UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern, Syllabus & PYQ Practice
Everything you need to understand the exam structure — plus a complete 10-year PYQ series (2016–2025) with topic-wise tagged questions and mock tests built from authentic papers.
Exam Pattern
UPSC Prelims consists of two objective papers sat on the same day. Both use MCQ format with negative marking. Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying only — you need 33% to clear it regardless of your score.
Paper I — General Studies (GS)
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 200 (2 marks per question) |
| Duration | 2 Hours (120 minutes) |
| Negative Marking | −0.67 marks per wrong answer (1/3 of 2) |
| Purpose | Merit ranking — this score counts |
Paper II — CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test)
| Total Questions | 80 |
| Total Marks | 200 (2.5 marks per question) |
| Duration | 2 Hours (120 minutes) |
| Negative Marking | −0.83 marks per wrong answer (1/3 of 2.5) |
| Purpose | Qualifying only — minimum 33% required |
Paper I Syllabus Topics
All GS Paper I questions in our pack are classified under these 8 topic categories so you can focus on weak areas.
Paper II (CSAT) Syllabus Topics
Paper II questions are tagged under these categories so you can drill individual skill areas.
What Makes Our PYQ Pack Different
Year-wise PYQs (2016–2025)
All 20 papers — 10 Paper I and 10 Paper II — exactly as they appeared in the actual UPSC Prelims exam. Authentic question order, options, and official answer keys.
Topic-wise Tagged Questions
Every single question is classified into its topic — Polity, History, Geography, Economy, Science, Environment, CSAT, and more. Filter by topic to target your weak areas.
Mocks Built from PYQs
5 full-length mock tests assembled from real PYQ questions. Practice under timed conditions with the authentic UPSC marking scheme — no guesswork, only real questions.
UPSC Prelims Notes
Coming soonStructured subject-wise notes covering the complete UPSC Prelims syllabus — Polity, History, Geography, Economy, Science & Environment, and CSAT. Included in every pack.
Preparation Strategy
Start with the year-wise PYQs
Begin from 2016 Paper I. Analyse every question after your attempt — UPSC repeats themes and question styles across years.
Use topic-wise filtering to fix weak areas
If you keep getting Geography wrong, filter only Geography questions across all 10 years and study them together before re-testing.
Simulate with the mock tests last
After covering PYQs, attempt the 5 mock tests under timed conditions. These use only real PYQ questions reassembled into fresh mocks — the closest simulation possible.