The Government of India is the largest employer of the country and offers various positions of responsibility to help carry out its functions. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India’s primary government agency responsible for recruiting the best of the country’s resources for such integral appointments through the All India Civil Services Examination.
The ultimate test for intellect and character
Subject options available for UPSC
UPSC PRELIMS
The topics that will be covered in both the papers are listed below.
Paper I – (200 marks) Duration: Two hours
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
- Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – subject specialization not required.
- General Science
Paper II – (200 marks) Duration: Two hours – this is a qualifying paper; candidates should score minimum 33% to qualify
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. – Class X level)
UPSC MAINS
| Paper | Title of the Paper | Marks Allotted |
| Paper 1 | Essay writing | 250 Marks |
| Paper 2 | General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 3 | General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 4 | General Studies –III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 5 | General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 6 | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
| Paper 7 | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 Marks |
| – | Sub Total in the written Test | 1750 Marks |
| Personal Interview | 275 Marks | |
| Grand Total ( for merit calculation) | 2025 Marks |
Career Opportunities in the India Civil Services
A high rank in the Civil Services Examination along with the requisite calibre and determination will open doors for excellence in the following fields for you as an Indian Civil Servant:
1
All India Services
2
Central Services (Group A)
3
Group B Services
1 All India Services
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
2 Central Services (Group A)
- Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
- Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS)
- Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
- Indian Forest Service (IFoS)
- Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS)
- Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)
- Indian Information Service (IIS)
- Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)
- Indian Postal Service (IPoS)
- Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service (IP&TAFS)
- Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)
- Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
- Indian Railway Protection Force Service (IRPFS)
- Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
- Indian Revenue Service (IRS-IT)
- Indian Revenue Service (IRS-C&CE)
- Indian Trade Service (ITrS)
3 Group B Services
- Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHCS)
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services (DANICS)
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Services (DANIPS)
- Pondicherry Civil Service (PCS)
- Pondicherry Police Service (PPS)
Qualifications
All candidates must have a minimum of one of the following educational qualifications
✍ A degree from a Central, State or a Deemed University
✍ A degree received through correspondence and distance education
✍ A degree from an open university
✍ A qualification recognised by the Government of India as being equivalent to one of the above
Qualifications
The number of times a candidate can appear for the exam are
✍ General Category Candidates – 6 attempts till 32 years of age
✍ OBC Category Candidates – 9 attempts till 35 years of age
✍ SC/ST candidates – unlimited attempts till 37 years of age