UPSC Prelims 2026 Answer Key: Things to Know Before You Raise Objections
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is releasing the Official Answer Keys of the Civil Services Preliminary Exams (CSE) on its website ‘upsc.gov.in’
UPSC Prelims 2026 Answer Key: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is releasing the Official Answer Keys of the Civil Services Preliminary Exams (CSE) on its website ‘upsc.gov.in’.
Earlier, the UPSC had said it will publish the answer keys of the Civil Services Prelims soon after the exams. This is a major policy shift as the UPSC will release the Civil Services Preliminary answer keys for the first for the 2026 exam.
In a notification on May 18, 2026, the UPSC had further said that candidates will be given time till 06:00 PM May 31, 2026 to challenge the answer key/keys or raise objections if any.
UPSC Prelims 2026 Answer Key Date
The UPSC had conducted the Civil Services Preliminary Exams on May 24, 2026 at 2,072 exam centers in 83 cities of India. The exam included two objective-type papers carrying a total of 400 marks. Questions in both papers were multiple-choice in nature.
More than eight lakh students from different parts of India had registered for the prelim exams. Of them, close to 5.5 lakh finally appeared in the exam with an attendance rate of 67%.
As per the UPSC notification dated May 18, the last date to raise objections and challenge the Civil Services Prelims Answer Key is May 31, 2026. Accordingly, the UPSC should release the CSE Prelims 2026 answer key any time now.
Steps to download UPSC Prelims Answer Keys
- Go to the official website: "upsc.gov.in" or "upsconline.nic.in"
- Click on "UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026 link" available on the home page
- A new page will open where candidates will have enter the login details
- Click on submit and your answer key will be displayed in PDF
- Check the answer key and download the page
- Keep a hard copy of the same for further need
How to challenge UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Keys?
- Soon after releasing the answer keys, the UPSC will launch a dedicated online portal named "Online Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep)".
- The portal will be accessible via upsconline.nic.in/login.
- Candidates will be required to submit their objections via this portal.
- Candidates must point out the wrong key, indicate the correct key, along with a brief description and supporting documents from three authentic sources.
- All objections raised by the candidates will be placed before a panel of subject experts for review. The answer key will thereafter be finalised after due consideration of all representations received.
- The UPSC Civil Services Prelims result will be based on the Final Answer Keys.
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.
Candidates passing the Prelim Exam will be eligible for Civil Services Mains to be held from August 21 to 25, 2026. The final statge of selection in civil services is Personal Interview.
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