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Civil Services Examination (UPSC)

Everything about India's most prestigious examination — structure, syllabus, and strategy.

About UPSC CSE

Civil Services Examination Kya Hai?

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination India ki sabse prestigious competitive exam hai. Through this examination, candidates are selected for the IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), and over 20 other All India and Central Services.

UPSC CSE is a three-stage examination conducted over the course of a year. Each stage tests different competencies, making a comprehensive long-term preparation strategy essential.

Exam Structure

Stage 1: Prelims (Objective)
  • →GS Paper I – 100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours
  • →CSAT Paper II – 80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours (Qualifying)
  • →Qualifying cutoff for CSAT: 33% (66 marks)
  • →Negative marking: 1/3 marks deducted per wrong answer
  • →Result: Merit list based on GS Paper I only
Stage 2: Mains (Descriptive)
  • →9 papers total (2 qualifying + 7 merit)
  • →Essay Paper – 250 marks
  • →GS Paper I, II, III, IV – 250 marks each
  • →Optional Subject – 2 papers × 250 marks
  • →Qualifying papers: English + Indian Language (300 marks each)
  • →Total merit marks: 1750
Stage 3: Interview / Personality Test
  • →275 marks
  • →DAF (Detailed Application Form) based discussion
  • →Tests personality, character, and fitness for civil service
  • →Conducted by UPSC Board in New Delhi
  • →Final Merit = Mains (1750) + Interview (275) = 2025 marks

Quick Facts

Conducting Body UPSC (Union Public Service Commission)
Frequency Once a year
Application February-March (approx.)
Prelims May-June
Mains September
Interview February-March (next year)
Age Limit 21-32 years (General)
Attempts 6 (General) | 9 (OBC) | Unlimited (SC/ST)
Vacancies ~1000 per year (approx.)
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