NEW DELHI: In a major shift from its traditional practice, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the provisional answer key for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026. Along with the release, the commission confirmed that one out of the 100 questions in the General Studies paper has been dropped from evaluation.
The primary screening exam was conducted nationwide on May 24, 2026. Previously, the commission withheld official answer keys until the final results of the entire three-stage selection cycle were declared, which usually took up to a year. This new step aims to boost institutional transparency and help candidates calculate their estimated performance much faster.
Key guidelines for raising objections:
- Objection Deadline: Candidates can challenge or submit representations against the provisional answers through the official web portal until May 31, 2026 (by 6:00 PM).
- Submission Rules: All representations must explicitly specify the correct answer according to the candidate’s understanding, accompanied by a brief written explanation.
- Mandatory Documentation: Candidates are required to upload supporting reference documents from at least three authentic, recognized sources for each challenged question.
Next steps in evaluation:
- Expert Panel Verification: All candidate grievances received within the deadline will be forwarded to a specialized panel of subject-matter experts for a meticulous review.
- Final Answer Key Timeline: While the provisional review is active, the final modified answer key will still follow standard procedure, releasing publicly only after the final merit results of the entire recruitment cycle are concluded.
A total of 5.49 lakh candidates appeared for the preliminary screening test this year, competing for 933 positions in the Civil Services and 90 posts within the Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
