UPSC · Union Public Service Commission

UPSC CSAT — Free Practice & Mock Tests

UPSC Civil Services Aptitude Test (Prelims Paper II)

UPSC CSAT is the second paper of the Civil Services Prelims exam. It is qualifying in nature (33% required to clear), but with rising difficulty in recent years (2023 onward), CSAT has become a bottleneck for many GS-focused aspirants.

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Posts
Qualifying paper for UPSC Civil Services Prelims (IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.)
Eligibility
Graduate, age 21–32 years (general).
Authority
Union Public Service Commission
Cost on Sadhana
Free · No sign-up
Exam pattern

UPSC CSAT pattern & marking scheme

Prelims Paper II (CSAT)

2h200 marks
  • Comprehension (~30Q)
  • Logical Reasoning (~30Q)
  • Basic Numeracy (~15Q)
  • Decision Making (~5Q)

Cut-off (typical): Qualifying: 66 / 200 (33%). No merit weightage.

Key topics

Important topics for UPSC CSAT

Focus on these high-weightage topics first. Each topic on Sadhana has unlimited free practice questions with timer, instant explanations and AI-generated similar questions.

Reading Comprehension
Arithmetic
Syllogism
Data Interpretation
Preparation strategy

How to prepare for UPSC CSAT

  1. 1
    Solve 1 CSAT mock per week minimum — don't ignore CSAT thinking you'll clear easily.
  2. 2
    Comprehension is 50% — practise dense, abstract passages (Economic Survey, RBI Bulletin).
  3. 3
    Basic Numeracy is class-10 level but tricky under time pressure.
FAQ

UPSC CSAT — frequently asked questions

Is CSAT really qualifying or does it count in merit?

CSAT is qualifying only — you must score 66/200 (33%). It does not contribute to your prelims rank. But failing it disqualifies you regardless of GS Paper I.

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