🎯 Negative Marking Calculator
Negative Marking Calculator: Raw Score for SSC, Bank, RRB, UPSC & NEET
Answer key aa gayi? Enter your attempted and correct answers to get the exact raw score after negative marking, for 1/4th, 1/3rd, +2 / −0.5, +4 / −1 or your own custom scheme. Works for mock tests too.
Schemes match recent notices for the exams named. Always confirm the marking scheme and any section-wise rules in your own exam notification.
Final net raw score
132.5/ 200
66.25% of maximum marks
- Marks scored
- +140
- Negative marks
- −7.5
- Accuracy
- 82.35%
- Correct 70 (70%)
- Wrong 15 (15%)
- Unattempted 15 (15%)
Negative marking cost you 7.5 marks, the same as 3.75 correct answers. Every 4 wrong answers cancel one correct answer.
Should you guess?
Expected marks per guess with +2 / −0.50. Positive means guessing pays off on average.
- Blind guess (1 of 4)+0.13
- One option eliminated (1 of 3)+0.33
- Down to two options (50:50)+0.75
Expected value is an average over many questions, not a promise for one. A wrong guess also drags down sectional scores, so guess only when you can rule out at least one option.
How to calculate your raw score
- 1
Pick the scheme
Choose the marks per correct answer and penalty from your exam notice, or set custom rules.
- 2
Enter your attempt
Type total questions, how many you attempted, and how many are correct as per the answer key.
- 3
Read the score
Get positive marks, negative marks, net raw score, accuracy and a correct / wrong / skipped bar.
Net raw score = (Correct × marks per correct) − (Wrong × penalty per wrong)
Guessing with negative marking: what the maths says
On a question with 4 options, a blind guess is right 1 time in 4. Its expected value is the chance of being right times the marks, minus the chance of being wrong times the penalty. Under +1 / −1/3 that is ¼ × 1 − ¾ × ⅓ = 0: over many guesses you gain nothing, but your score swings up and down.
Eliminating options changes everything. Rule out one option and the same guess becomes ⅓ × 1 − ⅔ × ⅓ = +0.11 marks on average. At 50:50 it is +0.33. So the smart rule is: never guess blind on a tight section, but do attempt questions where you can confidently cut one or two options.
| Scheme | Blind guess | 1 option cut | 50:50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| +1 / −0.25IBPS, SBI & RBI bank exams | +0.06 | +0.17 | +0.38 |
| +1 / −0.33RRB NTPC, Group D, ALP | 0 | +0.11 | +0.33 |
| +2 / −0.50SSC CGL, CHSL, CPO | +0.13 | +0.33 | +0.75 |
| +2 / −0.66UPSC Prelims (GS) | 0 | +0.22 | +0.67 |
| +3 / −1.00 | 0 | +0.33 | +1 |
| +4 / −1.00JEE Main, NEET UG | +0.25 | +0.67 | +1.5 |
Accuracy beats attempts
80 correct out of 85 attempts usually beats 85 out of 100. Each wrong answer quietly eats your safe marks.
Watch sectional cut-offs
Bank and some state exams have section-wise minimums. One section with many wrong guesses can fail you overall.
Use mocks to find your number
Track accuracy in every mock. If it is below 80%, attempt fewer questions; above 90%, you can push more.
Negative marking questions
How is negative marking calculated?
Net score = (correct answers × marks per correct) − (wrong answers × penalty per wrong). Unattempted questions get zero. For example, in SSC CGL with +2 / −0.5, 70 correct and 15 wrong gives 140 − 7.5 = 132.5.
What does 1/4th negative marking mean?
One quarter of the marks for that question is deducted for every wrong answer. With 1 mark per question, each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks, so 4 wrong answers cancel 1 correct answer.
What does 1/3rd negative marking mean?
One third of the question's marks is cut for each wrong answer. RRB exams use +1 / −1/3, and UPSC Prelims GS uses +2 / −0.66, which is also one third. Three wrong answers cancel one correct answer.
Are unattempted questions given negative marks?
No. In almost all Indian competitive exams, a question you leave blank gets zero marks. Only wrong answers attract a penalty.
Should I guess answers when there is negative marking?
With four options and a 1/3rd penalty, a blind guess has zero expected value, and with a 1/4th penalty it is slightly positive. Once you can eliminate even one option, guessing becomes clearly profitable on average. Avoid blind guessing when a sectional cut-off is at risk.
Is the raw score the same as the final score?
Not always. Exams held in many shifts, like SSC and RRB, normalise raw scores to adjust for paper difficulty. Use this raw score to compare with previous cut-offs and mock tests.
Can I use this for NEET, JEE Main or university entrance tests?
Yes. Choose +4 / −1 for NEET UG and JEE Main, or set custom marks and penalty for any entrance test, CUET section or mock test.