UPSC Civil Service Exam Pattern and Syllabus

1. What is UPSC?

The full name of UPSC is "Union Public Service Commission" and it was established on 1 October 1926 as Public Service Commission. It is an Indian organization that conducts various job examinations for various posts like IFS, NDA, CDS, SCRA etc. It includes about 24 services like IAS, IPS, IRS etc.

2. What is UPSC Civil Services?

UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination at three levels, firstly the preliminary examination then the main examination and finally the interview. After passing all these levels, candidates are selected for the services of IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS and Group A and Group B. This exam is very tough and one has to work hard to crack this exam. Every year lakhs of children give this exam. To pass this exam, it is necessary to have discipline and patience, then only success can be achieved in this exam.

2.1 Nationality

It is necessary to be a citizen of India.
Candidate should be a citizen of Nepal or Bhutan.

2.2 Educational Qualification

Candidate must have a bachelor's degree.
To take the NDA exam, it is necessary for the student to have passed 12th from any recognized board.

2.3 Age limit

Category	Age Limit	Number of Attempts
General	32 years	6 times
OBC	35 years (3 years relaxation)	9 times
Other Economically Weaker Sections	32 years	6 times
SC/ST	37 Years	No Limit
PWD	42 Years	No Limit

3. Nature of Examination

3.1 Preliminary Examination

This examination is, generally, held in the month of June
There are two papers- General Studies and CSAT
Carrying 200 marks - Objective and Multiple Choice Questions
In General Studies Paper 2 - 33% marks is required.

3.2 Main Examination

This examination is held in the month of October.
There are nine papers in this.
There are two language papers in nine papers. Hindi and regional language
Paper A Indian language and Paper B consists of English language paper.
This is a qualifying paper which is compulsory, each question is of 300 marks.
There are four papers of General Studies in GS 1,2,3 and 4 which are of 250 marks.
There is one essay paper and 2 optional which is of 250 marks.

3.3 Interview

It is held between February to April
Interview This is the main and final stage of the exam. This is called a personality test.
IAS interview is of 275 marks and written exam is of 1750 marks, merit list is prepared on the basis of total 2025 marks.

4. Syllabus of Examination

4.1 UPSC PRELIM EXAM SYLLABUS

4.1.1 GENERAL STUDIES - PAPER 1

National and International events
History of India and Indian National Movement
General Science
Indian Polity and Governance Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights
Indian and World Geography Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
Economic and Social Development Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demography, Social Sector Initiatives etc.
General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change

4.1.2 CSAT EXAMINATION - PAPER 2

General mental ability
Comprehension
General mental ability
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision making and problem solving
Interpersonal skills including communication skills

4.2 UPSC MAIN EXAM SYLLABUS

Paper I - Essay - (Political Society, Technology, Philosophy)
Paper II - General Studies - Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society
Paper III - General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Politics, Social Justice and International Relations)
Paper IV - General Studies – IV (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security and Disaster Management)
Paper V - General Studies Vision Ethics Aptitude
Paper VI - Optional Subject- Paper II
Paper VII -Optional Subject- Paper II

5. DETAILS OF EXAMINATION

Types of Services:- There are mainly three types of services in UPSC
All India Civil Services
Group A Civil Service
Group B Civil Service

5.1 There are three types of posts in the All India Civil Services.

IAS (Indian Administrative Service)
IPS (Indian Police Service)
IFS (Indian Forest Service)

5.2 There are sixteen types of posts in All Group A Civil Services.

Indian Defense Accounts Service
Indian Ordnance Factory Service
Indian Communications Finance Service
Indian Foreign Service
Indian Audit Service
Indian Postal Service
Indian Railway Accounts Service
Indian Defense Estates Service
Indian Information Service
Indian Civil Accounts Service
Indian Corporate Law Service
Indian Revenue Service
Indian Business Service
Indian Railway Personnel Service
Indian Railway Transport Service
Indian Railway Protection Force

5.3 There are five types of posts in All Group B Civil Services.

Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service
Pondicherry Civil Service
Pondicherry Police Service

6. UPSC CSE Previous Years' Cut Off:-

6. UPSC CSE Previous Years' Cut Off:-

6.1 UPSC Cut Off 2021

EXAM	GENERAL	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD1	PwBD2	PwBD3	PwBD5
Prelims	87.54	80.14	84.85	75.41	70.71	68.02	67.33	43.09	45.80
Mains	745	713	707	700	700	668	712	388	560
Final	953	916	910	886	883	892	932	689	701

6.2 UPSC Cut Off 2020

EXAM	GENERAL	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD1	PwBD2	PwBD3	PwBD5
Prelims	92.51	77.55	89.12	74.84	68.71	70.06	63.94	40.82	42.86
Mains	736	687	698	680	682	648	699	425	300
Final	944	894	907	875	876	867	910	675	465

6.3 UPSC Cut Off 2019

EXAM	GENERAL	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD1	PwBD2	PwBD3	PwBD5
Prelims	98.00	90.00	95.34	82.00	77.34	53.34	44.66	40.66	61.34
Mains	751	696	718	706	699	663	698	37	561
Final	961	909	925	898	893	861	890	653	708

6.4 UPSC Cut Off 2018

EXAM	GENERAL	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD1	PwBD2	PwBD3	PwBD5
Prelims	98.00	96.66	84.00	83.34	73.34	53.34	40.00	45.34
Mains	774	732	719	719	711	696	520	460
Final	982	938	912	912	899	908	754	718

6.5 UPSC Cut Off 2017

EXAM	GENERAL	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD1	PwBD2	PwBD3
Prelims	105.34	102.66	88.66	88.66	88.88	61.34	40
Mains	809	770	756	749	734	745	578
Final	1006	968	944	939	923	948	830

7. UPSC CSE TOPPER’S NAME

7.1 Shruti Sharma UPSC CSE AIR 1, 2021

Shruti Sharma is a resident of Bijnor. Shruti Sharma has completed her studies by staying in Delhi. He did his graduation from Delhi University's SET Stephens College, after which he took admission in Jawaharlal Nehru University to do post graduate in history. He had prepared for Civil Services Examination from Jamia Millia Islamia Residential Coaching Academy and secured first rank in UPSC CSE examination in second attempt.
 

7.1 Shubham Kumar UPSC CSE AIR 1, 2020

Shubham Kumar is a resident of Kumhari village. He did his B.Tech in Civil Engineering in Bombay. In May 2017 he joined Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana as a summer research intern. In 2018 he made his first attempt in UPSC Civil Services Examination but he could not clear the exam. In 2019, he again took the UPSC exam and secured 290th rank. Then he got 290th rank. Then he was selected in IDS and was undergoing training at NADFM Pune when he appeared for UPSC CSE for the third time in 2020 and became the topper.

7.2 Pradeep Singh UPSC CSE AIR 1, 2019

Pradeep Singh hails from Haryana. He did his graduation in engineering from Dheenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science And Technology, Murthal in 2012. In 2015, he passed the CBSE exam and was recruited as an Income Tax Officer. In 2018, he cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination securing an all India rank of 290 and was recruited as an officer. In 2019, he gave his 4th attempt and secured first rank in UPSC CSE exam.

7.3 Kanishak Kataria UPSC CSE AIR 1, 2018

Kanishak Kataria hails from Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has completed his B.Tech degree from Bombay. He did his schooling in the Senior Secondary of St. Parul. School, Kota Rajasthan. Prior to this he worked as a data scientist in South Korea in a multinational company and then as a data analyst in a startup in Bangalore, but he left his job in 2017 to prepare for the civil services, which he pursued his career. Passed in first attempt.

7.4 Anudeep Durshetty UPSC CSE AIR 1, 2017

Anudeep Durishetty hails from Hyderabad. Anudeep Durishetty completed his B.Tech in Civil Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. After completing graduation Anudeep joined Google India, and begin to start preparation for civil services. He also worked as an Assistant Commissioner in the Indian Revenue Service and was posted in Hyderabad. In his fifth attempt, he topped the examination in 2017 with the first rank.