UPSC Prelims Mock Test
UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination · Union Public Service Commission
In short: UPSC Prelims is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination, screening candidates for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services.
UPSC Prelims: everything you need to know
Concise, direct answers to the questions aspirants ask most.
What is UPSC Prelims?
UPSC Prelims is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination, screening candidates for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services.
Who can apply?
A graduate degree in any discipline from a recognised university is required.
What is the age limit?
The age limit is 21–32 years for the general category, with relaxations and attempt limits by category.
Selection process
Prelims (screening) → Mains (written) → Personality Test (interview).
Exam pattern
Two objective papers: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) is the merit paper; CSAT (Paper II) is qualifying at 33%. Both carry 1/3 negative marking.
Best mock test
The best UPSC Prelims mocks test elimination skill on tricky GS statements. FreeMockTest provides GS and CSAT mocks with detailed reasoning, free.
Expected difficulty
UPSC Prelims is hard; success depends on accuracy, elimination, and intelligent guessing.
Preparation strategy
Read NCERTs and a standard newspaper, revise current affairs, and take weekly full-length Prelims mocks to refine your attempt strategy.
AI-assisted practice. These are practice questions designed to mirror the real exam pattern, drafted with AI assistance and human-reviewed. We are progressively replacing them with previous-year and expert-reviewed questions. How we make our content. Always verify against the official source before relying on it.
UPSC Prelims exam pattern
100 questions · 200 marks · 120 minutes · −0.67 per wrong answer
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies (Paper I) | 40 | 80 |
| GS — Statement-based | 20 | 40 |
| Reasoning (CSAT) | 20 | 40 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (CSAT) | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
UPSC Prelims has two papers — GS Paper I (100Q) and CSAT Paper II (80Q, qualifying). This mock blends both into a single condensed practice set.
UPSC Prelims mock test — FAQs
What is UPSC Prelims?
UPSC Prelims is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination, screening candidates for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services.
Who is eligible for UPSC Prelims?
A graduate degree in any discipline from a recognised university is required.
What is the age limit for UPSC Prelims?
The age limit is 21–32 years for the general category, with relaxations and attempt limits by category.
What is the UPSC Prelims selection process?
Prelims (screening) → Mains (written) → Personality Test (interview).
What is the UPSC Prelims exam pattern?
Two objective papers: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) is the merit paper; CSAT (Paper II) is qualifying at 33%. Both carry 1/3 negative marking.
Which is the best mock test for UPSC Prelims?
The best UPSC Prelims mocks test elimination skill on tricky GS statements. FreeMockTest provides GS and CSAT mocks with detailed reasoning, free.
How difficult is UPSC Prelims?
UPSC Prelims is hard; success depends on accuracy, elimination, and intelligent guessing.
How should I prepare for UPSC Prelims?
Read NCERTs and a standard newspaper, revise current affairs, and take weekly full-length Prelims mocks to refine your attempt strategy.