The UPSC Indian Statistical Service papers for 2026 were held from 19 to 21 June 2026. With the exam now over, the smartest thing you can do is sit with every paper again, check your answers carefully and get a clear picture of your score before the result.
To make that simple, we have gathered every UPSC ISS 2026 question paper in one place, along with the answer key for the two objective papers. This post is part of our complete UPSC ISS preparation hub, so your downloads, answer keys, marks tools and cut off updates all sit together.
Download UPSC ISS 2026 Question Papers (PDF)
Save all six papers and treat each one as a full practice session. Two of these papers are objective and four are descriptive.
General Papers
- General English (Descriptive, 100 marks): Download PDF
- General Studies (Descriptive, 100 marks): Download PDF
Statistics Papers
- Statistics Paper I (Objective, 200 marks): Download PDF
- Statistics Paper II (Objective, 200 marks): Download PDF
- Statistics Paper III (Descriptive, 200 marks): Download PDF
- Statistics Paper IV (Descriptive, 200 marks): Download PDF
Looking for earlier years as well? Browse the full collection on our UPSC ISS Previous Year Question Papers page.
UPSC ISS 2026 Answer Key for Objective Papers
The objective papers are Statistics Paper I and Statistics Paper II. Each one has 80 questions for 200 marks and carries negative marking, so an accurate answer key is the quickest way to estimate your score.
- Statistics Paper I Answer Key: View Answer Key
- Statistics Paper II Answer Key: View Answer Key
This is a provisional answer key prepared for self evaluation. The official answer key is released later by the Union Public Service Commission, so it is a good idea to bookmark this page for any updates.
How the objective marks add up
Each question in the objective papers is worth 2.5 marks. For a wrong answer, one third of that, which is about 0.83 marks, is deducted. A question left blank costs nothing. Here is a quick example. If you attempt 60 questions and 45 are correct while 15 are wrong, your score is 45 times 2.5, which is 112.5, minus 15 times 0.83, which is about 12.5. That leaves a net of 100 out of 200.
Doing this by hand for both papers is slow, so the easier route is the UPSC ISS Marks Calculator, which applies the negative marking for you and gives a reliable number in minutes.
How to Use These Papers for Real Practice
Downloading the papers is only the first step. The marks come from using them the right way.
- Attempt each paper in one timed sitting, two hours for the objective papers and three hours for the descriptive ones, so you build real speed and accuracy under pressure.
- Mark your objective papers with the answer key and apply the negative marking honestly, so your practice score reflects what the actual exam would give you.
- Note every topic where you lost marks, revise it properly, and then solve similar questions again. This loop of practice, review and repetition is what steadily lifts your score.
That is the simple idea behind everything we build. Practice. Improve. Repeat.
Check Your Score and the Expected Cut Off
Once your objective papers are marked and your score is ready, compare it with the UPSC ISS 2026 Expected Cut Off. Reading your score next to the expected cut off shows you exactly where you stand and helps you plan your next step with a clear head.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was the UPSC ISS 2026 examination conducted?
The papers were held from 19 to 21 June 2026.
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Which UPSC ISS papers are objective?
Statistics Paper I and Statistics Paper II are objective. Each has 80 questions and carries 200 marks with negative marking. The other four papers are descriptive.
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Is there negative marking in the objective papers?
Yes. One third of the marks for a question, which is about 0.83 marks, is deducted for every wrong answer. There is no penalty for a question left unattempted.
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How is my objective score calculated?
Every question carries 2.5 marks for a correct answer, and a wrong answer loses one third of that. The simplest way to get your total is to mark your responses with the answer key and use the UPSC ISS Marks Calculator.
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Are these the official UPSC ISS 2026 question papers?
Yes, these are the actual papers from the 2026 examination, compiled by StatChakravyuh for practice and revision. The answer key here is provisional, since the official key is released later by the Union Public Service Commission.
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Where can I download previous year UPSC ISS papers?
You can find all available papers on our UPSC ISS Previous Year Question Papers page.
Practice. Improve. Repeat.
Solving last year’s papers is a strong start, but real improvement comes from steady, regular practice. Complete Chakravyuh gives you full length mock tests, topic quizzes, previous year questions and a structured revision system built only for UPSC ISS and Statistics aspirants. Practice with purpose, track your progress, and walk into your next exam fully prepared.