blob-article
UPSC CSAT
Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) is the second paper in the Preliminary exam of Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam (CSE). This test is conducted to test the analytical skills of UPSC aspirants. It is conducted in the second setting of Preliminary exam. Unlike the General Studies Paper I, this test is a qualifying paper. Candidates need to obtain 33% marks in this paper to qualify for UPSC Mains.
Exam Pattern
1) Total number of questions: 80
2) Type of questions: Multiple type questions (MCQs)
3) Time duration: 2 hours
4) Maximum marks: 200
5) Marking scheme: +2.5 marks for each correct answer and 0.83 marks is deducted for each incorrect answer
6) Qualifying marks: 66
7) Language of the test: English and Hindi
8) Examination mode: Offline exam
Exam Syllabus
The questions in CSAT paper are widely from the following categories:
1) Comprehension
- Hindi/English Comprehension
2) Interpersonal skills
- Critical reasoning
- Analogies
3) Basic numeracy (orders of magnitude, numbers and their relations, etc.- Class X level)
- Number system and number series
- LCM and HCF
- Fraction
- Average
- Percentage
- Simplification
- Mixtures
- Chain rule
- Trains
- Clocks
- Simple Interest
- Partnership and Share
- Ratio and proportion
- Pipes and Cisterns
- Time and Distance
- Time, Work, and wages
4) Data interpretation (data sufficiency, graphs, tables, charts, etc. – Class X level)
5) General mental ability
- Set theory and Venn diagrams
- Statement and Assumptions
- Statement and Conclusions
- Assertion and Reason
- Network diagrams
- Logical deductions
- Verbal reasoning based on binary logic
- Syllogisms
6) Decision-making and problem-solving
- Decoding facts logically into answers
- Hypothetical questions based on ethical dilemmas
7) Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Logical reasoning based on ranking
- Logical reasoning based on arrangement
- Quantitative reasoning
- Team formations
- Sequences and Series
- Puzzle test
- Direction test
- Blood relation
