01
Overview
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is India's most prestigious competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and other Group A and Group B Central Services. The examination consists of Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Personality Test. Every year lakhs of aspirants compete for limited vacancies, making it one of the toughest examinations in the country.
Important: Candidates must carefully check age limit, educational qualification and number of attempts before applying. UPSC CSE is conducted once every year.
02
Selection Process
| Stage | Type | Papers | Marks | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Preliminary Examination | Objective | 2 Papers | 400 | Screening Test |
| 2 Main Examination | Written | 9 Papers | 1750 | Merit |
| 3 Personality Test | Interview | 1 | 275 | Final Merit |
Prelims consists of General Studies Paper-I and CSAT. Only candidates qualifying Prelims are eligible for Mains. Final ranking is based on Mains and Interview marks only.
03
Preparation Roadmap
1
Understand UPSC Syllabus
Read the complete syllabus and previous year question papers before starting preparation.
Week 1
2
Build NCERT Foundation
Study NCERT books from Class 6 to 12 for History, Geography, Polity, Economy and Science.
Month 1-3
3
Current Affairs Preparation
Read newspapers daily and prepare concise notes for revision.
Daily
4
Optional Subject Preparation
Select an optional subject and complete its syllabus thoroughly.
Month 4-8
5
Answer Writing Practice
Practice Mains answer writing, ethics answers and essay writing regularly.
Mains Phase
6
Mock Tests and Revision
Attempt Prelims and Mains mock tests and revise multiple times before the examination.
Final Phase
04
Paper-wise Syllabus
General Studies Paper I (Prelims)
200 marks
History
Indian National Movement
Geography
Indian Polity
Economy
Environment
Science and Technology
Current Affairs
CSAT (Prelims)
200 marks
Comprehension
Logical Reasoning
Analytical Ability
Decision Making
Basic Numeracy
Data Interpretation
General Studies I (Mains)
250 marks
Indian Heritage and Culture
History
World History
Geography
Indian Society
General Studies II (Mains)
250 marks
Polity
Governance
Constitution
Social Justice
International Relations
General Studies III (Mains)
250 marks
Economy
Agriculture
Science and Technology
Environment
Internal Security
Disaster Management
General Studies IV (Mains)
250 marks
Ethics
Integrity
Aptitude
Case Studies
Essay
250 marks
Philosophical Essays
Social Issues
Governance
Economy
Technology
Optional Subject Paper I
250 marks
Subject Specific Topics
Conceptual Understanding
Analytical Writing
Optional Subject Paper II
250 marks
Advanced Concepts
Application Based Questions
Case Studies
Pro Tip: Focus on NCERT books, current affairs, answer writing and revision. Read newspapers daily, prepare concise notes, solve previous year papers and attempt mock tests regularly. Consistency, discipline and revision are the keys to success in UPSC CSE.
05
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
Indian Citizen
Age Limit
21–32 years
Age relaxation applicable as per UPSC rules.
Educational Qualification
Bachelor's Degree from a recognised university
Attempts (General)
6
Attempts (OBC)
9
Attempts (SC/ST)
Unlimited till age limit
Application Fee
₹1700 / SC·ST Free
06
Recommended Books
Indian Polity
Polity
Indian Economy
Economy
Certificate Physical and Human Geography
Geography
A Brief History of Modern India
History
Environment
Environment
India Year Book
Current Affairs
NCERT Books Class 6-12
Foundation
07
Key Dates & Timeline
Last Date to Apply
23 April 2026
Admit Card Released
9 June 2026
Exam Date
03 july 2026