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Exam Review

Key Facts: UPSC CSE Prelims Exam

100

Questions in GS Paper I

UPSC Notification

80

Questions in CSAT Paper II

UPSC Notification

33%

CSAT Qualifying Threshold

UPSC (CSE Rules)

1/3

Negative Marking per Wrong Answer

UPSC Notification

Rs. 100

Application Fee (General/OBC/EWS)

UPSC Notification

2 hours

Duration per Paper

UPSC

The UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination has two same-day objective papers: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks, merit-ranking) and CSAT Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks, qualifying at 33%, i.e. 66 marks). Each runs two hours with one-third negative marking. The fee is Rs. 100 for General/OBC/EWS and free for SC/ST/PwBD and women; Prelims marks do not count toward the final merit.

Sample UPSC CSE Prelims Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the UPSC CSE Prelims exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, what is the role of the General Studies (GS) Paper I in deciding which candidates advance to the Mains?
A.It is merit-ranking; the Prelims cut-off is decided on GS Paper I marks alone
B.It is purely qualifying and its marks do not affect selection
C.Its marks are added to Mains marks for the final merit list
D.It is optional and candidates may skip it
Explanation: In the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, GS Paper I is the merit-ranking paper: the Prelims cut-off (which decides who qualifies for the Mains) is computed only on GS Paper I scores. CSAT (Paper II) is merely qualifying at 33%.
2How many questions and what total marks does GS Paper I of the UPSC Prelims carry?
A.80 questions, 200 marks
B.100 questions, 200 marks
C.100 questions, 100 marks
D.120 questions, 240 marks
Explanation: GS Paper I contains 100 objective (MCQ) questions worth 2 marks each, totalling 200 marks, to be completed in 2 hours. CSAT (Paper II) is the one with 80 questions for 200 marks.
3What is the minimum qualifying requirement for the CSAT (GS Paper II) in the UPSC Prelims?
A.50% marks
B.33% marks (66 out of 200)
C.It is merit-ranked with the GS paper
D.40% marks (80 out of 200)
Explanation: CSAT (Paper II) is qualifying in nature: a candidate must secure at least 33% — i.e. 66 of 200 marks — to be eligible for the Mains. The marks are not counted for ranking.
4What is the negative-marking penalty for a wrong answer in the UPSC Prelims?
A.One-half of the marks assigned to that question
B.One-fourth of the marks assigned to that question
C.One-third of the marks assigned to that question
D.No negative marking is applied
Explanation: Both Prelims papers carry negative marking of one-third (1/3) of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer — 0.66 in GS Paper I (2-mark questions) and about 0.83 in CSAT (2.5-mark questions). Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
5Which body conducts the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination in India?
A.Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
B.Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
C.National Testing Agency (NTA)
D.Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)
Explanation: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), a constitutional body under Articles 315-323 of the Constitution, conducts the Civil Services Examination, of which the Preliminary Examination is the first screening stage.
6Which Article of the Indian Constitution provides for the establishment of the Union Public Service Commission?
A.Article 280
B.Article 315
C.Article 324
D.Article 148
Explanation: Article 315 provides for a Public Service Commission for the Union and for each State; thus the UPSC derives its constitutional status from Article 315. Articles 316-323 deal with its composition, functions and removal of members.
7Which part of the Indian Constitution contains the Fundamental Rights?
A.Part III
B.Part IV
C.Part II
D.Part IVA
Explanation: Fundamental Rights are enshrined in Part III (Articles 12-35) of the Constitution. Part IV holds the Directive Principles, Part II deals with Citizenship, and Part IVA contains the Fundamental Duties.
8The 'Right to Constitutional Remedies' under Article 32 was described by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as which of the following?
A.A mere procedural safeguard
B.The heart and soul of the Constitution
C.A Directive Principle
D.A reasonable restriction on liberty
Explanation: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar called Article 32 'the heart and soul of the Constitution' because it empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs (habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, quo warranto) for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, making the rights meaningful.
9The Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution were borrowed primarily from the constitution of which country?
A.United States of America
B.Ireland
C.United Kingdom
D.Canada
Explanation: The idea of Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) was borrowed from the Irish Constitution, which had in turn drawn it from the Spanish Constitution. They are non-justiciable but fundamental in the governance of the country.
10Which constitutional amendment is known for adding the words 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble?
A.The 44th Amendment Act, 1978
B.The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976
C.The 73rd Amendment Act, 1992
D.The 1st Amendment Act, 1951
Explanation: The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 (the 'Mini-Constitution') added 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble, along with the Fundamental Duties and several other wide-ranging changes during the Emergency period.

About the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam

The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination is the first screening stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination, which recruits for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services. It comprises two objective MCQ papers held offline on the same day: General Studies Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) and the Civil Services Aptitude Test, or CSAT, Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks), each lasting two hours. GS Paper I is merit-ranking and decides the Prelims cut-off, while CSAT is qualifying in nature and requires a minimum of 33% (66 of 200 marks). Both papers carry one-third negative marking for wrong answers, and the Prelims marks are not counted in the final merit list.

Exam sponsor: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), proctored at designated centres across India. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

100 questions

Time Limit

2 hours per paper (GS Paper I and CSAT, both on the same day)

Passing Score

GS Paper I cut-off varies each year; CSAT qualifying at 33% (66/200)

Exam / Certification Fees

Rs. 100 (General/OBC/EWS); free for SC/ST/PwBD and all female candidates

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. UPSC does not publish a single first-attempt pass-rate percentage; only a small fraction of the lakhs of applicants clear the Prelims to reach the Mains each year. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

~25%

Current Affairs & International Relations

National and international events, government schemes, summits, reports and India's foreign relations in GS Paper I

~15%

History & Art and Culture

Ancient, medieval and modern Indian history, the freedom struggle, and Indian art, culture and heritage

~14%

Indian Polity & Governance

Constitution, fundamental rights and duties, parliament, judiciary, constitutional bodies and federalism

~14%

Economy

Economic development, monetary and fiscal policy, banking, public finance, agriculture and the external sector

~12%

Geography

Physical, Indian and world geography, climatology, soils, rivers and resource distribution

~12%

Science & Technology

General science, space, biotechnology, nuclear and emerging technology in static and current-affairs contexts

~8%

Environment & Ecology

Biodiversity, climate change, conservation, ecosystems and international environmental conventions

Preparing for the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: GS Paper I cut-off varies each year; CSAT qualifying at 33% (66/200)
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 2 hours per paper (GS Paper I and CSAT, both on the same day)
  • Exam / certification fees: Rs. 100 (General/OBC/EWS); free for SC/ST/PwBD and all female candidates Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

UPSC CSE Prelims: Suggested Study Strategy

1Treat GS Paper I as the rank-deciding paper, but never neglect CSAT — many strong candidates are eliminated by missing the 33% qualifying bar.
2Anchor your preparation in NCERT textbooks and standard references for polity, history, geography, economy, environment and science before moving to advanced material.
3Read a quality newspaper daily and maintain concise current-affairs notes, linking events to static topics the way UPSC frames its questions.
4Practise the elimination technique and manage negative marking — attempt only questions where you can rule out at least two options confidently.
5Solve previous-year question papers (PYQs) thoroughly; they reveal recurring themes and the conceptual, statement-based style UPSC now favours.
6Drill CSAT comprehension, reasoning and basic numeracy regularly so that the qualifying paper never becomes a last-minute risk.
7Take full-length timed mock tests for both papers and review every mistake by subject to convert weak areas into reliable scoring zones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination?

It is the first, screening stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It has two objective MCQ papers held on the same day: General Studies Paper I (100 questions) and the CSAT Paper II (80 questions), each of two hours.

What is the difference between GS Paper I and CSAT?

GS Paper I is merit-ranking and decides the Prelims cut-off, covering history, geography, polity, economy, environment, science and current affairs. CSAT (Paper II) is qualifying in nature and tests comprehension, reasoning, decision-making, numeracy and data interpretation.

What marks do I need to qualify the CSAT?

CSAT is qualifying at 33%, which is 66 out of 200 marks. Failing to reach this threshold disqualifies a candidate even if their GS Paper I score is above the cut-off.

Is there negative marking in the UPSC Prelims?

Yes. Both GS Paper I and CSAT carry one-third negative marking for each wrong answer — about 0.66 marks per wrong answer in GS Paper I (2-mark questions) and about 0.83 in CSAT (2.5-mark questions). Unattempted questions are not penalised.

Do the Prelims marks count toward the final merit list?

No. The Prelims is only a screening stage. Once a candidate qualifies, the Prelims marks are not added to the Mains or interview marks; the final merit is based on Mains and interview scores.

How much is the application fee?

The application fee is Rs. 100 for General, OBC and EWS candidates. SC, ST and PwBD candidates and all female candidates are exempt from the fee, as per the UPSC notification.

Who is eligible to appear for the UPSC Prelims?

A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university (final-year students may apply provisionally), be an Indian citizen (for IAS/IPS), and be aged 21 to 32 as of 1 August of the exam year, with category-based relaxation and attempt limits.

How many attempts are allowed?

General and EWS candidates get 6 attempts, OBC and PwBD candidates get 9 attempts, and SC/ST candidates have no attempt limit within the prescribed age range.