The UPSC Preliminary Examination is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination. After the exam, candidates eagerly await the UPSC Prelims Answer Key, which provides the correct responses to all questions asked in General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (CSAT). 

In this article, we will analyse the UPSC official answer key to help candidates evaluate their performance and score scores before the final results are announced.

UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024 for GS Paper 1 and GS Paper 2

The UPSC Prelims Exam was held on 16th June 2024, with results expected in 15 days. Candidates can review the question paper and UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024 to analyze their performance and improve.

The official UPSC Official Answer Key will be uploaded on the official website after the recruitment process. Till then aspirants can have a look at the unofficial UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024 PDF of GS Paper 1 and CSAT prepared by our expert team.

UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024: General Studies Paper I

The UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024 for General Studies Paper I provides correct answers to all the questions that were asked in the exam to help candidates assess their performance and calculate estimated scores. Candidates can download the official UPSC Prelims 2024 question paper from here- UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2024

UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024 for General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

The UPSC Paper Answer Key consists of two papers and after General Studies Paper I comes the General Studies Paper II (CSAT). The UPSC Prelims Answer Key of General Studies Paper II can help aspirants find the correct answer to quantitative aptitude, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning questions.

UPSC Prelims Answer Keys for Last Five-Year Prelims Papers 

To make your UPSC Civil Services preparation more effective, download the official UPSC answer key PDFs for the past five years for both CSAT and General Studies Paper I. These resources will give aspirants a clearer understanding of the exam pattern and help them to practice more effectively. Use the links below to access these valuable resources.

Types of UPSC Answer Keys

There are two types of UPSC Answer Keys for UPSC Prelims one is officially released by UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) and the other is unofficially released by prominent coaching institutes.

Significance of UPSC Prelim Answer Key

Since UPSC does not release the UPSC Prelims solution officially the UPSC Answer key plays an important role in getting the UPSC prelims solution. This gives an extra edge in the preparation of the UPSC Civil Services.

• Coverage of Both Papers: The answer key answers General Studies Paper I and CSAT Paper II.

• Detailed UPSC prelims solution (in unofficial keys): Coaching institutes often include reasoning for each answer, helping candidates understand complex questions.

• Ease of Access: Both official and unofficial answer keys are made available online.

• Cut-off Comparison: Comparing their score with the expected cut-off gives candidates a clearer picture of their performance relative to other aspirants.
• Score Prediction: Candidates can calculate their probable scores by matching their answers with the key. This helps in determining whether they are likely to clear the cut-off.

How to  Download the UPSC Prelims Answer Key

Candidates can follow these simple steps to download the official answer key:

• Step 1: Visit the UPSC Website (www.upsc.gov.in.)

• Step 2: Go to the Answer Keys Section and Look for the “Examination” or “Answer Keys” tab in the menu.

• Step 3: Select the Relevant Year and Exam and Choose the answer key for the corresponding year’s preliminary exam.

• Step 4: Download the Answer Key, click on the link and save the PDF file to review the answers.

Cautions for Using Unofficial UPSC Prelims Answer Keys

While the answer key is a valuable resource, candidates must be cautious of the following things to analyse the answer keys:

• Reliability of Unofficial Answer Keys:

• • • Coaching institutes release their versions, but these may not always be accurate.
    • Candidates should treat these as provisional until the UPSC official answer key is released.

• Subjectivity in Questions

• • • Certain questions, especially those based on interpretations, may lead to disagreements.
    • The official answer key resolves such disputes.

• Over Reliance on Cut-offs

• • Comparing scores with cut-off marks is helpful, but candidates should remember that cut-offs vary every year based on competition and paper difficulty

Challenges Related to Unofficial UPSC Prelims Answer Keys

Despite their usefulness, UPSC Prelims Answer Keys have certain challenges that candidates should keep in mind while considering UPSC Answer Keys in their exam preparation.

• Delayed Release of Official Key: The official answer key is released only after the final results, leaving candidates dependent on unofficial keys in the meantime.

• Errors in Unofficial Keys: Coaching institutes may interpret questions differently, leading to errors in their answer keys.

• Ambiguity in Certain Questions: Some questions might have multiple valid interpretations, causing confusion among candidates.

UPSC Prelims Answer Key FAQs