Pattern of UPSC Civil Services Exam
UPSC IAS exam, officially known as the Civil Services Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually. In spite of being regarded as one of the toughest exams in the country, it is the most sought after exam among today’s youth. Right approach & correct planning can make an aspirant get through the IAS exam with flying colours in the very first attempt. To start with, an aspirant must be clear about the UPSC IAS exam pattern. This will help her/him decide his complete strategy for the coming 1 year of preparation.
The IAS examination comprises of two successive stages. Those who make it through all the stages of the UPSC exam enter into the most coveted services of the Country like IAS, IPS, IFS, IFoS, IRS and others.
UPSC IAS Exam Pattern
The two stages of the Civil Services Exam (IAS Exam) are:
Stage I - Civil Services Preliminary Examination
Stage II – Civil Services Main Examination
Civil Services Preliminary Examination
Civil Services Preliminary Examination is conducted to select candidates for the Main Examination. It is objective type in nature and consists of two papers carrying 200 marks each. The marks of the candidates who qualify the Preliminary Exam are not taken into account for determining the Final Merit.
Paper Name | Time Duration | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Nature of Paper |
GS Paper I | 2 hours | 100 | 200 | Marks considered for Preliminary Exam Merit |
GS Paper II (CSAT) | 2 hours | 80 | 200 | Qualifying in nature |
Civil Services Main Examination
Civil Services Main Examination consists of written examination and interview test.
The written examination consists of 9 papers out of which 2 papers are only qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in the remaining 7 papers and the interview test together are considered for making the final merit.
Paper Name | Time Duration | Total Marks | Nature of Paper |
Paper A – Compulsory Indian Language Paper | 3 hours | 300 | Qualifying in nature |
Paper B – English Language Paper | 3 hours | 300 | |
Paper I – Essay | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
Paper II – General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 | |
Paper III – General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 | |
Paper IV – General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | |
Paper V – General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | |
Paper VI – Optional Paper I | 3 hours | 250 | |
Paper VII – Optional Paper II | 3 hours | 250 | |
Total | 1750 | ||
Interview/ Personality Test | 275 | ||
Grand Total | 2025 |
Clearing the UPSC CSE Exam is a mix of ‘dedication, focus, right approach, motivation, knowing what to do, well-thought strategy and proper implementation’. It is important to keep oneself updated about the latest UPSC Exam pattern & Syllabus so as to be on the right track throughout your preparation.
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