The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday released the provisional answer key for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026, before the final result for the first time.
Candidates can submit their representations, if any, until 6 pm on May 31 through the dedicated online portal, ‘Online Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep)’, available at upsconline.nic.in, the commission said in a statement.
Representations are required to be submitted by indicating the correct answer key according to the candidate’s understanding along with a brief explanation and supporting documents from three authentic sources, it said.
“The release of the provisional answer key reflects UPSC’s commitment to greater transparency, fairness and integrity in the examination process while providing candidates an opportunity for informed and constructive participation," the statement said.
The civil services examination is conducted annually by the commission in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.
“I understand this year’s prelims felt quite tough and challenging for many aspirants. In such situations, the official provisional key provides much-needed clarity," UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar said.
He said most answers are based on standard textbooks, government websites, government press releases and reputed newspapers – the core sources serious aspirants rely on.
“If you spot any answer that needs review, submit your representation on the official QPRep portal," Kumar said in a post on X.
