Checked 25 September 2026. From the SAMS "cut-off marks" page (first selection round), read 25 Sep 2026. A cut-off is the last allotted mark and changes every round and year; the portal does not say whether it includes weightage.
Unlike most State PG entrances, Odisha publishes its closing marks. The SAMS portal's cut-off page gives the mark of the last candidate allotted in each round, for every institution, subject and category, from 2020-21 onwards. We read the first selection round for the four universities with the largest P.G. intakes — Utkal, Ravenshaw, Berhampur and Sambalpur — for 2025-26 and 2026-27. All figures are CPET marks out of 100, as printed by SAMS.
Where other pages get this wrong
A CPET cut-off is the mark of the last candidate allotted in that round — not a qualifying mark — and cut-offs have gone below zero.
Commonly published instead: "Odisha CPET cut-off 2026: 40% to qualify" or a single cut-off per subject.
The prospectus sets no qualifying mark, and the SAMS cut-off page prints a closing mark per institution, subject, category and round. Because wrong answers cost 0.25, closing marks can be negative: on the SAMS cut-off page, Berhampur's LL.M. ST seat closed at −0.75 in the first round of 2026, and its Electronic Science General seats at −6.00 in the second round.
SAMS cut-off marks, first selection round unless stated.
Utkal University, by category
| Subject | 2025 Gen | SEBC | SC | ST | 2026 Gen | SEBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 75.5 | 71.25 | 65 | 45 | 89.75 | 85 | 76.25 | 72.75 |
| Odia | 48.75 | 48 | 41 | 35 | 60.75 | 58.75 | 52.75 | 43 |
| Political Science | 67.75 | 64.25 | 57.5 | 43.25 | 71 | 67.75 | 58.75 | 51 |
| History | 35 | 30.5 | 25.5 | 22.75 | 31.5 | 29.5 | 23.75 | 20.5 |
| Commerce | 42 | 38.5 | 27.25 | 20.25 | 60.75 | 55 | 38.75 | 30.5 |
| Physics | 27.25 | 24.75 | 18.75 | 15.5 | 71 | 69.75 | 52.25 | 45.75 |
| Chemistry | 47.5 | 39.25 | 24.75 | 15.25 | 45.25 | 43.5 | 30.5 | 22.25 |
| Mathematics | 15.25 | 13.75 | 10 | 6.25 | 28.5 | 26.5 | 18.25 | 14.25 |
| Zoology | 54 | 50.25 | 40.75 | 36 | 70.25 | 65.75 | 51.25 | 46.5 |
| Botany | 49.5 | 46.5 | 32.25 | 24.5 | 72.5 | 65 | 56.75 | 44.75 |
| M.Sc Computer Science | 33.25 | 30 | 17.75 | 13 | 35.75 | 32.75 | 17.25 | 12.25 |
| MBA (Business Administration) | 50 | 46.5 | 40.5 | 26 | 60 | 53.75 | 46.75 | 29.5 |
| Psychology | 56 | 45 | 23.25 | 18.5 | 60.5 | 49.25 | 21.75 | 4.25 |
| Geography | 29.75 | 27 | 15.75 | 19.25 | 61.5 | 54.75 | 39.25 | 45.5 |
| LL.M. | — | — | — | — | 50 | 44.5 | 30.75 | 10.5 |
SAMS cut-off marks, Utkal University, first selection round, 2025-26 and 2026-27 (the four right-hand columns are 2026). Later rounds are also published and usually close lower.
SAMS cut-off marks, 2026-27.
The four universities compared (General, 2026)
| Subject | Utkal | Ravenshaw | Berhampur | Sambalpur |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 89.75 | 84.25 | 73.25 | 81.25 |
| Physics | 71 | 66 | 53.5 | 60.75 |
| Chemistry | 45.25 | 43.25 | 31.5 | 39.75 |
| Mathematics | 28.5 | 31.5 | 23.5 | 24.25 |
| Commerce | 60.75 | 59.25 | 46.75 | 29.75 |
| Economics | — | 68.5 | 54.75 | 56.75 |
| History | 31.5 | 29 | 24.5 | 23.5 |
| MBA (Business Administration) | 60 | 48.75 | 44.25 | 40.75 |
SAMS cut-off marks, first selection round, 2026-27, General category.
The ranking is consistent across subjects: Utkal and Ravenshaw close highest, Sambalpur usually third and Berhampur lowest — with a gap of 16.5 marks in English, 17.5 in Physics and 13.75 in Chemistry between the top and bottom. Mathematics is the exception, where Ravenshaw closed above Utkal. For a candidate with a middling mark, that gap is the argument for listing all four in your ten choices rather than only the first.
Five subjects across the four universities, by category (2026)
| Subject · university | General | SEBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English · Utkal | 89.75 | 85 | 76.25 | 72.75 |
| English · Ravenshaw | 84.25 | 82.75 | 71.25 | 64.75 |
| English · Sambalpur | 81.25 | 76.5 | 59 | 53.5 |
| English · Berhampur | 73.25 | 71.75 | 54 | 49.25 |
| Economics · Ravenshaw | 68.5 | 65.5 | 46.75 | 34 |
| Economics · Sambalpur | 56.75 | 52.75 | 35 | 20 |
| Economics · Berhampur | 54.75 | 49 | 30.5 | 21 |
| Political Science · Utkal | 71 | 67.75 | 58.75 | 51 |
| Political Science · Ravenshaw | 68 | 66.25 | 59.25 | 47.25 |
| Political Science · Berhampur | 59.25 | 56.25 | 47.75 | 34.25 |
| Political Science · Sambalpur | 56.75 | 53 | 45.75 | 41.75 |
| Botany · Utkal | 72.5 | 65 | 56.75 | 44.75 |
| Botany · Ravenshaw | 65.5 | 64 | 54 | 41.75 |
| Botany · Berhampur | 55.75 | 54.25 | 42.25 | 33.5 |
| Commerce · Utkal | 60.75 | 55 | 38.75 | 30.5 |
| Commerce · Ravenshaw | 59.25 | 53.25 | 38 | 32.25 |
| Commerce · Berhampur | 46.75 | 44 | 25.75 | 21.75 |
| Commerce · Sambalpur | 29.75 | 26 | 11.25 | 12.25 |
SAMS cut-off marks, first selection round, 2026-27. Utkal lists no Economics row and Sambalpur no Botany row in the data we read.
Two patterns stand out. The gap between General and ST is widest in Economics (34.5 marks at Ravenshaw, 36.75 at Sambalpur) and still large in Commerce (about 25–30), and narrower in Political Science and English. And Sambalpur Commerce is an outlier: its General seats closed at 29.75 against around 60 at Utkal and Ravenshaw, so a Commerce candidate with a middling mark should list it.
How much do later rounds fall?
| Subject · university (General) | Round 1 | Round 2 |
|---|---|---|
| English · Utkal | 89.75 | 88 |
| English · Sambalpur | 81.25 | 79.25 |
| English · Berhampur | 73.25 | 70.5 |
| Political Science · Utkal | 71 | 66.25 |
| Economics · Berhampur | 54.75 | 48.25 |
| Commerce · Sambalpur | 29.75 | 15.75 |
| Commerce · Utkal | 60.75 | 58.5 |
SAMS cut-off marks, 2026-27, first and second selection rounds.
In these rows the second round fell by 1.75 to 6.5 marks; Sambalpur Commerce fell by 14. That is why Float and Slide are worth using when you are allotted a lower choice: seats do move, but usually only a few marks' worth, so a candidate several marks below a round-1 closing mark should not count on round 2.
Check a mark
Where would your mark have closed?
Pick a subject and category and enter a mark. The check compares it with the closing mark of the first selection round at Utkal University in 2025 and 2026, and — for General — at Ravenshaw, Berhampur and Sambalpur in 2026.
Closing marks from the SAMS "cut-off marks" page (first selection round). A cut-off is the mark of the last candidate allotted, not a qualifying mark; the portal does not say whether it includes weightage. The 2025 paper was 80 minutes and the 2026 one 100, so the years are not like for like.
Why 2026 closing marks ran higher
Most 2026 closing marks at Utkal were well above 2025 — Physics from 27.25 to 71, Geography from 29.75 to 61.5, Botany from 49.5 to 72.5. No official document explains the rise. What changed on paper is known: the 2026 paper allowed 100 minutes for the same 100 questions, against 80 in 2025, and each year's questions and candidates were different. Not every subject rose — History at Utkal fell slightly (35 to 31.5) and Chemistry moved little (47.5 to 45.25) — so the change is not uniform and we cannot say how much of it is the longer paper and how much the paper's difficulty or the cohort. For 2027, the safest working assumption is the 2026 level, since the 100-minute paper is the current pattern, and to treat any single subject's jump as possibly one-off.
Reading the numbers carefully
| Caution | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Different papers | The 2025 paper was 80 minutes and the 2026 one 100, with a different cohort; Utkal Physics jumped from 27.25 to 71. Do not compare years mark for mark |
| Weightage | The merit list shows a "Mark After Weightage" column; the cut-off page does not say whether its figures include weightage |
| Round | These are first-round figures; later rounds and Phase-II usually close lower, and Phase-II has no reservation or weightage |
| Seat type | Regular seats in public universities and Government/aided colleges (admission fee waived under Gyanodaya from 2026-27, except professional courses) and self-financing seats are separate choices |
| Category | Printed for General, SC, ST, SEBC, ex-servicemen and orthopaedically handicapped; there is no EWS category |
Practise it, don't just read it
At Utkal a few marks separate a seat from the waiting list in most subjects. Topic quizzes help find those marks.
The ProSyllabus Odisha CPET library has topic quizzes for English, Political Science, Economics, Botany and Commerce — the first one is free.
What is the Odisha CPET cut-off for Utkal University English?
The General first-round closing mark was 89.75 in 2026 and 75.5 in 2025.
Where can I see the official CPET cut-off marks?
On the SAMS P.G. portal's "cut-off marks" page, by year, institution, subject and round.
Is the CPET cut-off a pass mark?
No. It is the mark of the last candidate allotted in that round; there is no qualifying mark.
Which university has the highest CPET cut-offs?
In 2026 Utkal and Ravenshaw closed highest in most subjects we read, then Sambalpur and Berhampur.
Can a CPET cut-off be negative?
Yes. Because of the −0.25 marking, some seats closed below zero, such as Berhampur Electronic Science (General) at −6.00 in round 2 of 2026.
What was the Utkal M.Sc Physics cut-off in 2026?
71 for General in the first round, up from 27.25 in 2025.
What was the Utkal MBA cut-off in 2026?
60 (General), 53.75 (SEBC), 46.75 (SC) and 29.5 (ST) in the first round.
Do CPET cut-offs include weightage marks?
The portal does not say.
Are later-round cut-offs lower?
Usually; SAMS publishes each round separately.
Which university is easiest to get into through CPET?
On the 2026 first-round General closing marks we read, Berhampur usually closed lowest of the four large universities, and Sambalpur lowest in Commerce; colleges and other universities have their own cut-offs on SAMS.
How much lower is the second-round CPET cut-off?
Usually two to six marks below the first round in 2026, occasionally more (Sambalpur Commerce fell from 29.75 to 15.75).
What was the Ravenshaw Economics cut-off in 2026?
68.5 (General), 65.5 (SEBC), 46.75 (SC) and 34 (ST) in the first round.
Is there an EWS cut-off in Odisha CPET?
No. The categories printed are General, SC, ST, SEBC, ex-servicemen and orthopaedically handicapped.
More in this series
Sources
- official — SAMS P.G. — cut-off marks by institution, subject and round
- official — HED Odisha — Common Prospectus for P.G. admission 2026-27 (linked from the SAMS portal)
- official — HED — Phase-I P.G. admission 2026-27 guidelines and timeline (27.07.2026)
- official — HED — Phase-II P.G. admission 2026-27 guidelines and timeline (Sep 2026)
- official — SAMS Odisha — P.G. admission portal
- reported — Collegedunia — Odisha CPET (reported; see corrections)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
