डैशबोर्ड · परीक्षाएँ · UPSC Prelims
UPSC Prelims
UPSC Civil Services Examination — Prelims
UPSC CSE Prelims. Two papers: GS Paper 1 (100 Qs, 200 marks, 2 hours) and CSAT (80 Qs, 200 marks, qualifying).
Updated 5 Sept 2026 ·Vacancy counts change every cycle — always confirm the exact number in the latest official notification before applying.
Sourced
Source: official exam authority notification · refreshed weekly. How this works →
Free UPSC Prelims preparation on Shishya
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Current Events of National and International ImportanceThe Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana, launched in September 2023, aims to support which category of workers?
Tap an option to check your answer.
डायग्नोस्टिक से शुरू करें
सिलेबस के 10 सवाल — देखें आप कहाँ खड़े हैं।
आधिकारिक रिज़ल्ट आने पर एक ईमेल, और कुछ नहीं।
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UPSC Prelims eligibility
Verified against the official notification. Source ↗ · last reconciled 2026-05.
- Age
- 21 – 32 years (General)21-32 for General. Upper age relaxed by 3 years for OBC, 5 years for SC/ST, 10 years for PwBD (General), 13 years (OBC PwBD), 15 years (SC/ST PwBD).
- Education
- Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
- Final-year graduating students may apply — Prelims is open to them — but they must produce the degree before Mains.
- MBBS final-year + internship pending candidates are eligible.
- Attempts
- General: 6 attempts up to age 32. OBC: 9 attempts up to age 35. SC/ST: unlimited up to age 37. PwBD: 9 attempts (General/OBC) or unlimited (SC/ST) up to upper age.
- Nationality
- For IAS/IPS only Indian citizen. For other services — also Nepal/Bhutan subjects, Tibetan refugees who came to India before 1 Jan 1962, and PIOs (with eligibility certificate).
UPSC Prelims cutoffs
Historical cutoffs are a guide, not a prediction. Use them to set a realistic target, not to predict next year's exact number.
Prelims GS Paper 1 cutoff (qualifying for Mains)
out of 200 marksCSAT (Paper 2) is qualifying — minimum 33%. Only Paper 1 score determines the Mains cut.
| Year | Category | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | General | 75.41 |
| 2023 | OBC | 74.75 |
| 2023 | EWS | 68.02 |
| 2023 | SC | 59.25 |
| 2023 | ST | 47.82 |
| 2022 | General | 88.22 |
| 2022 | OBC | 87.54 |
| 2022 | EWS | 82.83 |
| 2022 | SC | 74.08 |
| 2022 | ST | 69.35 |
| 2021 | General | 87.54 |
| 2021 | OBC | 84.85 |
| 2021 | EWS | 80.14 |
| 2021 | SC | 75.41 |
| 2021 | ST | 70.71 |
Source: official ↗ · verified 2026-05.
UPSC Prelims paper analysis — what actually got asked
Topic-by-topic weightage averaged across 2021-2024 papers. Use this to decide where to invest study hours, not where to skim. Source ↗ · verified 2026-05.
GS Paper 1
200/200 marks avg
Polity & Governance
~26 marks(13%)History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Art & Culture)
~28 marks(14%)Geography (Indian + World, Physical, Human, Economic)
~24 marks(12%)Economy (Indian Economy, Inclusive Growth, Budgeting)
~22 marks(11%)Environment & Ecology
~24 marks(12%)Science & Technology
~16 marks(8%)Current Affairs (last 12 months)
UPSC weaves current affairs into every static topic — the apparent 'low' static weight is misleading.
~60 marks(30%)
Takeaways for prep planning
- Current affairs is no longer a separate topic — it's the lens through which every static topic gets tested. NCERT + current affairs (Yojana, PIB, The Hindu) together cover ~80% of the paper.
- Polity and Environment are the highest-ROI static topics — questions are direct, answers are unambiguous, and the syllabus is finite.
- CSAT cannot be ignored even though it's qualifying — repeated failure in CSAT has eliminated several otherwise-qualified candidates in recent cycles.
UPSC Prelims salary after selection
Approximate starting gross at an X-class (metro) posting. Actual pay depends on post, city, year of joining and prevailing DA.
IAS / IFS / IPS / IRS (entry — Junior Time Scale)
Pay Level 10- Basic pay
- ₹56,100
- Gross monthly
- ₹93,000 – ₹1,05,000 (X-class city, after probation)
- Perks
- Government accommodation (Type 5/6)
- Official vehicle + driver
- Free electricity + water within entitled limit
- Domestic staff entitlement
- LTC, Medical (CGHS), Pension under NPS
Source: official ↗ · verified 2026-05.
UPSC Prelims — Frequently asked questions
Is Shishya free for UPSC Prelims preparation?
How many UPSC Prelims practice questions does Shishya have?
Are UPSC Prelims previous year question papers available?
How long is the UPSC Prelims exam?
पिछले वर्ष के पेपर
100 सालों के कुल प्रश्नकुछ वर्षों में पूरा पेपर नहीं, उस पेपर के कुछ प्रश्न हैं — हर कार्ड बताता है कितने।
2025
100 में से 20 प्रश्न
ये प्रश्न हल करें →2024
100 में से 20 प्रश्न
ये प्रश्न हल करें →2023
100 में से 20 प्रश्न
ये प्रश्न हल करें →2022
100 में से 20 प्रश्न
ये प्रश्न हल करें →2021
100 में से 20 प्रश्न
ये प्रश्न हल करें →
मॉक टेस्ट
सभी प्रयास →किसी भी मॉक को अपनी पसंदीदा भाषा में दें — मॉक के अंदर भाषा चयनकर्ता का उपयोग करें (हिंदी, तेलुगु, तमिल, बांग्ला और 15 अन्य)।
UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 1
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 2
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 3
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 4
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 5
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 6
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 7
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 8
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 9
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 10
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — 2025 (Previous Year)
FULL20 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →UPSC Prelims — Full-Length Mock (Real Pattern: 100Q · 120 min)
FULL100 प्रश्न · 120 मिनट
मॉक शुरू करें →
Practice by subject & topic
Full-length subject tests below — 25 questions each, real exam format, instant scoring. Want to drill a single topic? Every topic has its own 10-question test in the syllabus.
General Studies Paper I
303 Qs
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आपकी रैंक
इस परीक्षा देने वाले सभी छात्रों मेंलीडरबोर्ड पर अपनी जगह देखने के लिए मॉक दीजिए।
Students
8
Mocks taken
12
Average score
19%
Top score
47%
What can I get from UPSC Prelims?
Mock-score → expected rank → likely outcome. Use the mocks below to find your current band, then plan how many marks you need to climb.
Top-tier Prelims mastery
87–100% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •Rare elite performance (174+ marks out of 200)
- •Among top 1000-2000 Prelims qualifiers nationally
- •IAS with preferred cadre highly achievable with strong Mains
- •Previous UPSC toppers (Rank 1-10) often in this Prelims range
- •Direct IAS allocation possible (not IPS/IRS) with good Mains/Interview
- •Focus on Mains Optional subject depth and personality development for Interview
Strong Prelims performer
65–77% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •Well above cut-off (130-154 marks) — Mains assured
- •Competitive position for final selection if Mains/Interview performed well
- •Group A services realistic (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS)
- •Focus on Optional subject depth and answer writing quality
- •Previous toppers often scored 60-75% in Prelims
- •Maintain this momentum through Mains preparation
Safe Mains qualification
50–65% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •Comfortable qualification for UPSC Mains across all categories
- •Scoring 100-130 marks typically ensures Mains entry
- •Now focus shifts to Mains preparation — Essay, GS papers, Optional
- •Begin practicing answer writing and current affairs integration
- •This range indicates good conceptual clarity
- •Target: State-level services as backup, aim for All-India services
Borderline qualifying zone
33–50% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •May qualify for Mains in some years depending on cut-off variation
- •General category cut-off fluctuates between 87-105 marks (43-52%)
- •OBC cut-off typically 3-5 marks lower than General
- •SC/ST candidates have better chances at this range
- •Strong Mains preparation recommended alongside Prelims revision
- •Focus on accuracy and avoiding negative marking
Below cut-off range
0–33% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
AI-curated from historic cut-off patterns. Always verify with the latest official notification before making decisions.
News & timeline
See older updates →ताज़ा ख़बरें
The Commission released the Civil Services Mains Examination 2026 admit card on August 14. The Mains exam is scheduled from August 21 to August 30, 2026, with sessions in forenoon and afternoon shifts.
UPSC announced the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 result on June 15, 2026. Out of 1,016 notified vacancies, 13,343 candidates have qualified for the Mains examination scheduled to begin on August 21, 2026.
For the first time, UPSC released the provisional answer key for Civil Services Prelims 2026 on May 27, three days after the exam. This marks a major shift toward transparency and allows candidates to review answers before the final result.
The Union Public Service Commission released the admit card for Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 on May 15, nine days before the exam scheduled for May 24, 2026.
महत्वपूर्ण तारीख़ें
Mains form filling window
बीत गयाFri, 19 Jun, 2026
Window open: June 19-28 for qualified candidates to update details and pay fee
Mains admit card released
बीत गयाFri, 14 Aug, 2026
Released one week before Mains exam
🏛️Mains exam begins
बीत गयाFri, 21 Aug, 2026
Mains scheduled: Aug 21, 22, 23, 29, 30 (9 papers over 5 days)
Personality Test / Interview (expected)
157 दिन बादMon, 15 Feb, 2027
Typically conducted February-March following Mains; exact dates announced later
Final result (expected)
246 दिन बादSat, 15 May, 2027
Final merit list typically declared in April-May following interview completion
सिलेबस
किसी भी टॉपिक पर टैप करें — नोट्स + 10 सवालों का टॉपिक टेस्ट
General Studies Paper I
Current Events of National and International Importance
National and international news of the last 12-18 months including government schemes, summits, awards, sports, science, defence and international relations.
History of India and Indian National Movement
Indian history covering ancient, medieval and modern periods with special emphasis on the Indian freedom struggle from 1857 to 1947.
Indian and World Geography — Physical, Social, Economic
Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world.
Indian Polity and Governance — Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues
Indian Constitution, governance structures, political system, local government and rights issues.
Economic and Social Development
Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives, and the broader Indian economy.
Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change
General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change that do not require subject specialisation.
General Science
General awareness in science covering physics, chemistry, biology and modern technological developments — without requiring subject specialisation.