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    UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here

    UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here

    Deshamena RachanaUpdated on 04 Feb 2026, 06:10 PM IST

    The Commission mentioned the UPSC IAS 2026 prelims syllabus in the official notification. The IAS preliminary exam syllabus can be downloaded from the upsc.gov.in. Candidates preparing for the UPSC IAS exam must check the detailed prelims syllabus. With the help of the UPSC IAS 2026 exam syllabus, candidates can make an effective preparation strategy for the exam.

    UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here
    UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026

    Applicants can also check important topics and chapters from where the questions will be asked in the UPSC IAS prelims exam. Along with the syllabus, candidates can also check the previous year's UPSC question papers for their preparation. The IAS prelims syllabus pdf comprises topics asked in GS paper 1 and GS paper 2. Applicants can also download the UPSC prelims syllabus in Hindi here.

    The UPSC IAS 2026 prelims exam will be conducted in offline mode. For more details about the UPSC IAS prelims syllabus, candidates can check the article given below.

    Also read: Information about category-wise career exams

    UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Papers 1 & 2

    Paper

    UPSC syllabus

    General Studies Paper 1

    • Current events of national and international importance

    • History of India and the Indian National Movement

    • Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World

    • Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

    • Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

    • General issues on Environmental ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization

    • General Science.

    CSAT Paper 2

    • Comprehension

    • Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

    • Logical reasoning and analytical ability;

    • Decision-making and problem-solving;

    • General mental ability;

    • Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level);

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    UPSC IAS Exam Pattern 2026

    Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2026 exam pattern in the official notification. Along with the exam pattern, candidates must also check the UPSC prelims IAS syllabus for their preparations. With the help of the UPSC 2026 prelims syllabus, candidates can make their preparation strategy to score well in the exam. For more details, candidates can check the tale below.

    IAS Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern

    Paper

    Number of questions

    Maximum marks

    Duration

    GS Paper (Prelims Paper 1)

    100

    200

    2 hours

    CSAT Paper (Prelims Paper 2)

    80

    200

    2 hours

    Also read: UPSC Mock Tests Series for UPSC

    UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 - Important Points

    • Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

    • The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type in both papers

    • It is compulsory to appear for both UPSC IAS prelims GS papers.

    UPSC Prelims Preparation Tips 2026

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is the selection process of IAS 2026?
    A:

    The IAS selection 2026 process comprises the prelims exam, mains exam and personal interview.

    Q: What are the details required to download the admit card of IAS 2026?
    A:

    Candidates can download UPSC IAS 2026 admit card through their registration number and date of birth.

    Q: How will UPSC result 2026 be released?
    A:

    The UPSC IAS result 2026 will be released in PDF form having details of all the qualified candidates.

    Q: Can I challenge the UPSC IAS answer key 2026?
    A:

    No, candidates are not allowed to challenge UPSC IAS answer key 2026.

    Q: What are the 7 papers of UPSC 2026?
    A:

    There are 9 papers in UPSC out of which 2 papers are qualifying in nature. The IAS 2026 Prelims exam consists of GS 1 and GS 2. The UPSC Mains 2026 paper consists of Paper A – Compulsory Indian Language Paper , Paper B – English Language Paper , Paper I – Essay , Paper II - Paper V – General Studies, Paper VI – Paper VII – Optional Paper II.


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    Questions related to UPSC CSE

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

    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.

    • Stay updated with current affairs
    • Analyze previous years' question papers
    • Refer NCERT books to enhance the Fundamentals

    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.

    UPSC CSE 2026

    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