*Last updated: 5 July 2026*
The **APSC CCE Prelims 2026** exam was successfully conducted today, 5th July 2026 (Sunday), across 35 district headquarters in Assam. If you’re searching for the **APSC CCE Prelims 2026 question paper PDF**, you’re in the right place — download both **GS Paper I** and **GS Paper II (CSAT)** below, along with a topic-wise analysis of both papers.
This was the Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination, 2025 (Advt. No. 01/2026), conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) for 78 vacancies across Assam Civil Service, Assam Police Service, and other allied administrative posts.
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## APSC CCE Prelims 2026 Exam – Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|—|—|
| Exam Name | APSC Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination, 2025 |
| Exam Date | 5th July 2026 (Sunday) |
| GS Paper I Timing | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| GS Paper II (CSAT) Timing | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Total Marks | 400 (200 marks each paper) |
| Questions per Paper | 100 |
| Duration | 2 hours per paper |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer |
| Qualifying Marks (CSAT) | 33% (66/200) — CSAT marks don’t count for merit |
| Vacancies | 78 posts |
| Exam Centres | 35 district headquarters across Assam |
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## APSC CCE Prelims 2026 GS Paper I – Download PDF
### GS Paper I – Topic-Wise Analysis
Here’s how today’s GS Paper I broke down by subject (a full solved answer key will follow in a separate post):
– **Assam-specific questions (~25–30% of the paper):** Ancient Assam epigraphy and Bhaskaravarman-era copper plates, Ahom-period rulers, Assamese literary classics and authors, Vaishnavite Samhatis and their sattras, dance forms tied to specific ethnic communities, tribal population data, soils, rivers, wildlife sanctuaries, and recent state schemes (Orunodoi, Assam Arogya Nidhi, Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana). Assam/North-East current affairs also featured — the Chief Minister’s Green Fellowship, LACHIT-1, and Assamese language’s 2024 classical-language status.
– **Ancient & Medieval History:** Indus Valley site-findings matches, early Indian inscriptions, the play *Nil Darpan*, and questions on Mahavira and Jainism.
– **Polity & Governance:** Constitutional provisions (Tenth Schedule/anti-defection, Article 371 special provisions for the North-East, Supreme Court structure), plus recent developments like the Transgender Persons Amendment Bill, 2026 and lateral entry into civil services.
– **Economy:** Government schemes (Stand-Up India, Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana, PM-KISAN/PMAY implementation issues), poverty-line committees, and the AVGC “orange economy” push from the Union Budget.
– **Geography & Environment:** Indian rock systems, Assam’s soil types, biogeographic zones, North-East wildlife sanctuaries and Ramsar sites, monsoon patterns, and Brahmaputra tributaries by bank.
– **Science & Technology:** Applied science (semiconductors, LPG, ultrasonic waves, refractive index) alongside current science-in-news topics (Direct Air Capture, quantum computing, Green Climate Fund).
– **Current Affairs (national/international):** The 2026 Strait of Hormuz tensions, the 2025 BRICS Summit, and a February 2026 Supreme Court case involving Meta/WhatsApp — all reflecting how current the paper was kept.
**Overall difficulty:** Static Polity and Science sections stayed close to standard difficulty; Assam-centric and current-affairs items required close tracking of news through 2025–2026, consistent with the trend we flagged in our [previous year question paper analysis](https://smartiasfoundation.com/apsc-cce-previous-year-question-papers/).
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## APSC CCE Prelims 2026 GS Paper II (CSAT) – Download PDF
📥 **Download APSC CCE Prelims 2026 GS Paper II / CSAT (PDF)** — 100 Questions, Full Marks 200
### GS Paper II (CSAT) – Topic-Wise Analysis
Remember: **CSAT is only qualifying** (you need 33%, i.e., 66/200) and does not count towards your Mains shortlisting rank — so don’t over-invest time re-checking this paper in detail. That said, here’s the broad shape of today’s CSAT paper:
– **Reading Comprehension:** Passages in both English and Assamese, testing main idea identification, inference, and vocabulary-in-context — consistent with the CSAT pattern for APSC.
– **Logical Reasoning:** Syllogisms, statement-assumption and statement-conclusion type questions, and cause-effect reasoning.
– **Analytical Ability:** Series completion, coding-decoding, blood relations, seating arrangements, and directions.
– **Decision Making & Problem Solving:** Situational questions testing administrative judgment — an APSC CSAT staple.
– **General Mental Ability:** Analogies, odd-one-out, and spatial reasoning.
– **Basic Numeracy:** Class X-level topics — percentages, ratios, time-work, and time-distance problems.
– **Data Interpretation:** Questions based on tables, bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs.
This distribution matches what we outlined in our detailed [APSC CCE Exam Pattern 2026](https://smartiasfoundation.com/apsc-cce-exam-pattern-2026/) guide.
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## What Happens Next After APSC CCE Prelims 2026?
1. **CSAT is qualifying only** — focus your energy on estimating your GS Paper I score, since that’s what decides your Mains shortlist.
2. **Official answer key & objections:** APSC typically opens an objection window before finalising the answer key. Keep checking [apsc.nic.in](https://www.apsc.nic.in/) for this notification.
3. **Estimate your score:** Once the official key is out, apply the negative marking formula (−0.25 per wrong answer) to your GS Paper I responses.
4. **Result & cut-off:** The Prelims result (Mains shortlist) is usually announced 4–8 weeks after the exam, depending on the volume of objections received.
5. **Start Mains prep in parallel:** Given the historically tight gap between Prelims and Mains for APSC CCE, it’s worth beginning Mains preparation now rather than waiting for the result.
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## Frequently Asked Questions
**Q1. When was the APSC CCE Prelims 2026 exam held?**
The exam was held on 5th July 2026 (Sunday), with GS Paper I from 10 AM–12 PM and GS Paper II (CSAT) from 2 PM–4 PM.
**Q2. Where can I download the APSC CCE Prelims 2026 question paper PDF?**
Both GS Paper I and GS Paper II (CSAT) PDFs are available for download in this article above.
**Q3. Does CSAT (GS Paper II) marks count towards the APSC CCE Prelims merit list?**
No. CSAT is only qualifying in nature — you need a minimum of 33% (66/200) to qualify. Only GS Paper I marks are used for Mains shortlisting.
**Q4. When will the APSC CCE Prelims 2026 result be announced?**
There’s no fixed date yet, but based on past trends, results are typically announced 4–8 weeks after the exam, once the answer key objection process is complete.
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**📌 Related Reading:**
– [APSC CCE Previous Year Question Papers – Download, Analysis & Strategy](https://smartiasfoundation.com/apsc-cce-previous-year-question-papers/)
– [APSC CCE Exam Pattern 2026 – Prelims, Mains & Interview Explained](https://smartiasfoundation.com/apsc-cce-exam-pattern-2026/)
– [APSC Mains Strategy 2026: Complete Guide to Crack CCE Mains in Your First Attempt](https://smartiasfoundation.com/apsc-mains-strategy-2026/)
– [Best Books for APSC CCE 2026](https://smartiasfoundation.com/best-books-for-apsc-cce/)
**⚠️ Disclaimer:** These question papers are shared for candidate reference and self-assessment only. Smart IAS Foundation is not affiliated with APSC or the Government of Assam. Candidates should verify all official information, including the final answer key and results, directly at [apsc.nic.in](https://www.apsc.nic.in/).