CIVIL SERVICES EXAM
Syllabus
Civil Services Prelims Exam
Prelims is the most first stage of the UPSC CSE process. It is a screening test to select the students for the further selection process. The prelims exam comprises two objective-type papers of 200 marks each. Only those who manage to score more than the cut-off declared by the UPSC for that particular year will be summoned for the next level of examination. However, the marks scored in Prelims will not be counted for arriving at the final merit list.
Civil Services Mains Exam
Mains Exam is the second level in the Civil Services Selection Process. Mains exam comprises 9 descriptive type papers: 1 Essay paper, 4 General Studies Papers, 2 Optional Papers (of your choice to be selected from the Civil Services Exam Optional Subjects), 2 language papers (marks scored in language papers will not be included to arrive at the final ranking order – however, candidates need to score at least 25% in each paper in order to qualify).
Learn more about the UPSC CSE Mains stage, from the linked article. The below table highlights a detailed exam pattern for the Mains Exam:
| Civil Services Exam Pattern For Mains | ||
| Papers | Subjects | Marks |
| Paper A | One of the Indian languages (listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India) mentioned below to be selected by the candidate (Qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper B | English (Qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper II | General Studies I (Indian heritage and culture, history and geography of the world and society) | 250 |
| Paper III | General Studies II (Governance, constitution, polity, social justice and international relations) | 250 |
| Paper IV | General Studies III (Technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management) | 250 |
| Paper V | General Studies IV (ethics, integrity and aptitude) | 250 |
| Papers VI, VII | Two papers on subjects to be selected by the candidate from the list of optional subjects below (250 marks for each paper) | 250 |
| Sub Total (Written Test) | 1750 | |
| Personality Test (Interview) | 275 | |
| Total Marks | 2025 | |
UPSC Civil Service Exam Posts
The civil services exam posts are categorized into two categories: Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.
Group ‘A’ services include three All India Services (the IAS, IPS, and the IFS) and 18 other services as indicated in the table below.
| ALL INDIA SERVICES | |
| (i) | Indian Administrative Services (IAS) |
| (ii) | Indian Forest Services (IFoS) |
| (iii) | Indian Police Services (IPS) |
| GROUP ‘A’ SERVICES | |
| (i) | Indian Foreign Service (IFS) |
| (ii) | Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service |
| (iii) | Indian Audit and Accounts Service |
| (iv) | Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) |
| (v) | Indian Defence Accounts Service |
| (vi) | Indian Revenue Service (I.T.) |
| (vii) | Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, Administration) |
| (viii) | Indian Postal Service |
| (ix) | Indian Civil Accounts Service |
| (x) | Indian Railway Traffic Service |
| (xi) | Indian Railway Accounts Service |
| (xii) | Indian Railway Personnel Service |
| (xiii) | Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force |
| (xiv) | Indian Defence Estates Service |
| (xv) | Indian Information Service (Junior Grade) |
| (xvi) | Indian Trade Service |
| (xvii) | Indian Corporate Law Service |
| (xviii) | Indian Revenue Service (CBEC) |
| GROUP ‘B’ SERVICES | |
| (i) | Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade) |
| (ii) | Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service |
| (iii) | Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service |
| (iv) | Pondicherry Civil Service |
| (v) | Pondicherry Police Service |
Examinations