UPSC Prelims 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is set to conduct the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations 2026 on May 24. The commission uploaded the UPSC Prelims admit card on its official portal yesterday. It is advisable to carry a hard copy of the admit card to the examination centre. The commission has also advised the UPSC candidates to follow the exam day instructions carefully to avoid disqualification at any stage.
UPSC 2026: Items Allowed Inside Exam Hall
According to the official exam notification, the following articles are permitted inside the exam hall:
- Clip board or hard board (on which nothing is written)
- Black ball pen
Candidates must note that the rough sheets will be given by the invigilator.
UPSC Prelims 2026: List Of Prohibited Items
UPSC aspirants must note the list of barred items given below.
- Books, notes, loose sheets
- Electronic devices or calculator
- Any mathematical or drawing instrument
- Log tables
- Maps
- Test booklets
- Rough sheets
- Slide rules
- Mobile phones. Pagers, bluetooth, or any communication device.
According to the official document, any infringement of these instructions will entail disciplinary action, including ban from future examinations.
Marking Scheme
There is negative marking in the UPSC preliminary examination for wrong answers. Candidates must note the marking scheme for Prelims 2026. In the General Studies paper, there will be 100 questions of two marks each. As per the official guidelines, one third (0.33) of the marks assigned to the question will be deducted. If a candidate gives more than one answer to a question, it will be treated as a wrong answer.
The commission has advised candidates to use only black ball pens to mark their answers.
