UPSC Exam 2025: Eligibility, Exam Pattern and Detailed Syllabus

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the Civil Services Examination (CSE), a national-level test in India. This exam is essential for entering prestigious roles like the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service. It also helps fill positions in other central services groups A & B (gazetted).

UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for IAS and IPS, one must be an Indian citizen. For other services, candidates can be Indian citizens or nationals of specific countries, as mentioned in the official notification.
A candidate must hold a graduate degree from any of the universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India.
A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years.
The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable for eligible reserved categories as per the official notification.

UPSC CSE Structure

Stages	Type of exam	Mode of exam	Duration
*Preliminary Exam*	Objective type (MCQ-based)	Pen & paper (2 papers)	2 hours for each paper
Main Exam	Descriptive types (Essay based)	Pen & paper (9 papers)	3 hours for each paper
Personality Test/ Interview	Interview by a board of interviewers		30 minutes

UPSC CSE Syllabus & Marking Pattern

Preliminary Exam

GS Paper- I			GS Paper- II (CSAT)
Syllabus	Number of questions	Marks	Syllabus	Number of questions	Marks
Current events of national and international importance, History of India & Indian National Movement, Geography of India and the World, Indian Polity & Governance Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Economic & Social Development, etc.	100 questions (2 marks for every correct answer; 0.33 marks deduction for every wrong answer)	200	Comprehension, Interpersonal skills, Logical reasoning & analytical ability. Decision-making and problem-solving, General mental ability, Basic numeracy (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.) (Class X level).	80 questions (2.5 marks for every correct answer; 0.33 marks deduction for every wrong answer)	200
The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

To effectively prepare for the UPSC CSAT section, you can click here to discover a wide range of courses, including verbal, numeric, logical, and analytical skills.

UPSC Main Exam

Paper *Paper- A (Qualifying): Indian Language*	Syllabus	Marks
Paper *Paper- A (Qualifying): Indian Language*	One of the Indian languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.	300
*Paper- B (Qualifying): English*	Comprehension of given passages, Precis Writing, Usage and Vocabulary, and Short Essays.	300
*Essay (Paper I)*	Candidates might need to write essays on different topics. They should stick to the subject, organize their ideas well, and write clearly. Points will be given for clear and precise writing.	250
General Studies I (Paper II)	Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.	250
General Studies II (Paper III)	Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.	250
*General Studies III (Paper IV)*	Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
General Studies IV (Paper V)	Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.	250
Optional Subject Paper I (Paper VI)	Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List of Optional Subjects given as per the official notification.	250
*Optional Subject Paper II (Paper VII)*		250

Conclusion

The UPSC exam is one of the most competitive and prestigious examinations in India, designed to recruit candidates for various civil services roles. Success in the UPSC exam requires thorough preparation, dedication, and a clear understanding of current affairs, along with a strategic approach to time management and subject coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the stages of the UPSC exam?

The UPSC Civil Services Exam consists of three stages:

Preliminary Exam (objective type)
Main Exam (written, descriptive)
Personality Test (interview)

2. What are the eligibility criteria for the UPSC exam?

Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized university and be between 21 to 32 years old. Age relaxation is available for certain categories.

3. How many attempts are allowed for the UPSC exam?

General category candidates can attempt the exam 6 times, OBC candidates get 9 attempts, while SC/ST candidates have unlimited attempts until the age limit.

4. What are the optional subjects in the UPSC Main Exam?

Candidates can choose from a wide range of subjects like Sociology, Public Administration, Geography, History, etc., for the optional paper in the Main Exam.

5. How long does it take to prepare for the UPSC exam?

On average, dedicated candidates spend about 1 to 2 years preparing for the UPSC exam, depending on their background, study plan, and consistency.

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Kaihrii Thomas

Associate Content Writer

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Updated On: 18 Oct'24, 05:13 PM IST