UPSC previous year questions
UPSC Previous Year Question Papers: Practise Every PYQ Online
UPSC previous year question papers for Civil Services Prelims, CSAT and Mains, every one checked against the official papers, in one place: open a full paper with UPSC's timing and marking, or build a set by subject, topic, year and time. Answers follow UPSC's own keys. Recent papers have every option explained and are also in Hindi.
- Prelims GS2016 to 2026, 100 questions a year
- CSAT2018 to 2026, 80 questions a year
- Mains2014 to 2026, Essay and GS I to IV
- Also in HindiUPSC's own Hindi for recent papers
Prelims GS
UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Papers (GS Paper 1)
Eleven General Studies papers, 2016 to 2026, 100 questions each. The 2025 and 2026 papers have every option explained and are also in Hindi.
Read the full paper with the answer key and explanations: Prelims 2026 · Prelims 2025
CSAT
UPSC CSAT Previous Year Question Papers
Nine CSAT papers, 2018 to 2026, with reading passages kept together with their questions. From 2020 to 2026 every option is explained, and the papers and explanations are also in Hindi.
Mains
UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Papers
Essay and GS Papers I to IV from 2014 to 2026. Mains 2026 has an answer framework for every question: what it asks, the points to cover, and a diagram you can draw in the exam. Mains 2025 and 2026 are also in Hindi.
Read the full paper with the answer frameworks: Mains 2026
How it works
UPSC PYQ Practice: Full Papers, Subject-wise and Topic-wise
- ChooseA full paper, a subject, a topic, a quick 10-question set or your revision list.
- PractiseUPSC's timing and marking, or learn mode that checks each answer as you go.
- ReviewYour score, time per question and subject-wise accuracy, with every option explained on recent papers.
Questions students ask
UPSC Previous Year Question Papers: Common Questions
How many questions are there in the UPSC Prelims question paper?
General Studies Paper I has 100 questions for 200 marks in two hours: 2 marks for a right answer and one third of that deducted for a wrong one. CSAT (General Studies Paper II) has 80 questions for 200 marks in two hours and is qualifying: you need 33 per cent, that is 66.67 marks.
Where does UPSC publish its previous year question papers?
UPSC publishes the question papers and its answer keys on upsc.gov.in. Every question here is taken from those official papers, and every answer follows UPSC's own key.
Can I practise the UPSC question paper in Hindi?
Yes. Recent papers are also in Hindi, in UPSC's own printed Hindi (UPSC prints every paper in Hindi and English): Prelims 2025 and 2026, CSAT 2020 to 2026 and Mains 2025 and 2026; switch the language at the top of the practice screen.
Is practising the previous year questions here free?
Yes. Every paper can be practised free, with timing, marking and a score report. Progress is kept in your browser.
What does "Answer in doubt" mean on some questions?
Where the wording of a question allows two answers to be defended, the explanation says so, names both, and counts both as correct in practice, until UPSC's final answer key settles it.