The UPSC CSAT syllabus is the content of General Studies Paper II in the civil services prelims: reading comprehension, dealing with people and communicating well, analytical logic, decisions and problem solving, mental ability, and numeracy plus data work pitched at class 10. It has 80 questions for 200 marks in two hours, and you only need 33% (66 marks) to qualify, but missing that line throws out your GS Paper I score entirely.
Many strong GS candidates have fallen at this step, so treat it seriously. Below you will see the csat exam pattern, each topic area with the kind of questions set, how the penalty for wrong answers works and a plan for people who are weak in maths. The full prelims picture sits on the UPSC Prelims syllabus page.
Exam at a glance
Paper
General Studies Paper II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) ExaminationQuestions and marks
80 objective questions, 2.5 marks each, 200 marksTime
2 hoursNegative marking
One third of the question's marks (about 0.83) per wrong answerNature
Qualifying: 33% needed, marks not counted for rankingLevel
Numeracy and data interpretation at class 10 levelOfficial website
Where CSAT fits in the prelims
The prelims has two objective papers on the same day. Paper I tests general studies and decides who moves on to mains. Paper II, commonly called CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test), is a screening filter: UPSC evaluates your Paper I only if you reach the qualifying mark in Paper II.
- Paper I (GS): 100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours; its marks set the prelims cut off.
- Paper II (CSAT): 80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours; you need 33%.
- Neither prelims paper counts in the final ranking, which uses mains and interview marks.
The same CSAT paper is used for the Indian Forest Service screening through the common prelims. Eligibility rules for the exam itself are on the UPSC eligibility page.
CSAT exam pattern and marking scheme
| Detail | CSAT (GS Paper II) |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 80 |
| Marks per correct answer | 2.5 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Penalty per wrong answer | One third of 2.5, roughly 0.83 |
| Unanswered question | No penalty |
| Time | 2 hours |
| Qualifying mark | 33%, which is 66 marks |
The csat marking scheme means 27 correct answers with no wrong ones give you 67.5 marks, just over the line. Every three wrong answers wipe out the value of one right answer, so careless attempts can push a safe score below 66.
UPSC CSAT syllabus topic wise
1. Comprehension
Passages of 150 to 500 words on economy, environment, governance, philosophy or society, followed by questions on the main idea, an assumption, an inference or the author's tone.
2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills
Listed in the syllabus, but direct questions have been rare in recent years. Comprehension questions often touch the same skill.
3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Syllogisms, statements and conclusions, strengthening and weakening arguments, seating and ordering puzzles, coding, blood relations and directions.
4. Decision making and problem solving
Situations where you choose a sound course of action. Like interpersonal skills, this area has seen very few direct questions lately.
5. General mental ability
Number and letter series, clocks and calendars, cubes and dice, Venn diagrams, permutations and simple probability style counting.
6. Basic numeracy (class 10 level)
Number system, divisibility and remainders, HCF and LCM, percentages, ratios, averages, profit, loss and discount, interest of both kinds, work rates, motion problems, mixtures, mensuration and basic geometry.
7. Data interpretation (class 10 level)
Tables, bar charts, line charts, pie diagrams and data sufficiency, with calculations that rarely go beyond percentages and averages.
What recent papers have emphasised
The syllabus wording has not changed since the paper became qualifying, but the mix inside the paper has moved. Aspirants and teachers widely report that recent papers lean on numeracy and reasoning questions needing several steps, while comprehension options have become closer to each other.
- Comprehension remains a large block, but its share against maths, reasoning and data changes every year, so do not plan on a fixed number of questions.
- Many questions now test reasoning with numbers rather than straight formula use.
- Decision making questions, once a free scoring area, have mostly disappeared.
Read the last few CSAT papers yourself on the commission's website to judge the trend; the UPSC previous papers page has tips on working through them.
A plan for people who dread maths
- Test yourself first: sit one past CSAT paper under timed conditions six months before prelims. If you score above 100, a light weekly practice is enough. Below 80, you need a regular plan.
- Rebuild class 10 basics: NCERT class 8 to 10 maths covers the numeracy base; do the exercises, not just the examples.
- Daily comprehension: two passages a day, timed, checking why each wrong option is wrong.
- Weekly full paper: from three months before prelims, one complete paper a week in the afternoon slot, the same time as the real exam.
With a qualifying paper like this one, aim for safety, not a topper's score. Give CSAT enough time to be certain of 90 or more in mocks, then put the rest into GS.
Common mistakes on exam day
- Doing questions in printed order and getting stuck on a hard puzzle early. Make two rounds: easy questions first, then the rest.
- Reading your own opinion into a comprehension passage. Answer only from what the passage says.
- Guessing wildly to reach 66. With 0.83 lost per error, accuracy beats volume.
- Leaving no time for OMR filling. Mark answers as you go or keep the last ten minutes free.
These mistakes cost more candidates their prelims than a lack of knowledge does.
UPSC CSAT syllabus in Hindi
सीसैट सिविल सेवा प्रारंभिक परीक्षा का सामान्य अध्ययन प्रश्नपत्र दो है। इसमें 80 प्रश्न, 200 अंक और दो घंटे का समय मिलता है। यह केवल अर्हक है, यानी 33 प्रतिशत (66 अंक) लाना जरूरी है, पर ये अंक मेरिट में नहीं जुड़ते। पाठ्यक्रम में बोधगम्यता, संचार कौशल सहित अंतर्वैयक्तिक कौशल, तार्किक कौशल और विश्लेषणात्मक क्षमता, निर्णय लेना और समस्या समाधान, सामान्य मानसिक योग्यता, तथा दसवीं स्तर की आधारभूत संख्यात्मकता और आंकड़ों का निर्वचन शामिल है। हर गलत उत्तर पर लगभग 0.83 अंक कटते हैं, इसलिए सोच समझकर प्रश्न हल करें।
Frequently asked questions
Do CSAT marks count towards the prelims cut off?
They do not, because the paper only qualifies you. You need at least 66 of 200, and only then is your GS Paper I evaluated, whose marks decide whether you reach the cut off for mains.
What is the csat syllabus for upsc in one line?
Seven listed areas: passages to read and interpret, interpersonal skills, logic, decision making, mental ability, school-level arithmetic and making sense of graphs and tabulated figures.
How does the negative marking work in CSAT?
A correct answer earns 2.5, and every incorrect choice removes about 0.83, a third of that value. Questions you leave blank cost nothing.
Is the CSAT paper available in Hindi?
Yes, the paper is bilingual. The English language comprehension passages are the only part set in English alone.
Do state PSC exams follow the same CSAT?
Several state commissions use a similar aptitude paper in their prelims, but each sets its own pattern and qualifying rule. Check that commission's own notification rather than assuming the UPSC rules apply.
How much time should a graduate give CSAT?
It depends on your first mock. If you score well above 66 with ease, a few hours a week is enough. If you are close to or below the line, set aside time every day until your mock scores sit comfortably above it.