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UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination

Conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, the first stage of the IAS, IPS, IFS and other civil services.

Practise UPSC Prelims free

Exam pattern

  • Two objective papers on one day: General Studies Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours) and CSAT Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours).
  • CSAT is qualifying: you need 33%. Only Paper I marks decide the cut-off for the Mains.
  • One-third negative marking for each wrong answer.

On Lakshyank

Marked here as: +2 correct, −0.66 wrong, 0 skipped

1,403 practice questions

Official site: upsc.gov.in ↗

Syllabus

General Studies Paper I 7 topics
  • Current events of national and international importance
  • History of India and the Indian national movement (ancient, medieval, modern)
  • Indian and world geography: physical, social and economic
  • Indian polity and governance: Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues
  • Economic and social development: sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives
  • Environment: ecology, biodiversity and climate change
  • General science
CSAT Paper II 7 topics
  • 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, up to Class X level)
  • Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, up to Class X level)

How to prepare for UPSC Prelims

  • Build the base from NCERT books (Class 6 to 12) for history, geography, polity and economy before moving to reference books.
  • Read one good newspaper daily and keep short notes on current affairs and the static topics they connect to.
  • Solve previous year papers early. They show how the exam mixes facts, concepts and elimination.
  • Practise CSAT regularly so that clearing the 33% qualifying mark is never in doubt.
  • Revise often. Several short revisions work better than one long one.

UPSC Prelims previous year papers

2026 100 questions 2025 100 questions 2024 100 questions 2022 100 questions 2021 97 questions 2020 100 questions 2019 100 questions 2018 99 questions 2017 100 questions 2016 100 questions 2015 100 questions

UPSC Prelims topic-wise practice

General Studies 896 Environment 100 Series 27 Coding and Decoding 19 Direction and Distance 18 Miscellaneous 16 Elections and Electoral Reforms 13 Science and Technology 12 International Relations 11 Governor and State Executive 10 Parliament 10 Clock 10

Try some UPSC Prelims questions

Question 1 General Studies · 2015

With reference to cabinet mission, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It recommended a federal government. 2. It enlarged the powers of the Indian courts. 3. It provided for more Indians in the ICS Select the correct Answer using the code given below:

Question 2 General Studies · 2017

Consider the following statements in respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC): 1. TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 2. The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Question 3 General Studies · 2020

With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were known as

Question 4 General Studies · 2024

With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements : 1. Prorogation of a House by the President of India does not require the advice of the Council of Ministers. 2. Prorogation of a House is generally done after the House is adjourned sine die but there is no bar to the President of India prorogating the House which is in session. 3. Dissolution of the Lok Sabha is done by the President of India who, save in exceptional circumstances, does so on the advice of the Council of Ministers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question 5 Series

Consider the following matrix 3 8 10 2 ? 1 6 56 90 2 20 0 What is the missing number at ‘?’ in the matrix?

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UPSC Prelims: frequently asked questions

How many papers are there in UPSC Prelims?

Two objective papers on the same day: General Studies Paper I and CSAT Paper II, each worth 200 marks.

Is there negative marking in UPSC Prelims?

Yes. One-third of the marks of a question are deducted for each wrong answer, so guessing blindly is risky.

Is CSAT counted for the cut-off?

No. CSAT is qualifying: you need at least 33%. Only General Studies Paper I marks decide the Prelims cut-off.

How should I use previous year questions?

Solve a paper under time limit, then study every wrong answer and the topic behind it. Lakshyank's mistake notebook keeps those questions for you to revise.

This page is a summary for practice. The official notification is always the final word: dates, eligibility and syllabus change. All exams