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Home / Insights / CSE Prelims 2026 vs CSE Prelims 2025

CSE Prelims 2026 vs CSE Prelims 2025 — what changed

100 vs 100 questions · answer-keyed 99/100 vs 100/100 · CSE

Executive summary

  • Question style: 81% of CSE Prelims 2026 was analytical (multi-statement) vs 83% in 2025 — broadly unchanged in style.
  • Biggest subject change: Art & Culture rose 1→9 questions (1.0%→9.0%).
  • 9 concepts recurred from 2025; 12 appeared that were absent in 2025.

Conceptual vs factual

Analytical (multi-statement) questions: 83% in 2025 → 81% in 2026 — broadly unchanged in style.
Show evidence — how this is measured
Analytical = statement-based, assertion-reason, match-the-following, pairs, how-many-correct and sequence questions; factual = single-fact recall. CSE Prelims 2026: 81 analytical / 19 factual. CSE Prelims 2025: 83 analytical / 17 factual.

Subject distribution

Subject20252026Δ
Science & Technology1818+0stable
Economy1915-4declined
History1513-2stable
Polity & Governance1612-4declined
Geography1211-1stable
Environment & Ecology99+0stable
International Relations49+5gained
Art & Culture19+8gained
Current Affairs & Static GK42-2stable
Agriculture22+0stable
"Gained/declined" is flagged only where the change is ≥3 questions and ≥3 percentage points; smaller moves are normal year-to-year variation (shown as stable).
Show evidence — Economy in CSE Prelims 2026 (15 Qs)
Q35 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of t…
Q87 · CSE 2026 An e-commerce revenue model where the seller has control over pricing but doesn'…
Q88 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the…
Q89 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India's 'Open Net…
Q90 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following statements about Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and…
Q91 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about Real-World Assets (RWA) Tokenization are…
Q92 · CSE 2026 A bond whose proceeds are used only to finance or refinance a combination of bot…
Q93 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about M1xchange's role in Micro, Small & Mediu…
Q94 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following best describes the 'Crowding Out Effect' in the conte…
Q95 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical …
Q96 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about insurance in aviation sector is/are corr…
Q97 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about Crowdfunding is/are correct? 1. Crowdfun…
Q98 · CSE 2026 With reference to different Committees in India, consider the following details:…
Q99 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements about the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBF…
Q100 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements about Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): 1.…
Show evidence — Economy in CSE Prelims 2025 (19 Qs)
Q1 · CSE 2025 With reference to investments, consider the following : I. Bonds II. Hedge Funds…
Q2 · CSE 2025 Which of the following are the sources of income for the Reserve Bank of India? …
Q4 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all th…
Q5 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : Statement I : In India, income from allied a…
Q6 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. India has joined the Minerals Security Pa…
Q7 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : Statement I : As regards returns from an inv…
Q8 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. India accounts for a very large portion o…
Q9 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : Statement I : Circular economy reduces the e…
Q10 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. Capital receipts create a liability or ca…
Q60 · CSE 2025 Consider the following activities : I. Production of crude oil II. Refining, sto…
Q61 · CSE 2025 Suppose the revenue expenditure is ₹ 80,000 crores and the revenue receipts of t…
Q63 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : Statement I : Of the two major oil producers…
Q65 · CSE 2025 A country's fiscal deficit stands at ₹ 50,000 crores. It is receiving ₹ 10,000 c…
Q66 · CSE 2025 Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Fin…
Q67 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements in respect of the International Bank for Recon…
Q68 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements in respect of RTGS and NEFT : I. In RTGS, the …
Q69 · CSE 2025 Consider the following countries : I. United Arab Emirates II. France III. Germa…
Q70 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements about 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana' : I. I…
Q89 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : Statement I : In India, State Governments ha…
Show evidence — Polity & Governance in CSE Prelims 2026 (12 Qs)
Q51 · CSE 2026 Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during …
Q52 · CSE 2026 In a multi-ethnic district where economic competition and historical grievances …
Q53 · CSE 2026 Ms. X is a mid-level civil service official in the urban development department.…
Q54 · CSE 2026 X was addressing a seminar on the meaning of the term 'law' as provided under Ar…
Q55 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements with reference to the Constitution of India: 1…
Q56 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities i…
Q57 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements about the provisions pertaining to the Schedul…
Q58 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members i…
Q59 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Schedule…
Q62 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements about a Zero First Information Report (Zero FI…
Q63 · CSE 2026 With reference to the organisations under the Government of India, consider the …
Q74 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Sw…
Show evidence — Polity & Governance in CSE Prelims 2025 (16 Qs)
Q3 · CSE 2025 With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information : …
Q51 · CSE 2025 With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements : I. An O…
Q52 · CSE 2025 Consider the following pairs : State | Description I. Arunachal Pradesh : The ca…
Q53 · CSE 2025 With reference to India, consider the following : I. The Inter-State Council II.…
Q54 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. The Constitution of India explicitly ment…
Q55 · CSE 2025 Consider the following pairs : Provision in the Constitution of India | Stated u…
Q56 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : With reference to the Constitution of India,…
Q57 · CSE 2025 With reference to India, consider the following pairs : Organization | Union Min…
Q58 · CSE 2025 Consider the following subjects under the Constitution of India : I. List I–Unio…
Q59 · CSE 2025 With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements : I. The …
Q86 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements with regard to pardoning power of the Presiden…
Q87 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. On the dissolution of the House of the Pe…
Q88 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. If any question arises as to whether a Me…
Q91 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements : I. Panchayats at the intermediate level exis…
Q93 · CSE 2025 Who amongst the following are members of the Jury to select the recipient of 'Ga…
Q98 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements about Lokpal : I. The power of Lokpal applies …
Show evidence — International Relations in CSE Prelims 2026 (9 Qs)
Q64 · CSE 2026 Which of the following international conventions have not been ratified by India…
Q66 · CSE 2026 Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation betwee…
Q67 · CSE 2026 Match List I (Project Supported by India) with List II (Country): A. Mangdechhu …
Q69 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co-operation:…
Q70 · CSE 2026 Consider the following UN organisations/agencies: 1. World Food Programme 2. Uni…
Q71 · CSE 2026 Match List I (UN Peacekeeping Operation) with List II (Period of Operation): A. …
Q72 · CSE 2026 Match List I (BIMSTEC Centre/Establishment) with List II (Location): A. BIMSTEC …
Q76 · CSE 2026 Match List I (INTERPOL Notice) with List II (Description): A. Silver Notice B. B…
Q78 · CSE 2026 The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026…
Show evidence — International Relations in CSE Prelims 2025 (4 Qs)
Q21 · CSE 2025 Consider the following countries : I. Austria II. Bulgaria III. Croatia IV. Serb…
Q62 · CSE 2025 India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport …
Q92 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC : I. It is a regional or…
Q97 · CSE 2025 Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS : I. 16th BRICS Summit wa…
Show evidence — Art & Culture in CSE Prelims 2026 (9 Qs)
Q1 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following Carnatic music ragas is similar to Raga Bilawal in Hi…
Q4 · CSE 2026 Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara? 1. Malegitti Sh…
Q5 · CSE 2026 Among the four main forms of existence of life recognized in Jainism, which one …
Q6 · CSE 2026 The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents:…
Q12 · CSE 2026 What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography?…
Q14 · CSE 2026 Which of the following statements on the Amaravati Stupa and its relief sculptur…
Q19 · CSE 2026 Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represent…
Q37 · CSE 2026 Which one of the following statements with regard to the Moidams, built by the T…
Q85 · CSE 2026 Consider the following statements with regard to the film 'Boong': 1. The film h…
Show evidence — Art & Culture in CSE Prelims 2025 (1 Qs)
Q18 · CSE 2025 The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 b…

Concept-level changes

Recurring — in both papers

Reserve Bank of IndiaMahatma GandhiTribal administrationIndian National CongressJudicial reviewEuropean UnionUnified Payments InterfaceBay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic CooperationDigital payments

New this year

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUrbanizationRigveda ★Ecosystem servicesPort-led development ★World Heritage ★Nobel PrizeGermanyE-commerceTemple architectureBadamiDeogarh

Not tested this year

Financial MarketsNon-Cooperation MovementCarbon EmissionsFiscal deficitPrimary deficitDirectorate of EnforcementTaxationPublic FinanceSocio-Religious ReformRaja Ram Mohan Roy
★ = first appearance in the corpus. Not tested this year ≠ dropped — concepts often return. Click any concept for its full cross-exam history (your evidence). Tagging is provisional, so this layer is directional.

Cross-exam connections

Recurring concepts here that also travel across other UPSC exams — the same idea, reframed. Click any for its full timeline.
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperationallied → CSE
CDS 2014 → CISF 2021 → CAPF 2022 → CSE 2025
Digital paymentsallied → CSE
CDS 2022 → LDCE 2023 → CSE 2025
Reserve Bank of India
CSE 1980 → CDS 2015 → CAPF 2018 → LDCE 2023 → NDA 2023 → EPFO 2023 → ESE 2024
Mahatma Gandhi
CSE 2011 → CDS 2014 → CAPF 2015 → EPFO 2015 → NDA 2020 → CISF 2020 → GEO 2021
Indian National Congress
CSE 2012 → CAPF 2014 → CDS 2014 → EPFO 2016 → GEO 2021 → NDA 2021 → CISF 2021
Judicial review
CSE 1981 → CDS 2014 → CAPF 2021 → CISF 2022 → LDCE 2023

Preparation takeaways

  • International Relations carried more weight this year (4→9); ensure it is not under-prepared. A single year is a noisy signal, so weigh it against earlier papers.
  • Economy was lighter this year (19→15); do not drop it — single-year dips frequently reverse.
Methodology & caveats
All figures are computed from CrispUPSC's verified PYQ corpus — no opinions, no predictions, no AI-written analysis. A single paper per year is a small, noisy sample, so a two-year difference is a change, not a trend; a subject is flagged as moved only when it shifts ≥3 questions and ≥3 percentage points. Concept tagging is provisional, so concept lists are directional. "Not tested this year" never means a concept was dropped. This page explains how UPSC has changed; it does not predict future papers.
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