Full mocks
One 2-hour timer and an OMR-style answer sheet; move freely between questions.
Past year papers
UPSC publishes every CSAT paper. Open the official papers on UPSC's website; our analysis of how the paper is split is below.
How CSAT is split (questions out of 80)
| Year | Reading comprehension | Maths and DI | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27 | 38–39 | 14–15 |
| 2024 | 27 | 35–36 | 16–18 |
| 2025 | 29 | 34–36 | 15–17 |
| 2026 | 23 | 35–37 | 15–20 |
RankVyuh's count for 2024 and 2026 reading comprehension; other figures from published paper analyses.
Exam pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSAT (Paper II) | 80 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Total | 80 | 200 | 120 minutes |
+2.5 for a correct answer. A wrong answer costs one third of the question's marks (0.83). Qualifying paper: 66 marks (33%) needed. Always check the official notification for the latest pattern.
Questions students ask
What is the CSAT pass mark?
33%, which is 66 marks out of 200. CSAT marks are not added to the merit, but failing CSAT means your GS Paper I is not counted.
What does CSAT test?
Reading comprehension, logical and analytical reasoning, decision making, basic numeracy (Class 10 level) and data interpretation.