UPSC Prelims 2026 'paper leak' is fake, says PIB Fact Check

Messages claiming that the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 question paper was 'leaked' have circulated widely on social media. The government's PIB Fact Check unit, along with the UPSC, has labelled these claims fake and unsupported by evidence — no official agency has confirmed any leak of the Prelims paper.

This pattern repeats before every major exam: scammers post old papers, mock tests or doctored images as a 'leak', often to sell fake material or harvest payments and personal data. Acting on them risks both money and your candidature — using or sharing leaked material is a punishable offence under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The only reliable sources are upsc.gov.in for the exam itself and pib.gov.in/factcheck for verifying viral claims. If a leak were ever real, the conducting body and mainstream press would report it — not an anonymous channel asking for money. Ignore the noise, protect your attempt, and keep practising. Take a free UPSC Prelims practice set on Kamiyab below.