Access the official UPSC Prelims 2026 Answer Key for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination here. This guide provides direct download links for the official GS Paper 1 and CSAT response sheets to help you evaluate your performance.
In a significant move, the Union Public Service Commission has released the official UPSC Prelims Answer Key ahead of the final results. The official answer key was published on 28th May 2026, just four days after the exam held on 24th May 2026. Candidates can download the official response sheets directly from the UPSC portal at www.upsc.gov.in or via the links provided in this article.
UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026 Out
The CSE Prelims were conducted in two sessions for General Studies Paper 1 and CSAT. By cross-referencing their responses with the official UPSC Prelims 2026 Answer Key, candidates can accurately estimate their scores based on the specific marking schemes applied to each paper.
UPSC CSE Prelims Official Answer Key 2026 PDF
The provisional answer keys for both papers are available for download on the official Union Public Service Commission website, www.upsc.gov.in, or through the direct download links provided below. The commission has issued separate keys for GS and CSAT.
| Official Answer Key PDFs |
| UPSC General Studies Paper 1 Answer Key 2026 PDF |
| UPSC CSAT Paper 2 Answer Key 2026 PDF |
How to download the official UPSC Answer Key 2026?
With the answer keys now uploaded to the official website, follow the step-by-step instructions detailed below to download your copies and verify your test responses.
- Open the official UPSC website in your internet browser.
- On the homepage, click on “Provisional Answer Key: Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026” in What’s New section.
- Then, you are redirected to a new page, where you have to click on “General Studies Paper – I (98.24 KB) and General Studies Paper – II (84.5 KB)”.
- The answer key PDF with correct answers to all questions appears on the screen.
- Download and cross-check with what you have answered.
How to Calculate Your Score Using UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026?
Follow the official marking methodology provided below to calculate your estimated UPSC Prelims score.
For GS Paper 1: Estimated Score = (Correct Answers × 2) – (Wrong Answers × 0.66)
For CSAT: Estimated Score = (Correct Answers × 2.5) – (Wrong Answers × 0.833)
Score Calculation Example (GS Paper 1)
Assuming you attempted 75 questions with 60 correct and 10 incorrect answers:
- Correct answers: 60
- Wrong answers: 10
- Unattempted: 5
Estimated Score = (60 × 2) – (10 × 0.66) = 120 – 6.6 = 113.4 marks
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