UPSC Declares Prelims Answer Key for 2026 - How to Get Involved
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the answer key for Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 conducted on May 24th. Candidates can check this key online to estimate their performance, with four questions removed per paper.
Highlights
- •UPSC Released Answer Key 2026
- •Questions Removed from Prelims Papers
- •How to File Objections
- •Preliminary Examination Marking Scheme
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the answer key for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026. Conducted on May 24, 2026, the exam comprised two papers divided into a morning session from 9:30 am to 11:30 am and an afternoon session running from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
Upcoming Changes with the Answer Key
In line with new regulations, one question has been removed from each of the four answer key sets available for Series A, B, C, and D. These specific questions have been omitted to ensure a fair assessment process:
- Series A - Question 64
- Series B - Question 54
- Series C - Question 79
- Series D - Question 89
The answer key, now accessible on upsc.gov.in, will allow candidates to cross-reference their responses and estimate their performance accurately. Should any candidate find issues with the marked answers or wish to file objections, this period closes on May 31, 2026.
Paper Details
The two sections of the Civil Services Preliminary Examination each have distinct characteristics regarding their content and marking scheme:
- General Studies Paper - I consists of 100 questions, with a total of 2 marks per correct answer. Each wrong response incurs a penalty of approximately 0.66 marks.
- General Studies Paper - II comprises 80 questions, awarding 2.5 marks upon each correct answer, and incurring roughly 0.83 marks on incorrect ones.
