CAT Notice to UPSC Over 8 Disputed Questions in Prelims Exam 2026

CAT Notice to UPSC Over 8 Disputed Questions in Prelims Exam 2026: UPSC Prelims 2026 is under legal scrutiny just before the main exam. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has issued a notice to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) over eight questions from General Studies Paper-I. Candidates have claimed that these questions had factual errors, incorrect answers in the provisional key, or no valid answer option. It is a serious issue that a few marks can change students' chances of qualifying for the next rounds in the CSE selection process. 

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UPSC Prelims 2026 Disputed Questions: What Is the Issue?

Four candidates who appeared for UPSC Prelims 2026 approached the CAT after failing to meet the Prelims cutoff. They challenged eight questions from GS Paper-I, Set A. The questions under challenge are 7, 11, 45, 60, 62, 82, 86 and 96. 

Candidates compared the questions and UPSC's provisional answers with government records, laws, official documents and other reliable sources. They claimed that some answers given by UPSC did not match these sources.

They also said that some questions did not have a correct option. Candidates said that the disputed questions, along with the effect of negative marking. It could affect more than 16 marks. These marks can be important because the Prelims cutoff decides who can appear for the Mains examination. 

UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2026 Controversy

• UPSC released the provisional answer key on May 27, 2026.

• It was the first time UPSC released the provisional answer key soon after the Prelims exam.

• Candidates could raise objections through the Question Paper Representation Portal (QPRep).

• The candidates in the case said they submitted their objections on time.

• They also sent supporting documents to UPSC.

• As per the petition, they did not get information about whether their objections were accepted or rejected.

• This led to the UPSC Prelims 2026 disputed questions issue.

• CAT has not yet given a final decision that the disputed questions or UPSC's provisional answer key are wrong.

UPSC CAT Notice to UPSC: What Has CAT Asked?

UPSC CAT notice to UPSC asks the Commission to respond to the candidates' claims regarding the review of the 8 questions and objections. 

The candidates have requested that UPSC:

• Review the objections raised against the eight questions.

• Correct the answer key if any answer is found to be wrong.

• Remove disputed questions from the evaluation, where required.

• Provide suitable relief to affected candidates.

• Explain how the objections were considered.

The case is not a request to cancel the complete Prelims examination. The challenge is limited to the eight questions mentioned in the petition. 

Which 8 Questions Are Under Challenge?

The UPSC CAT case 2026 concerns these questions from GS Paper-I, Set A:

• Question 7

• Question 11

• Question 45

• Question 60

• Question 62

• Question 82

• Question 86

• Question 96

According to the petition, Questions 7, 45, 60, 82, 86 and 96 have been challenged because the answers marked in the provisional key allegedly do not match authoritative sources. Questions 11 and 62 have been challenged because the candidates claim that none of the given options is factually or legally sustainable. 

 One example is Question 96, which was related to aviation insurance and the Montreal Convention. The petition claims that the statements and options in the question did not match authoritative source material.

Will the UPSC CAT Case 2026 Affect Mains?

UPSC CAT case 2026 has come just before the Mains examination. The candidates have argued that the disputed questions could affect their Prelims scores by more than 16 marks, including negative marking. 

However, there is no CAT order at present that changes the Prelims result or stops the Mains examination. The Mains exam is scheduled to begin on August 21, 2026. CAT has asked UPSC to submit its response, and the next hearing is scheduled for October 8, 2026. 

Candidates should therefore continue their Mains preparation and wait for further official updates from UPSC and CAT.

What Happens Next?

UPSC will get an opportunity to respond to the allegations. After hearing both sides, CAT may decide what further action, if any, is needed. Until then, the claims made by the candidates should not be treated as a final finding against UPSC.

The UPSC Prelims answer key 2026 controversy shows why accurate questions and clear answer keys are important in a competitive examination. Any change in the final evaluation could matter to candidates who are close to the qualifying cutoff.

Related Resources

• UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam Notification

• UPSC Prelims Exam Centres List

• UPSC Mains Exam Pattern

• UPSC Mains Syllabus

• UPSC Mains Admit Card