UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II CSAT Official Question Paper PDF

The UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II official question paper is an important study resource for candidates preparing for the Civil Services Examination.

General Studies Paper II is commonly known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test or CSAT. The paper evaluates candidates’ comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy and data-interpretation skills.

The Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted by the Union Public Service Commission on 24 May 2026. Candidates can download the original General Studies Paper II question paper from the link provided below. The paper was officially published by UPSC and is not a memory-based question paper.

UPSC Prelims 2026 CSAT Question Paper Overview

Exam Name: Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

Common Name: UPSC Prelims 2026

Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission

Paper Name: General Studies Paper II

Commonly Known As: CSAT

Examination Date: 24 May 2026

Exam Stage: Preliminary Examination

Total Questions: 80

Maximum Marks: 200

Duration: Two Hours

Question Type: Objective-Type Multiple-Choice Questions

Minimum Qualifying Marks: 33%

Question Paper Language: Hindi and English

Document Type: Original Official Question Paper

File Format: PDF

Category: UPSC / State PCS

The official UPSC answer key confirms that General Studies Paper II contained 80 questions and carried 200 marks. The official examination notification states that Paper II is qualifying in nature, has a duration of two hours and requires a minimum of 33% marks.

Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II PDF

Candidates can download the official UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II question paper using the link provided below.

Question Paper: UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II

Paper Name: Civil Services Aptitude Test

Short Name: CSAT

Exam Date: 24 May 2026

Total Questions: 80

Maximum Marks: 200

File Format: PDF

Document Type: Official UPSC Question Paper

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Download UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II CSAT PDF

About UPSC General Studies Paper II

General Studies Paper II is the second compulsory paper of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination.

The paper is designed to assess the aptitude, comprehension, reasoning and problem-solving abilities of candidates. Although Paper II is qualifying in nature, candidates must appear in both General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II for their Preliminary Examination to be evaluated.

Candidates must obtain at least 33% marks in Paper II. The marks obtained in Paper II are not added while determining the General Studies Paper I cut-off, provided the candidate secures the required qualifying marks.

Topics Covered in UPSC CSAT Paper

The UPSC General Studies Paper II syllabus covers the following areas:

Comprehension
Interpersonal skills and communication skills
Logical reasoning
Analytical ability
Decision-making
Problem-solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy
Numbers and their relationships
Orders of magnitude
Data interpretation
Charts, graphs and tables
Data sufficiency

Basic numeracy and data-interpretation questions are generally based on the Class X level.

UPSC CSAT Examination Pattern

The UPSC CSAT paper contains objective-type multiple-choice questions.

The paper carries a maximum of 200 marks and candidates receive two hours to complete it. The questions are provided in both Hindi and English.

General Studies Paper II is qualifying in nature. Candidates must obtain a minimum of 33% marks to qualify.

Negative Marking in UPSC CSAT

There is negative marking for incorrect answers in the UPSC Preliminary Examination.

For every incorrect answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question is deducted.

When a candidate selects more than one option, the response is treated as incorrect even when one of the selected options is correct. No penalty is imposed when a question is left unanswered.

Benefits of Solving the UPSC CSAT Question Paper

Solving the UPSC Prelims 2026 CSAT question paper can help candidates:

Understand the latest CSAT examination pattern
Review the types of questions asked by UPSC
Improve comprehension and reasoning skills
Improve calculation speed and accuracy
Develop effective time-management skills
Identify strong and weak subject areas
Practise data-interpretation questions
Evaluate their current preparation level
Prepare under examination-like conditions

How to Use the UPSC CSAT Question Paper

Candidates should attempt the complete paper within a time limit of two hours.

Do not check answers while solving the questions. Try to complete easy and moderate questions first and keep difficult questions for the remaining time.

After completing the paper, compare your responses with the official answer key. Review every incorrect answer and revise the related concepts.

Candidates should pay particular attention to comprehension, logical reasoning, basic mathematics and data interpretation because these areas require regular practice.

Important Instructions for Candidates

Candidates should verify that the downloaded question paper mentions:

Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026

General Studies Paper II

The question paper should be downloaded from or verified through the official Union Public Service Commission website.

Candidates should also check the official syllabus, notification, answer key, examination schedule and other instructions before preparing for the examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UPSC Prelims 2026 CSAT question paper official?

Yes. General Studies Paper II is listed as an official question paper on the Union Public Service Commission website. It is not a memory-based paper.

When was the UPSC Prelims 2026 examination conducted?

The Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on 24 May 2026.

How many questions are included in the CSAT paper?

The UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II contained 80 questions.

What are the qualifying marks for CSAT?

Candidates must obtain at least 33% marks in General Studies Paper II.

Is the UPSC CSAT paper available in Hindi and English?

Yes. The official examination notification states that the question papers are set in both Hindi and English.

Is there negative marking in CSAT?

Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for an incorrect answer.

Is CSAT included in the final merit calculation?

General Studies Paper II is qualifying in nature. Candidates must secure 33% marks, but its marks are not used for determining the Preliminary Examination cut-off based on General Studies Paper I.

Important Note

This post contains only the UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II question paper.

General Studies Paper I should be uploaded in a separate post because your website allows only one PDF attachment in each post.

Tag: UPSC CSAT Previous Year Question Paper

UPSC Prelims 2026 General Studies Paper II CSAT Official Question Paper PDF