Exam Pattern
UKPSC PCS Exam Pattern
UKPSC Combined State Civil Services: General Aptitude Test
The UKPSC PCS exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Prelims General Aptitude Test
Official 2025 pattern| Questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 150 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.375 per wrong answer |
| Sections | General Aptitude Core, English Comprehension and Language/Grammar, Hindi Comprehension and Language/Grammar |
| Test | Qs | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude Core | 80 | 120 |
| English Comprehension and Language/Grammar | 7 | 10.5 |
| Hindi Comprehension and Language/Grammar | 13 | 19.5 |
Timing: Single unrestricted 120-minute timer covering all three parts: no sectional lock.
The second preliminary paper of the UKPSC Combined State Civil and Upper Subordinate Services examination is the General Aptitude Test: 100 objective questions for 150 marks in two hours, four options each, 1.5 marks for a correct answer and one quarter of that, 0.375 marks, deducted for a wrong one. It is qualifying at 33 per cent. The three-part split above, 80 general aptitude questions alongside 7 English and 13 Hindi comprehension and grammar questions, is taken from the commission's own detailed scheme; the marks column is that split at 1.5 marks a question, which is why two of the three rows carry a half mark. The Hindi questions in this mock are set in Hindi, as they are in the real paper, and are not translated. The first preliminary paper on General Studies is not built here, nor are the Mains papers or the interview.
Official source · checked 10 September 2026The UKPSC PCS Prelims General Aptitude Test exam pattern is 100 questions carrying 150 marks, to be answered in 120 minutes. That works out to about 72 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 3 sections are General Aptitude Core, English Comprehension and Language/Grammar and Hindi Comprehension and Language/Grammar. All sections share one composite timer, so you are free to move between them and spend your time where it earns most.
UKPSC PCS Prelims General Aptitude Test marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 1.5 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 0.375 marks; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is clearly worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 80 of the 100 questions and get 60 right and 20 wrong, and you score 82.5 out of 150.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 72 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free UKPSC PCS mock test to see where your time actually goes.
UKPSC PCS exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in UKPSC PCS?
UKPSC PCS deducts 0.375 marks for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in UKPSC PCS?
UKPSC PCS has 100 questions. That leaves about 72 seconds per question in UKPSC PCS.
What are the total marks in UKPSC PCS?
UKPSC PCS is out of 150 marks.
How long is the UKPSC PCS exam?
UKPSC PCS runs for 120 minutes.
Does UKPSC PCS have a sectional time limit?
No. Every section shares one composite timer, so you can move between sections freely and give the slower ones more of your time.