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About UPSC Civil Services Exam

Mastering the UPSC Civil Services Exam: A Simplified Guide to Cracking the Pattern

How To Read This Article

Step 1

Read the page carefully to understand the structure and the process of the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Step 2

Prioritize the exam papers in each phase, focus on the papers which are there in each phase of the exam.

Step 3

Be ready to memorize key points from each phase, including important dates, events, and concepts.

Eligibility Criteria for uPSC civil services exam

The UPSC civil services exam has specific eligibility criteria that candidates must meet to be eligible to apply. These criteria include:

  1. Age Limit: The minimum age limit is 21 years, and the maximum age limit varies based on the category. For General candidates, it is 32 years, for OBC it is 35 years, and for SC/ST it is 37 years.
  2. Educational Qualification: Candidates must have a graduation degree from a recognized university to be eligible.
  3. Nationality: Candidates must be Indian citizens.
  4. Number of Attempts: The number of attempts allowed varies based on the category. General candidates can attempt up to 6 times, while OBC/PwBD candidates can attempt up to 9 times, and SC/ST candidates can attempt an unlimited number of times.

Exam Structure

The UPSC exam consists of three stages which are :

Prelims - MCQ

General Studies - Paper I ( 200 Marks )

Civil Service Aptitude Test ( CSAT ) - Paper II ( 200 Marks )

Mains - Written Exam

Qualifying Paper - Paper A ( 300 Marks )

Qualifying Paper - Paper B ( 300 Marks )

Paper I - Essay ( 250 Marks )

Paper II - General Studies - I ( 250 Marks )

Paper III - General Studies - II ( 250 Marks )

Paper IV - General Studies - III ( 250 Marks )

Paper V - General Studies - IV ( 250 Marks )

Paper VI - Optional Subject - Paper 1 ( 250 Marks )

Paper VII - Optional Subject - Paper 2 ( 250 Marks )

Interview

Personality Test ( 275 Marks )

UPSC Civil Services exam posts

The UPSC civil services exam posts are categorized into two categories: Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’. There are two more sub-categories in this which are called All India Services and Central Services. The services are as mentioned below:

Diagram illustrating the different categories of services under the UPSC Civil Services Exam: All India Services, Group A Services, and Group B Services. ರೇಖಾಚಿತ್ರವನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ- UPSC ನಾಗರಿಕ ಸೇವಾ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ

All India Services :

  1. Indian Administrative Service ( IAS )
  2. Indian Police Service ( IPS )
  3. Indian Forest Service ( IFoS )

Group A Services :

  1. Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
  2. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
  3. Indian Audit and Accounts Service
  4. Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise)
  5. Indian Defence Accounts Service
  6. Indian Revenue Service (I.T.)
  7. Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, Administration)
  8. Indian Postal Service
  9. Indian Civil Accounts Service
  10. Indian Railway Traffic Service
  11. Indian Railway Accounts Service
  12. Indian Railway Personnel Service
  13. Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force
  14. Indian Defence Estates Service
  15. Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)
  16. Indian Trade Service
  17. Indian Corporate Law Service
  18. Indian Revenue Service (CBEC)

Group B Services :

  1. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
  2. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service
  3. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service
  4. Pondicherry Civil Service
  5. Pondicherry Police Service

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the most common queries. Click on the “Read More” if mentioned.

How many times upsc civil services exam is conducted in a year?

Ans: The UPSC exam is administered once a year, typically in June. The first phase of the exam which is the preliminary stage is conducted first followed by Mains and Interview

How many attempts for UPSC civil services exam?

Ans: The number of attempts for UPSC civil services exam varies depending on the category which the candidate has opted for. For detailed answers click read more.

How to apply for the UPSC civil services exam?

Ans: The Union Public Service Commission will release the IAS notification. The candidates will be required to apply online for the UPSC civil services exam because no other application format is available. 

How to clear UPSC civil services exam?

Ans: The very first step is the understand the exam. After that prepare for the exam from the right sources and materials. Reading is important but so is giving the mock exams. 

How to clear UPSC in the first attempt?

Ans: Clearing the UPSC Exam in one go is tough, but many have done it. You can too with determination, focus, and a smart approach. The ones who have done it are …

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