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Download the UPSC CSAT Provisional Answer Key 2026 PDF released on 27 May 2026. Check official GS Paper 2 answers, calculate your expected score, review qualifying chances, and analyse your performance in the UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026 CSAT exam.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the UPSC CSAT Provisional Answer Key 2026 for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination conducted on 24th May 2026 in the second shift (02:30 PM to 04:30 PM). Candidates who appeared for the CSAT (General Studies Paper 2) can now download the provisional answer key PDF to check their responses and review the official answers.
The UPSC CSAT Answer Key 2026 will help candidates evaluate their performance in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The CSAT paper, officially known as General Studies Paper 2, is qualifying in nature and candidates must score at least 33% marks (66 out of 200) to clear it.
The UPSC CSAT 2026 examination was conducted on 24 May 2026 (Sunday) in the afternoon shift from 02:30 PM to 04:30 PM.
Candidates can use the CSAT answer key to:
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the UPSC CSAT Provisional Answer Key 2026 for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination. Candidates who appeared for the CSAT (General Studies Paper 2) conducted on 24th May 2026 in the second shift (02:30 PM to 04:30 PM) can now download the provisional answer key PDF. The answer key allows candidates to check the official responses for the questions asked in the examination and compare them with their marked answers.
| UPSC CSAT Provisional Answer Key 2026 PDF Download |
Candidates can download the official UPSC CSAT Answer Key 2026 PDF from:
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The UPSC Prelims CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) 2026 was conducted in the second shift (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM) on 24 May 2026. The UPSC CSAT Answer Key 2026 (Unofficial) has been released after the examination by the PWOnlyIAS Academic Team. Since UPSC releases the official answer key only after the completion of the entire exam cycle, candidates can refer to the provisional answer key, set-wise solutions, and expert analysis to estimate their qualifying marks.
Here is the link to download the UPSC CSAT Answer Key 2026 for all sets:
| Set | CSAT Answer Key 2026 PDF Link |
| Set A | Download Link |
| Set B | Download Link |
| Set C | Download Link |
| Set D | Download Link |
UPSC has introduced a major reform for Civil Services Examination 2026 by announcing that the provisional answer key may be released shortly after the examination. This is a significant change because earlier UPSC used to release answer keys only after the final recruitment process.
Candidates may also get an opportunity to raise objections through the Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep) by submitting supporting references from authentic sources.
This move is expected to improve transparency and reduce uncertainty among aspirants after the examination. Discussions across student communities also show strong interest in this new system.
| UPSC New Reform for UPSC Provisional Answer Key 2026- Available |
| Feature | Details |
| Exam Name | UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 |
| Paper Name | General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT) |
| Conducting Body | UPSC |
| Exam Date | 24 May 2026 |
| Exam Timing | 02:30 PM – 04:30 PM |
| Total Questions | 80 |
| Total Marks | 200 |
| Qualifying Marks | 66 Marks (33%) |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
Candidates can follow these steps to download the answer key PDF:
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Candidates can estimate their scores using the following marking scheme:
| Response Type | Marks |
| Correct Answer | +2.5 Marks |
| Incorrect Answer | -0.83 Marks |
| Unattempted Question | 0 Marks |
The CSAT paper contains:
The UPSC CSAT Answer Key 2026 is important because it helps candidates analyze their performance immediately after the examination. Since CSAT is qualifying in nature, checking the answer key helps aspirants understand whether they are safely above the qualifying threshold.
The answer key helps candidates:
Experts believe the UPSC CSAT 2026 paper included a balanced mix of:
Many aspirants and online communities often discuss the variation in unofficial answer keys released by different coaching institutes. Candidates are advised to rely only on the official UPSC answer key for final verification.
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UPSC released the provisional answer key on 27th may 2026 after the examination under the new reform policy.
The CSAT examination was conducted on 24 May 2026.
Candidates must score at least 66 marks out of 200 (33%).
Candidates can download it from the official UPSC website: https://www.upsc.gov.in/
Yes, UPSC may allow objections through the QPRep portal under the new provisional answer key reform.
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