UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026: For the first time, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the answer key for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 before the declaration of the final result, marking a notable shift in its examination process. Candidates can access the answer keys for General Studies Paper 1 and Paper 2 in PDF format on the official website.
The examination was conducted on May 24 in two shifts across the country at 2,072 centres in 83 cities. Around 67 per cent of the 8.19 lakh registered candidates appeared for the exam.
Direct link to download Civil Services (Preliminary) Exam 2026 provisional answer key
Candidates who appeared for the examination can now raise objections through a dedicated Question Paper Representation Portal. To support their claims, they are required to submit valid explanations along with supporting evidence.
After the objection window closes and all representations are submitted, subject experts will review the challenges before finalising the answer key.
The early release of the answer key, ahead of the declaration of the final result, is being seen as a significant reform in the examination process. With the provisional key, candidates can now assess their performance and estimate their chances of qualifying for the Civil Services Main Examination.
For details regarding the objection process and subsequent stages of the examination, candidates are advised to visit the official website, upsc.gov.in.
This year, the UPSC added three new examination centres, Bhubaneswar, Kanpur, and Meerut, taking the total number of venues across the country to 83. According to UPSC data, nearly 23,000 candidates opted for these newly added centres.