UPSC Civil Services Examination
Complete guide to the prestigious Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC. Understand the pattern, eligibility, and preparation strategy.
Preliminary Examination
Objective type screening test
Papers:
General Studies I, CSAT
Total Marks:
400 marks
Duration:
2 hours each
Mains Examination
Descriptive type written examination
Papers:
Essay, GS I-IV, Optional Papers I-II, Language Papers
Total Marks:
1750 marks
Duration:
3 hours each
Personality Test
Face-to-face interview
Papers:
Interview/Personality Test
Total Marks:
275 marks
Duration:
30-45 minutes
Civil Services Posts
Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
Indian Police Service (IPS)
Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS)
Indian Postal Service (IPoS)
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
Bachelor's degree from a recognized university
Age Limit
General: 21-32 years, OBC: 21-35 years, SC/ST: 21-37 years
Number of Attempts
General: 6 attempts, OBC: 9 attempts, SC/ST: Unlimited
Nationality
Indian citizen for IAS, IPS, IFS. Others for certain services.
Exam Schedule (2026)
Dates are as per the UPSC Annual Calendar 2026 and are subject to change.
Download UPSC Notification 2026
Official notification for Civil Services Examination 2026
Download Notification PDFStart Your Journey to Become IAS/IPS Officer
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