UPSC Civil Services Examination

Overview

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of India’s most prestigious and competitive entrance exams, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually for recruitment to top administrative services like IAS, IPS, and IFS.

1. UPSC Exam Structure: Three Stages

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Objective)

Paper	Subject	Marks
Paper I	General Studies (GS)	200
Paper II	CSAT (Qualifying, 33%)	200

Stage 2: Main Examination (Descriptive)

Total 9 papers (2 Qualifying + 7 Merit-Ranking). Total Marks: 1750.

• Essay, GS I-IV, Optional Subject Paper I & II.

Stage 3: Personality Test (Interview)

275 Marks. Final Ranking = Mains (1750) + Interview (275) = 2026.

2. Detailed Syllabus (Foundation)

Prelims (GS Paper I)

• History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
• Geography (Physical, Human, Indian)
• Polity (Constitution, Governance)
• Economy (Concepts, Policy)
• Environment & Ecology
• General Science & Technology
• Current Affairs

Mains (General Studies)

• GS I: History, Culture, Geography, Society.
• GS II: Governance, Polity, Social Justice, IR.
• GS III: Tech, Economy, Biodiversity, Security.
• GS IV: Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude.

3. Eligibility Criteria

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree (Final year students eligible).
• Age Limit (General): 21-32 Years (6 attempts).

4. Career Scope: IAS & IPS

Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

Roles: SDM, District Magistrate (Collector), Cabinet Secretary.

Indian Police Service (IPS)

Roles: DSP, SP, Police Commissioner, RAW/IB Chiefs.

5. Preparation Strategy (12-Month Plan)

• Phase 1 (Months 1-3): Foundation Building - NCERTs, Daily Newspaper.
• Phase 2 (Months 4-9): Intensive Coverage - Reference Books, Answer Writing.
• Phase 3 (Months 10-12): Mock Testing - Mocks, Revision.

---