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Daily UPSC Current Affairs
9–12 items a day in exam-notes format — syllabus linkage, context, key facts, way forward, concept — with 6–7 diagrams, Prelims MCQs and a Mains question. New every day at 3 PM.
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Polity, history, geography, economy, environment, science, art & culture — 200+ per subject with explanations.
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Every micro-topic of Prelims and Mains as a checklist; progress syncs across devices and in our Telegram Mini App.
Open trackerVacancies — 933 posts
| Post | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| All-India Services — IAS, IPS, IFS | as notified |
| Central Services Group A — IRS (IT/C&IT), IA&AS, IRTS, IPoS, ICAS, etc. | as notified |
| Group B services — DANICS, DANIPS, Pondicherry Civil/Police Service | as notified |
| Reserved for PwBD | 33 |
As per the CSE 2026 notification, including 33 posts reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities. Service-wise allocation (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and others) is announced with the final result.
Eligibility & application fee
Qualification: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university (final-year students may appear in Prelims and must produce proof of passing with the Mains application).
Age limit (Age counted as on 1 August 2026)
| General / EWS | 21 – 32 years · 6 attempts |
|---|---|
| OBC | 21 – 35 years · 9 attempts |
| SC / ST | 21 – 37 years · unlimited attempts up to the age limit |
| PwBD | up to 42 years (General) · 9 attempts for General/EWS/OBC PwBD; unlimited for SC/ST PwBD |
Application fee
| General / EWS / OBC (male) | ₹100 |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / PwBD / all women candidates | no fee |
Applications only through upsconline.gov.in (One-Time Registration required).
Exam pattern
Prelims
| Paper I — General Studies | 100 questions · 200 marks · 2 hours — decides the Mains shortlist |
|---|---|
| Paper II — CSAT | 80 questions · 200 marks · 2 hours — qualifying, minimum 33% (66.67 marks) |
| Negative marking | 1/3 of the question's marks per wrong answer (0.66 in GS-I, 0.83 in CSAT) |
| Nature | Screening only — Prelims marks not counted in the final merit |
| Shortlisting | About 12–13× the vacancies qualify for Mains |
Mains
| Paper A — Indian language (from Eighth Schedule) | 300 marks · qualifying (25%) |
|---|---|
| Paper B — English | 300 marks · qualifying (25%) |
| Paper I — Essay | 250 marks |
| Paper II — GS-I: History, culture, geography, society | 250 marks |
| Paper III — GS-II: Polity, governance, social justice, IR | 250 marks |
| Paper IV — GS-III: Economy, S&T, environment, security, disaster management | 250 marks |
| Paper V — GS-IV: Ethics, integrity, aptitude | 250 marks |
| Papers VI & VII — Optional subject (two papers) | 250 marks each |
| Total counted in merit | 1,750 marks (7 papers, 3 hours each) |
Interview & final merit
| Personality test | 275 marks |
|---|---|
| Final merit | 2,025 marks (1,750 Mains + 275 Interview) |
Syllabus at a glance
Prelims (General Studies)
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and the Indian National Movement
- Indian and world geography — physical, social, economic
- Indian polity and governance — Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues
- Economic and social development — sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social-sector initiatives
- Environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change (general issues)
- General science
- CSAT (Paper II) — comprehension, interpersonal and communication skills, logical reasoning, decision-making, basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class 10 level)
Mains
- GS-I — Indian heritage and culture, modern Indian history, world history, Indian society, geography of the world and society
- GS-II — Constitution, polity, governance, social justice, welfare schemes, international relations
- GS-III — Economy, agriculture, science & technology, environment, disaster management, internal security
- GS-IV — Ethics, integrity, aptitude, emotional intelligence, probity, case studies
- Essay — two essays from two sections, 125 marks each
- Optional — one subject from the UPSC list (two papers, 500 marks)
- Language papers — qualifying only, not counted in merit
Current affairs run through every paper: in recent Prelims roughly 25–35 of the 100 GS-I questions were current-affairs based, and Mains answers are expected to cite recent schemes, judgments, reports and data — which is what the daily digest is built to supply.
Prelims cut-off trend
Prelims cut-off — GS Paper I marks out of 200 (official, published with the final result)
| Category | CSE 2023 | CSE 2024 | CSE 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 75.00 | 87.98 | 92.66 |
| EWS | 69.02 | 85.92 | 89.34 |
| OBC | 74.75 | 87.28 | 92.00 |
| SC | 48.00 | 79.03 | 84.00 |
| ST | 59.25 | 74.23 | 82.66 |
Final cut-off (out of 2,025) for CSE 2025: General 963, EWS 926, OBC 931, SC 905, ST 902. Prelims cut-offs rose sharply in 2024–25; plan for 95–100+ in GS-I to be safe.
Latest UPSC current affairs
Daily National + national current affairs digest, published every day at 3 PM IST. Open the UPSC current-affairs page →
Study material built for this exam
UPSC Prelims Hacked 2.0
13 golden elimination rules tested against all 1,268 real Prelims PYQs (2013–2025) — know which tricks survive and which to drop.
ViewUPSC Mains Answer Evaluation
One assigned mentor, maximum 2 working days per copy — GS-I to GS-IV, Essay and optional.
ViewLakes · Mountains · Waterfalls of India
Static geography fact-sheets with maps — recurring Prelims map-based questions.
ViewEvery PDF has a free sample. PDFs are watermarked to you and emailed within minutes of purchase.
Frequently asked questions
When is UPSC CSE 2026 Mains?
The Mains started on 21 August 2026 and runs over about a week (two sessions a day). The Prelims was held on 24 May 2026. The personality test round follows in early 2027 after the Mains result.
How many vacancies are there in UPSC CSE 2026?
933, including 33 posts reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities, as per the notification of 4 February 2026. Service-wise numbers are declared with the final result.
What is the UPSC Prelims pattern?
Two objective papers on the same day: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) which decides the Mains shortlist, and CSAT (80 questions, 200 marks) which is qualifying at 33%. Each wrong answer costs one-third of the question's marks.
What is the UPSC Mains pattern?
Nine descriptive papers: two qualifying language papers (300 each, 25% needed) and seven merit papers — Essay, GS-I to GS-IV and two optional papers, 250 marks each — totalling 1,750. The interview adds 275, so the final merit is out of 2,025.
What was the UPSC Prelims cut-off in 2025?
GS Paper I (out of 200): General 92.66, EWS 89.34, OBC 92.00, SC 84.00, ST 82.66 — the highest in recent years. In 2024 it was 87.98 for General and in 2023 75.00.
What is the age limit and number of attempts for UPSC?
As on 1 August 2026: General/EWS 21–32 years and 6 attempts; OBC up to 35 years and 9 attempts; SC/ST up to 37 years with unlimited attempts within the age limit. PwBD candidates get further relaxation.
What is the UPSC application fee?
₹100 for General/EWS/OBC male candidates; SC, ST, PwBD and all women candidates are exempt.
How many questions in UPSC Prelims come from current affairs?
In recent years roughly 25–35 of the 100 GS-I questions were current-affairs based or current-affairs linked (schemes, reports, IR, environment, S&T). A daily digest from about 15 months before the exam covers this window.
Is coaching necessary for UPSC?
No. What is necessary is a fixed syllabus map, daily current affairs, PYQ-based practice and evaluated answer writing — the four things on this page, three of them free. Coaching helps with discipline, not with content you cannot get yourself.
Can UPSC preparation be used for State PCS exams?
Yes — GS-I to GS-IV and most of Prelims overlap with BPSC, UPPSC, MPPSC and UKPSC. Add the state-specific portion (each of our State PCS hubs lists it) and the state CSAT.
Does StudyForGS evaluate UPSC Mains answers?
Yes. Upload handwritten answers for GS, Essay or optional papers, get them evaluated by an assigned mentor within 2 working days; the first 2 copies are free.
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Dates, vacancies and cut-offs are compiled from the Commission's notices and revised calendars and are updated when the Commission publishes changes. Always confirm on the official website before applying.