GS Paper 1 Answer Key (Provisional)
All 100 questions answered set-wise (A, B, C, D). Includes UPSC's official marking scheme reference. PDF is optimised for mobile viewing.
📄 PDF · v1 · Updated 27 May 2026, 4:04 pm IST
Download General Studies PDFUPSC · CSE Prelims 2026
Provisional UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 Answer Key Out Now!
GS Paper 1 & CSAT Paper 2 — Official UPSC Provisional Answer Key PDF with PrepBuster's Free Score Calculator
Live · Last updated: ·📖 4 min read
The Official UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 answer key is now available on PrepBuster for both GS Paper 1 and CSAT Paper 2, with set-wise answers for sets A, B, C and D, a free score calculator, an expected cut-off tracker, and a step-by-step objection guide for the UPSC QPRep portal.
This is an Official provisional answer key released by UPSC after the CSP exam 2026 held on May 24, 2026— the official UPSC answer key is published by UPSC only after the final result. Download the PDF, calculate your score, and prepare for UPSC Mains 2026 with confidence.
- Sourced from upsc.gov.in
- Reviewed by PrepBuster expert team
- Used by 50,000+ aspirants
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01 — Downloads
Download the Official Answer Key PDFs
Both PDFs are mirrored from upsc.gov.in for instant one-click access. No login, no email, no popup ads. Choose your paper below.
CSAT Paper 2 Answer Key (Provisional)
All 80 questions answered set-wise (A, B, C, D). Includes negative marking calculation. CSAT is qualifying in nature — minimum 66 marks (33%) required to advance to Mains evaluation.
📄 PDF · v1 · Updated 27 May 2026, 4:04 pm IST
Download CSAT PDF1
Match your set
Find Set A/B/C/D printed on your question paper's first page.
2
Compare your answers
Tick each correct response and note your incorrect ones.
3
Calculate your score
Use the calculator below for an instant estimated total.
02 — Score Calculator
Calculate Your UPSC Prelims 2026 Score
Enter the number of correct and incorrect answers below. Your score updates in real-time using the official UPSC marking scheme. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
General Studies Paper 1
Total 200 · 100 questions · +2 correct / −0.667 incorrect
Unanswered: 100
Estimated Score
0 / 200
🔴 Below historical cutoff — consider strengthening your Mains backup plan.
CSAT Paper 2 (Qualifying)
Total 200 · 80 questions · +2.5 correct / −0.833 incorrect · Min 66/200
Unanswered: 80
Estimated Score
0 / 200
✗ Not Qualified — minimum 66 marks required
Your Prelims 2026 Status
GS Paper 1: 0 / 200CSAT: Not Qualified ✗
⚠️ CSAT not cleared. Focus on CSAT prep for next attempt.
03 — Visual Format
Answer Key — Visual Format (Image Gallery)
Page-by-page images of both answer key PDFs. Useful if you can't open PDFs on your device, or want to quickly scroll through and verify a specific question.
Page 1 preview — updating live
Page 2 preview — updating live
Page 3 preview — updating live
04 — Complete Answers
Complete Answer Key Table — All 180 Questions
Searchable, filterable, set-wise answer table for both papers. Sample shown below — full table populating live within 72 hours.
- Q1 · Polity✓Set A: (b)Set B: (a)Set C: (d)Set D: (c)
- Q2 · History✓Set A: (a)Set B: (d)Set C: (b)Set D: (c)
- Q3 · Economics DisputedSet A: (d)Set B: (b)Set C: (a)Set D: (a)
- Q4 · Geography✓Set A: (c)Set B: (c)Set C: (b)Set D: (d)
- Q5 · Environment✓Set A: (b)Set B: (a)Set C: (c)Set D: (a)
- Q6 · Science & Tech✓Set A: (a)Set B: (b)Set C: (d)Set D: (c)
- Q7 · Current Affairs✓Set A: (d)Set B: (c)Set C: (a)Set D: (b)
- Q8 · Polity✓Set A: (c)Set B: (d)Set C: (b)Set D: (a)
- Q9 · History✓Set A: (b)Set B: (a)Set C: (c)Set D: (d)
- Q10 · Geography✓Set A: (a)Set B: (b)Set C: (d)Set D: (c)
05 — Explanations
All Questions with Answers, Options & Detailed Explanations
Every question reproduced in full, with all four options, the correct answer highlighted, a source-cited explanation, and a UPSC-focused study tip. Adding live — refresh in a few hours for more.
More questions being added live — check back in a few hours for full coverage.
06 — Objection
How to File an Objection on the Answer Key
Found an answer you believe is wrong? UPSC has introduced a formal objection process this year. You have until 31 May 2026, 6:00 PM IST to submit. Here's exactly how to do it.
- 01
Visit the QPRep Portal
Go to upsconline.nic.in and click on QPRep — Question Paper Representation Portal. This is the only official channel for submitting objections. Do not trust any third-party portal claiming to submit objections.
- 02
Login With Your Credentials
Use the same registration number and date of birth you used to apply for Prelims 2026. New users cannot file objections — only registered candidates can submit.
- 03
Upload 3 Supporting Documents
For every objection, attach exactly three supporting documents from authentic sources: NCERT textbook page, Government of India publication, Supreme Court judgment, or peer-reviewed academic source. Objections without 3 documents are auto-rejected.
- 04
Submit Before 31 May 2026, 6 PM IST
The portal closes sharp at 6:00 PM IST on Saturday, 31 May 2026. No extensions, no exceptions. UPSC's expert committee reviews valid objections and publishes the final answer key with the result.
Critical warning
Objections without three supporting documents from authoritative sources are rejected automatically by UPSC's system. Coaching institute notes, Wikipedia, and YouTube videos are not accepted. Stick to NCERT, government publications, court judgments, and peer-reviewed sources.
Need help identifying which questions to challenge? Read our objection strategy guide →
07 — Cutoff
UPSC Prelims 2026 Expected Cutoff
Based on the 2026 paper's overall difficulty, historical trends across the last five years, and category-wise reservations, here are our cutoff predictions. Final cutoff is declared by UPSC alongside the official result.
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 87.54 | 80.14 | 84.85 | 75.41 | 70.71 | 68.02 |
| 2022 | 88.22 | 82.83 | 87.54 | 74.08 | 69.35 | 67.36 |
| 2023 | 75.41 | 68.02 | 74.75 | 59.25 | 47.82 | 40.40 |
| 2024 | 87.98 | 85.92 | 87.98 | 79.03 | 74.23 | 53.06 |
| 2025 | 92.51 | 90.51 | 91.84 | 84.65 | 80.65 | 64.71 |
| 2026 (Predicted) | 92–98 | 88–94 | 90–96 | 82–88 | 78–84 | 62–70 |
Prediction methodology: analysis of question difficulty (38% factual, 45% analytical, 17% application-based), expected candidate performance distribution, total Mains vacancies (~1,000 posts), and Mains-to-Prelims ratio (~12.5:1).
08 — FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything aspirants are asking about the UPSC Prelims 2026 answer key, score calculation, objection process, and what comes next.
09 — Continue
Continue Your UPSC Preparation
Whether you're advancing to Mains or planning your next attempt, here are PrepBuster resources to keep you moving forward.
UPSC Mains 2026 Strategy
Complete 90-day Mains preparation roadmap with sectional weightage, answer writing framework, and current affairs integration.
Read the strategy →Article 14 Complete Notes
Pillar resource on Right to Equality — doctrine of reasonable classification, landmark judgments, PYQ analysis, and revision mnemonics.
Study Article 14 →UPSC Prelims PYQ Database
Searchable archive of every Prelims question from 2013–2025, tagged by subject, topic, and difficulty. Practice tests included.
Browse PYQs →10 — Stay Updated
Stay Updated Until the Final Answer Key Drops
The provisional key is just step one. Get notified the moment the final answer key, result, and cutoff are released by UPSC.
Join 50,000+ UPSC aspirants getting real-time updates from PrepBuster.
Disclaimer: PrepBuster mirrors official UPSC answer key PDFs for free public access. All official documents are sourced from upsc.gov.in. PrepBuster is not affiliated with UPSC. For the authoritative source, always visit upsc.gov.in.