UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) — Eligibility ,Syllabus & Exam Pattern
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of India’s most prestigious and competitive examinations. It is conducted annually to recruit officers for the All India Services and Central Civil Services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and many others. The examination is designed not only to assess a candidate’s academic knowledge but also their analytical thinking, decision-making capability, leadership qualities, and ethical integrity. It spans three rigorous stages: Preliminary Examination (objective type), Main Examination (written/descriptive), and the Personality Test (interview). The process tests a candidate’s depth of understanding across diverse subjects such as history, geography, polity, economics, science, environment, ethics, and current affairs. Success in UPSC CSE requires strategic preparation, consistent effort, and a well-rounded personality capable of serving in high-responsibility government positions.
This document contains the fully detailed UPSC CSE syllabus covering Preliminary (Stage 1), Mains (Stage 2) and Personality Test (Stage 3). It is presented for study and reference in a clear structured format.
📌 Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), the candidate must be a citizen of India.
For other services, the candidate must be one of the following:
- A citizen of India
- A citizen of Nepal
- A subject of Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, to permanently settle.
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and certain East African countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Educational Qualification
A candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a government-recognized university or possess an equivalent qualification. There is no minimum percentage requirement for graduation.
Candidates who are in their final year of their degree and are awaiting results can also apply for the preliminary exam. However, they will need to provide proof of passing the degree before the main examination.
Age Limit and Number of Attempts
The age eligibility is calculated as of August 1st of the examination year. The number of times a candidate can take the exam is also limited based on their category.
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age | Age Relaxation | Number of Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 21 | 32 | - | 6 |
| OBC | 21 | 35 | 3 years | 9 |
| SC / ST | 21 | 37 | 5 years | Unlimited (up to age limit) |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) | 21 | 42 | 10 years | 9 for General/EWS/OBC, Unlimited for SC/ST |
| Ex-Servicemen | 21 | 37 | 5 years | 9 |
Appearing for even one paper of the Preliminary Examination is counted as an attempt.
✍️Exam Syllabus & Pattern
This document contains the fully detailed UPSC CSE syllabus covering Preliminary (Stage 1), Mains (Stage 2) and Personality Test (Stage 3). It is presented for study and reference in a clear structured format.
Stage 1 — Preliminary Examination
Format: Two objective-type papers — Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (CSAT, qualifying). Each paper carries 200 marks and lasts 2 hours.
Paper I — General Studies (200 marks)
- Current Events: National & international importance.
- History of India & Indian National Movement: Ancient, medieval, modern history; key events and leaders.
- Indian & World Geography: Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world.
- Indian Polity & Governance: Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues.
- Economic & Social Development: Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives.
- Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change: General ecological issues and climate concerns relevant to governance.
- General Science: Basics of Physics, Chemistry and Biology relevant to daily life and public policy.
Paper II — CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) (200 marks — Qualifying)
- Comprehension: Reading passages and answering questions on meaning and inference.
- Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Communication, teamwork, clarity of expression.
- Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability: Patterns, sequences, logical puzzles.
- Decision-making & Problem-solving: Situational judgement and case-based questions. (Note: some situational questions may not carry negative marking.)
- General Mental Ability: Basic reasoning and analytical aptitude.
- Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation: Class X level numeracy: numbers, ratios, percentages, averages, simple data interpretation from charts/graphs/tables.
Stage 2 — Mains Examination (Written / Descriptive)
Format: Nine papers in total. Two are qualifying and seven are counted for merit. All papers are descriptive.
Qualifying Papers (Not counted for merit)
| Paper | Marks | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Paper A — Compulsory Indian Language | 300 | Essay writing, précis writing, translation (English to Indian language and vice versa), comprehension. |
| Paper B — English | 300 | Essay writing, précis writing, translation (Indian language to English), comprehension. |
Papers Counted for Merit (7 papers)
Paper I — Essay (250 marks)
Write essays on multiple topics of national and international importance. Emphasis on clear exposition, balanced arguments, and analytical insight.
Paper II — General Studies I (250 marks)
- Indian Heritage & Culture: Art forms, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times.
- History: Modern Indian history, Indian freedom struggle: major events, personalities, movements and their legacies.
- World History: Industrial revolution, world wars, colonization and decolonization, major ideological and political trends.
- Geography: Geography of the world and society; key physical features, climate, resources, and spatial distribution of economic activities.
- Indian Society: Structure, diversity, social issues such as poverty, empowerment of women, communalism, regionalism.
Paper III — General Studies II (250 marks)
- Governance: Role of civil services, public policy, transparency, accountability, e-governance.
- Constitution & Polity: Salient features of the Constitution, amendments, basic structure, functions of Parliament and State legislatures.
- Polity: Executive, judiciary, constitutional and statutory bodies, centers of power.
- Social Justice: Welfare schemes, laws and policies for vulnerable groups (SC/ST/OBC/Minorities/Women/Children and other categories).
- International Relations: Bilateral, regional and global groupings, international organizations, India’s foreign policy, global treaties and agreements.
Paper IV — General Studies III (250 marks)
- Technology: Developments in IT, space, nanotechnology, biotech, robotics, and their governance implications.
- Economic Development: Indian economy: planning, resource mobilization, growth, inclusive development, budgeting, fiscal & monetary policies.
- Agriculture & Food Security: Cropping patterns, irrigation, storage, food processing, govt. schemes related to agriculture and rural development.
- Infrastructure & Investment: Transport, energy, urban development, PPP models.
- Biodiversity & Environment: Environmental conservation, biodiversity, pollution control, environmental impact assessment.
- Security & Disaster Management: Internal security challenges, border management, cyber security, disaster preparedness & mitigation.
Paper V — General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude) (250 marks)
- Ethics: Moral philosophy, ethical theories, determinants of ethical behavior, public service ethics.
- Attitude & Emotional Intelligence: Attitude concepts, influence on behavior, emotional awareness and management.
- Aptitude: Aptitude for public service, probity, integrity, objectivity, openness to scrutiny.
- Thinkers & Philosophers: Contributions of major moral thinkers and contemporary ethical perspectives.
- Probity in Governance: Codes of conduct, Citizen’s Charter, Right to Information (RTI), ombudsman mechanisms and anti-corruption frameworks.
- Case Studies: Application of ethical principles in real-life public administration scenarios—analysis and solution-oriented answers.
Papers VI & VII — Optional Subject (250 marks each)
Candidates choose one optional subject from the UPSC list. The optional is usually composed of two papers (Paper VI & Paper VII), each worth 250 marks. Syllabi for optional subjects vary widely and are generally at the honours/degree level.
Common Optional Subjects include:
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce & Accountancy
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science & International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Literature of any one language (including English & regional languages)
Stage 3 — Personality Test (Interview)
| Total Marks | 275 |
|---|---|
| Evaluation Areas |
|
👉 Note
- Use official UPSC notifications for exam dates, eligibility and form-related instructions. For detailed subject-wise chapters/topics for optional subjects, refer to the official UPSC subject syllabus pages or recognized coaching/academic resources that reproduce UPSC-consistent details.