The UPSC Exam pattern was created to assess a candidate’s academic skills as well as his or her ability to present oneself in a methodical and cohesive manner. The purpose of the exam is to evaluate the candidates’ overall intellectual qualities as well as their level of knowledge. The UPSC Civil Services Exam is divided into two parts: prelims and mains, followed by an interview.
The UPSC Exam format is determined by the Union Public Service Commission, which administers the tests. The IAS Exam which is held once a year, has the same paper pattern since 2013. The UPSC Civil Services Exam is considered to be India’s most demanding examination. It earned this reputation in part because to the tough competition and in part due to the vast Syllabus. Aside from that, the UPSC CSE exam structure is complex, and a typical examination cycle lasts more than a year, from preliminary exams to final results publication.
The UPSC Exam Pattern for prelims, mains, and interviews is explained in this article. The UPSC Examination Pattern must be thoroughly understood. It will assist you in better organizing your time, allowing you to study for the UPSC in a more efficient manner. You must have a thorough understanding of the IAS exam format in order to match your preparation to all of the exam criteria. Students who pass all of the rounds are nominated for civil service jobs in India. One must qualify for each round before moving on to the next because it is an elimination round.
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
The UPSC test pattern for the preliminary stage consists of two papers that are given on the same day. Multiple-choice answers are included in the objective-type questions on both exams. The prelims exam is a screening process that determines who will be eligible to take the mains exam. Candidates should keep studying for this exam because cut-offs fluctuate from year to year and are dependent on the average score. While the CSAT is a qualifying exam, your UPSC Mains selection is based on your performance in the General Studies test. It indicates that your General Studies Paper score will be used to determine the Prelims cut-off.
There is also a negative marking for incorrect replies. As a penalty for marking the incorrect response, 1/3 of the marks given for the question would be deducted. There will be no deductions if you don’t attempt the question. When it comes to marking dubious questions, one must only take calculated risks.
| Paper | Type of questions | UPSC Total Marks | Number of questions | Negative marks | Duration of the exam |
| General Studies I | Objective | 200 | 100 | Yes | 2 hours |
| General Studies II (CSAT) | Objective | 200 | 80 | Yes | 2 hours |
Total UPSC marks for Prelims= 400, where GS Paper II is qualifying in nature with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%
To be eligible for the Mains, all applicants must take both the General Studies and the CSAT tests. The Prelims score will not be factored into the final result. Prelims will have bilingual question papers. In both papers, each incorrect answer receives a 1/3 negative mark.
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
The UPSC Mains exam is made up of nine papers that are given over 5-7 days. Only those candidates who got at least the stated cut-off in General Studies I and 33% in General Studies II in the Prelims Exam will be allowed to sit the Mains Exam.
All of the UPSC Mains test papers have descriptive answer-style questions. It’s a time-consuming process, and your overall score will be influenced by your total marks in the UPSC mains. As a result, UPSC mains phase test results are extremely essential because they are utilized to calculate merit. The following are the UPSC curriculum details, as well as their respective marks:
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Total marks | Time Allotted | Nature of paper | Type of Paper |
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian language | 3 hours | 300 | 3 hours | Qualifying | Descriptive |
| Paper B | English | 3 hours | 300 | 3 hours | Qualifying | Descriptive |
| Paper I | Essay | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper-II | General studies I | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper III | General studies II | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper VI | Optional I | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper VII | Optional II | 3 hours | 250 | 3 hours | Merit | Descriptive |
Except for the language examinations, Paper A and Paper B, your rank will be determined by your performance in all other papers. As a result, you will receive a score of 1750 out of a possible total of 1750. Each paper must receive a minimum of 25% in order to be considered for the final selection. Candidates will be asked to write their replies on UPSC-provided answer sheets. There will be no extra sheets provided.
With the exception of language papers A and B, all of the main papers have a merit ranking. Candidates must obtain at least 25% in each of Paper A and B in order for scores from Paper I through Paper VII to be weighted.
Students from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim, as well as those with hearing impairment, are exempt from Paper A if they can establish that their respective board or university exempted them from such 2nd or 3rd language courses. The Indian Language paper covers any of the languages included in the Constitution’s 8th Schedule.
Paper on General Studies
The following are the subjects covered in the several General Studies Papers in the Mains Exam:
| General studies I | Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography, Society |
| General studies II | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations |
| General Studies III | Technology, Security, Disaster Management, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, |
| General Studies IV | Ethics, Aptitude, Integrity |
Optional Subjects for UPSC Mains Exam
The following is a list of optional subjects for UPSC Mains:
| Agriculture | Civil Engineering | Geology | Mechanical Engineering | Zoology |
| Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science | Commerce and Accountancy | History | Medical Science | Public Administration |
| Anthropology | Economics | Law | Philosophy | Psychology |
| Botany | Electrical Engineering | Management | Physics | Statistics |
| Chemistry | Geography | Mathematics | Political Science and International Relations | Sociology |
The literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Urdu and English.
UPSC Interview Exam Pattern
Before the final results of the IAS Exam are announced, this is the last step. It’s officially known as the Interview/Personality Test, and it’s counted as part of the Mains Examination for the purpose of merit ranking. It is considered the third level in terms of preparation because the written and interview stages have different preparation methodologies. According to the IAS test format, the UPSC board will conduct an interview to assess the candidates’ eligibility for a civil service career and associated duties. The board is made up of qualified and neutral observers with prior experience with the candidates. The board would assess the candidates’ mental and social characteristics by posing open-ended questions.
Mental acuity, the capacity to think critically and analytically, risk assessment abilities, crisis management skills, the ability to lead, and thought and moral integrity are some of the qualities the board looks for in a candidate. The UPSC interview stage has a total score of 275, raising the total score for UPSC Mains and Interview for merit list consideration to 2025.
Reading a book has always been the best option when it comes to any competitive exam. If you keep your study materials organized and don’t stray, you’ll end the day with a huge number of books to choose from. Not the books, but the curriculum should be followed during studying. The majority of books are not written according to UPSC criteria. They contain far more information than is required for the examination. Become familiar with the syllabus, as it is the most important part of all the others. This is inefficient and causes you to fall behind in line.
The UPSC IAS examination has a comprehensive exam pattern, and the competition is fierce. Because the examination procedure lasts over a year and failing to make the cut means beginning over the following year, one should begin studying as soon as possible.
FAQs
FAQ 1: What is the exam pattern for the UPSC Preliminary Examination?
Answer: The UPSC Preliminary Examination consists of two papers: Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (CSAT). Paper-I is objective in nature and tests candidates on subjects like history, geography, polity, economy, and current affairs. Paper II, known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), evaluates candidates’ comprehension, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
FAQ 2: How is the UPSC Preliminary Examination scored?
Answer: Each paper in the Prelims carries 200 marks, making the total marks for the Preliminary Examination 400. Both papers are objective-type multiple-choice questions. Negative marking is applicable, with one-third of the marks assigned to a question deducted for incorrect answers.
FAQ 3: What is the exam pattern for the UPSC Main Examination?
Answer: The UPSC Main Examination is a written examination and consists of nine papers, which include two qualifying papers (Indian language and English) and seven merit-based papers covering various subjects such as essays, general studies, and optional subjects chosen by the candidates. The Main Examination is designed to test a candidate’s in-depth knowledge and analytical ability.
FAQ 4: How are the UPSC Main Examination papers scored?
Answer: The seven merit-based papers in the Main Examination are each assigned 250 marks, summing up to a total of 1750 marks. The two qualifying papers are of 300 marks each, making the overall marks for the Main Examination 2025. Candidates are required to score a minimum qualifying mark in the Indian language and English papers, which are not counted in the final merit ranking.
FAQ 5: What is the marking scheme for the UPSC Interview (Personality Test)?
Answer: The UPSC Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the Civil Services Examination. It carries 275 marks and is conducted by a panel of experts. The interview assesses the candidate’s personality, communication skills, leadership qualities, and overall suitability for a career in civil services. The interview marks, combined with the Main Examination marks, determine the final merit list for the selection of candidates for various civil services.
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