{"id":4936,"date":"2025-08-18T13:41:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T08:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theiashub.com\/upsc\/?p=4936"},"modified":"2025-10-14T18:22:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:52:11","slug":"upsc-csat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theiashub.com\/upsc\/upsc-csat\/","title":{"rendered":"UPSC CSAT 2026, Syllabus, Qualifying Marks, PYQs & Best Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

CSAT, or General Studies Paper 2, is a crucial part of the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India. The UPSC Civil Services exam is a highly competitive and esteemed assessment designed to select candidates for elite roles in the Indian government, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central services.<\/span><\/p>\n

CSAT 2026 is scheduled for May 24, 2026, in the afternoon session. It is a 200-mark paper, requiring candidates to secure at least 33% to advance to the Mains examination.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also Read: <\/strong>UPSC Calendar 2026<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What is CSAT in UPSC?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Introduced in 2011, the CSAT is part of the Preliminary examination, the initial phase of the three-stage selection process. The UPSC Prelims comprises two papers: Paper I and Paper II. Paper I assesses a candidate\u2019s understanding of general studies topics, including history, geography, economics, governance, and current events. Paper II, known as CSAT, tests a candidate\u2019s abilities in logical reasoning, analytical thinking, comprehension, decision-making, and problem-solving.<\/span><\/p>\n

CSAT Full Form in UPSC<\/b><\/h2>\n

CSAT stands for \u201cCivil Services Aptitude Test.\u201d Its inclusion marked a pivotal shift in the Civil Services Preliminary examination pattern, aiming to evaluate candidates not only on their subject knowledge but also on their aptitude and logical capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also Read:<\/strong> <\/span>UPSC Rank-wise Post<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

UPSC CSAT 2026 Overview<\/b><\/h2>\n

UPSC Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) 2026, also known as General Studies Paper II, is a qualifying exam within the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. An overview of UPSC CSAT 2026 is given below:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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UPSC CSAT 2026 Overview<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Parameters<\/b><\/td>\nDetails<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CSAT Full Form<\/b><\/td>\nCivil Services Aptitude Test<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total Marks<\/b><\/td>\n200<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of Questions<\/b><\/td>\n80<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Minimum Qualifying Marks<\/b><\/td>\n66 marks<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Negative Marking in CSAT<\/b><\/td>\n1\/3ed<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

UPSC CSAT Pattern 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n

UPSC CSAT pattern 2026 is given below:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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UPSC CSAT Exam Pattern 2026<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Total Marks<\/span><\/td>\n200<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Time allotted<\/span><\/td>\n2 hours<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of Questions<\/span><\/td>\n80 MCQ<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Negative Marking<\/span><\/td>\n\u2153\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Qualifying Marks<\/span><\/td>\n66<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

CSAT Qualifying Marks 2026<\/b><\/h3>\n

UPSC has set the minimum qualifying threshold for the CSAT paper at 33%. In this 200-mark paper, candidates must score at least 66 marks to qualify.<\/span><\/p>\n

CSAT Syllabus 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n

UPSC CSAT syllabus encompasses various topics, including Mathematics, Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. Candidates are advised to prepare comprehensively across all areas outlined in the UPSC CSAT syllabus to ensure thorough readiness for the exam.<\/span><\/p>\n