UPSC - Examinations

The following exams are conducted by the UPSC:

(I) Civil Services Examination

The civil service examination is held every year by the UPSC for the recruitment of candidates to the civil services post under the Union. The examination is divided into three parts-preliminary examination and main examination and an interview. While the preliminary examination consists of objective questions, under the main examination a candidate has to answer subjective questions. The age limit is 21-30 years as on 1st of August of the year of Examination.

(II) Indian Forest Service Examination

The examination is similar to the Indian civil services examinations and is conducted by the commission for recruiting officers for the Indian Forest Service. The exam usually takes place in the month of July and is held in two phases. In the first phase, the commission holds a written test comprises of General Knowledge, General English and topic on optional subjects chosen by the candidate. In the second phase, the candidate is asked to appear for a personal interview. For the selection process, the marks scored by candidate in each phase are added. The age limit is 21-30 Years on 1st July of the year of examination.

(III) Engineering Services Examination

The Engineering Services Examination is conducted by commission for recruiting engineers to four categories of engineering-Civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics and tele-communication engineering. The examination is held in two parts-written test and an interview. The age limit is 21-30 years on 1st August of the year of Examination.

(IV) Geologists' Examination

The examination is conducted by the commission for recruitment of Geologists, Hydrogeologists and Assistant Hydrogeologists. The examination is conducted in two parts. In the first part, a written test is held. The second part consists of a personal interview. The age limit is 21-32 years on 1st January of the year of examination.

(V) Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination

The examination is held annually for recruitment of assistant mechanical engineers to the Railways. The exam can be taken by any candidate who has passed 12th with physics and Mathematics subject. The examination comprises of a written examination and a personality test. The age limit is 17-21 years on 1st August of the year of examination.

(VI) National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination

The examination is held twice a year for the recruitment to the three wings of National Defence Academy- Air, Naval and Army. The exam is divided into two parts. The first examination is a written examination and the second is a group test by the services selection board for candidates qualifying in the written examination. The age limit is between 16-1/2 and 19 years.

(VII) Combined Defence Services Examination

The examination is held twice a year by UPSC for recruiting candidates as officers in the Army, Navy and Air force of the country. The examination comprises of written examination and an interview. After the selection, the candidate is sent for orientation training to any one of the following academies -

Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun	19	24 Years
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Goa	19	22 Years
Air Force Academy (AFA), Begumpet, Hyderabad	19	23 Years
Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai	19	25 Years

(VIII) Combined Medical Services Examination

The Medical services examination is conducted by UPSC for recruitment of doctors in the various services like Railways, Ordnance Factories Health Service, Central Health Service and Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The examination consists of three stages- written test, medical test and an interview. A candidate should be below 32 years on 1st January of the year of Examination.

(IX) Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination

The examination is held every year by the commission for the recruitment of Indian Economic service officers in the Planning Commission, Planning Board, Ministry of Economic Affairs, National Sample Survey and other allied offices and departments. The examination is held in two parts. The first part is a written examination which judges a candidate General Knowledge, General English and knowledge of Economics. The second part comprises of a personal interview. The age limit is 21-30 years on 1st January of the year of Examination.

(X) Section Officers/Stenographers (Grade-B/Grade-I) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination

The annual examination conducted by the commission can be taken up by all those who are Central Government Employees, working as Assistant in the Assistant Grade of the Central Secretariat Service.

(XI) Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination

The examination is conducted by UPSC for recruiting Assistant Commandents in Central Police Force of the country like Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Special Services Bureau. The examination consists of three parts- written test, Personal Interview and a Medical test. The age limit is 20-25 years as on 1st August of the year of examination.