UPSC : Civil Services Examination Pattern

The Civil Service Exam comprises of three stages

Stage I -   Preliminary Examination
Stage II -  Main Examination
Stage III - Interview

Preliminary Examination: The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers of objective type (multiple-choice questions) carrying a maximum of 450 marks.

The Question Papers (Test Booklets) are set in English & Hindi.

 Paper - I:  General Studies - 150 Marks   
 Paper - II: One of the optional subjects to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects - 300 Marks

List of Optional Subjects CS (Preliminary) - Total 23

• Agriculture
• Animal Husbandry & Vetinary Science
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Commerce
• Economics
• Electrical Engineering
• Geography
• Geology
• Indian History
• Law
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Science
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Public Administration
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Zoology

Main Examination
Scheme - CS (Main)

Paper-I: One of the Indian Languages to be selected by the candidate from the 18 languages included in the VIIIth Schedule to the Constitution (Qualifying Paper) - 300 Marks

Paper-II: English (Qualifying Paper) - 300 Marks

Paper-III: Essay - 200 Marks

Papers IV & V: General Studies (300 Marks for each paper) - 600 Marks

Papers VI, VII, VIII & IX: Any two subjects (each having 2 papers) to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects (300 marks for each paper) - 1200 Marks

Total Marks for Written Examination: 2000 Marks

Interview Test: 300 Marks

Grand Total: 2300 Marks

List of Optional Subjects - CS (Main) - (Total 25)

[See Note below List of Optional Subjects (Literature)]

• Agriculture
• Animal Husbandry & Vetinary Science
• Anthropology
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Commerce & Accountancy
• Economics
• Electrical Engineering
• Geography
• Geology
• Indian History
• Law
• Management
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Science
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science & International Relations
• Psychology
• Public Administration
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Zoology

 Note: List of Optional Subjects (Literature) - CS (Main) - (Total 26)

• Arabic
• Assamese
• Bengali
• Chinese
• English
• French
• German
• Gujarati
• Hindi
• Kannada
• Kashmiri
• Konkani
• Marathi
• Malayalam
• Manipuri
• Nepali
• Oriya
• Pali
• Persian
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Sanskrit
• Sindhi
• Tamil
• Telugu
• Urdu

For Detailed Syllabi please refer to: http://www.upsc.gov.in/

Interview

The final stage of selection is the interview which is conducted in April/May every year. The candidates are interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. They ask questions on matters of general interest. The objective of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social  traits and his interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialised or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.

There is also a medical test, especially rigid for IPS.

***Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion shall be summoned by them for an interview or a Personality Test. However, the papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).

Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and posts.