UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a national-level competitive examination conducted to recruit officers for various civil services of the Government of India.

The examination is conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview).

A candidate writes the UPSC Civil Services Examination and receives a rank based on their performance.

Based on the rank, candidates may become eligible for appointment to various civil services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), and other Group A and Group B services.

Conducted by: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

📌 Quick Facts

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognized university.

Exam Pattern: Three stages – Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview).

Mode: Preliminary and Main Examinations are conducted offline (Pen-and-Paper Test).

Preliminary Examination: 2 objective-type (MCQ) papers.

Main Examination: 9 descriptive (written) papers.

Personality Test: Interview conducted for candidates who qualify the Main Examination.

Frequency: Conducted once every year.

Qualification:

  • Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
  • Final Year Students: Students appearing for the final year of their Bachelor's degree examination can also apply for the Preliminary Examination. However, they must produce proof of passing the degree examination when applying for the Main Examination.

Age Limit:

  • The minimum age for all candidates is 21 years as of August 1 of the examination year.
  • The upper age limit is 32 years for the General category, with relaxations for reserved categories (OBC: 35 years, SC/ST: 37 years).

Minimum Marks:

  • There is no minimum percentage of marks required in the Bachelor's degree.

Attempts:

  • General/EWS Category: 6 attempts.
  • OBC Category: 9 attempts.
  • SC/ST Category: Unlimited attempts up to the maximum age limit of 37 years.
  • Example: If a General category candidate appears for the Preliminary Examination in 2026, it counts as one attempt. The candidate can appear again in future years until all six attempts are used or the upper age limit is reached.

Mode: Offline (Pen-and-Paper Test).

Frequency: Conducted once every year.

Stages: The examination consists of three stages.

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Objective-type Multiple Choice Questions). It consists of two papers: General Studies Paper I and CSAT (Paper II).

Stage 2: Main Examination (Descriptive written papers). It consists of 9 papers in total.

Stage 3: Personality Test (Interview).

Marking Scheme & Selection:

  • Preliminary Examination: Negative marking is applicable. One-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every incorrect answer.
  • Main Examination: Marks are awarded based on the quality of the written answers.
  • Personality Test: Marks are awarded based on the candidate's personality, communication skills, and suitability for public service.

Important:

Candidates must qualify each stage to become eligible for the next stage.

The final selection is based on the marks obtained in the Main Examination and the Personality Test.

Candidates who qualify the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) may be selected for various Group A and Group B Civil Services based on their rank, preferences, category, and medical fitness.

Services may include:

  • All India Services (Recruited through CSE)
    • Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
    • Indian Police Service (IPS)
  • Central Civil Services (Group A)
    • Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
    • Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
    • Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS)
    • Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)
    • Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
    • Indian Postal Service (IPoS)
    • Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS)
    • Indian Trade Service (ITS)
    • Indian Information Service (IIS)
  • Central Civil Services (Group B)
    • Pondicherry Civil Service (PCS)
    • Pondicherry Police Service (PPS)
    • Other Group B Services

Note on Indian Forest Service (IFoS):

The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) is also an All India Service. It uses the same Preliminary Examination as the Civil Services Examination (CSE), but has a separate Main Examination and selection process.

Service allocation is based on the candidate's rank, category, preferences, medical fitness, and the number of vacancies available.

🌐 Official Website

For the latest information regarding the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), including notifications, eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, application, admit card, results, and service allocation, visit the official website below.

Note:

Candidates should regularly visit the official websites for notifications, application forms, exam dates, admit cards, results, and other important updates related to the UPSC Civil Services Examination.