UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025: New Paper Pattern for GS & CSAT, Check Marking Scheme, Negative Marking

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025: As the UPSC Prelims exam is approaching on May 25, 2025, candidates must gear up for the exam day. Candidates must be preparing for a long time in order to appear for the exam. Here are some basic details to know about the exam pattern, GS Paper I marking scheme, CSAT marking scheme, negative marking, changes over the years, new trends,etc.

May 20, 2025, 12:56 IST
Check the latest UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern here
Check the latest UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern here

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) annually. This year the Preliminary exam is going to be held on May 25, 2025. All the candidates who have filled out the application form are in the final stages of their preparation right now. In order to be exam ready, candidates must now be doing last minute revision, giving mock tests, revising notes, etc. While giving mock tests, candidates analyse their capabilities and level of understanding of the question paper according to the exam pattern. There is also the trend of negative marking in the UPSC Prelims exam. So students must be cautious about their choices while marking the answers. Here's detailed information about the exam pattern, negative marking, new trends, revision strategies, etc.

Overview of UPSC Prelims Exam 2025

 

Exam Name

UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination

Conducting Body

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

UPSC Prelims Exam Date

May 25, 2025

Exam Mode

Offline

Exam Pattern

Exam is conducted in 2 shifts:

Shift 1: General Studies Paper I

Shift 2: General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Question Type

MCQ based

Total Marks

400

Negative Marking

1/3rd for each incorrect answer

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025: General Studies (GS) Paper I

The General Studies (GS) Paper I is a crucial part of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. It serves as the primary screening test for candidates aspiring to join the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Services (IPS), Indian Foreign Services (IFS), and other prestigious civil services.

The GS Paper assesses candidates on a wide range of subjects, including current affairs, Indian history, geography, polity, economics, environment, science and technology, and general knowledge. The objective-type paper consists of 100 questions, each carrying 2 marks, making the total marks 200.

  • Total Questions: 100
  • Maximum Marks: 200
  • Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Negative Marking: 1/3rd marks deducted for each wrong answer

UPSC CSAT Exam Pattern 2025

The General Studies Paper II, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), is the second paper of the UPSC Preliminary Examination. This paper is designed to test the candidate’s aptitude and analytical skills, rather than factual knowledge. It plays a qualifying role in the prelims stage.

The CSAT paper evaluates the candidate’s abilities in areas such as comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, general mental ability, basic numeracy, and data interpretation.

  • Total Questions: 80
  • Maximum Marks: 200
  • Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Negative Marking: 1/3rd marks deducted for each wrong answer
  • Qualifying Marks: 33% (i.e., 66 marks out of 200)

UPSC Prelims Total Marks and Duration

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 consists of two objective-type papers — General Studies (Paper I) and General Studies Paper II (CSAT). Both papers are conducted on the same day in separate sessions. While GS Paper I marks are used to shortlist candidates for the Mains exam, Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature and requires a minimum of 33% marks. Candidates must manage their time effectively in both papers to attempt the maximum number of questions accurately.

Paper

Total Questions

Total Marks

Duration

General Studies (I)

100

200 marks

2 hours

General Studies (II) – CSAT

80

200 marks

2 hours

UPSC Prelims Marking Scheme 2025

The UPSC Prelims 2025 marking scheme awards 2 marks for each correct answer in GS Paper I and 2.5 marks for each correct answer in CSAT (Paper II). One-third of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer as part of the negative marking policy.

Negative Marking in UPSC Prelims 2025

In UPSC Prelims 2025, negative marking of one-third (1/3rd) marks applies to both GS Paper I and CSAT for each incorrect answer. No marks are deducted for unanswered questions.

Qualifying Marks for UPSC Prelims 2025

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 comprises two papers: General Studies Paper I (GS Paper I) and General Studies Paper II (CSAT). Understanding the qualifying criteria for each is crucial for aspirants aiming to progress to the Mains stage.

General Studies Paper I (GS Paper I)

  • Purpose: Determines merit ranking for selection to the Mains examination.
  • Qualifying Marks: The cutoff marks for GS Paper I are not fixed and vary each year based on factors such as the number of vacancies, the difficulty level of the paper, and the performance of candidates. For instance, in previous years, the cutoff for the General category has ranged between 75 to 95 marks out of 200.

General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

  • Purpose: Qualifying in nature; assesses aptitude, logical reasoning, and comprehension skills.

Qualifying Marks: Candidates must score at least 33%, which equates to 66 marks out of 200, to qualify. This criterion is uniform across all categories, including General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwBD.

Also Read:

UPSC Previous Year Question Paper

Upasna Choudhary
Upasna Choudhary

Content Writer

Upasna Choudhry holds a Master’s degree in Forensic Chemical Sciences and has an extensive background in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. She currently contributes to the Exam Prep Section of Jagran Josh, where her passion for reading and writing shines through her work. Upasna specializes in creating well-researched and aspirant-centric content, simplifying complex topics, and providing strategic preparation insights. Her academic expertise and firsthand experience with competitive exams enable her to deliver valuable resources tailored to the needs of exam aspirants.

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FAQs

  • How many papers are there in the UPSC Prelims 2025?
    +
    The UPSC Prelims 2025 consists of two papers — General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (CSAT), both objective-type and conducted on the same day.
  • Is there any negative marking in the UPSC Prelims exam?
    +
    Yes, there is negative marking of one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect answer in both GS Paper I and CSAT.
  • What are the qualifying marks for the CSAT paper in UPSC Prelims 2025?
    +
    Candidates must score a minimum of 33% (66 marks out of 200) in the CSAT paper to qualify for the next stage.

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