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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).
Sourced
Source: official exam authority notification · refreshed weekly. How this works →
Free UPSC Prelims preparation on Shishya
Take expert-curated mocks, practise previous year papers, and Ask Shishya when you're stuck — verified by students who cleared the same path. All free, no credit card. Sign in with Google to begin.
Sign in to start →Start with a diagnostic
10 questions across the syllabus to see where you stand.
Verified against the official notification. Source ↗ · last reconciled 2026-05.
Historical cutoffs are a guide, not a prediction. Use them to set a realistic target, not to predict next year's exact number.
CSAT (Paper 2) is qualifying — minimum 33%. Only Paper 1 score determines the Mains cut.
| Year | Category |
|---|
2025
20 questions
Take paper →2024
20 questions
Take paper →2023
20 questions
Take paper →2022
20 questions
Take paper →2021
20 questions
Take paper →Take any mock in your preferred language — use the language picker inside the mock to switch (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, and 15 more).
UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 1
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →| 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.
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.
200/200 marks avg
Polity & Governance
History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Art & Culture)
Geography (Indian + World, Physical, Human, Economic)
Economy (Indian Economy, Inclusive Growth, Budgeting)
Environment & Ecology
Science & Technology
Current Affairs (last 12 months)
UPSC weaves current affairs into every static topic — the apparent 'low' static weight is misleading.
Approximate starting gross at an X-class (metro) posting. Actual pay depends on post, city, year of joining and prevailing DA.
Source: official ↗ · verified 2026-05.
UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 2
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 3
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 4
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 5
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 6
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 7
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 8
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 9
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — Full Mock 10
FULL100 questions · 120 min
Start mock →UPSC Prelims — 2025 (Previous Year)
FULL20 questions · 120 min
Start mock →Take a mock to see where you stand on the leaderboard.
| # | Student | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | sachin s. | 46.7% |
| 2 | sachin s. | 32.7% |
| 3 | sachin s. | 26.7% |
| 4 | sachin s. | 0.0% |
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.
Exceptional — top 0.1% nationally
92–100% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Top-tier Prelims performance
82–92% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Excellent Prelims score
72–82% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Strong Prelims performance
62–72% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Safe qualification zone
50–62% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Near cut-off range
33–50% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Below qualifying threshold
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.
The Union Public Service Commission has officially released admit cards for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 scheduled for May 24, 2026. Candidates can download their hall tickets using Registration ID or Roll Number from the official portal at upsc.gov.in.
Source →The official notification released on February 4, 2026 confirmed approximately 933 vacancies including 33 seats reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability across IAS, IPS, IFS and other Group A and B services.
Source →The online application process for Civil Services Examination 2026 which opened on February 4 concluded at 6:00 PM IST on February 24, 2026. Candidates were advised to apply early to secure preferred exam centers.
Source →The Union Public Service Commission released its annual calendar on May 15, 2025, setting the Prelims date for May 24, 2026 and Mains examination starting August 21, 2026, helping aspirants plan their preparation timeline.
Source →UPSC CSE 2026 notification released
passedWed, 4 Feb, 2026
Official notification with eligibility, vacancies, and exam pattern details published on upsc.gov.in
Application window closed
passedTue, 24 Feb, 2026
Last date to submit online application form at 6:00 PM IST
Prelims admit card released
passedMon, 11 May, 2026
E-admit card available for download from official UPSC portal
📌Civil Services Preliminary Examination
passedSun, 24 May, 2026
📌Civil Services Preliminary Examination
passedSun, 24 May, 2026
Two papers: GS Paper-I (9:30-11:30 AM) and CSAT Paper-II (2:30-4:30 PM)
Prelims result declaration (expected)
59 days awaySat, 25 Jul, 2026
Qualifying candidates shortlisted for Mains examination
Click any topic to read study notes
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.
📌Mains Examination begins
86 days awayFri, 21 Aug, 2026
Five-day descriptive examination spanning nine papers including Essay, GS, and Optional subjects
Mains result announcement (expected)
194 days awayMon, 7 Dec, 2026
Shortlisted candidates called for Personality Test interview round
Final result declaration (expected)
314 days awayTue, 6 Apr, 2027
Merit list based on combined Mains and Interview marks for service allocation