UPSC Civil Services Exam (IAS, IPS, IFS)
UPSC Civil Services Exam (IAS, IPS, IFS)
The exam for the IAS, IPS and other Group A and B central services. One exam a year, in three stages.
Who can apply
- A graduate in any subject from a recognised university. Final-year students can apply for the Preliminary exam, but must show proof of the degree when they apply for the Main exam.
- Age: 21 to 32 years for the General category. There are relaxations for OBC, SC, ST and other categories.
- Attempts: 6 for General, 9 for OBC, and no limit for SC and ST until the age limit. Check the notification for other categories.
The three stages
- Preliminary: two objective papers. Paper I (General Studies) decides who goes ahead. Paper II (CSAT) only has to be passed, with 33 percent.
- Main: nine written papers, including an essay, four General Studies papers and two papers in an optional subject. Two language papers only have to be passed.
- Interview (Personality Test): 275 marks. The final rank comes from the Main marks plus the interview.
How to prepare
- Start with the official syllabus on upsc.gov.in and read the last few years of papers.
- Build the base with NCERT books, then add one newspaper and one current-affairs source.
- Practise writing answers from the first month. The Main exam is a writing exam.
- Take mock tests for the Preliminary exam in the last three months.
Official website
This is general guidance and can change each year. The official notification always decides who can apply and how. Never pay anyone to "guarantee" a government job.