Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination
The UPSC Civil Services Examination is India's most prestigious competitive exam, conducted annually to recruit officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and over 20 other All India and Central services. The exam has three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview, testing candidates on general studies, aptitude, and domain expertise.
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Limit | 21-32 years (General). OBC: 35 years, SC/ST: 37 years. PwBD General: 42 years. |
| Attempts | General: 6 attempts. OBC: 9 attempts. SC/ST/PwBD: Unlimited (within age). |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree from a recognized university (or appearing in final year). |
| Nationality | Indian citizen for IAS/IPS. For other services, citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees (settled before 1962) may apply. |
Screening test. Only Paper I marks count for Mains cutoff. Negative marking: -0.66 per wrong answer (1/3rd of allotted marks).
Descriptive exam. Language papers are qualifying only. Total merit marks: 1750.
Conducted by UPSC board. Tests mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clarity of expression, balance of judgement, depth of interest, leadership, and moral integrity.
Ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history. Freedom movement, post-independence consolidation. Art forms, literature, and architecture.
Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues, Parliament, judiciary, and federal structure.
Planning, growth, development, poverty, inclusion, budgeting, fiscal policy, banking, and external sector.
Physical, human, and economic geography of India and the world. Climate, natural resources, industries, and transport.
Developments in S&T, space, IT, biotechnology, IPR, nuclear policy, and their applications in daily life.
Biodiversity, environmental pollution, climate change, environmental impact assessment, and sustainable development.
India and its neighbourhood, bilateral and multilateral relations, international organizations, and agreements affecting India.
Attitude, aptitude, emotional intelligence, contributions of moral thinkers, public service values, and case studies in governance.
Simulate the real UPSC CSE exam experience with timed questions, question palette, and detailed analysis.
Dates marked as Tentative are based on previous year patterns and subject to official notification. Always verify with the official UPSC CSE website.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination recruits for 24+ services including IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), IRS (Indian Revenue Service), and IRAS, IRTS, and others. IAS officers serve as District Collectors/Magistrates, Divisional Commissioners, and Secretaries to the Government. The exam is conducted once a year in three stages.
General category: 6 attempts. OBC: 9 attempts. SC/ST: Unlimited attempts until the upper age limit (37 years). Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD): Unlimited for SC/ST, 9 for others until age 42. An attempt is counted if you appear for even one paper of the Prelims exam.
CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) is Paper II of the Prelims. It tests comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy, and data interpretation. It is qualifying in nature — you need to score 33% (66 out of 200) to qualify. CSAT marks do NOT count towards the Prelims cutoff.
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