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UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026 Out (Provisional), GS Paper Answers & Solutions

In this articles we have provided the answer key and detailed solution of UPSC 2026 prelims question paper for GS and CSAT. For now you can download the paper 1 General Studies answer key and solution and the answer key for CSAT paper will be updated by evening.

Aparna Tomar May 24th, 2026 04:40 pm Leave a comment

The UPSC Prelims Exam for Civil Services has been conducted on 24th May 2026 in two shifts for General Studies Paper 1 and CSAT Paper 2. The candidates who appeared in today’s exam can now refer to the provisional UPSC Prelims answer key, which is prepared by the top faculties of StudyIQ Education.

UPSC CSE exam consists of 400 marks, scoring 2 marks each for the correct answer in Paper-1 and 2.5 marks in Paper-2. There will be a penalty of 0.66 marks or 1/3rd mark for each incorrect answer.

UPSC General Studies Paper 1 Answer Key 2026

The answers to all 100 questions of General Studies Paper 1 held from 9:30 am to1 11:30 am and the same paper of SET A is given below. This time, the GS paper was considered as the difficult level. The answers have been provided by the faculty of StudyIQ. Download the answer key PDF and cross-check with what you have answered.

UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 Answers (SET A)
Q1- D	Q26- C	Q51- C	Q76- C
Q2- A	Q27- A	Q52- A	Q77- B
Q3- C	Q28- D	Q53- C	Q78- A
Q4- B	Q29- C	Q54- D	Q79- C
Q5- B	Q30- B	Q55- B	Q80- C
Q6- A	Q31- A	Q56- B	Q81- C
Q7- D	Q32- B	Q57- A	Q82- C
Q8- A	Q33- B	Q58- C	Q83- C
Q9- C	Q34- B	Q59- D	Q84- A
Q10- C	Q35- B	Q60- A	Q85- A
Q11- D	Q36- B	Q61- D	Q86- C
Q12- C	Q37- B	Q62- C	Q87- A
Q13- C	Q38- A	Q63- A	Q88- C
Q14- B	Q39- B	Q64- D	Q89- C
Q15- B	Q40- C	Q65- C	Q90- D
Q16- B	Q41- C	Q66- A	Q91- A
Q17- A	Q42- B	Q67- B	Q92- C
Q18- D	Q43- C	Q68- C	Q93- B
Q19- D	Q44- B	Q69- C	Q94- B
Q20- B	Q45- B	Q70- A	Q95- A
Q21- B	Q46- C	Q71- B	Q96- C
Q22- B	Q47- B	Q72- D	Q97- C
Q23- D	Q48- B	Q73- D	Q98- D
Q24- D	Q49- C	Q74- A	Q99- A
Q25- B	Q50- B	Q75- C	Q100- A

The above answers are provided for SET A, for which the question paper PDF is attached below-

UPSC CSAT Paper 2 Answer Key 2026

CSAT Paper includes 80 questions, and once the exam is over, our faculty will discuss the UPSC CSAT Paper 2 Answer Key.

Important- Only GS Paper 1 marks are counted for the merit list. Paper 2 (CSAT) is purely qualifying in nature. However, if you fail to score at least 33% in CSAT, your GS Paper 1 will not be evaluated at all.

FAQs

Can I get correct answers before official UPSC Answer Key is released?

Yes, in this article, we have provided UPSC Answer Key for both Papers as solved by our faculty.

What is the negative marking for UPSC CSE Prelims Paper 1 and 2?

For both GS Paper 1 and CSAT Paper 2, there will be a negative marking of 0.66 marks or 1/3rd mark for each incorrect answer.

Is CSAT marks counted in the Prelims merit list?

No. CSAT (GS Paper 2) is purely qualifying in nature. Candidates must score a minimum of 33% (66.67 marks out of 200) to have their GS Paper 1 evaluated. Only GS Paper 1 marks determine who qualifies for Mains.

What is a safe score in UPSC Prelims 2026 for the General category?

Based on historical trends, a score of 90 or above in GS Paper 1 is generally considered safe for the General category. However, the actual cutoff depends on paper difficulty, number of candidates, and vacancies.

About the Author

Aparna Tomar

Author

I'm Aparna Tomar, Manager – SEO content writer at CareerPower (careerpower.in). With over 6 years of experience in ed-tech content writing, I combine deep subject expertise with a strong command of SEO best practices to create content that genuinely serves government job aspirants across India. My primary focus is on Banking (IBPS, SBI, RBI), SSC (CGL, CHSL, MTS), and Railways (RRB NTPC, ALP, Group D) — covering all related articles like notifications, eligibility, admit cards, exam analyses, answer keys, cut-offs, and results. As content team lead, I oversee editorial quality, content strategy, and publishing standards across all exam categories on CareerPower – including State PSC, Defence, Teaching, and Engineering recruitment. You can reach me at aparna.tomar@adda247.com.

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