Candidates can get the links to download the unofficial UPSC IAS 2026 answer key for GS and CSAT here. Certain coaching institutes release the unofficial UPSC IAS answer key 2026 on their official website. They can check the unofficial UPSC IAS answer key in the table below. Union Public Services Commission will release the UPSC Civil Service 2026 answer key on the official website, upsc.gov.in.
Latest- The Union Public Service Commission has released the UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Answer key on May 13, 2026 on the official website at upsc.gov.in.
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The official UPSC CSE answer key 2026 will be available for download after the selection process at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can use the UPSC IAS answer key 2026 to gauge their performance in the UPSC IAS exam. Candidates can download copies of the UPSC 2026 answer key using the links below.
Paper | Answer Key (All Sets A, B, C, D) |
General Studies Paper 1 | Download here |
General Studies Paper 2 | Download here |
Check below the dates about the release of the official and unofficial UPSC Civil Services 2026 answer key.
Events | Dates |
Date of Preliminary Exam | May 24, 2026 |
Release of IAS answer key (unofficial) | To be announced |
UPSC Civil Services answer key (official) | To be Announced |
Follow the steps given below to download the answer key of UPSC Civil Services.
Go to the question as per your question paper set below and check the correct key or click on the links ‘UPSC Civil Services answer key’ published by the coaching institutes below.
The UPSC IAS answer key has been provided set-wise for General Studies Papers 1 and 2.
Choose the set provided to you during the IAS exam 2026.
On the new page, the UPSC prelims answer key in the PDF file will open.
Download the UPSC Civil Services answer key and save it.
Paper | Answer Key (All Sets A, B, C, D) |
General Studies Paper 1 | Download here |
General Studies Paper 2 | Download here |
Paper | Set A | Set B | Set C | Set D |
General Studies Paper 1 | ||||
General Studies Paper 2 |
Paper | Answer Key (All Sets A, B, C, D) |
General Studies Paper 1 | |
General Studies Paper 2 |
Paper | Answer Key (All Sets A, B, C, D) |
General Studies Paper 1 | |
General Studies Paper 2 |
Paper | Answer Key (All Sets A, B, C, D) |
General Studies Paper 1 | |
General Studies Paper 2 |
Paper | Set A | Set B | Set C | Set D |
General Studies Paper 1 | ||||
General Studies Paper 2 | Download Here | Download Here | Download Here | Download Here |
Question Set | Set A | Set B | Set C | Set D |
Download Link Paper I | ||||
Download Link Paper II |
Download the UPSC 2019 answer key by various institutes through the links given below. The links will be activated once it is released.
Name of Institute | GS Paper 1 UPSC 2019 Answer Key | GS Paper 2 UPSC 2019 Answer Key |
Available Soon | ||
Available Soon | ||
NeoStencil | ||
Dhyeya IAS | Available Soon | |
Drishti IAS | ||
Shankar IAS Academy | Available Soon | |
Springboard Academy | Available Soon | |
Rau's IAS | ||
Insights IAS | Download Here |
Year | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
2018 | ||
2017 | ||
2016 |
As per the marking scheme, for the correct answer in General Studies Paper 1, candidates will score 2 marks while it is 2.5 marks for GS Paper 2. For incorrect answers in both papers, 1/3 marks will be deducted.
Specifications | Marking Scheme |
Correct response |
|
Negative marking | - 1/3 of marks allotted for each question |
Marks deducted in Paper I | 0.66 marks |
Marks deducted in Paper I | 0.83 marks |
Total marks of prelims | 400 (Paper I - 200 marks, Paper II - 200 marks) |
The score for Paper I | Correct responses out of 100 X 2 marks – 0.66 marks for each incorrect answer |
The score for Paper II | Correct responses out of 80 X 2.5 marks – 0.83 marks for each incorrect answer |
Aggregate score | (Correct answers in Paper I x 2) + (Correct responses in Paper II x 2.5) – (Number of incorrect response x marks deducted for each incorrect answer) |
Using the UPSC Civil Services prelims answer key, candidates will be able to check the correct answers.
Based on the number of answers marked correctly and incorrectly in the IAS exam 2026, candidates can calculate the probable score.
Candidates can analyse their performance based on the score
Check Here List of Other Government Exams
The examination authority decides the qualifying marks for General Studies Studies Paper II which is 33%. There are no qualifying marks for General Studies Paper I. Candidates are required to secure the qualifying marks to pass Paper II. Besides the qualifying marks, UPSC also determines the overall UPSC IAS 2026 cut off marks for the preliminary exam on the basis of General Studies (GS) Paper I only.
Other Related Articles
The UPSC IAS 2026 result will be released by the Commission online at upsc.gov.in. On the basis of the IAS result 2026, candidates are selected for the mains exam. Civil Services Examination is one of the most coveted exams in the country conducted by UPSC to select candidates for various administrative services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service, Indian Revenue Service (IRS), etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The facility to raise objections in the IAS answer key will not be provided by UPSC.
The official UPSC IAS 2026 answer key will be released after the conclusion of all stages of the exam.
You can download the official UPSC IAS answer key on the official website. Refer to the article above for detailed steps on how to download the IAS Answer key.
While reading newspapers is very important for learning about current affairs, newspapers alone cannot cover the entire UPSC CSE syllabus. For other study materials you can use for IAS preparation, refer to our Best books for the UPSC IAS page.
Yes, the UPSC IAS exam 2026 has a negative marking of ⅓ marks for incorrect answers in the prelims papers.
On Question asked by student community
Hi Akshay,
Coming from an MPC background is a hidden advantage if you're planning to prepare for the IAS exam. Here are a few tips to follow to be consistent with your goal.
Hi Aspirant,
Candidates who want to become an IAS officer need to appear for the UPSC CSE exam consisting of prelims, mains, and then an interview. To know complete information about IAS officers, read the article below.
Hello Prativa
You can refer to the link given below for knowing all the details about an IAS Officer or how to become an IAS Officer
https://www.careers360.com/careers/ias-officer
Hope It Helps.
Hello,
Becoming an IAS officer through the UPSC Civil Services examination is a great goal. One of the most required qualifications for IAS can be Bachelor's degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA, B.Tech etc.) with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology,
Hello,
IAS ki taiyari ke liye union public service commission (UPSC) dwara nirdharit eligibility criteria pura karna jaruri hai. aap kisi bhi maanyataprapt college se study karte hue IAS ki tayari kar sakte hai.
Apko upsc civil services exam syllabus ki jankari honi chahiye. taiyari ke liye aap self study
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