The Union Public Service Commission has released the provisional answer key for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026. The official release covers General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II, which is commonly called CSAT. Candidates who appeared in the prelims exam can now use the answer key PDFs to check their likely score before the result is declared.
The UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 was conducted on 24 May 2026. The provisional key was uploaded on 27 May 2026, and candidates have a limited time to submit representations through the official portal. Since this is a UPSC examination, candidates should rely only on the UPSC website and UPSC Online portal for the PDF, login and objection-related actions.
This guide explains where to download the UPSC Prelims answer key 2026, how to read the GS and CSAT PDFs, how to calculate marks, what to know about response sheets, and how to submit objections before the deadline.
Quick Facts
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 |
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Answer key status | Released |
| Answer key type | Provisional answer key |
| Exam date | 24 May 2026 |
| Answer key release date | 27 May 2026 |
| Papers covered | General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (CSAT) |
| Objection/representation deadline | 31 May 2026, up to 6:00 PM |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in |
| Official online portal | upsconline.nic.in |
UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key 2026 Latest Update
UPSC has published the provisional answer key for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026. The answer key is available separately for General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II. Candidates should download the PDFs only from the official UPSC website or the official UPSC Online portal.
The answer key is provisional, which means UPSC may consider valid representations before finalising the evaluation. Candidates should not treat coaching institute answer keys or social media sheets as official.
UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026 Direct PDF Links
The official answer key PDFs are hosted on the UPSC domain. Candidates can use the links below to access the provisional keys.
| Paper | Subject | Official PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies | Download GS Paper I Answer Key PDF |
| Paper II | General Studies Paper II / CSAT | Download GS Paper II CSAT Answer Key PDF |
Important Dates for UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| UPSC CSE 2026 notification date | 4 February 2026 |
| Last date for application submission | 27 February 2026, up to 6:00 PM |
| Preliminary examination date | 24 May 2026 |
| Provisional answer key release date | 27 May 2026 |
| Last date to submit representation | 31 May 2026, up to 6:00 PM |
| Final answer key | To be published by UPSC as per its process |
| Prelims result | Not announced at the time of this update |
How to Download UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key 2026
- Go to the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in.
- Open the “What’s New” section on the homepage.
- Click on the link for “Provisional Answer Key: Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026”.
- Select the PDF for General Studies Paper I or General Studies Paper II.
- Download and save the PDF for checking your answers.
- Use only the official PDF while calculating marks or preparing any representation.
UPSC Prelims 2026 Paper I and CSAT Marking Scheme
The Civil Services Preliminary Examination has two objective-type papers. GS Paper I is considered for prelims cut-off, while GS Paper II is qualifying in nature. Candidates must score the minimum qualifying marks in CSAT as prescribed by UPSC.
| Paper | Total questions | Maximum marks | Marks per correct answer | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper I | 100 | 200 | 2 marks | One-third of marks assigned to the question |
| General Studies Paper II / CSAT | 80 | 200 | 2.5 marks | One-third of marks assigned to the question |
For practical calculation, a wrong answer usually reduces about 0.66 mark in GS Paper I and about 0.83 mark in CSAT. Unattempted questions carry no marks.
How to Calculate Marks Using the UPSC Answer Key
To estimate your score, compare your marked answers with the official answer key. Count correct answers, wrong answers and unattempted questions separately for each paper.
- For GS Paper I: add 2 marks for each correct answer and deduct one-third of 2 marks for each wrong answer.
- For CSAT: add 2.5 marks for each correct answer and deduct one-third of 2.5 marks for each wrong answer.
- Do not add or deduct marks for unattempted questions.
- If UPSC has marked any question as dropped, follow the treatment shown in the official answer key and final evaluation process.
The provisional GS Paper I key indicates one dropped question, while the GS Paper II key indicates no dropped question. Candidates should check the official PDFs carefully for the exact paper and series details.
UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 Objection Link and Representation Process
UPSC accepts representations through the official online representation facility. For this exam cycle, the representation window is open up to 6:00 PM on 31 May 2026.
- Visit the official UPSC Online portal at upsconline.nic.in.
- Open the relevant provisional answer key or representation link for Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026.
- Log in using the required candidate details.
- Select the paper and question for which you want to submit a representation.
- Give a clear reason and attach credible supporting reference, if the portal asks for it.
- Submit the representation before the deadline.
Representations sent after the window closes are not normally accepted. Candidates should also avoid sending objections through unofficial channels, email, social media or coaching platforms.
Response Sheet and OMR Sheet Details
The public official release verified for UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 contains provisional answer key PDFs for the two papers. A candidate-specific response sheet is not the same as the public answer key PDF.
If UPSC provides candidate-specific response or representation details through login, candidates must access them only through the official UPSC Online portal. Keep your roll number, registration details and admit card information ready while checking any login-based facility.
While matching answers, use your own OMR copy or recorded responses, if available to you, and compare them carefully with the official paper series. A mismatch in series can lead to a wrong score estimate.
What the Official Answer Key PDFs Cover
The official PDFs are meant to help candidates verify the provisional answers used for the objective-type prelims papers. They include the paper details and answer entries published by UPSC for the relevant paper.
| Main use | Important note | |
|---|---|---|
| GS Paper I provisional key | Used to estimate marks for the prelims merit paper | Check the correct series and note any dropped question entry |
| GS Paper II provisional key | Used to verify CSAT performance | CSAT is qualifying in nature, but candidates must meet the required qualifying standard |
Candidates should keep downloaded copies of both PDFs until the prelims result and further UPSC updates are released.
What Happens After the Objection Window
After the representation window closes, UPSC reviews the submissions as per its examination process. If any correction is accepted, it is reflected in the final evaluation process.
The prelims result will be published separately by UPSC. Candidates who qualify in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination become eligible for the next stage, the Civil Services Main Examination, subject to the rules of the examination.
Until UPSC publishes the result, candidates should use the provisional score only as an estimate. The final decision on qualification rests with UPSC.
Candidate Checklist Before Submitting Objections
- Download the answer key only from upsc.gov.in or upsconline.nic.in.
- Check whether you are matching the correct paper and series.
- Calculate marks separately for GS Paper I and CSAT.
- Do not rely only on unofficial answer keys while submitting a representation.
- Prepare a clear reference or explanation for every question you want to challenge.
- Submit the representation before 31 May 2026, 6:00 PM.
- Save any confirmation or acknowledgement generated by the portal.
Official Links
- UPSC official website
- UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 provisional answer key page
- GS Paper I provisional answer key PDF
- GS Paper II CSAT provisional answer key PDF
- UPSC Online portal
- UPSC Online login
- Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 notification PDF
- UPSC representation time-frame notice
- UPSC previous question papers
Source: Official notification (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. UPSC has released the provisional answer key for Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 for GS Paper I and GS Paper II.
Candidates can download the official PDFs from upsc.gov.in or through the UPSC Online portal at upsconline.nic.in.
For the 2026 prelims cycle, candidates can submit representations up to 6:00 PM on 31 May 2026.
Yes. General Studies Paper II is commonly known as CSAT and is qualifying in nature in the prelims examination.
GS Paper I has 100 questions for 200 marks, while GS Paper II/CSAT has 80 questions for 200 marks.
Yes. For each wrong answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question is deducted.
No. The current release is provisional. The final answer key will be handled by UPSC as per its examination process.
Candidates should use the official UPSC Online/Question Paper Representation facility. Objections outside the prescribed process may not be considered.