UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2026
Stage-wise UPSC CSE exam pattern: number of questions, marks, duration and negative marking for each stage.
Preliminary Examination
Mode
Offline, OMR-based objective test
Marks
200
Duration
2 hours per paper
Negative marking
-1/3 mark per wrong answer on both papers
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I — General Studies (counts for ranking in Prelims, but Prelims marks themselves do not count toward final merit) | 100 | 200 |
| Paper II — CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test, qualifying only, minimum 33% required) | 80 | 200 |
Screening stage only — Prelims marks are NOT added to the final merit score. Only candidates who clear both the Paper I cutoff and the Paper II (CSAT) 33% qualifying mark are shortlisted for Mains.
Main Examination — Qualifying Papers
Mode
Written, descriptive/subjective
Marks
600
Duration
3 hours per paper
Negative marking
Not applicable (descriptive answers)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper A — One Indian Language (from the Eighth Schedule) | — | 300 |
| Paper B — English | — | 300 |
Qualifying only — marks from these two papers do NOT count toward the merit ranking. Candidates must simply clear the minimum qualifying mark set by UPSC each year.
Main Examination — Merit Papers
Mode
Written, descriptive/subjective
Marks
1750
Duration
3 hours per paper
Negative marking
Not applicable (descriptive answers)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | — | 250 |
| General Studies Paper I (History, Geography, Society) | — | 250 |
| General Studies Paper II (Governance, Constitution, Social Justice, International Relations) | — | 250 |
| General Studies Paper III (Economy, Environment, Science & Technology, Security) | — | 250 |
| General Studies Paper IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | — | 250 |
| Optional Subject — Paper I | — | 250 |
| Optional Subject — Paper II | — | 250 |
These 7 papers (1,750 marks total) count directly toward the final merit ranking. The optional subject is chosen by the candidate from a list of around 48 options (humanities, science, literature, and engineering subjects among others) — see the syllabus section for how that choice fits into preparation planning.
Personality Test (Interview)
Mode
Board interview
Marks
275
Duration
Varies, typically 20-30 minutes
Negative marking
Not applicable
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Personality Test | — | 275 |
Final merit is decided out of 2,025 marks total: 1,750 from the Main Examination merit papers plus 275 from the Personality Test. Prelims marks play no role in the final rank.