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UPSC To Release Provisional Answer Key for Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination – 2026, soon after the Conduct of the examination

UPSC Chairman, Dr. Ajay Kumar, Terms Early Release of Provisional Answer Key, a ‘New Beginning’ Towards Greater Transparency

By PIB Delhi

The Union Public Service Commission, for the first time, will release the Provisional Answer Key for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, soon after the Exam, to enhance transparency and uphold the highest standards of conduct of the examination.

Terming it as “a new beginning”, the UPSC Chairman, Dr. Ajay Kumar, said, “For the first time, the Union Public Service Commission will release the Provisional Answer Key for the Civil Services Examination. This initiative reflects the Commission’s ongoing endeavour to bring greater transparency, responsiveness, and timely communication with candidates”. He further added, “The policy aims to make the examination process more participative while upholding its sanctity, integrity, and merit-based framework.”

After the release of the provisional answer key, candidates of the Civil Services examination can submit their representations, if any, till May 31, 2026, 6 PM, through a dedicated online portal, i.e., “Online Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep)” available at https://upsconline.nic.in/login. Candidates will be able to submit their representations by indicating the correct key as per their understanding, along with a brief description and supporting documents from three authentic sources. This will not only enable candidates to make an early and informed assessment of their performance in the examination but also provide them with adequate time and opportunity to submit their representations.

All representations received from candidates will be placed before the team(s) of subject expert(s) for a comprehensive and meticulous review. These experts possess domain knowledge and subject expertise. They will carefully examine each representation, assess the supporting documents, and record their considered views regarding the correctness of the Answer Key for the concerned questions. The Answer Key will thereafter be finalized only after due consideration of all representations received.

This new reform has been introduced to address the long-standing demand from candidates for the publication of Provisional Answer Keys. This was also, in furtherance of the Commission’s commitment towards transparency, accountability, and strengthening the confidence of candidates in the examination system, the Commission has implemented the policy of publishing the Provisional Answer Keys.