The Union Public Service Commission conducted the UPSC prelims exam on May 24, 2026. The UPSC CSAT is a general studies paper conducted for 200 marks. To get qualified, candidates must score a minimum of 33% marks in Paper 2 to appear for the main examination. The UPSC is conducted in two shifts, i.e., morning and afternoon. Candidates can know the difficulty level of the question paper through the exam analysis.
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For many years, the UPSC CSAT exam has been tough for non-mathematics background students. The exam analysis helps the candidates to estimate how the question paper is designed and which topics are covered by the major questions. UPSC prelims analysis 2026 CSAT paper II. Candidates can also know the good attempts of the UPSC prelims analysis for CSAT II from this article.
The UPSC IAS prelims exam 2026 is divided into two subjects: General Studies and CSAT. The UPSC prelims exam is conducted for 200 marks, with a duration of two hours per paper. There is a negative marking for each wrong answer and unattempted answer.
The CSAT paper 2 contains 80 objective-type questions that carry 2.5 marks for each question. The CSAT paper 2 contains various topics like comprehension, interpersonal skills, and logical reasoning. Check the table to know the difficulty level of the CSAT paper.
Subjects | Difficulty Level |
Reading Comprehension | To be Updated |
Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability | To be Updated |
Maths & Basic Numeracy | To be Updated |
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The commission conducts the UPSC prelims CSAT exam in two shifts. Check the table below for exam timing.
Exam Shift | Timing |
Morning | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM |
Afternoon | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM |
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Based on the students' feedback after concluding the exam, the expected number of good attempts for the UPSC CSAT exam is mentioned below.
Subjects | Good Attempts |
Reading Comprehension | To be Updated |
Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability | To be Updated |
Maths & Basic Numeracy | To be Updated |
Follow the steps below for calculating the CSAT paper:
Check the answer using the answer key
Count the correct and incorrect answers.
Check the marking scheme
Marks Allocation –
Correct answers | +2.5 marks |
Incorrect answers | -0.83 marks |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, the UPSC CSAT paper is tough compared to general studies.
Candidates who are preparing for the UPSC prelims exam should understand the question paper pattern and syllabus needed for the exam.
The UPSC CSAT question paper contains 80 objective-type questions, each of which carries 2.5 marks.
On Question asked by student community
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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.
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You can refer to the link given below for knowing all the details about an IAS Officer or how to become an IAS Officer
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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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