UPSC Civil Services exam is conducted in 3 Stages: 1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims) 2. Mains Examination (Mains) 3. Personality Test (Interview)
Stage I: UPSC Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
- There are two papers in Civil Service Prelims Examination. General Studies Paper 1 that deals with subjects such as; Polity, Social Issues, Economics, History, Environment, Science & Technology etc. General Studies Paper 2 is popularly known as Civil Services Aptitude (CSAT) deals with subjects such as Mental Ability, English Comprehension etc.
- The questions in the Exam are objective types of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).There is ‘Negative Marking’ for each incorrect answer. The negative marking for incorrect answers will be 1/3rd (0.66) of the allotted marks of the question.
- The GS Paper II is of qualifying nature and candidates should score a minimum of 33 per cent in this paper for the next stage of the exam i.e. the Mains.
- Preliminary Examination is mainly a Screening Test and hence its marks are not considered for the final result.
Stage II: Mains Examination (Mains)
- The second stage of the Exam is called the Mains Exam is subjective written test comprises 9 Papers; Paper-A (Compulsory Indian Language) and Paper –B (English) are qualifying papers and 7 other papers; Essay, General Studies Papers I, II, III, and IV, and Optional Papers I and II are taken for the final score. The Mains exam holds for 1750 marks.
|
Sl No
|
Type Paper
|
Paper Name
|
Exam Hours
|
Marks
|
|
1
|
Paper – A
|
Compulsory Indian Language
|
3 Hours
|
300 Marks
|
|
2
|
Paper – B
|
English
|
3 Hours
|
300 Marks
|
|
3
|
Paper – I
|
ESSAY
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
4
|
Paper – II
|
General Studies I
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
5
|
Paper – III
|
General Studies II
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
6
|
Paper – IV
|
General Studies III
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
7
|
Paper – V
|
General Studies IV
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
8
|
Paper – VI
|
Optional Paper I
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
9
|
Paper – VII
|
Optional Paper II
|
3 Hours
|
250 Marks
|
|
|
Grand Total
|
|
2350Marks
|
- The candidates can select their medium of writing the Mains Exam in any Indian language listed in 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
- The candidates who score above the prescribed cut-off marks in the exam (Mains) will get the summons for the Personality Test.
Stage III: UPSC Interview/Personality Test
Candidates who clear the Mains stage of the exam are called for the Personality Test or Interview. It is a face to face interview with the UPSC Board Members to evaluate if the candidates have the necessary general knowledge, aptitude and personality traits for a career in the civil services or not. The final ranking & qualification of the candidates is on the basis of the marks obtained by them in the Main Examination and Personality Test/Interview