What is the UPSC CSE Prelims pattern?

UPSC CSE Prelims has two papers: GS Paper 1 (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours) and CSAT Paper 2 (80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours). Both have 1/3 negative marking. GS Paper 1 decides merit; CSAT is qualifying at 33%.

What subjects are covered in GS Paper 1?

Indian history and freedom struggle, Indian and world geography, Indian polity and governance, economic and social development, environmental ecology and biodiversity, general science, and current events of national and international importance.

Does ExamGlide cover CSAT?

Yes. CSAT practice covers comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy (Class 10 level), and data interpretation, all with 1/3 negative marking.

Are UPSC mocks available in Hindi?

Yes. UPSC CSE Prelims mocks are available in English and Hindi, with full parity across questions, options, and explanations.

UPSC CSE Prelims Mock Tests — GS Paper 1 & CSAT

UPSC CSE Prelims — exam pattern

Paper	Questions	Marks	Duration
GS Paper 1 (General Studies)	100	200	2 hours
CSAT Paper 2 (Aptitude)	80	200	2 hours

Negative marking: 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer. GS Paper 1 is the merit-deciding paper. CSAT is qualifying at 33% (66.67 marks out of 200).

GS Paper 1 — topics covered

Indian History & Freedom Struggle

Ancient, medieval, modern India; socio-religious reforms; Indian freedom struggle; post-independence consolidation.

Geography

Physical geography of India and the world, Indian climate, natural resources, agriculture, population and settlement, economic geography.

Indian Polity & Governance

Constitution, Parliament, Judiciary, Executive, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Panchayati Raj, public policy, welfare schemes, constitutional bodies.

Economic & Social Development

Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives, budget and fiscal policy, banking and financial inclusion.

Environment & Ecology

Biodiversity, climate change, conservation, environmental pollution, protected areas, international environmental conventions.

General Science

Physics, chemistry, and biology at high-school level, plus applied science in agriculture, health, and defence.

Current Affairs

National and international events of the last 12–18 months, updated monthly on ExamGlide.

CSAT Paper 2 — topics covered

Comprehension (English and bilingual passages).
Interpersonal skills including communication.
Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
Decision-making and problem-solving.
General mental ability.
Basic numeracy (numbers, relations, orders of magnitude) — Class 10 level.
Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables) — Class 10 level.

Why UPSC aspirants practice on ExamGlide

Calibrated difficulty Mocks mirror recent Prelims difficulty trends, not generic quiz-level questions.
Explanation depth Every question has a conceptual explanation with source references.
Topic-wise analytics See exactly where you lose marks — polity, modern history, environment, or geography.
Current affairs integration Monthly CA compilations and daily quizzes aligned with The Hindu / PIB coverage.
CSAT attention CSAT comprehension and reasoning drills at Prelims difficulty — crucial because CSAT is where many aspirants fail qualification.

A focused UPSC Prelims plan

Months 1–3: NCERT plus standard references for each GS topic. ExamGlide topic quizzes after each finished topic.
Month 4: Full-length GS mocks, 2 per week. Start CSAT drills in parallel.
Month 5: 3 full-length mocks per week under strict 2-hour timing. Revise last-year PYQs.
Final 15 days: Revision only — flagged questions, current affairs compilation, no new material.

A structured ExamGlide UPSC study plan can automate this and reshuffle based on weakness flagged in analytics.

Frequently asked questions

Is ExamGlide's UPSC mock free?

Sample UPSC Prelims mocks are free after signup. Full-length mock series and advanced analytics unlock with paid plans starting at ₹99.

Are current affairs included?

Yes. Monthly current affairs compilations, PIB-aligned daily quizzes, and editorial-based analytical questions are part of the UPSC module.

Does ExamGlide have Mains test-writing?

The current UPSC module focuses on Prelims. Mains answer-writing modules are on the roadmap.

How accurate are the explanations?

Explanations are written by subject experts with references back to NCERTs, Laxmikanth, Shankar IAS, and PIB/Yojana where relevant.