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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 ?

    Hello,

    After Class 10, it will take 2 years to complete Class 11 and 12, followed by 3 years of graduation, which is the minimum requirement for UPSC.

    UPSC preparation and clearing the exam may take 1–2 years. After selection, IAS training takes about 2 years. Overall, it takes around

    Hello Aspirant

    As your question is not clear, you are asking how to become an IAS, which course or degree you should pursue, and all the related details regarding the IAS. So, I can suggest you choosing the right stream in Intermediate is important.
    The Arts/Humanities stream is most helpful

    Hello Aspirant

    All colleges are the best, and selection mainly depends on you and your consistency. But I can help you regarding this :

    After the 10th, you can join PU (11–12th) colleges that offer strong academics and an early IAS foundation.
    Some good options are Delhi’s Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya

    Hello

    If you want to become an IAS officer, you can choose any group CEC, MPC, or BiPC as IAS does not require a specific subject stream.
    However, many students prefer CEC (Commerce, Economics, Civics) or MPC (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) because they help build analytical and general knowledge skills useful