Civil Services Aptitude Test(CSAT) Introduction

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) is a part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India. The CSAT is the second paper of the preliminary examination and is meant to assess the candidates’ aptitude and analytical abilities. The Civil Services Examination is a multi-stage competitive examination conducted to recruit candidates for various civil services in the Indian government.

Here are the key points about the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT):

1. Nature of CSAT:
   • CSAT is the second paper of the Preliminary Examination (Prelims) and is commonly referred to as General Studies Paper-II.
   • The CSAT is designed to test the candidates’ comprehension, interpersonal skills, communication, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy, and English language comprehension skills.
2. Structure of CSAT:
   • The CSAT consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
   • The paper is of 200 marks and has a duration of two hours.
   • It includes questions related to comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, decision-making, general mental ability, data interpretation, and basic numeracy.
3. Language of CSAT:
   • The questions in the CSAT are available in both Hindi and English.
4. Qualifying Nature:
   • While the marks obtained in the CSAT are counted for determining the merit list of the Preliminary Examination, the CSAT paper is of qualifying nature.
   • A candidate needs to score a minimum qualifying mark in the CSAT to be eligible for the evaluation of the General Studies Paper-I.
5. Minimum Qualifying Marks:
   • The UPSC sets minimum qualifying marks for the CSAT, and candidates must score at least this minimum to be eligible for the next stage of the examination.
6. Importance in the Preliminary Examination:
   • The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and CSAT (General Studies Paper-II).
   • The marks obtained in both papers are taken into account for determining the eligibility of candidates for the Main Examination.

It’s important to note that the UPSC may make changes to the examination pattern, syllabus, or other aspects from time to time. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, these details are accurate, but candidates should refer to the official UPSC website or notification for the most recent and accurate information.