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Civil services
Verified Statutory Lexicon · Last Reviewed: Sep 09, 2026

Full Form of CSAT

Official Definition & Statutory Meaning

CSAT full form is Civil Services Aptitude Test (हिंदी में: सिविल सेवा अभिवृत्ति परीक्षा). It functions under Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as an official authority for examination administration and cadre recruitment.

Acronym / Short FormCSAT
Full Form (English)Civil Services Aptitude Test
हिंदी अर्थ (Hindi Meaning)सिविल सेवा अभिवृत्ति परीक्षा
Domain / SectorCivil services
Regulatory / Conducting BodyUnion Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Official Portalupsc.gov.in

1. Official Mandate, Scope & Background

Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), officially designated as General Studies Paper-II of the UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, is a mandatory qualifying aptitude test introduced in 2011 to assess analytical ability, comprehension, and decision-making skills of civil services aspirants.

2. Eligibility Criteria, Qualifications & Age Limits

Graduate degree in any discipline; eligible candidates appearing for UPSC CSE Prelims must appear for CSAT. Minimum qualifying score is 33% (66 marks out of 200).

3. Examination Scheme & Selection Procedure

Offline OMR pen-and-paper examination comprising 80 multiple-choice questions (200 marks, 2 hours) with 1/3rd negative marking. While qualifying in nature, scoring below 33% disqualifies candidate regardless of Paper-I score.

4. Core Syllabus & Key Subjects

Reading Comprehension, Interpersonal skills including communication skills, Logical reasoning and analytical ability, Decision-making and problem-solving, General mental ability, and Basic numeracy (Class 10 level).

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