UPSC CSE Prelims Result 2026 LIVE Updates: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is expected to announce the Civil Services Preliminary Examination (CSE Prelims) result 2026 by June 15 on the official website at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can check their results using their application number and other login credentials.
The exam was conducted on May 24, 2026, across the country. Around 8,19,372 students had registered for the exam for approximately 933 vacancies. The exam was conducted offline in two shifts in an OMR-based format. The General Studies Paper I took place in the morning from 9:30 am the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper II was held in the afternoon. It was held across 2,072 exam centres in 83 cities.
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For the first time, the provisional answer key for the exam was released on May 28, only four days after the exam. Until now, UPSC has been releasing the answer key after the announcement of final results, almost a year after Prelims. Out of the 100 questions, one had been dropped in the provisional key.
Around 5.49 lakh students had taken the exam, 67 per cent of the total 8.19 lakh who had registered. However, the number of registrations and appeared students was lower than that of last year. Last year, 9.5 lakh students had applied for the exam, and 5.8 lakh of them had appeared.
Around 5.49 lakh students had taken the exam, 67 per cent of the total 8.19 lakh who had applied (Representative Image/AI)
With 70,885 students taking the exam across 144 exam locations, Delhi emerged as the biggest UPSC Prelims 2026 examination hub. According to UPSC data, Patna recorded 39,147 candidates across 79 locations, while Hyderabad recorded 44,209 candidates at 100 centers. Kargil had the least number of aspirants; 98 candidates appeared at the only examination centre in the district.
Teachers and students reported that the GS paper was more difficult and lengthy than the CSE Prelims 2025 exam. Economy (19 questions), Environment (11), Geography (13), History & Art & Culture (20), Polity & Governance (8), Science & Technology (18), and Miscellaneous (11) were all included in this year’s first paper. However, educators say that the CSAT was unusual but not challenging. Many applicants may have been taken aback by the paper’s introduction of a few unusual and unique pattern questions, but overall, it was still relatively manageable for candidates who were well-prepared.