1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
2. Mains Examination (Mains)
3. Interview (Personality Test)

Below is a detailed breakdown of the syllabus and exam pattern for each stage:

1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims)

The Preliminary Examination is the first stage of the UPSC exam and is conducted to shortlist candidates for the Mains. It consists of two papers:

Paper I: General Studies (GS)

• Duration: 2 hours
• Total Marks: 200 marks
• Type: Objective type (Multiple Choice Questions)
• Subjects Covered:
  
  • Current Affairs (National and International)
  • Indian History and Culture
  • Geography (India and World)
  • Indian Politics
  • Economic and Social Development
  • Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change
  • General Science
  • Science and Technology
  • Economic and Social Development (Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, etc.)
  • Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations

Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

• Duration: 2 hours

• Total Marks: 200 marks

• Type: Objective type (Multiple Choice Questions)

• Subjects Covered:

  • Comprehension
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Decision Making and Problem Solving
  • Basic Numeracy (number systems, decimals, fractions, percentages)
  • Data Interpretation
  • English Language Skills
  • Interpersonal skills including communication skills

• Note: Candidates need to score at least 33% in Paper II (CSAT) to qualify for the Prelims. The marks scored in Paper II are not considered for the ranking, only Paper I is counted for the cutoff.

2. Mains Examination (Mains)

The Mains Examination is the second stage of the UPSC exam, which tests the candidates’ in-depth knowledge and understanding of various subjects.

General Pattern of Mains Exam:

• Number of Papers: 9 Papers
• Mode: Written Exam (Except for the Interview)
• Type: Descriptive type
• Duration: 5-7 days, depending on the number of papers

List of Papers in the Mains Exam:

1. Paper A: Indian Language Paper (Qualifying)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 300 marks
   • This paper is meant to test the candidate’s ability to read and write in one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (such as Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, etc.).
   • Note: This paper is qualifying in nature. Candidates must score at least 25% in this paper for it to be considered.

2. Paper B: English Paper (Qualifying)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 300 marks
   • This paper assesses the candidate’s proficiency in the English language.
   • Note: Like Paper A, this is also a qualifying paper. A minimum of 25% must be scored for it to be considered.

3. Paper I: Essay

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Candidates are required to write an essay on a given topic. The essay should reflect the depth of understanding and ability to present ideas coherently.

4. Paper II: General Studies – I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics:
     
     • Indian Heritage and Culture
     • History of India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
     • Geography (Physical, Economic, and Human Geography)
     • Society and Social Issues in India

5. Paper III: General Studies – II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics:
     
     • Indian Constitution
     • Polity and Governance
     • Welfare Schemes and Social Justice
     • International Relations (India and World Affairs)

6. Paper IV: General Studies – III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-Diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics:
     
     • Science and Technology
     • Economic Development
     • Biodiversity and Environment
     • Security Issues
     • Disaster Management

7. Paper V: General Studies – IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude)

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics:
     
     • Ethics and Human Interface
     • Attitude, Aptitude, and Emotional Intelligence
     • Integrity, Transparency, and Accountability
     • Contributions of Moral Thinkers
     • Ethical Dilemmas in Public Administration

8. Paper VI: Optional Subject Paper I

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics: You can choose one of the optional subjects from a list provided by UPSC, such as Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, etc.

9. Paper VII: Optional Subject Paper II

   • Duration: 3 hours
   • Total Marks: 250 marks
   • Topics: Same as Paper VI, it is the second paper of the chosen optional subject.

• Total Marks for Mains Exam: 1750 marks (for written part)
• Note: The marks obtained in the qualifying papers (A and B) are not counted towards the final ranking.

3. Personality Test (Interview)

The Interview is the final stage of the UPSC exam, conducted for candidates who qualify the Mains exam.

• Total Marks: 275 marks
• Duration: Typically lasts for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Nature: The Interview assesses the candidate’s personality traits, leadership qualities, clarity of thought, communication skills, and the overall suitability for a career in civil services.

Final Selection: The final ranking is based on the total marks obtained in the Mains exam (1750 marks) + Personality Test (275 marks). The total marks for the final selection are 2025 marks.

Optional Subjects

Candidates can choose one optional subject for the Mains Exam, which is divided into two papers (Paper VI and Paper VII). Some popular subjects are:

• Anthropology
• Geography
• Sociology
• Political Science & International Relations
• Public Administration
• History
• Economics
• Law
• Philosophy

UPSC Exam Key Notes:

• Negative Marking: In the Prelims, there is a negative marking of 1/3rd for every incorrect answer.
• Language: The Mains exam can be taken in any of the Indian languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution or in English.
• Cut-off: UPSC releases the cut-off marks after each stage. Candidates must meet the cut-off in both Prelims and Mains to proceed to the next stage.
• Papers in Mains: Except for the Essay paper and Optional Subject Papers, all General Studies papers are mandatory.
• No. of Attempts: The number of attempts is limited for general category candidates (6 attempts), while other categories have a higher number of attempts.