This is the photo of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is a competitive exam in India that recruits candidates for various government positions, including engineering services, civil services, medical services, and more. The civil services exam is the most prestigious and popular test conducted by the UPSC. It consists of three stages: Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Personal Interview. Here you will get UPSC Exam Syllabus, UPSC Exam Overview, UPSC Cadres, Eligibility Criteria, and all about the UPSC exam.

The exam is notoriously difficult and requires dedication and commitment to crack. The exam covers a wide range of subjects, including current affairs, history, economics, and political science, among others. Candidates must have strong analytical and decision-making skills, a good understanding of the subjects covered, and a good grasp of current affairs.

UPSC Exam Overview

The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam is a competitive exam conducted in India by the UPSC to recruit candidates for various positions in the government, including civil services, engineering services, medical services, and many more.

The civil services exam is the most popular and prestigious exam conducted by the UPSC. It is conducted in three stages - Preliminary Exam, Main Exam, and Personal Interview. The exam is considered one of the toughest exams in the world, and it requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and commitment to crack it.

The Preliminary Exam consists of two objective type papers, General Studies I and General Studies II (CSAT), each carrying 200 marks. The Main Exam comprises nine papers, including two language papers, four general studies papers, and two optional papers, which are chosen by the candidate. The Main Exam is a written test and carries a total of 1750 marks. Candidates who qualify the Main Exam are called for the Personal Interview, which carries 275 marks.

The exam tests a candidate's knowledge, aptitude, and decision-making skills. It covers a wide range of subjects, including current affairs, history, geography, economics, political science, and many more. Candidates who qualify the exam are appointed to various positions in the government, such as Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and many more.

Preparing for the UPSC exam requires discipline, perseverance, and dedication. Candidates need to be well-versed in current affairs and have a good understanding of the basics of the subjects covered in the exam. They also need to have strong analytical and decision-making skills.

What Is Civil Services Exam?

Civil Services Exam is a competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit officers for various services like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central services. The exam consists of three stages - Preliminary, Main, and Interview.

The Preliminary exam is a multiple-choice question-based test that evaluates the candidate's general knowledge and aptitude. The Main exam is a descriptive test that tests the candidate's analytical and writing skills. It consists of nine papers including four General Studies papers, two Optional papers, one Essay paper, and two language papers.

Candidates who clear the Main exam are called for an Interview. The Interview tests the candidate's personality, communication skills, and overall suitability for the Civil Services.

The Civil Services Exam is considered one of the toughest exams in India, and only a small percentage of candidates are selected for the services. It requires rigorous preparation, hard work, and dedication to crack the exam.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria For UPSC Exam?

Nationality:

To be eligible for the UPSC exam, the candidate must be either:

A citizen of India, or
A subject of Nepal, or
A subject of Bhutan, or
A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of settling in India permanently, or
A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of settling in India permanently.

Age Limit:

The minimum age limit for the UPSC exam is 21 years, and the maximum age limit varies according to the category of the candidate. The age limit criteria are as follows:

General category candidates: The maximum age limit is 32 years.
OBC (Other Backward Class) category candidates: The maximum age limit is 35 years.
SC/ST (Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe) category candidates: The maximum age limit is 37 years.
PWD (Persons with Disabilities) category candidates: The maximum age limit is 42 years.

Educational Qualification:

The candidate should have completed a graduation degree from a recognized university. There is no specific requirement for the stream of graduation. The candidate can have a degree in any field, including science, commerce, or arts.

Number of Attempts:

The number of attempts for the UPSC exam is also limited according to the category of the candidate. The number of attempts criteria are as follows:

General category candidates: The maximum number of attempts is six.
OBC category candidates: The maximum number of attempts is nine.
SC/ST category candidates: There is no limit on the number of attempts until the age limit.

Physical Standards:

The candidate should be physically fit according to the guidelines set by the UPSC. The physical standards include height, weight, chest measurements, and eyesight. The candidate should also not have any physical deformity or disability that could interfere with the performance of their duties.

The Cadres Of UPSC

Indian Administrative Service (IAS): The IAS is the premier civil service of India and is responsible for the administration and management of various government policies and programs. IAS officers are posted in various administrative roles in different states and at the central level.

Indian Police Service (IPS): The IPS is responsible for maintaining law and order in the country. IPS officers are posted in various law enforcement agencies, including the state police forces, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Indian Foreign Service (IFS): The IFS is responsible for handling India's foreign relations with other countries. IFS officers are posted in Indian missions abroad and at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Indian Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS is responsible for collecting and managing taxes and customs duties. IRS officers are posted in various departments, including the Income Tax Department, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, and the Customs Department.

Indian Forest Service (IFS): The IFS is responsible for managing and protecting India's forests and wildlife. IFS officers are posted in various departments, including the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and the state forest departments.

Indian Railway Service (IRS): The IRS is responsible for managing the Indian Railways, one of the largest railway networks in the world. IRS officers are posted in various departments, including the Railway Board, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Indian Trade Service (ITS): The ITS is responsible for promoting India's exports and managing trade policies. ITS officers are posted in various departments, including the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Indian Postal Service (IPS): The IPS is responsible for managing India's postal services. IPS officers are posted in various departments, including the Department of Posts, the Postal Services Board, and the Postal Training Centres.

Indian Information Service (IIS): The IIS is responsible for managing India's media and public relations. IIS officers are posted in various departments, including the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), and the Film Division.

Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS): The IDAS is responsible for managing the financial accounts of India's defence forces. IDAS officers are posted in various departments, including the Defence Accounts Department, the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), and the Defence Pension Disbursement Office.

What Is The Exam Syllabus Of UPSC?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination to recruit candidates for various prestigious posts in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other related services. The exam is conducted in three stages - Preliminary, Main, and Interview.

The syllabus for the UPSC Civil Services Exam is vast and covers a wide range of subjects. Here is a brief overview of the syllabus for each stage of the examination:

Preliminary Exam Syllabus:

The preliminary exam has two papers:

Paper I: General Studies

Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

Paper I covers the following topics:

Current events of national and international importance
History of India and Indian National Movement
Indian and World Geography
Indian Polity and Governance
Economic and Social Development
Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change
General Science

Paper II (CSAT) covers the following topics:

Comprehension
Interpersonal skills including communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision-making and problem-solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) and Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.)

Main Exam Syllabus:

The main exam consists of nine papers:

Paper-A: Indian Language (Qualifying)
Paper-B: English (Qualifying)
Paper-I: Essay
Paper-II: General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
Paper-III: General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)
Paper-IV: General Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
Paper-V: General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude)
Paper-VI: Optional Subject Paper 1
Paper-VII: Optional Subject Paper 2

The optional subject papers are selected by the candidates from a list of subjects provided by the UPSC.

Interview:

The interview is the final stage of the selection process and is conducted to assess the candidate's overall personality, suitability for the job, and general knowledge.

Note that the syllabus for the UPSC exam is subject to change from year to year, and candidates are advised to refer to the official UPSC website for the latest updates.

Marking System Of UPSC Exam

The marking system of UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam consists of three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview.

Preliminary Exam:

The preliminary exam consists of two papers, both of which are of objective type (MCQs) and carry 200 marks each. The exam is conducted in offline mode and each paper is of 2 hours duration. The marking scheme of the preliminary exam is as follows:

For every correct answer, candidates are awarded 2 marks.
For every incorrect answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as negative marking. For example, if a question carries 2 marks, then 0.67 marks will be deducted for an incorrect answer.
If a candidate marks more than one option for a question, it will be considered as an incorrect answer and negative marking will be applied.

Mains Exam:

The mains exam consists of nine papers, out of which two papers are of qualifying nature (English and Indian Language) and the rest are evaluated for merit. The total marks allotted for the mains exam is 1750. The marking scheme of the mains exam is as follows:

Each paper carries a total of 250 marks.
The essays and comprehension questions in the English and Indian Language papers are evaluated for 100 marks each.
For the other papers, candidates are given different word limits for each question and are expected to write in a prescribed format. The marks are assigned based on the content, coherence, and clarity of the answers.

Interview:

The interview or personality test carries 275 marks. Candidates are evaluated on their communication skills, problem-solving ability, leadership qualities, and other aspects of their personality. The interview is conducted by a panel of experts who have experience in various fields.

After the final selection, the total marks obtained in the mains exam and the interview are added to calculate the candidate's final score. The cut-off marks for each category are decided by the UPSC based on the number of vacancies and the number of candidates appearing for the exam.

FAQ

Q. What is UPSC Exam?

A. UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam is a national-level competitive exam conducted by the Government of India for the recruitment of officers in various departments of the government.

Q. What are the different stages of the UPSC Exam?

A. The UPSC Exam comprises three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.

Q. What is the eligibility criteria for UPSC Exam?

A. The eligibility criteria for UPSC Exam include graduation in any discipline from a recognized university and age limit of 21 to 32 years (relaxation is provided for reserved categories).

Q. How many attempts are allowed for UPSC Exam?

A. The number of attempts for the UPSC Exam varies with the category. General category candidates can attempt the exam 6 times, while OBC and SC/ST candidates can attempt it 9 and unlimited times, respectively.

Q. What is the syllabus of UPSC Exam?

A. The UPSC Exam syllabus includes topics related to General Studies, Optional Subjects, and Essay Writing. The detailed syllabus is given above.

Q. What is the exam pattern of UPSC Exam?

A. The UPSC Exam comprises two objective-type papers of 200 marks each in the Prelims stage, nine subjective papers of 1750 marks in the Mains stage, and an Interview round of 275 marks.

Q. How to prepare for UPSC Exam?

A. UPSC Exam requires a thorough understanding of the syllabus, regular study, and practice of previous year question papers. Coaching, self-study, and mock tests can also be helpful.

Q. What is the role of Optional Subject in UPSC Exam?

A. The Optional Subject in UPSC Exam is a subject chosen by the candidate from a list of 25 subjects, which carries a weightage of 500 marks in the Mains stage.

Q. What is the cut-off for UPSC Exam?

A. The cut-off for UPSC Exam varies every year, depending on the number of vacancies and the difficulty level of the exam. It is decided by the UPSC and is different for different categories.

Q. What are the job opportunities after clearing UPSC Exam?

A. The job opportunities after clearing UPSC Exam include the recruitment for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central government departments.