Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the UPSC CSAT syllabus 2026 along with the notification PDF in the coming months.
Candidates aiming for this exam should check the UPSC CSAT syllabus Prelims exam before commencing their preparation. The UPSC Civil Services Prelims exam is the first stage of the selection process, and CSAT is the second paper of Prelims.
Understanding the syllabus will help candidates focus only on the exam-specific topics and get enough time to practice and revise. You should also analyse previous year papers to understand the UPSC CSAT Syllabus weightage and prioritise the topics accordingly in the exam.
Read ahead to know the latest syllabus for the UPSC CSAT 2026 exam and other relevant information.
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026
CSAT is the second paper of the UPSC Prelims 2026. It will be a qualifying paper with a minimum qualifying mark set at 33%. It consists of objective-type questions, carrying a total of 200 marks.
CSAT evaluates candidates in areas like comprehension, interpersonal skills, reasoning, General mental ability, basic numeracy, etc.
Hence, candidates should build a smart approach to master all the topics. They should select books and practice mock tests based on the latest UPSC CSAT syllabus 2026. This can boost their confidence and maximise their chances of success in the exam.
We have compiled below the CSAT Syllabus topic wise PDF to guide candidates in the right direction.
What is the CSAT Syllabus in UPSC?
The UPSC CSAT syllabus prelims can help you differentiate between relevant and irrelevant topics.
It can help you stay on track throughout your preparation. The key topics covered in the CSAT syllabus 2026 are shared below for your reference:
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills, including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision making and problem solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level)
- Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc- Class X level)
UPSC CSAT Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates should analyse the UPSC CSAT exam pattern 2026 to learn about question type, number of questions, maximum marks, exam duration, and more.
Knowing the latest exam pattern helps you understand the actual exam requirements better. Thus, you should go through the official notification for all the latest updates. Here is the exam pattern for UPSC CSAT 2026 shared below for reference purposes.
- CSAT comprises objective-type (multiple-choice questions).
- It carries a total of 200 marks.
- The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
- The exam duration shall be 2 hours.
- The minimum qualifying marks of CSAT are fixed at 33%.
- There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for every wrong answer in CSAT.
|
Question Type |
Objective-Type |
|
Maximum Marks |
200 |
|
Exam Duration |
2 hours |
|
Negative Marking |
33% |
|
Minimum Qualifying Marks |
-1/3rd mark for every wrong answer. |
Note: The marks secured in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be used to shortlist candidates for the Civil Services (Main) Examination. But it will not be counted for determining their final order of merit.
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 Topic-Wise
Candidates should understand the topic-wise CSAT syllabus to formulate an effective strategy.
It will also help them identify topics that are important from the exam point of view. Mastering the basics and core topics can help them succeed in the exam.
Basically, the UPSC CSAT syllabus Prelims focuses on areas like comprehension, interpersonal skills, reasoning, General mental ability, basic numeracy, etc. Check the UPSC CSAT syllabus topic-wise for the prelims exam below:
UPSC CSAT Syllabus for Comprehension
This section evaluates the candidate’s ability to understand the unseen passage and answer the questions accurately. It is based on both direct and inferential comprehension.
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 for Interpersonal Skills
This section of the UPSC CSAT prelims exam covers the following topics:
- Situational judgment
- Basic knowledge of effective communication
- Interpersonal reasoning, etc
UPSC CSAT Syllabus Reasoning
Logical reasoning and analytical ability will also be a part of the UPSC CSAT syllabus 2026. You should check the CSAT reasoning syllabus to identify all the relevant chapters. It covers the following important topics:
- Puzzles
- Statement & Conclusion
- Cause & Effect
- Blood Relations
- Coding-Decoding
- Direction Sense Test
- Syllogisms
- Seating Arrangements, etc
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 for Decision Making and Problem Solving
Decision-making and problem-solving are an important part of the CSAT 2026 syllabus. This section focuses on the following areas:
- Ethics-based situation questions
- Practical events that require analytical solutions
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 for General Mental Ability
General Mental Ability evaluates a candidate’s ability to recognise numbers, solve questions with accuracy and calculation speed. It covers the following important topics:
- Numbers and Simplification
- Ratio & Proportion
- Time & Work
- Percentages
- Averages
- Profit & Loss
- Time, Speed, Distance
- Ages & Mixtures
- Interest (Simple & Compound), etc
UPSC CSAT Syllabus Maths
The basic numeracy section basically covers topics related to numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc. The CSAT Maths syllabus is based on the Class X level. It covers the following important topics:
- Number Systems
- Algebra
- LCM & HCF
- Fractions and Decimals
- Mensuration fundamentals
- Orders of Magnitude, etc
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 for Data Interpretation
Data Interpretation is one of the important parts of the UPSC CSAT syllabus prelims. Its syllabus is based on the Class X level. It covers the following topics:
- Charts
- Graphs
- Tables
- Data sufficiency etc
UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026 Weightage
Understanding the UPSC CSAT Syllabus weightage can help candidates prioritise topics accordingly in their preparation.
It will help in formulating an effective UPSC 2026 study plan. This allows aspirants to allocate the right number of hours to each topic based on its weightage and their prior knowledge.
Check the topic-wise weightage of the UPSC CSAT syllabus over the years for clarity purposes.
|
Subject |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Maths |
23-24 |
20-21 |
30-31 |
25-26 |
39-40 |
35-36 |
33-34 |
38-39 |
35-37 |
31-33 |
|
Reasoning |
29-30 |
29-30 |
22-23 |
23-24 |
14-15 |
17-18 |
18-19 |
13-14 |
15-16 |
17-18 |
|
English |
26-27 |
27-29 |
24-26 |
29-30 |
24-25 |
26-27 |
25-27 |
25-27 |
25-27 |
28-29 |
How to Cover UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026
The UPSC CSAT 2026 preparation requires smart planning, dedication, and the right resources. Given below are the tips and tricks to cover the UPSC CSAT syllabus 2026:
- Analyse the CSAT syllabus to cover only the exam-oriented topics.
- Create an effective study plan and stick to it strictly.
- Choose the best CSAT books to clear the basics and master advanced topics.
- Practice mocks and PYQs to recognise weak and strong areas. It will help you track your progress level.
- Create short notes and revise them frequently to retain the information.
Best Books for CSAT Preparation 2026
Candidates must cover only the latest UPSC CSAT Books to stay on track. The right books explain concepts in clear and simple language. It will also include solved examples and previous year papers for endless practice.
Given below is the list of the best books for CSAT Preparation 2026:
- Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey
- The Mantra of CSAT Paper II by Gautam Puri
- General Studies Paper II by Tata McGraw-Hill
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
- Cracking the CSAT Paper by Arihant Experts
How to Use Legacy IAS Academy for CSAT Success?
Legacy IAS Academy offers the best CSAT Foundation Course for UPSC Prelims 2026. This course is designed to build strong CSAT fundamentals.
It includes over 40 hours of classes in Offline, Live-and-Interactive Online and Recorded course modes. The Legacy IAS CSAT course ensures that students gain conceptual clarity across all CSAT topics as per UPSC requirements.
They also provide exam-level study material for practice and revision. Along with this, aspirants will also get access to 10 Full-Length CSAT tests along with numerous Classroom tests.
This helps evaluate preparation levels and improve time management. They also offer test discussion classes and one-to-one mentorship in their CSAT course.
This ensures error analysis, doubt resolution and strategy refinement. In short, the Legacy IAS CSAT course can enhance your confidence and maximise your chances of scoring high marks.
FAQs
Q) What is the CSAT syllabus in UPSC?
A) UPSC CSAT syllabus prelims cover topics like comprehension, interpersonal skills, reasoning, General mental ability, basic numeracy, etc.
Q) How many marks are there in the UPSC CSAT 2026 exam?
A) The UPSC CSAT 2026 exam carries a total of 200 marks. The exam duration shall be 2 hours.
Q) Is there any negative marking in UPSC CSAT 2026?
A) Yes. There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for every wrong answer in CSAT.