What is the exam pattern for UPSC prelims?
The UPSC prelims exam pattern consists of two compulsory papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (also known as CSAT). General Studies Paper I tests candidates' knowledge in areas like current affairs, polity, geography, environmental science, and economy, while CSAT assesses comprehension, logical reasoning, and numerical ability. Both papers are objective-type multiple-choice questions. Each paper carries a weight of 200 marks, and there is a negative marking scheme for wrong answers, deducting 1/3rd of a mark for each incorrect response. Successful candidates from prelims advance to the Mains examination.