UPSC Prelims pattern at a glance
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination consists of two papers of the objective, multiple-choice type, carrying 400 marks in total. The details below are from the 2026 examination notice (Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, dated 4 February 2026) and published pattern summaries; the Prelims was held on 24 May 2026. UPSC publishes the pattern with each year's notice, so check the notice for your cycle.
| Parameter | Paper I: General Studies | Paper II: CSAT |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Objective, multiple-choice | Objective, multiple-choice |
| Questions | 100 | 80 |
| Marks | 200 (2 per question) | 200 (2.5 per question) |
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Role | Counted for the Mains shortlist | Qualifying: minimum 33% (66 marks) |
| Penalty for a wrong answer | One-third of the question's marks (about 0.67) | One-third of the question's marks (about 0.83) |
The marks per question follow from the totals: 200 ÷ 100 = 2 for Paper I and 200 ÷ 80 = 2.5 for Paper II. If the notice for your year uses different counts, recompute with the same method.
Paper I in detail
Paper I covers current events of national and international importance; the history of India and the Indian national movement; Indian and world geography (physical, social and economic); Indian polity and governance (Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy and rights issues); economic and social development (sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics and social sector initiatives); general issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change that do not require subject specialisation; and general science. Question styles are mostly statement-based ("which of the statements given above is/are correct?"), matching and sequence questions, and some single-fact items.
Paper II (CSAT) in detail
Paper II tests comprehension; interpersonal skills including communication; logical reasoning and analytical ability; decision-making and problem-solving; general mental ability; basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, at about Class X level); data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, at about Class X level); and English language comprehension skills at about Class X level. Comprehension passages account for a large share of the questions in most recent papers.
Marking scheme and worked examples
With a penalty of one-third of the marks for a wrong answer, scores can be computed directly. The examples below are illustrative:
| Paper I scenario | Calculation | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 80 attempted, 60 correct, 20 wrong | 60 × 2 − 20 × (2 ÷ 3) | 106.7 |
| 90 attempted, 62 correct, 28 wrong | 62 × 2 − 28 × (2 ÷ 3) | 105.3 |
| 70 attempted, 56 correct, 14 wrong | 56 × 2 − 14 × (2 ÷ 3) | 102.7 |
| 100 attempted, 55 correct, 45 wrong | 55 × 2 − 45 × (2 ÷ 3) | 80.0 |
The first and second rows differ by ten attempts but score almost the same: the extra attempts earned two correct answers and eight wrong ones, a net gain of 4 − 5.3 = −1.3 marks. The last row shows how attempting everything at 55% accuracy can score far below a more selective approach. The break-even accuracy is 25%, so any group of attempts that is right more than a quarter of the time adds marks.
For CSAT, the qualifying mark is 66 out of 200. With 2.5 marks per correct answer, you need about 27 correct answers if you make no mistakes. If you attempt 40 questions and get 10 wrong, your score is 30 × 2.5 − 10 × 0.83 = 66.7, which just clears the line. So the safe approach is accuracy first: a margin of 10 to 15 marks above the cut-off is sensible.
What the pattern means for mocks
- Use 100-question GS tests of 2 hours, with the one-third penalty applied.
- Use 80-question CSAT tests of 2 hours, also with the penalty.
- Take at least a few full-day rehearsals in which GS and CSAT are separated as they would be in the exam.
- Practise a three-round attempt plan for GS (confident, eliminable, remaining).
- Practise multi-statement reading under time, because it is the dominant question style.
Question styles in Paper I, with worked examples
A statement-based polity question. Consider the following statements about a Money Bill: (1) it can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha; (2) the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations on it; (3) the Rajya Sabha can reject it. Which are correct? Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The Rajya Sabha may recommend changes within 14 days, and the Lok Sabha may accept or reject the recommendations, so statement 3 is wrong. The practice here is to test each statement separately before looking at the options.
A geography question. The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian states? Eight: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. Many geography questions rest on a list you can memorise.
An elimination question. A question lists four statements and asks which combination is correct. If you are sure that statement 2 is false and that statement 4 is true, you can eliminate every option that includes 2 or excludes 4, leaving perhaps one or two options without needing to judge the rest. This is why partial knowledge, handled carefully, still earns marks.
Question styles in Paper II, with worked examples
Arithmetic. A train 200 m long passes a pole in 8 seconds. What is its speed in km/h? Speed = 200 ÷ 8 = 25 m/s = 25 × 18 ÷ 5 = 90 km/h.
Logical reasoning. All teachers are graduates. Some graduates are writers. Which conclusion must follow? No definite conclusion links teachers and writers, because the writers among the graduates might not include any teachers. This is a typical syllogism trap.
Data interpretation. Sales rose from 120 to 150 units. What is the percentage increase? 30 ÷ 120 = 25%.
Practise comprehension separately, because it is the largest block: see a daily reading comprehension routine.
Checklist: is this mock faithful to the pattern?
| Check | Faithful mock | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 100 questions in 2 hours (GS); 80 in 2 hours (CSAT) | Much shorter or longer |
| Marking | 2 marks and a one-third penalty (GS) | No negative marking |
| Question style | Multi-statement, matching and elimination-friendly | Only single-fact questions |
| Syllabus | Follows the UPSC syllabus areas | Questions far outside the syllabus |
| Explanations | Reasoned with source references | Answer key only |
Use the UPSC mock test strategy to plan your tests and the UPSC hub for available papers. Papers: General Studies and CSAT.
Disclaimer and sources: the pattern above was checked in October 2026 against UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE and published summaries of the question counts. TestMint is independent of the UPSC; please confirm the pattern in the notice for your cycle.
