UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2026 Out - Download GS Paper 1 & CSAT PDF @upsc.gov.in
UPSC Prelims 2026- The Union Public Services Commission has released the UPSC IAS Prelims question paper 2026 on the official website. Candidates can download the IAS prelims 2026 question paper at upsc.gov.in. The IAS question paper can be downloaded in PDF format. To improve their preparation for the IAS exam, candidates can refer to previous years' IAS question papers with answers.
This Story also Contains
- UPSC IAS Previous Year Question Papers
- UPSC IAS Syllabus 2026
- Best Books for UPSC IAS 2026
They can download the previous years' IAS question papers in this article in the form of a PDF. By solving UPSC CSE question papers and sample papers, aspirants can give an extra boost to their preparation. They can also get direct links to download the last 10 years of UPSC question papers with answers PDF here. To know more about the UPSC IAS prelims question paper, read the article below.
UPSC IAS Question Paper 2026 Prelims (official)
Subject | Official Question Paper |
UPSC CSE Paper 1 - General Studies | Check here |
UPSC CSE Paper 2 - General Studies | Check here |
UPSC IAS Question Paper 2026 Prelims (Unofficial)
Subject | Unofficial Question Paper |
UPSC CSE Paper 1 - General Studies | SET A - Check here SET B - Check here SET C - Check here SET D - Check here |
UPSC CSE Paper 2 - General Studies | To be updated |
UPSC IAS Previous Year Question Papers
Applicants appearing for the UPSC IAS 2026 exam can download the previous year question papers here for prelims exam. Check the tables below for direct links to previous years' IAS exam question papers.
UPSC IAS Prelims Question Paper - Past year's
The table below shows the last year's question papers of UPSC Civil Services Exam.
UPSC IAS Previous Year's Question Papers
Year | UPSC IAS Question Paper (GS Paper 1) | CSE Question Paper (GS Paper 2) |
| 2025 | Download here | Download link |
| 2024 | Download link | Download link |
2023 | ||
2022 | ||
2021 | ||
2020 | ||
2019 | ||
2018 | ||
2017 | ||
2016 |
What are the 9 papers in the IAS exam?
The nine papers in the IAS mains exam are Compulsory Indian language, English, Essay, General Studies 1, 2, 3 & 4, Optional 1 & 2. Each IAS paper is for 250 marks. The total mark for the IAS Mains exam is 1750 marks.
Solved IAS Previous Question Papers
Candidates who are preparing for the UPSC Civil Services exam can make use the previous year's solved IAS question papers PDF from the table below.
IAS Previous Question Papers with Solution
Year | Links |
2017 | |
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 |
UPSC IAS Question Paper - Benefits of Solving Previous Year UPSC Question Papers
There are many other advantages of solving UPSC Prelims Question Papers as these papers are prepared directly by the Commission. Some of the advantages of solving the UPSC IAS question paper are mentioned below
UPSC previous year question paper helps applicants to get an idea of the UPSC exam pattern, types of questions asked, marking criteria and difficulty level of the questions asked in the exam.
Candidates can evaluate their progress and preparation level for the IAS 2026 exam by solving the previous year question papers and sample papers.
The concentration and accuracy level of candidates is increased by solving IAS questions and sample papers.
Previous year's IAS question papers also help aspirants to learn about time management during the UPSC IAS exam.
To predict possible areas where questions can be asked
It helps to know about which topics are frequently asked.
It also helps us in time management while solving UPSC's previous year question papers.
List of Other Government Exams
How to Download the Official IAS Question Papers?
Follow the below-mentioned steps to download the IAS 2026 question papers.
Step 1: Visit the official website - upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: Click on the “Examinations” tab on the homepage.
Step 3: Select “Previous Year Question Papers” from the dropdown menu.
Step 4: Search UPSC previous year question papers.
Step 5: Click on the UPSC prelims 2026 or mains question paper PDF.
Step 6: Download UPSC previous year's question papers PDF for future reference.
UPSC IAS Syllabus 2026
The Union Public Service Commission mentioned the UPSC syllabus for both prelims and mains exam in the official notification. The topics for all the subjects like history, geography, economy, current affairs, optional subjects and more, is prescribed in the UPSC IAS 2026 syllabus. For more detailed information on the UPSC IAS 2026 syllabus applicants check the official notification.
Quick links:
Best Books for UPSC IAS 2026
Applicants preparing for the exam must refer to the UPSC IAS 2026 best books for exam preparation. Check the table below to learn about the most preferred and the best books for the UPSC prelims 2026 and mains exam preparation.
Best books for UPSC IAS exam
Sr. No. | Books |
1 | India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra Modern India – Spectrum |
2 | NCERT 6th to 12th (Geography/ History/ Economics/ Environment, etc.) |
3 | Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth |
4 | Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh Economic Development & Policies in India – Jain & Ohri |
5 | Current Affairs |
6 | Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual CSAT – Arihant |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
UPSC IAS 2026 selection process has three stages. They are Prelims, Mains and Interview.
UPSC IAS prelims and mains exam is conducted in offline mode.
Yes, UPSC releases the UPSC IAS question paper after the conclusion of the exam.
The UPSC prelims 2026 was conducted on May 24, 2026.
The upper age limit to apply for the UPSC IAS exam is 32 years for General category applicants.
M Laxmikanth - Indian Polity is the best book to prepare Indian polity for prelims and mains.
The Hindu and Indian Express are both good newspapers, candidates can refer to either one of them.
The UPSC IAS 2026 mains exam dates are not yet announced.
The last date to apply for the UPSC IAS 2026 exam will be mentioned on the official website.
UPSC IAS interview questions will be asked from a wide range of topics such as current affairs, governance, national and international issues, ethics, problem-solving skills, decision-making abilities, personal background and more.
Questions related to UPSC CSE
On Question asked by student community
Dear Student, you are actually at a good stage to start preparing for your IAS goal. For now, focus on doing well in Class 12 while developing a habit of reading newspapers, understanding current affairs and strengthening subjects such as History, Geography, Polity and Economics. After school, you can choose
Hello Aspirant,
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, you can choose any stream like Arts, Humanities, Science, or Commerce, because UPSC does not require a particular stream in Classes 11–12.
However, Humanities and Arts can be a practical choice because subjects such as Political Science, History, Geography,
Hello Student, when choosing an IAS coaching institute in Delhi, it is useful to compare factors such as faculty, course structure, study material, test series, current affairs support, batch size, fees and student feedback. If you share your budget, preparation level and preferred area in Delhi, I can help you
Hello there!
That’s a wonderful and ambitious goal! Becoming an IAS officer requires clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
You can start by building a strong foundation in NCERTs (Classes 6–12), current affairs, Indian Polity, History, Geography, Economy and basic answer-writing. After graduation, you can appear for UPSC CSE, provided
Hey there,
Copy-paste answer:
Choosing between becoming an IAS officer or a doctor depends on your interests, skills, and career goals. If you are passionate about public administration, policymaking, and serving society through governance, IAS can be a great choice. If you enjoy science, helping patients, and working in the