The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 has landed in court after candidates challenged eight questions from the General Studies Paper-I and raised questions over the provisional answer key. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has now issued a notice to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) seeking its response.The candidates say some of the disputed questions have incorrect answers, while others do not have a single correct option. They have also claimed that some questions were outside the prescribed syllabus. According to an India Today report, the candidates believe the disputed questions could affect more than 16 marks, including the impact of negative marking.
Which UPSC questions are being challenged?
The case has been filed by Sachin Tiwari and other UPSC aspirants who appeared for the 2026 Civil Services Prelims.They have challenged eight questions from General Studies Paper-I, Set A — Questions 7, 11, 45, 60, 62, 82, 86 and 96.The candidates say the answers given by UPSC for Questions 7, 45, 60, 82, 86 and 96 do not match information available in official and reliable sources.For Questions 11 and 62, they have made a different argument. They claim that none of the four options given in the question paper was factually or legally correct.
Candidates had already raised objections with UPSC
UPSC released the provisional answer key for the Civil Services Prelims 2026 on May 27 and invited candidates to submit objections.The candidates involved in the case say they submitted their objections through UPSC’s Question Paper Representation Portal on June 2, within the deadline. They also sent a detailed representation to the Commission, along with official documents and other material supporting their claims.However, the candidates say they were not told what happened to their objections.After the Prelims results were declared, they approached the CAT seeking relief.
Why are 16 marks important?
The disputed questions could make a significant difference to candidates who are close to the Prelims cutoff.The candidates estimate that the eight questions could affect more than 16 marks, once negative marking is taken into account.For UPSC aspirants, even a small change in marks can determine whether they qualify for the next stage — the Civil Services Main Examination.This is why the candidates want the disputed questions and the answer key to be reviewed before the matter goes further.
What are the candidates asking for?
The candidates have asked the CAT to direct UPSC to reconsider their objections and correct the answer key wherever necessary.They have also sought the removal of questions found to be flawed from the evaluation process.As an immediate step, they want UPSC to explain how their objections were dealt with. They have specifically asked the Commission to disclose whether their objections were accepted or rejected and, if rejected, why.
Candidates are not asking for a fresh exam
The candidates have made it clear that they are not asking UPSC to conduct the entire Prelims examination again.Their challenge is limited to the eight questions. They have cited previous Supreme Court rulings to argue that courts can intervene when an answer key contains an error that can be clearly proved using authoritative sources.
What happens next?
The CAT has issued notice to UPSC and sought its response to the candidates’ claims.The Commission will now have to explain its position on the disputed questions and the objections submitted by the candidates.The case will next be heard on October 8, 2026.For now, the CAT notice does not mean that UPSC’s answer key has been declared wrong. The tribunal will consider the candidates’ claims and the Commission’s response before deciding what action, if any, should follow.
