Qualification of Prelims in UPSC:

Overview:
- The UPSC Preliminary examination consists of two papers - Paper 1 (General Studies) and Paper 2 (CSAT).
- The purpose of the prelims is to shortlist candidates for the next stage of the UPSC exam, the mains.

Paper 1:
- Paper 1 is a screening test where candidates are tested on their knowledge of current affairs, history, geography, Indian polity, economics, and general science.
- The marks obtained in Paper 1 are used to determine if a candidate qualifies for the mains examination.

Paper 2:
- Paper 2, also known as the CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test), is a qualifying paper.
- Candidates need to score a minimum of 33% in Paper 2 to qualify for the mains exam.
- The marks obtained in Paper 2 are not counted towards the final merit list.

Final Qualification:
- Only the marks obtained in Paper 1 are considered for determining if a candidate qualifies for the mains examination.
- Paper 2 is only qualifying in nature, and candidates need to secure the minimum qualifying marks to move to the next stage.