UPSC CSAT (Prelims Paper II)

CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) is Paper II of the UPSC Prelims. It is qualifying — a candidate must score at least 33% (66 of 200 marks).

Syllabus

Comprehension, interpersonal and communication skills, logical reasoning and analytical ability, decision making and problem solving, general mental ability, basic numeracy and data interpretation.

Pattern

80 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours, with negative marking of one-third for wrong answers. Only 66 marks are needed to qualify.

Preparation

Regular practice of reading comprehension and quantitative aptitude, plus solving previous year CSAT papers, is usually enough to clear the qualifying threshold.

Practice CSAT PYQs →

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the qualifying marks for CSAT?

A candidate must score at least 33%, i.e. 66 out of 200 marks.

UPSC Eligibility CriteriaUPSC Age Limit & RelaxationUPSC Syllabus (Prelims + Mains)UPSC Exam PatternUPSC Prelims (Preliminary Exam)UPSC Mains (Main Examination)

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