UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026: Download Paper 1 & Paper 2 Answer Key, Marking Scheme, Objection Process

The UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 was published on August 6, 2026, by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) shortly after the completion of the Combined Medical Services Examination 2026, conducted on August 2, 2026, to fill 1,358 vacancies. The written exam consisted of two objective-type papers, Paper 1 (General Medicine & Paediatrics) and Paper 2 (Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, and Preventive & Social Medicine).

• As per UPSC’s new answer key policy, the provisional UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 was issued 4 days after the offline written exam.
• The Commission has released a separate answer key for both Paper 1 and Paper 2, with which candidates can compare their responses and estimate their tentative scores.
• UPSC has allowed candidates to submit representations against the question paper and provisional answer key through the online representation portal.
• The objection window is open for 4 days, i.e., August 6-9, 2026, up to 6 pm.
• The Commission has not mentioned any objection fee in the notification.
• After reviewing all objections, UPSC will release the final answer key for the UPSC CMS Written Exam 2026.
• The CMS Result 2026 for the August 2, 2026, written examination is expected to be released in September 2026. The shortlisted candidates will then proceed to the 100-mark Personality Test as part of the remaining selection process.

UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 Highlights

The Union Public Service Commission has released the Combined Medical Service Recruitment Examination 2026 Notification on March 11, 2026, under the Advt. No. 09/2026-CMS to recruit 1,358 Medical Officers across the Central Health Service, Indian Railways, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Following the conduct of the 500-mark written exam on August 2, 2026, the UPSC CMS answer key 2026 has now been released. Candidates can use the answer key to check their responses, calculate their probable scores, and assess their chances of qualifying for the next stage. The important details related to the UPSC CMS 2026 answer key are provided below:

UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 Release Date

The UPSC Combined Medical Services Written Exam 2026 was conducted on August 2, 2026. The Commission has released the answer key via a notice on its website. The Combined Medical Services notification 2026 confirms that candidates are allowed to submit representations within the specified timeline, which starts from the third day after the exam and ends at 6 pm on the seventh day.

Based on this, candidates can access the UPSC CMS Provisional Answer Key 2026 from August 6 to August 9, 2026. This will allow candidates sufficient time to review responses and submit objections.

How to Download UPSC Combined Medical Services Answer Key 2026?

As the UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 has been released, candidates should download it from the official website and not from third-party links. The Commission has uploaded separate provisional answer keys for Paper 1 (General Medicine & Paediatrics) and Paper 2 (Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, and Preventive & Social Medicine) in a PDF format. Candidates must follow the steps given below to access their UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026:

Step 1: Visit the official website of UPSC at https://www.upsc.gov.in.

Step 2: Select the “Examination” option, located at the top of the homepage.

Step 3: Then click on “Answer Key” from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Look for the link stated “Provisional Answer Key for Combined Medical Services Recruitment Examination-2026”.

Step 5: Next, select the required paper (Paper 1 or Paper 2) to open the answer key PDF.

Step 6: Download the answer key PDF and cross-check your responses with the official answers.

UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 Download Link

The UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 download link has been activated on the official Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) website for candidates who appeared in the Combined Medical Services Recruitment Examination 2026 held on August 2, 2026. Through the answer key PDF, candidates can check the official answers for Paper 1 and Paper 2, compare them with their marked responses, and estimate their probable scores before the declaration of the written result. Candidates can use the link given below to download the UPSC CMS answer key 2026 for Paper 1 and Paper 2 exams.

UPSC CMS Marking Scheme 2026

In the Combined Medical Services written exam 2026, there are two objective-type papers, each carrying 250 marks. This makes the maximum marks of the OMR-based exam 500. In each paper, there will be 120 multiple-choice questions that candidates need to complete in 2 hours. Since both papers have the same number of questions and maximum marks, the marking scheme remains identical for Paper 1 and Paper 2. UPSC follows a one-third negative marking rule for incorrect answers in the written exam, while no marks are deducted for questions left unanswered by the candidate.

How to Calculate UPSC CMS Marks 2026?

Candidates who appeared for the UPSC Combined Medical Exam 2026 on August 2, 2026, must calculate their scores by following the official marking scheme. Each correct answer carries +2.083 marks, while 0.694 marks will be deducted for every incorrect answer. Candidates must also note the number of questions where more than one option has been marked, as they will be subject to negative marking. To calculate the tentative UPSC CMS marks 2026, candidates must follow the steps below:

Step 1: First, download the official UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 for the paper you have appeared in.

Step 2: Compare your marked responses with the answers provided in the official answer key.

Step 3: Count the total number of questions that you have answered correctly

Step 4: Then, multiply the number of correct answers by 2.083 marks.

Step 5: Now, count the number of questions that you have answered incorrectly.

Step 6: Multiply the number of wrong answers by 0.694 marks (1/3rd of 2.083 marks).

Step 7: Then, deduct the negative marks from the positive marks to obtain your probable score.

Step 8: Candidates can even use the formula:

“Score=(Number of Correct Answers*2.083 marks)-(Number of Incorrect Answer*0.694 marks)”.

UPSC Combined Medical Service Exam Objection Process 2026

The Commission will provide an opportunity to candidates who appeared for the Combined Medical Services Exam 2026 to submit representations against the question paper and the provisional answer key through the Online Question Paper & Provisional Answer Key Representation Portal. Candidates should note that the representation can be submitted only between August 6 and August 9, 2026. Also, UPSC doesn't charge any objection fee from candidates.

Objections sent through email, post, hand delivery, or any other offline mode will not be accepted by UPSC. Moreover, the Commission has notified that representations received after the deadline will not be considered by the Commission. Candidates can use the link given below for the UPSC QPRep Portal (Online Question Paper & Provisional Answer Key Representation).

Direct Link for UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 Representation Portal

Steps to Raise Objections Against UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026

If candidates find any error(s) in the UPSC CMS 2026 question paper or provisional answer key, they must raise challenge(s). To raise objections against the provisional answer key of the UPSC CMS exam 2026, candidates can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the official website of UPSC at https://www.upsconline.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the “Login” option available on the homepage.

Step 3: Enter your registered login credentials, which include URN and Password, or any login method made available by UPSC.

Step 4: Then navigate to the “Examination” tab on the homepage.

Step 5: Select “Representations on Question Paper & Provisional Answer Keys” from the given options.

Step 6: Choose “Combined Medical Services Examination 2026”.

Step 7: Select the question ID for which you wish to submit a representation.

Step 8: Now, provide reasons for your objection and upload supporting documents.

Step 9: Carefully review your representation and then submit it.

UPSC CMS Result 2026

The Commission will declare the UPSC CMS result 2026 for the written exam held on August 2, 2026, after evaluating the candidates’ responses and reviewing the representations received against the provisional answer key and question paper. Candidates who qualify the 500-mark written exam will be shortlisted for the 100-mark Personality Test.

Looking through the recent CMS recruitment cycles, UPSC generally announces the CMS written result about 45 to 50 days after the exam. Based on this, candidates can expect the UPSC CMS 2026 written result to be announced in the third or fourth week of September 2026. However, the Commission will notify the exact result date in due course.

Check UPSC CMS Cut Off 2026

UPSC CMS Answer Key 2026 FAQs