UPSC CSE Exam Pattern
Table of Contents
Overview of UPSC CSE Exam Pattern
The UPSC Civil Service Exam Pattern is crucial for understanding one of India’s most prestigious and challenging exams: the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE). This exam consists of three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Interview. Each stage serves a specific purpose in the selection process, assessing candidates’ knowledge, analytical abilities, and personality traits.
Preliminary Stage of the UPSC CSE Pattern
The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination is the first stage in the selection process for various civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). The Prelims is designed to serve as a screening test and consists of two objective-type papers, both conducted on the same day. With over 11 lakh candidates appearing each year, it’s essential to be well-prepared. Here’s an overview of the UPSC CSE Prelims Examination
Structure of the Prelims
- Objective: Tests candidates’ knowledge in a wide range of subjects, including current events, history, geography, polity, economy, environmental ecology, biodiversity, and general science.
- Questions: 100 questions
- Marks: 200 marks
- Duration: 2 hours (generally 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM)
- Negative Marking: 0.66 marks deducted for each incorrect answer
2. General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
- Objective: Tests candidates’ aptitude in comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy, and English language skills.
- Questions: 80 questions
- Marks: 200 marks
- Duration: 2 hours (generally 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM)
- Negative Marking: 0.83 marks deducted for each incorrect answer
- Qualifying Nature: Candidates must secure at least 33% marks in this paper. It is a qualifying paper, meaning its marks are not considered in the final merit ranking for the Mains examination.
UPSC CSE Mains Examination
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination is the second stage of the selection process, following the Preliminary Examination. It is a crucial phase, as it significantly influences the candidate’s ranking and ultimate selection. The Mains examination is descriptive in nature and comprises nine papers, which test the candidate’s academic knowledge and ability to present their ideas coherently.
Structure of the Mains Examination
(i) Paper A: Compulsory Indian Language (Qualifying only)
- Marks: 300
- Duration: 3 hours
- Candidates must choose one of the Indian languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This paper tests the candidate’s language skills, including essay writing, comprehension, translation, and basic grammar.
(ii) Paper B: English (Qualifying only)
- Marks: 300
- Duration: 3 hours
- This paper assesses the candidate’s understanding and use of the English language, including essay writing, comprehension, and precise writing.
Qualifying Nature: Papers A and B are qualifying in nature, requiring at least 25% marks. The marks from these papers are not counted towards the final ranking.
1. Paper I: Essay
- Marks: 250
- Duration: 3 hours
- Candidates are required to write essays on multiple topics. This paper tests their ability to articulate and present arguments coherently.
2. Papers II-V: General Studies (GS)
- Marks: 250 each
- Duration: 3 hours each
The GS papers cover a wide range of subjects:
- GS Paper I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society
- GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
- GS Paper III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management
- GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
3. Papers VI-VII: Optional Subject Papers I & II
- Marks: 250 each
- Duration: 3 hours each
- Candidates must select one optional subject from a list of subjects provided by UPSC. The optional papers assess the candidate’s knowledge in a specific subject area
Interview Stage in the UPSC Civil Service Exam Pattern
The UPSC Civil Services Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the selection process for one of the most prestigious services in India. This stage carries significant weight, with a total of 275 marks. It aims to assess the overall personality of the candidate, including qualities like presence of mind, moral integrity, critical powers of assimilation, and balance of judgment.
UPSC Civil Services Main Examination Papers Overview
| 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 | Qualifying in nature |
| Paper I – Essay | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper II – General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper III – General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper IV – General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper V – General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper VI – Optional Paper I | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Paper VII – Optional Paper II | 3 hours | 250 | Considered for Merit |
| Total | - | 1750 | - |
| Interview/Personality Test | - | 275 | - |
| Grand Total | - | 2025 | - |
Check out other UPSC Civil Services Examination Optional Subjects
| Subject | Link |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Check Syllabus |
| Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science | Check Syllabus |
| Anthropology | Check Syllabus |
| Botany | Check Syllabus |
| Chemistry | Check Syllabus |
| Civil Engineering | Check Syllabus |
| Commerce & Accountancy | Check Syllabus |
| Economics | Check Syllabus |
| Electrical Engineering | Check Syllabus |
| Geography | Check Syllabus |
| Geology | Check Syllabus |
| History | Check Syllabus |
| Law | Check Syllabus |
| Management | Check Syllabus |
| Mathematics | Check Syllabus |
| Mechanical Engineering | Check Syllabus |
| Medical Science | Check Syllabus |
| Philosophy | Check Syllabus |
| Physics | Check Syllabus |
| Political Science & International Relations | Check Syllabus |
| Psychology | Check Syllabus |
| Public Administration | Check Syllabus |
| Sociology | Check Syllabus |
| Statistics | Check Syllabus |
| Zoology | Check Syllabus |
| Assamese (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Bengali (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Bodo (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Dogri (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| English (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Gujarati (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Hindi (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Kannada (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Kashmiri (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Konkani (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Maithili (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Malayalam (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Manipuri (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Marathi (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Nepali (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Odia (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Punjabi (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Sanskrit (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Santhali (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Sindhi (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Tamil (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Telugu (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
| Urdu (Literature) | Check Syllabus |
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