The selection process comprises three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and the Personality Test (Interview). The final merit list is prepared based on the candidates’ performance across all three stages. (Image: AI Generated)
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will begin releasing provisional answer keys on its official website after conducting the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Responding to a query in the Upper House, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the move follows compliance with a Supreme Court judgement. The new process will be implemented from the 2026 Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination onwards and will apply to all structured examinations conducted by the UPSC.
The Civil Services Examination is conducted annually in three stages—preliminary, mains, and interview—to recruit candidates for services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.
According to the minister, while the provisional answer key will be released after the prelims, the marks obtained in the preliminary stage will be disclosed only after the final results are declared.
To ensure fairness among candidates opting for different subjects, the UPSC follows a system of inter-subject moderation so that no candidate is disadvantaged due to their choice of optional subject. Detailed information regarding evaluation and moderation processes is available on the commission’s website.
Addressing concerns about the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), Singh clarified that it is a qualifying paper designed to test basic analytical ability and comprehension. The level of questions, he said, corresponds broadly to the matriculation standard.
The UPSC has also introduced a dedicated ‘question paper representation portal’ to allow candidates to challenge discrepancies in question papers and provisional answer keys. From 2026 onwards, candidates will be able to submit their representations through this portal.
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In addition, candidates can raise grievances through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) or via email, ensuring multiple channels for addressing concerns related to the examination process.
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