Civil Services Prep

UPSC Prelims 2026

UPSC Prelims 2026 question paper with answers

179 questions across 2 papers, each with its answer.

General Studies Paper I

  1. Which one of the following Carnatic music ragas is similar to Raga Bilawal in Hindustani music ?Art and Culture
  2. The artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was…Economy
  3. Consider the following statements : I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g.,…Ancient History
  4. Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara ? 1. Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami 2.…Art and Culture
  5. Among the four main forms of existence of life recognized in Jainism, which one of the following is **not**…Art and Culture
  6. The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents :Art and Culture
  7. Consider the following statements relating to the use of the place-value system in India : 1. The earliest…Ancient History
  8. Consider the following statements about the archaeological findings in Harappan towns : I. There is wide…Ancient History
  9. Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  10. Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period : I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to…Ancient History
  11. Consider the following assertion : In the Pleistocene period either the Yamuna once flowed into the Indus, or…Geography
  12. What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography ?Art and Culture
  13. Which of the following pairs of ancient and modern names of rivers is/are correctly matched ? 1. Vitasta :…Geography
  14. Which of the following statements on the Amaravati Stupa and its relief sculpture is/are correct ? 1. It was…Art and Culture
  15. Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are **not**…Ancient History
  16. Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  17. Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  18. Consider the following assertion : **The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  19. Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the :Art and Culture
  20. In which one among the following texts does the term **kshetra-patni** ('mistress of the field') originate ?Ancient History
  21. Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term…Environment
  22. With respect to the Western Hoolock Gibbons, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. A Sanctuary…Environment
  23. Which of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of…Environment
  24. In what way(s) does the Vizhinjam International Seaport represent a structural shift in India's maritime trade…Economy
  25. Identify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information: 1. It has an…Geography
  26. Which of the following with reference to Indian States is/are **not** correct? 1. Uttar Pradesh shares its…Geography
  27. Which of the following statements with regard to the arrival of Amur Falcons at Doyang Lake in Nagaland each…Environment
  28. Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the…Current Affairs
  29. Which of the following is/are the most significant implication(s) of obtaining Oeko-Tex certification for Eri…Economy
  30. Ships from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian…Geography
  31. Tungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the…Geography
  32. With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. It was declared…Environment
  33. With reference to the climate of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which of the following statements is/are correct…Geography
  34. Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India…Geography
  35. Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India : I.…Economy
  36. Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid) : 1. It is an epiphytic orchid.…Environment
  37. Which one of the following statements with regard to the Moidams, built by the Tai-Ahom kingdom and inscribed…Art and Culture
  38. At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural…Current Affairs
  39. Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct ? 1. It is the largest desert…Geography
  40. Which one of the following is the first Plan Vivo certified Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest…Environment
  41. Which of the following statements with regard to genetic medicine is/are correct ? 1. Genetic medicines…Science and Technology
  42. Which of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are…Science and Technology
  43. Which of the following statements with regard to stealth technology is/are correct ? 1. Stealth objects have a…Science and Technology
  44. Which of the following statements with regard to Black Boxes used in modern aircrafts is/are correct ? 1. They…Science and Technology
  45. Which of the following statements with regard to Green Hydrogen is/are correct ? 1. It is decarbonized…Environment
  46. Consider the following statements with regard to involvement of private entities in India's space programme :…Science and Technology
  47. Which of the following statements with regard to drone swarms is/are correct ? 1. They use Terahertz band of…Science and Technology
  48. Which of the following statements with regard to GenomeIndia Project is/are correct ? 1. It is a part of the…Science and Technology
  49. Which of the following statements with regard to the National Quantum Mission (NQM) is/are correct? 1. It aims…Science and Technology
  50. Which of the following statements with regard to India's Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct? 1. It was launched…Science and Technology
  51. Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a…Polity and Constitution
  52. In a multi-ethnic district where both economic competition and historical grievances frequently led to…Current Affairs
  53. Ms. X is a mid-level civil service official working in the urban development department of a major city.…Polity and Constitution
  54. X' was addressing a seminar on the meaning of the term 'law' as provided under Article 13, Part III of the…Polity and Constitution
  55. Consider the following statements with reference to the Constitution of India : 1. There is no Article in the…Polity and Constitution
  56. Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct ? 1.…Current Affairs
  57. Consider the following statements about the provisions pertaining to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled…Polity and Constitution
  58. Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members in the Parliament of India : 1.…Polity and Constitution
  59. Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes…Polity and Constitution
  60. Consider the following statements about Mission Sudarshan Chakra of India: 1. It aims to enhance India's air…Current Affairs
  61. Consider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries: 1. 'Maitri…International Relations and Organisations
  62. Which of the following statements about a Zero First Information Report (Zero FIR) under the Bharatiya Nagarik…Polity and Constitution
  63. With reference to the organisations under the Government of India, consider the following details: | Sl. No. |…Polity and Constitution
  64. Consider the following statements with respect to the AI Impact Summit, 2026 held in New Delhi : 1. The…Current Affairs
  65. Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation between India and the ASEAN member…International Relations and Organisations
  66. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : | List I (Project…International Relations and Organisations
  67. Which of the following items of defence hardware is/are manufactured in India ? 1. Su-30 MKI Fighter Jets 2.…Science and Technology
  68. Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co-operation : 1. The 'Colombo Process' is…International Relations and Organisations
  69. Consider the following UN organisations/agencies : 1. World Food Programme 2. United Nations Children's Fund…International Relations and Organisations
  70. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : | List I (UN…International Relations and Organisations
  71. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : | List I (BIMSTEC…International Relations and Organisations
  72. Which one of the following pairs is **not** correctly matched ? (Indian Army Corps) : (Headquarters)Current Affairs
  73. Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is/are…Current Affairs
  74. Which of the following countries are members of the European Union ? 1. Belarus 2. Poland 3. Germany 4.…International Relations and Organisations
  75. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : | List I (INTERPOL…International Relations and Organisations
  76. Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of…Environment
  77. The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following…International Relations and Organisations
  78. Which of the following statements about DHRUV64 is/are correct ? 1. It is the third chip fabricated under the…Science and Technology
  79. The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) recently introduced a national standard to test and assess bomb disposal…Science and Technology
  80. X', born in the UK, was conferred the Nobel Prize in 2025. He was a professor in an American university when…Current Affairs
  81. Which of the following statements with regard to the Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments is/are correct? 1. The…Current Affairs
  82. Which one of the following pairs of semiconductor plants in India and their locations is **not** correctly…Science and Technology
  83. Which of the following statements with regard to India's indigenous new high resolution weather model, the…Science and Technology
  84. Consider the following statements with regard to the film 'Boong': 1. The film has recently won the British…Art and Culture
  85. Which of the following statements regarding the features of blockchain technology are correct? 1. Records…Science and Technology
  86. An e-commerce revenue model where the seller has control over pricing but doesn't keep products in stock and…Economy
  87. Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the Financial Inclusion Index…Economy
  88. Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India's 'Open Network for Digital Commerce'…Economy
  89. Which one of the following statements about Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Central Bank Digital Currency…Economy
  90. Which of the following statements about Real-World Assets (RWA) Tokenization are correct? 1. Tokenization is…Economy
  91. A bond whose proceeds are used only to finance or refinance a combination of both environmental and social…Economy
  92. Which of the following statements about M1xchange's role in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)…Economy
  93. Which one of the following best describes the 'Crowding Out Effect' in the context of fiscal policy ?Economy
  94. Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals is/are correct ? 1.…Science and Technology
  95. Which of the following statements about insurance in aviation sector is/are correct ? 1. 'Aviation Hull…Economy
  96. Which of the following statements about Crowdfunding is/are correct ? 1. Crowdfunding is solicitation of funds…Economy
  97. With reference to different Committees in India, consider the following details : | Sl. No. | Committee |…Economy
  98. Consider the following statements about the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India : 1. NBFCs cannot…Economy
  99. Consider the following statements about Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) : 1. MPI is calculated using…Current Affairs

Aptitude (CSAT)

  1. X receives three coins of different denominations : 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20. If the total amount received by X is…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  2. For two distinct real numbers x and y, which of them is bigger? Statement I : x^2 Statement II : yCSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  3. If x and y are integers, then is x even? Statement I : x^2 y^2 is even. Statement II : 1 + x^2 + y^2 is odd.CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  4. X is a collection of certain odd numbers whereas Y is a collection of certain even numbers. T consists of the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  5. If x, y and z are integers, each greater than 1, then is x a prime number? Statement I : xy^2 = 116 Statement…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  6. Which of the following conclusions are valid? 1. Seven Sanskriti Angans, representing different regions of…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  7. Which one of the following statements is **not** correct? **Passage:** 'Kalagram', the cultural village set up…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  8. The weight of X, in kg, is denoted by X. The weights of A, B, C, D, P, Q, R and S are measured. Given : A + B…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  9. How many words can one form by shuffling the letters of the word QUEUE, if Q is always followed by U? The…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  10. X, Y and Z jump forward 4', 6' and 5', respectively. At 8 AM, they all land on mark 199'. How many times will…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  11. Which of the following conclusions are valid? 1. Sport is more than just games; it is a way of life. 2. Sport…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  12. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Parents are not encouraging enough when it comes to…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  13. A toy T jumps forward or backward. In each forward jump, it moves 5' forward whereas in each backward jump, it…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  14. Eight persons P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W sit around a round table in eight different seats placed with equal…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  15. The top of a table is rectangular and its dimensions are 6' × 10'. Two rectangular portions of the table top…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  16. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Real value should not change in the instance of static…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  17. Which of the following assumptions is/are valid? 1. Deflation strategies can be used to make manufacturers…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  18. A pattern formed by two characters a and b is repeated more than once in the following string : x b x a x a x…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  19. If 10^m × 1000 × n = 75^25 × 25^32 × 32^75, where n is not divisible by 10, then the value of m isCSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  20. The speed of a train T is 100 km per hour and the speed of a person P is 4 km per hour. T crosses P in 15…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  21. For (1/3) I. x + (1/x) II. (√(1 + y^2)/y) Select the answer using the code given below.CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  22. What is the minimum number of times one needs to measure to get 298 litres of water from a tank, if the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  23. There are four types of weights, namely 1 kg, 2 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg. What is the maximum number of different…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  24. A cut on a solid object divides the object into two parts where the new surfaces thus produced are plane. On…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  25. The class average x in a test increases by 4 when the score of a student is rectified, whose corrected score…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  26. Which of the following conclusions is/are valid? 1. Though SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV are similar viruses with…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  27. Which of the following reflect the intent of the writer in the above passage? 1. To evolve methodologies for…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  28. Which of the following statements reflect the logical and rational inferences that can be drawn from the…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  29. Three variables x, y and z take values 2, 3, 4 or 5 such that their values are always distinct. If M and N…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  30. Suppose x, y and z are variables taking positive real numbers as their possible values. It is given that y is…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  31. Which of the following assumptions is/are **valid**? 1. Agricultural productivity has marched ahead in the…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  32. Which of the following statements is/are **not** correct? 1. Tech-savvy farmers will drive the AgTech…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  33. P, Q, R, S and T are ranked 1 to 5 (not necessarily in that order). The rank of P is 4, the rank of Q is not…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  34. Two identical straight rods are painted in five distinct colours so that each of them gets divided into five…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  35. Seven persons A, B, C, D, E, F and G travel by three cars X, Y, Z. A and another two of them travel by X. Only…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  36. There are four statements X, Y, Z and W. Their relations are as follows: If X is incorrect, then so is Z; if Y…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  37. X and Y are two runners who run for the same duration of time on the same circular track. They started running…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  38. In an objective type question paper, 5 marks are awarded for a correct answer and 2 marks are deducted for a…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  39. Which of the following conclusions is/are valid? 1. Only a serious offence as categorised by the revised JJ…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  40. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. If an offence has no minimum prescribed punishment, it…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  41. An explosion takes place at a certain distance from an army camp. As soon as the sensor in the camp receives…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  42. The digit in the unit place of the number 6^129 × 7^307 isCSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  43. A person saves 10% of his salary every month. If his salary increases by 12% and the expenditure increases by…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  44. P has a son and a daughter. S is the mother of T. S is R's spouse. Q and R are children of P. Then how is Q…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  45. How many three-digit numbers can be expressed as an integral power of 2?CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  46. Which of the following inferences is/are correct? 1. The source of the energy we consume is the key to the…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  47. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  48. Consider the following statements: Every red is blue. Every blue is green. Every green is yellow. Which of the…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  49. How many times does 5 appear in all two-digit positive integers?CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  50. X travels 6 km on a bicycle with average speeds of 5 km per hour, 10 km per hour and 4 km per hour during the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  51. Seven cubes are identical in shape. Out of these, the weight of each of the six cubes is equal and the weight…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  52. Which one among the following statements most appropriately reflects the point of view of the given passage?…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  53. Which of the following conclusions, made on the basis of the given passage, is/are correct? 1. The advent of…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  54. Which of the following conclusions is/are correct? 1. All landlords essentially have some goodness trapped…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  55. Which of the following statements are **not** correct? 1. The landholdings of Rai Sahib were currently not…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  56. A person facing the East travels 4 km straight and then turns right and travels 3 km, then further turns left…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  57. In a sequence of numbers, each number other than the first two is the sum of the two immediately preceding…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  58. The ratio of male to female workers in two companies A and B is 13 : 10 and 7 : 5, respectively. If both the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  59. If the product of the HCF and LCM of two distinct numbers is the cube of one of the numbers, then which of the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  60. If x and y are two digits and the number 4x5y790 is divisible by 11, then what is the remainder, if x+y is…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  61. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Radical action can also be attributed to mild surrender…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  62. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Hugh Grant was watching, from the Royal Box, the men's…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  63. Which of the following conclusions are correct? 1. In the breakaway phase, economic progress is slow for the…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  64. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The convergence model divides nations into three phases…CSAT / Reading Comprehension
  65. An alloy P contains 20% copper and 80% zinc by weight. Another alloy Q contains 60% copper and 40% zinc by…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  66. A is a 2-digit number with different digits. B is also a 2-digit number and is obtained by reversing the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  67. If ZERO is encoded as ADSN, then how do you encode STOP?CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  68. There are three types of rectangular tiles : 3' × 3', 3' × 7' and 3' × 11'. An area of rectangular shape of…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  69. A train has to complete a journey of 800 km. If it meets a minor accident, its speed becomes half of the…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  70. In a recruitment process, the selection of candidates is based on their performance in three components. The…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  71. Consider the following three statements, namely S1, S2 and S3 : S1. Protecting the environment is an…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  72. Match List-I with List-II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : **List-I (Relationship…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  73. Match List-I with List-II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : **List-I (Tool of…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  74. Which among the following actions would constitute the most appropriate directive(s) in resolving…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  75. Match List-I with List-II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : **List-I (Barrier to…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  76. You are required to design a 'questionnaire' to be filled on-location by visitors, based on the following…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  77. With reference to 'circular letters', which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Circular letters…CSAT / Logical Reasoning
  78. Three partners A, B and C entered into a business. A invested one-third of the capital for one-third duration.…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  79. There are two chemicals which do not react with each other. A container contains 10 litres of the chemical A.…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude
  80. A shopkeeper employs a delivery boy and gives him a motorcycle for home delivery. For every delivery, the boy…CSAT / Quantitative Aptitude