The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) annually to select candidates for elite services like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and others.
The exam, known for its rigor, evaluates candidates’ knowledge, analytical abilities, and aptitude through three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview).
Selection Process
The UPSC CSE selection process consists of three stages:
| Stage | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Examination | Screening stage | Objective-type |
| Main Examination | Merit-based stage | Descriptive |
| Personality Test (Interview) | Final evaluation of personality and suitability | Interview |
Preliminary Examination
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Screening test to shortlist candidates for Main Examination |
| Structure | Two compulsory objective-type papers, each 200 marks, 2 hours |
| General Studies Paper-I | Merit-based |
| General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) | Qualifying, 33% minimum |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd marks deducted for incorrect answers |
| Mode | Offline, multiple-choice questions |
General Studies Paper-I Syllabus
| Topic | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Current Events of National and International Importance | Political developments, economic trends, government schemes, international summits, conflicts, awards, sports events |
| History of India and Indian National Movement | Ancient India (Harappan civilization, Vedic age, Mauryan/Gupta empires), Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, regional kingdoms), Modern India (British rule, freedom struggle, key movements, leaders) |
| Indian and World Geography | Physical: Landforms, climate, vegetation, soils; Social: Population, urbanization, migration; Economic: Agriculture, industry, trade; World: Continents, oceans, geopolitical issues |
| Indian Polity and Governance | Constitution (preamble, fundamental rights, DPSP, amendments), Political System (executive, legislature, judiciary), Panchayati Raj, Public Policy (reforms, schemes), Rights Issues (human rights, RTI, women’s issues) |
| Economic and Social Development | Economic growth, poverty alleviation, sustainable development, inclusion (SC/ST, minorities), demographics, social sector initiatives (health, education, welfare schemes) |
| Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change | Ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, environmental degradation, climate change policies, international agreements (Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol) |
| General Science | Physics, Chemistry, Biology (basic concepts, Class X level), recent advancements (biotechnology, space technology, IT) |
General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) Syllabus
| Topic | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Comprehension | Reading passages, identifying main ideas, inferences, conclusions (English and Hindi) |
| Interpersonal Skills | Communication skills, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution |
| Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability | Analogies, syllogisms, coding-decoding, blood relations, data sufficiency, critical reasoning |
| Decision Making and Problem Solving | Ethical dilemmas, situational questions, logical decision-making |
| General Mental Ability | Sequences, series, puzzles, logical connectives, venn diagrams |
| Basic Numeracy | Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, profit-loss, time-speed-distance), algebra, geometry, data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables), Class X level |
| English Language Comprehension | Vocabulary, grammar, sentence correction, passage comprehension (Class X level) |
Main Examination
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Assess in-depth knowledge, analytical skills, writing ability |
| Structure | Nine descriptive papers, total 1750 marks |
| Qualifying Papers | Two papers, 300 marks each, not counted for ranking |
| Merit-Based Papers | Seven papers, 250 marks each |
| Mode | Written, subjective answers |
| Duration | 3 hours per paper |
Qualifying Papers
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Subtopics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-A | Indian Language (Choose one from Eighth Schedule: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu) | 300 | Comprehension, precis writing, translation (English to language and vice versa), grammar, vocabulary, short essay |
| Paper-B | English | 300 | Comprehension, precis writing, grammar, sentence correction, vocabulary, short essay |
Note:
- Minimum 25% marks required in each qualifying paper.
- Candidates can select any Indian language from the Eighth Schedule for Paper-A (except those from certain states like Sikkim, where English may suffice).
Merit-Based Papers
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Subtopics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | Essay | 250 | Write two essays from given topics (social issues, governance, economy, environment, philosophy, culture); emphasis on coherence, structure, originality |
| Paper-II | General Studies-I (Indian Heritage, Culture, History, Geography) | 250 | Indian Culture: Art forms, literature, architecture (ancient to modern); History: Modern India (1857-1947), freedom struggle, post-independence consolidation; World History: Industrial Revolution, World Wars, colonization, decolonization; Society: Diversity, women, urbanization, globalization; Geography: Physical (landforms, climate), resources, natural phenomena (earthquakes, tsunamis) |
| Paper-III | General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations) | 250 | Polity: Constitution, federalism, separation of powers, judiciary; Governance: Transparency, accountability, e-governance, citizen charters; Social Justice: Vulnerable sections, welfare schemes, health, education; International Relations: India’s relations with neighbors, global powers, international organizations (UN, WTO), diaspora |
| Paper-IV | General Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, Disaster Management) | 250 | Economy: Growth, planning, liberalization, agriculture, infrastructure; Technology: IT, space, nanotechnology, AI, biotechnology; Environment: Conservation, pollution, climate change; Security: Internal security, cyber threats, terrorism; Disaster Management: Natural disasters, mitigation strategies |
| Paper-V | General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude) | 250 | Ethics: Moral philosophy, human values; Integrity: Public service ethics, transparency, accountability; Aptitude: Emotional intelligence, case studies on ethical dilemmas, leadership, decision-making |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject Paper-I | 250 | Subject-specific (e.g., History, Geography, Sociology, Public Administration, etc.) |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject Paper-II | 250 | Continuation of optional subject |
Optional Subjects (Choose one):
| Agriculture | Civil Engineering | Management |
| Animal Husbandry & Vet Science | Commerce & Accountancy | Mathematics |
| Anthropology | Economics | Mechanical Engineering |
| Botany | Electrical Engineering | Medical Science |
| Chemistry | Geography | Philosophy |
| Geology | Physics | History |
| Law | Pol Science & IR | Psychology |
| Public Administration | Sociology | Statistics |
| Zoology | Literature* |
*Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English
Personality Test (Interview)
- Marks: 275
- Purpose: Evaluate personality, leadership, communication skills, and suitability for civil services.
- Duration: 20-30 minutes, conversational format.
- Purpose: Assess suitability for civil services through personality, communication, and decision-making skills.
- Details:
- Conducted by a UPSC board at their office in New Delhi.
- Based on the candidate’s Detailed Application Form (DAF), covering educational background, work experience, hobbies, and interests.
- Tests mental alertness, critical thinking, moral integrity, and awareness of current affairs.
- Questions may cover national/international issues, situational scenarios, and personal aspirations.
- No fixed syllabus; preparation involves staying updated on current events and self-awareness.
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Note: The interview is conversational, aiming to assess a candidate’s overall personality and suitability for a career in public service.
Final Merit and Service Allocation
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Marks | Mains (1750) + Interview (275) = 2025 |
| Merit List | Based on total marks, category-wise (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS) |
| Service Allocation | Based on rank, service preferences, vacancies (e.g., IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS) |
| Training | At LBSNAA (Mussoorie) or other academies, depending on service |
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