UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination Pattern
The UPSC Prelims Examination is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination. It is an objective type test (Multiple Choice Questions – MCQs) conducted in two papers on the same day.
| Paper | Subject | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration | Nature | Negative Marking |
| Paper I | General Studies (GS) | 100 | 200 | 2 Hours | Counts for merit & qualification for Mains | ⅓ of marks allotted |
| Paper II | CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) | 80 | 200 | 2 Hours | Qualifying Paper (33% or 66 marks required) | ⅓ of marks allotted |
Important Points
- Both papers are conducted on the same day in two sessions.
- Only candidates who qualify in Paper–I (GS) and secure minimum 33% in Paper–II (CSAT) are eligible for the Mains Examination.
- Questions are set in English and Hindi (except English language comprehension in CSAT).
UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination Pattern
The Mains Exam is the second stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It is a written descriptive examination designed to assess a candidate’s intellectual depth, analytical ability, and overall understanding of diverse issues. Unlike the Prelims, which is objective, the Mains requires candidates to write answers in essay form within a given word limit.
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Nature |
| Paper A | Indian Language (selected from Eighth Schedule) | 300 | Qualifying (minimum 25%) |
| Paper B | English | 300 | Qualifying (minimum 25%) |
| Paper I | Essay | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper II | General Studies I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Geography of the World & Society) | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper III | General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations) | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper IV | General Studies III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management) | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper V | General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude) | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject Paper I | 250 | Counts for merit |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject Paper II | 250 | Counts for merit |
Important Points
- Total 9 Papers in UPSC Mains.
- Two papers (Paper A & B) are qualifying only; marks are not added to the merit list.
- Seven papers (Essay, GS I-IV, Optional I & II) are considered for the final merit, totaling 1750 marks.
- Candidates who qualify Mains are called for the Personality Test/Interview (275 marks).