UPSC IAS Syllabus For Prelims, Mains & Interview - 2024

Eligibility

A candidate must have attained 21 years and not be over 32 years on August 1 of the year of examination for General category students, age relaxation of 3 years for the OBC and 5 year for SC and ST candidates.

A degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or StateLegislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be a Deemed University under the UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification.

Attempts

A maximum of 6 attempts is permitted to every candidate and 9 to those belonging to Other Backward Classes. There is no restriction on the number of attempts in the case of SC/ST candidates.

playbuttoncliq

PLAN OF EXAMINATION

The Civil services examination comprises two successive stages

  • 1. Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination; and
  • 2. Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
  • a. The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year in the various Services and Posts. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in the year will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Main Examination.
  • b. Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for interview for a Personality Test. Marks obtained in the papers will be counted for ranking. The number of candidates to be called for interview will be approximately two to three times the number of vacancies to be filled.
    Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and Posts.

A. Preliminary Exam

Paper I - (200 marks) Duration: Two hours
  • Current events of national and international importance.
  • History of India and Indian National Movement.
  • Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
  • Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
  • Economic and Social Development Sustainable Development,Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
  • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization. General Science.

Paper II- (200 marks) Duration: Two hours
  • Comprehension
  • Interpersonal skills including communication skills ;
  • Logical reasoning and analytical ability
  • Decision-making and problem-solving
  • General mental ability
  • Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level),
  • Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)
  • English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).
Note 1:
  • 1.Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions).
  • 2.The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English. However, questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level will be tested through passages from English Language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.
  • 3.Each paper will be of two hours duration. Blind candidates will however; be allowed an extra time of twenty minutes at each paper.

B. Main Examination

The written examination will consist of the following papers: Paper-I
  • Section 1 Essay 250 Marks
  • Section 2 Qualifying modern Indian Languages & English of 300 marks each.
Paper-II
  • General Studies–I 250Marks
  • (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
Paper-III
  • General Studies –II 250 Marks
  • (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)
Paper-IV
  • General Studies –III 250 Marks
  • (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
Paper-V
  • General Studies –IV 250 Marks
  • (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)
Paper-VI
  • Optional Subject – Paper I 250 Marks
Paper-VII
  • Optional Subject – Paper II 250 Marks
  • Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks
  • Personality Test: 275 Marks.
  • Grand Total 2025 Marks

The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory. The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V) will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will be such as to test a candidate’s general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate’s basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio- economic goals, objectives and demands.

The scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors' degree and lower than the masters’ degree. In the case of Engineering, Medical Science and law, the level corresponds to the bachelors’ degree.


INTERVIEW

Even though the interview carries 275 marks with no minimum qualifying marks, it is the deciding factor at many times of your being within the services or out of it and in the least matters in which service you get. However since the interview is so personal and variable it is most desirable to do very well in the written mains. But an Interview can make or break you so take your personality development rather seriously and make sure to attend some mock interviews at leading institutes.

interview

Kailash Mishra Sir

Available Now

Talk to Kailash Mishra Sir! 20+ Years Teaching Experience. 500+ Selection in UPSC. Free Guidance & Demo Classes.

9911945480