Delhi APP Negative Marking Rules Explained

Delhi APP negative marking rules deduct 1/3 mark for every wrong answer in the Recruitment Test on 9 January 2027. There is no penalty for a question left unanswered, and every question carries equal marks. This means guessing blindly can cost you more than it gains, while informed elimination of options is usually still worthwhile.

How the 1/3 negative marking works

For every wrong answer in the Delhi APP Recruitment Test, 1/3 of the mark allotted to that question is deducted from your total score. Since every question carries equal marks, the deduction is the same fraction across the paper. There is no penalty for a question you leave unanswered, so an unattempted question simply contributes zero, neither helping nor hurting your score.

What this means for your attempt strategy

With 1/3 mark negative marking, the arithmetic works like this: if you are completely unsure between all four options, a random guess has roughly a 25% chance of being right and a 75% chance of losing 1/3 mark, which on average costs you marks rather than gaining them. If you can confidently eliminate even one or two wrong options, the odds shift in your favour and an educated guess becomes reasonable. Blind guessing across many questions you know nothing about is the pattern most likely to hurt your score under this rule.

A practical approach: attempt every question you are reasonably sure of first, mark questions where you can eliminate at least one option for a second pass, and leave only the questions where you have absolutely no idea unanswered, rather than guessing at random.

Why UPSC’s negative marking matters more in a 2-hour paper

The Delhi APP RT runs for 2 hours, which is a tighter window than some other objective law exams. Under time pressure, candidates are more likely to guess on questions they have not read carefully, which is exactly where 1/3 mark negative marking can turn a borderline attempt into a net loss. Practising with a strict timer and the same negative marking rule, rather than an untimed read of notes, is the only reliable way to build the right instinct for when to attempt and when to skip.

Common mistakes with negative marking

• Guessing on every unanswered question at the end just to “fill in” the paper. Under 1/3 negative marking, this is usually a losing strategy unless you can eliminate options.
• Leaving a question blank even when you could eliminate two of the four options, which would have made an educated guess statistically worthwhile.
• Spending too long on a single hard question and running out of time for several easier ones later in the paper, given the strict 2-hour window.

Frequently asked questions

What is the negative marking in the Delhi APP exam?

1/3 mark is deducted for every wrong answer. There is no penalty for leaving a question unanswered, and every question carries equal marks.

Should I guess if I don’t know the answer in the Delhi APP RT?

A completely random guess is statistically a losing move under 1/3 negative marking. If you can confidently eliminate at least one or two options, an educated guess becomes reasonable; otherwise it is usually safer to leave the question unanswered.

Is there negative marking for unanswered questions in Delhi APP?

No. There is no penalty for a question left unanswered; only wrong answers attract the 1/3 mark deduction.

How many marks does each Delhi APP RT question carry?

UPSC has confirmed that every question carries equal marks, but it has not published the exact mark value per question or the total number of questions for this paper.

Quick quiz

Sources

• UPSC Advertisement No. 11/2026, Vacancy No. 26091106212 (Assistant Public Prosecutor, Directorate of Prosecution, Govt of NCT of Delhi)

This page is for education and general information, not legal advice for a specific case. Law as on 1 November 2026.

Practise under the real marking rule: Delhi APP Mock Papers, ₹149.