| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) and IRS (Customs and Indirect Taxes), Other Group A services such as Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Indian Postal Service, Indian Railway Management Service and Indian Trade Service, Group B services: AFHQ Civil Service, DANICS, DANIPS, PONDICS and PONDIPS |
| Qualification | A bachelor's degree from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification. Final-year students can apply, but they must show proof of passing once they qualify for the interview. |
| Age limit | 21–32 years on 1 August 2026 (general category) |
| Domicile | Not required |
| Selection stages | Preliminary exam: two objective papers, used only for screening → Main exam: nine descriptive papers, two of them qualifying → Interview (personality test) of 275 marks → Final merit from mains written marks plus interview marks |
| Latest notification | Civil Services Examination 2026 notice (No. 05/2026-CSE) · 933 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About UPSC CSE
The Civil Services Examination is UPSC's yearly recruitment for the IAS, IPS, Indian Foreign Service and 20 other central services. The 2026 notice lists 23 services and about 933 expected vacancies, 33 of them reserved for persons with benchmark disability. Your final rank and the service preferences you give decide which service you are allotted.
Eligibility
Age limit
General category: 21–32 years, counted on 1 August 2026.
Age relaxation
- OBC: 3 years
- SC: 5 years
- ST: 5 years
- PwBD: 10 years
- Ex-servicemen: 5 years
- General category candidates must be born between 2 August 1994 and 1 August 2005.
- Ex-servicemen and ECOs/SSCOs with at least five years of military service get up to 5 years; defence personnel disabled in operations get up to 3 years.
- SC, ST and OBC candidates who are also ex-servicemen or PwBD can add both relaxations.
Qualification
A bachelor's degree from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification. Final-year students can apply, but they must show proof of passing once they qualify for the interview.
Other conditions
- Attempts: 6 for general and EWS, 9 for OBC and for PwBD candidates of the general, EWS and OBC groups, and no limit for SC and ST candidates within the age limit.
- Appearing in the prelims counts as one attempt.
- Fee is Rs 100 for the prelims and Rs 200 more for the mains. Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates pay no fee.
Selection process
- Preliminary exam: two objective papers, used only for screening
- Main exam: nine descriptive papers, two of them qualifying
- Interview (personality test) of 275 marks
- Final merit from mains written marks plus interview marks
Exam pattern
Preliminary exam
Mode: Objective, multiple choice with four options, set in Hindi and English · Duration: 2 hours for each paper · Negative marking: One third of the marks for a question is cut for each wrong answer. A blank question has no penalty.
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| General Studies Paper I | 200 |
| General Studies Paper II (CSAT), qualifying at 33% | 200 |
Main exam (written)
Mode: Descriptive · Duration: 3 hours for each paper
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Paper A: Indian language (qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper B: English (qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper I: Essay | 250 |
| Paper II: General Studies I | 250 |
| Paper III: General Studies II | 250 |
| Paper IV: General Studies III | 250 |
| Paper V: General Studies IV | 250 |
| Paper VI: Optional subject paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper VII: Optional subject paper 2 | 250 |
Personality test
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Interview | 275 |
UPSC CSE syllabus
Prelims: General Studies Paper I
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and the Indian national movement
- Indian and world geography: physical, social and economic
- Indian polity and governance: Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues
- Economic and social development: sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector schemes
- Environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change (general level)
- General science
Prelims: General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision making and problem solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy and data interpretation at Class 10 level
Mains: General Studies papers
- GS I: Indian heritage and culture, history and geography of the world and society
- GS II: governance, Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations
- GS III: technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management
- GS IV: ethics, integrity and aptitude
Mains: other papers
- Essay
- One optional subject (two papers) chosen from the list in the notice
- Qualifying papers in one Indian language and English, at matriculation standard
What they ask
The prelims has two objective papers of 200 marks each. Only GS Paper I decides who reaches the mains, while CSAT has to be cleared at 33%. A wrong answer costs a third of that question's marks, so blind guessing hurts. The mains GS papers test whether you understand an issue and can take a view on competing social and economic goals, not how much you have memorised. Prelims marks are not added to your final score; the mains written papers (1750 marks) and the interview (275 marks) are.
How to prepare
- Map every line of the GS Paper I syllabus to one source you will revise, then solve the official prelims papers on the UPSC website to see how deep the questions go.
- Take a timed CSAT test every week. It is only qualifying, but falling below 33% ends your attempt however well you did in GS Paper I.
- Pick your optional early. Its two papers carry 500 of the 1750 written marks, and the syllabus is set at honours-degree level.
- Start writing timed answers months before the mains. Each paper is three hours, and the notice says marks are cut for handwriting that is hard to read.
- Revise prelims topics with daily topic-wise practice quizzes on the free Improvam app, and note which areas cost you negative marks.
UPSC CSE is one of the exams in the Improvam app. Open it to start a practice quiz.
Open in the Improvam appHow to apply
- Create your one-time registration (URN) and Common Application Form on upsconline.nic.in.
- Upload a photograph, capture a live photo, and upload three signatures in black ink on one white sheet.
- Fill the exam form: centres, optional subject, mains medium and compulsory Indian language. These cannot be changed after submission.
- Pay the fee online if you are not exempt and submit before the last date.
Previous papers and answer keys
UPSC CSE FAQs
You must be 21 to 32 years old on 1 August 2026 in the general category. OBC candidates get 3 more years, SC and ST candidates 5, and PwBD candidates 10.
Sources
- UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 notice (No. 05/2026-CSE) ↗ (official, checked )
- UPSC exam page: Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 ↗ (official, checked )
- UPSC previous year question papers ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.
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