UPSC Exam Pattern- UPSC Exam Pattern for IAS

UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 Overview

Following is the UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 Overview. Candidates must know the following details about the Prelims and Main examinations before beginning their preparation.

---

UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 for Prelims

Below is the UPSC Exam Pattern for Prelims. The first round of UPSC CSE is known as the Prelims or Preliminary Round. It consists of two papers held on a single day:  the GS Paper I and GS Paper II, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Candidates must meet the cutoff requirement for the GS Paper I and qualify in CSAT to proceed to the next round. The UPSC Prelims Marks don’t count towards the final merit score of a candidate, but they do determine if a candidate qualifies for the Mains or not. 

The UPSC exam pattern for prelims is as follows.

To know about the UPSC Prelims in further detail, read the linked article.

---

UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 for Mains

Now, let’s look at the UPSC exam pattern for mains. Those who qualify in the Prelims proceed to the next round, the UPSC Main. The UPSC Main comprises 9 papers, which are held over 5 days. Two of these papers are qualifying, and the scores of the remaining seven papers count towards the final score. The total score of these 7 papers adds up to 1750 marks.

For further details about the UPSC Main, refer to the linked article.

---

UPSC 2026 Exam Pattern for Interview Round

The Personality Test or Interview Round is the final stage of the UPSC Exam. The Interview lasts for about 20-30 minutes and carries 275 marks. 

• The marks of the interview round count towards the final ranking and merit score of a candidate. 
• A panel consisting of impartial individuals conducts the interview to test each candidate’s personality and assess if they are a good fit for a career as a civil servant. 
• The questions asked can range from personal details to current affairs and socio-economic issues, situational-based, and opinion-based questions. 
• A few qualities you might be judged on are critical powers of assimilation, mental alertness, clear and logical exposition, a balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, the ability for social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.

---

Negative Marking in UPSC

Negative Marking in UPSC is a crucial factor that affects the total marks of the candidate; therefore, they must be mindful of the following points.

• Since the UPSC Prelims are objective-type papers, there is negative marking for each wrong answer. There is a negative marking of 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question, i.e., 0.83 marks for each incorrect answer. 
• However, there is no negative marking in UPSC Mains, as it is a subjective paper, and a candidate's total marks depend on the quality of the answers they submit.

---

Preparation Tips for UPSC

• Familiarise yourself with the Exam: The first step in preparing for any exam is knowing it well. Know the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly, and ensure that you do not stray away from it while studying. Having an outline of everything you need to study and how you will approach it is crucial to cover the vast syllabus of UPSC. 
• Make a proper study schedule: Devote sufficient time to covering the syllabus of all portions of the syllabus, such as the Prelims and the Mains. 
• Build a strong foundation: Ensure that you understand the basic concepts fully before moving on to more advanced ones. Reading NCERTs and standard textbooks is essential for this. 
• Stay updated with Current Affairs: Stay updated with current affairs on a daily or weekly basis. This knowledge will help you not only to give better answers in the Main and Personality Test rounds, but also give you the real-world context necessary to understand abstract concepts. 
• Practice Previous Years' Question Papers & Mock Tests: Figure out your strengths and weaknesses by solving Previous Years' Papers and Mock Tests. Regularly testing yourself will also help you track your progress and get used to thinking in a high-pressure exam environment. 
• Stay Consistent: The most important point, regardless of your preparation strategy, is to stay consistent and stick to your schedule. This is the key to success in UPSC.