The UPSC Prelims Exam 2024 includes two objective-type papers: General Studies Paper 1 and the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), also known as GS Paper 2. While GS Paper 1 tests a candidate’s knowledge across a wide range of subjects such as History, Geography, Polity, Economy, and Environment, the CSAT is designed to assess the candidate’s aptitude, including logical reasoning, analytical ability, as well as comprehension skills. For many aspirants, downloading the latest UPSC prelims paper or “UPSC question paper PDF” is the first step in understanding the exam.
The UPSC CSE Prelims 2024 took place on June 16, 2024, with both GS Paper 1 and GS Paper 2 (CSAT) conducted on the same day. Practising with the UPSC Prelims 2024 question paper PDF—Set A, B, C, and D—gives invaluable insights into question trends as well as difficulty level while helping you benchmark your preparation against real‐exam standards.
Check APSC & UPSC Prelims + Mains PYQs along with Solved Paper on our official website
Structure of Prelims:
| Paper | Subject | Type | No. of Questions | Marks | Qualifying Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies (GS I) | Objective | 100 | 200 | Merit based |
| Paper II | CSAT (GS II) | Objective | 80 | 200 | 33% (Qualifying) |
Important Points:
- CSAT is only qualifying in nature. You must score at least 66 marks out of 200.
- Marks of Paper I (GS) are used to determine eligibility for Mains.
- Both papers carry a negative marking of 1/3rd marks for every incorrect answer.
- Prelims marks are not counted in the final merit list.
Negative Marking Breakdown:
| Paper | Marks per Question | Penalty per Wrong Answer |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies I | 2 marks | -0.66 marks |
| CSAT (GS II) | 2.5 marks | -0.83 marks |
Download UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2024 – GS 1
Candidates can download the UPSC prelims question paper 2024 PDF from the links below. These papers will help enhance your preparation. You can access the set-wise papers through the links given.
| UPSC Prelims Question paper 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Set | Links |
| GS 1 Question paper 2024 Set A | Download PDF |
| GS 1 Question paper 2024 Set B | Download PDF |
| GS 1 Question paper 2024 Set C | Download PDF |
| GS 1 Question paper 2024 Set D | Download PDF |
Download UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT Question Paper
CSAT consists of 80 questions, with 2.5 marks each. It is qualifying in nature. As past trends show, the difficulty of the UPSC prelims CSAT question paper is gradually increasing, so early practice is vital. Candidates can download the UPSC CSAT Paper PDF from the given links below.
| UPSC Prelims Question paper 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Set | Links |
| GS CSAT 2024 Set A | Download PDF |
| GS CSAT 2024 Set B | Download PDF |
| GS CSAT 2024 Set C | Download PDF |
| GS CSAT 2024 Set D | Download PDF |
How to Download the UPSC Question Paper PDF
Simply click the set-wise links above to download UPSC Prelims 2024 question papers (GS 1 & CSAT) in PDF format. Keep these files handy for timed mock tests and answer analysis.
UPSC Previous Year Question Paper Archive (Last 5 Years)
We’ve compiled the UPSC Prelims Question Paper PDFs for the last 5 years, covering both GS Paper 1 and CSAT. Practising with an “UPSC previous year question paper” collection helps you spot recurring topics as well as refine strategy.
| UPSC Prelims Question Paper – GS-1 | |
|---|---|
| Prelims GS paper 1 2023 | Download PDF |
| Prelims GS paper 1 2022 | Download PDF |
| Prelims GS paper 1 2021 | Download PDF |
| Prelims GS paper 1 2020 | Download PDF |
| Prelims GS paper 1 2019 | Download PDF |
| UPSC Prelims Question Paper – CSAT | |
|---|---|
| Prelims CSAT 2023 | Download PDF |
| Prelims CSAT 2022 | Download PDF |
| Prelims CSAT 2021 | Download PDF |
| Prelims CSAT 2020 | Download PDF |
| Prelims CSAT 2019 | Download PDF |
FAQs
Ans:- You can download the UPSC Prelims 2024 question paper PDF for all four sets (A, B, C and D) directly from the links provided in this post. Each link opens a free, high-resolution PDF for both GS Paper 1 and the CSAT paper.
Ans:- The official UPSC Prelims answer key 2024 will be released only after the final result is declared. Until then, you can consult reputed coaching-institute answer keys that we will link here once they are published to estimate your score as well as identify weak areas.
Ans:- CSAT (GS Paper 2) is purely qualifying in nature. Candidates must secure a minimum of 33 percent—that is, 66 out of 200 marks—regardless of category. Only GS Paper 1 marks are considered for the Mains cut-off.
Ans:- Both Prelims papers carry one-third negative marking. You will lose 0.66 marks for every incorrect answer in GS Paper 1 (each question is worth 2 marks) and 0.83 marks for every incorrect answer in CSAT (each question is worth 2.5 marks).
Ans:- Solving UPSC previous year question papers helps you understand topic weightage, spot difficulty trends as well as track your own accuracy rate. This insight is essential for refining revision plans and boosting your Prelims score.
