UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026 Official Question Papers PDF Download

The UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026 official question papers are valuable study resources for candidates preparing for the Civil Services Examination.

The Union Public Service Commission conducted the Civil Services Preliminary Examination on 24 May 2026. The examination included two compulsory papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II, commonly known as CSAT.

Candidates can download both original question papers from the sections provided below. These question papers were officially published by UPSC on 25 May 2026 and are not memory-based papers.

UPSC Prelims 2026 Question Paper Overview

Exam Name: Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

Common Name: UPSC Prelims 2026

Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission

Examination Date: 24 May 2026

Exam Stage: Preliminary Examination

Papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II

Question Type: Objective-Type Multiple-Choice Questions

Maximum Marks: 200 marks for each paper

Duration: Two hours for each paper

Question Paper Language: Hindi and English

Document Type: Official Question Papers

File Format: PDF

Category: UPSC / State PCS

The UPSC Preliminary Examination consists of two compulsory objective-type papers carrying 200 marks each. Each paper has a duration of two hours and is provided in Hindi and English.

Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper I PDF

General Studies Paper I is the main paper used to determine qualification for the Civil Services Main Examination.

It covers subjects such as current affairs, history, geography, Indian polity, governance, economy, environment, social development and general science.

Exam Name: Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

Paper Name: General Studies Paper I

Total Questions: 100

Maximum Marks: 200

Duration: Two Hours

Question Type: Objective-Type Questions

Language: Hindi and English

Document Type: Official UPSC Question Paper

Download General Studies Paper I

Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper I PDF

Add the official UPSC General Studies Paper I PDF link to the download text or button above. UPSC officially lists this paper in its Previous Question Papers section.

Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II PDF

General Studies Paper II is commonly known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test, or CSAT.

The paper assesses comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy, general mental ability and data interpretation.

Exam Name: Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

Paper Name: General Studies Paper II

Common Name: CSAT

Total Questions: 80

Maximum Marks: 200

Duration: Two Hours

Question Type: Objective-Type Questions

Language: Hindi and English

Minimum Qualifying Marks: 33%

Document Type: Official UPSC Question Paper

Download General Studies Paper II

Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II CSAT PDF

Add the official UPSC General Studies Paper II PDF link to the download text or button above. UPSC officially lists the paper, and the official examination scheme states that candidates must obtain at least 33% in General Studies Paper II.

UPSC Prelims 2026 Examination Pattern

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination consists of two compulsory papers.

General Studies Paper I

General Studies Paper I is considered for determining the Preliminary Examination cut-off. It includes questions from:

Current events of national and international importance
History of India and the Indian National Movement
Indian and world geography
Indian polity and governance
Economic and social development
Environment, biodiversity and climate change
General science

General Studies Paper II

General Studies Paper II is qualifying in nature. It includes questions from:

Comprehension
Interpersonal and communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision-making and problem-solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy
Data interpretation

Candidates must appear in both papers. The marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are used for screening and are not included in the final Civil Services merit ranking.

Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims

There is negative marking for incorrect answers in the UPSC Preliminary Examination.

For every incorrect answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question is deducted.

When a candidate selects more than one option, the response is treated as incorrect even when one of the selected options is correct. No marks are deducted for questions left unanswered.

Benefits of Solving UPSC Prelims Question Papers

Solving the UPSC Prelims 2026 official question papers can help candidates:

Understand the latest examination pattern
Identify important General Studies and CSAT topics
Analyse the difficulty level of the examination
Understand how UPSC frames objective questions
Improve speed and accuracy
Develop better time-management skills
Practise eliminating incorrect answer options
Identify strong and weak subject areas
Evaluate their level of preparation

How to Use the UPSC Prelims 2026 Question Papers

Candidates should first revise the complete UPSC Prelims syllabus before attempting the papers.

Attempt General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II separately. Set a time limit of two hours for each paper and avoid checking answers while solving the questions.

After completing the papers, review every response carefully. Identify incorrect answers, revise the related topics and maintain notes of important concepts.

Candidates should also review questions answered correctly through guesswork because such answers may not reflect complete conceptual understanding.

Important Instructions

Download the question papers only from the official Union Public Service Commission website.

Check that the PDF clearly mentions:

Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

General Studies Paper I or General Studies Paper II

Candidates should also check the latest official UPSC notification, syllabus, answer keys, cut-off marks and examination updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the UPSC Prelims 2026 question papers official?

Yes. General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II were published on the official Union Public Service Commission website.

When was the UPSC Prelims 2026 examination conducted?

The examination was conducted on 24 May 2026.

How many papers are included in UPSC Prelims?

The Preliminary Examination includes two compulsory papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II.

Is General Studies Paper II qualifying?

Yes. General Studies Paper II, commonly known as CSAT, is qualifying in nature. Candidates must obtain at least 33% marks.

Are the papers available in Hindi and English?

Yes. The official notification states that both question papers are set in Hindi and English.

Is there negative marking in UPSC Prelims?

Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for an incorrect answer.

Are UPSC Prelims marks counted in the final merit list?

No. The Preliminary Examination is a screening test, and its marks are not included in the final merit ranking.

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026 Official Question Papers PDF