UPSC Exam Pattern 2026: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) releases UPSC exam pattern and marking scheme in the official notification PDF.
Candidates should review the UPSC exam pattern for all stages to avoid any surprises on the exam day. The UPSC selection process 2026 is divided into three phases: prelims, mains, and an interview. So, you must check the paper pattern of all these stages to understand the test requirements.
It can help you refine your exam strategy and understand the question structure in a better manner. Read ahead to know the UPSC exam pattern and marking scheme along with other relevant information.
UPSC Exam Pattern 2026
UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination for the recruitment of various posts like IAS, IPS, IFS, etc. This recruitment drive attracts lakhs of candidates every year due to excellent salary, long-term growth, and reputation.
Candidates aiming for UPSC 2026 should first analyse the UPSC exam pattern and syllabus. This will help them plan their preparation better.
The UPSC Prelims exam consists of two papers and carries a maximum of 400 marks. On the contrary, the UPSC Mains exam comprises two qualifying papers, 1 essay, 4 General Studies, and 2 optional papers.
Along with the exam pattern, candidates should also understand the UPSC marking scheme to prepare a better attempt strategy. Please note that there will be negative marking for incorrect answers.
What is the Exam Pattern of UPSC 2026?
Candidates should carefully analyse the UPSC exam pattern to understand the question type, number of questions, maximum marks, exam duration, marking scheme, and other factors.
Knowing the paper pattern will help you align your exam strategy with the latest exam requirements. Here is the key overview of the exam pattern of UPSC for future reference:
UPSC 2026 Overview | |
Exam Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
Exam Name | Civil Services Examination 2026 |
Post Name | IAS, IPS, IFS, etc |
Eligibility | 21 years, Graduate |
Selection Process | Prelims, Mains, and Interview |
Maximum Marks | Prelims: 400 Mains: 1750 Interview: 275 |
Prelims Exam Date | May 24, 2026 |
Negative Marking | Yes for Prelims exam |
Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 for Prelims
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination is the first stage of the UPSC selection process. It is basically a screening test only.
The marks obtained in this stage are used to shortlist aspirants for the Civil Services (Main) Examination and will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. Given below is the UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 for reference purposes.
- The UPSC prelims exam comprises objective-type questions.
- It is divided into two papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT).
- The maximum marks shall be 400. Each paper carries 200 marks.
- General Studies Paper-II of the prelims exam will be a qualifying paper with a minimum mark fixed at 33%.
- The medium of paper will be Hindi and English.
- The test duration will be 2 hours for each paper.
What is the pattern of UPSC Prelims?
The exam pattern of UPSC prelims helps candidates understand the question type, marking scheme, total marks, and other aspects. Given below is the UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 for reference purposes:
Paper | Marks | Exam Duration |
General Studies Paper 1 | 200 marks | 2 hours |
General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT) | 200 marks | 2 hours |
What are the total marks of the UPSC Prelims 2026?
The total marks of the UPSC Prelims exam will be 400. Each paper carries 200 marks, and the duration of each paper is 2 hours.
Is UPSC Prelims only MCQ?
Yes. The UPSC prelims exam is divided into two papers. Both the UPSC question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions).
How many Exams are in UPSC Prelims?
The UPSC Prelims syllabus covers two subjects: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT).
UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 for Mains?
The second stage of the UPSC selection process is the mains examination. The UPSC mains exam will consist of 9 papers of a conventional essay type. Each paper will be of three hours’ duration.
The marks secured for all the compulsory papers (Paper-I to Paper-VII) and the Interview/Personality Test will be counted for ranking. Below is the UPSC Mains exam pattern for clarity purposes.
Paper Type | Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks |
Qualifying Papers | Paper-A | (One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). | 300 Marks |
Paper-B | English | 300 Marks | |
Papers to be counted for merit | Paper-I | Essay | 250 Marks |
Paper-II | General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 Marks | |
Paper-III | General Studies -II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 Marks | |
Paper-IV | General Studies -III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 250 Marks | |
Paper-V | General Studies -IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | 250 Marks | |
Paper-VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks | |
Paper-VII | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 Marks | |
Sub Total (Written test) | 1750 Marks | ||
Personality Test | 275 Marks | ||
Grand Total | 2025 Marks | ||
Which are the 9 papers in UPSC Mains?
Given below is the list of 9 papers in UPSC Mains for reference purposes:
- Paper-A Qualifying Paper
- Paper-B Qualifying Paper
- Paper-I (Essay)
- Paper-II (General Studies-I)
- Paper-III (General Studies -II)
- Paper-IV (General Studies -III)
- Paper-V (General Studies -IV)
- Paper-VI (Optional Subject Paper 1)
- Paper-VII (Optional Subject Paper 2)
What is the pattern of the UPSC mains exam?
The pattern of the UPSC mains exam provides insights into question type, qualifying paper, compulsory papers, optional subjects, and many other factors.
The mains exam for UPSC typically carries a total of 1750 marks, and the exam duration will be 3 hours for each paper.
UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 for Interview
The third and final stage of the UPSC selection process is the Interview/Personality Test. It will be conducted for a total of 275 marks.
The UPSC Mains-qualified candidate will be interviewed by a Board that will already have the candidate’s career records. Questions in the interview will be based on the candidate’s general interest.
Its main objective is to evaluate a candidate’s personal suitability for a career in public service. This stage checks the candidate’s mental calibre, intellectual qualities, social traits and current affairs knowledge.
The UPSC Interview round will check the candidate’s following qualities:
- Mental alertness
- Critical powers of assimilation
- Clear and logical exposition
- Balance of judgement
- Variety and depth of interest
- Ability for social cohesion and leadership
- Intellectual and moral integrity
UPSC Exam Pattern Total Marks
Candidates must check the UPSC exam pattern total marks for prelims and mains. This will improve their familiarity with the real exam conditions and help them plan their strategy accordingly.
Here is the breakdown of the UPSC 2026 exam pattern in terms of total marks for all the stages.
Stage | Maximum Marks |
UPSC Prelims | 400 Marks |
UPSC Mains | 1750 Marks |
UPSC Interview | 275 Marks |
Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims & Mains
Candidates should check if there is any penalty for wrong answers in the UPSC prelims and mains. This helps them avoid losing extra marks in the exam.
There is negative marking for wrong answers marked by a candidate in the UPSC Prelims exam. But there shall be no penalty for wrong answers in the UPSC Mains exam.
Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims
Candidates should check the UPSC Prelims negative marking criteria. Generally, the UPSC prelims exam comprises two objective-type question papers. There shall be negative marking for incorrect answers in both papers:
- There shall be four options for every question.
- There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for every wrong answer.
- If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be considered a wrong answer, even if one of the given answers is found correct, and the same penalty will be applicable in this case.
- There shall be no negative marking for unanswered questions.
FAQs
Q) What is the UPSC Exam Pattern 2026?
A) The UPSC Prelims exam carries 400 marks, while the UPSC Mains exam carries a total of 1750 marks. The UPSC interview round will be conducted for a total of 275 marks.
Q) Is there any negative marking in the UPSC Exam 2026?
A) Yes. There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for every wrong answer in UPSC prelims.
Q) How many subjects are covered in the UPSC Prelims Exam 2026?
A) The UPSC prelims exam covers two subjects: GS Paper 1 and GS Paper 2 (CSAT).
Q) How many papers are covered in the UPSC Mains Exam 2026?
A) The UPSC Mains exam comprises a total of 9 papers. This includes two qualifying papers, 1 essay, 4 General Studies, and 2 optional papers.
