UPSC Civil Services Exam Structure & Syllabus
1. Preliminary Examination
• Structure:
o Paper I – General Studies (GS): 100 MCQs, 200 marks, 2 hours. This paper
is qualifying and its marks determine Mains eligibility.
o Paper II – CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test): 80 MCQs, 200 marks, 2
hours. Only qualifying in nature; candidates must score at least 33%. Drishti
IASVajiram & Ravi
• Syllabus - GS Paper I Vajiram & Ravibestsarkarinaukri.com:
o Current events (national & international)
o Indian history and freedom struggle
o Indian and world geography (physical, social, economic)
o Polity and governance (Constitution, public policy, rights, Panchayati Raj)
o Economic and social development (poverty, inclusion, demographics, social
sector)
o Environment, ecology, biodiversity, climate change
o General science and technological developments
• Syllabus - CSAT (Paper II) Vajiram & Ravibestsarkarinaukri.com:
o Comprehension, interpersonal and communication skills
o Logical reasoning and analytical ability
o Decision-making and problem-solving
o Data interpretation, basic numeracy (Class X level)
2. Main Examination
• Consists of 9 papers:
o Paper A: Indian Language (qualifying) – 300 marks
o Paper B: English (qualifying) – 300 marks
o Essay – 250 marks
o General Studies – Paper I to IV – 250 marks each (1000 marks total)
o Optional Subject – Paper I & II – 250 marks each (500 marks total) Drishti
IASJagranjosh.comWikipedia
• General Studies Papers:
o GS Paper I: Indian heritage & culture, history, geography, world history,
society Jagranjosh.comTestbook
o GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International
Relations bestsarkarinaukri.com+1
o GS Paper III: Technology, Economic Development, Agriculture,
Environment, Security, Disaster Management, Science & Tech
bestsarkarinaukri.com+1
o GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude bestsarkarinaukri.comDrishti IAS
• Essay Paper: Writing essays on multiple topics, testing coherence, clarity, and
analytical thought Jagranjosh.comBYJU'S
• Optional Papers (2): Choose from a list (e.g., History, Geography, Economics,
Public Administration, etc.) – 500 marks total Wikipedia
3. Personality Test (Interview)
• Marks: 275
• Evaluates:
o Personality traits
o Administrative abilities
o General awareness and attitude
• Final ranking considers Mains (1750 marks) + Interview (275 marks), totaling 2025
marks Drishti IASWikipedia
Summary Table
Stage Papers / Weightage
Prelims GS-I (200 marks) + CSAT (200 marks, qualifying only)
Mains 9 Papers: Language A & B (qualifying), Essay, GS-I to IV, Optional I & II
Interview Personality Test (275 marks)
