | No | Yes |
| Scorecard Available | No | Yes |
| Sectional Cut Off | No | No |
| Normalization | Yes (multi-shift CBT) | Yes (multi-shift CBT) |
Key Differences:
- SSC CGL releases an official category-wise cut off PDF after the final merit list.
- Every SSC CGL candidate receives a scorecard with their marks.
- IB ACIO publishes neither.
- SSC CGL GK & English sections go slightly deeper than IB ACIO.
- IB ACIO has Current Affairs as a separate 20-mark section.
- SSC CGL UR Tier 1 cut offs in recent cycles: 130 to 155 out of 200 (proportionally higher than IB ACIO UR ranges).
