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The UPSC IAS Exam is one of the most prestigious exams in India, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other civil services. Below is a detailed guide for the UPSC IAS Exam including its Notification, Eligibility Criteria, Selection Procedure, Exam Pattern, Preparation Tips, and Syllabus.

1. UPSC IAS Exam Notification

• Conducted By: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
• Frequency: Annually, usually in February (for the Preliminary exam) and October (for the Main exam).
• Notification Release: The official notification is released on the UPSC website in February.
• Mode of Application: Candidates must apply online through the official UPSC website.
• Exam Dates: The notification will contain all relevant dates, including the last date for application submission, exam dates for the Prelims and Mains, and the interview stage.

Official UPSC Website: www.upsc.gov.in

2. UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria

Nationality:

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS): Candidates must be Indian citizens.
• Indian Foreign Service (IFS): Candidates must be Indian citizens; however, citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibetan refugees (with certain conditions) may also apply.

Age Limit (as on 1st August of the exam year):

• General Category: Between 21 to 32 years
• OBC: Between 21 to 35 years
• SC/ST: Between 21 to 37 years
• Disabled Defense Services Personnel: Relaxation as per government norms.
• Ex-Servicemen: Relaxation as per government norms.

Educational Qualification:

• Degree: A candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or its equivalent.
• Final Year Students: Candidates in their final year of graduation can also apply, provided they present their degree certificate at the time of the Main exam.

Number of Attempts:

• General Category: 6 attempts
• OBC: 9 attempts
• SC/ST: Unlimited attempts until the age limit is reached.

BEST TO THE POINT NOTES FOR UPCOMING UPSC IAS EXAM FOR 2025 Available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia and Bengali medium "DIG Study Materials are highly used & recommended by UPSC Toppers" Pay us via or or on this number 8756987953 After payment plz shared your postal address for hard copy; OR email for pdf along with payment screenshot on same number.

Chapterwise Study Materials in hard copy (Hindi/Eng)

IAS Prelims Exam study notes (in hard copy) @ 1499/- & in pdf @ 999/- UPSC Main Exam Notes (in hard copy) @ 1499/- & in pdf @ 999/-

IAS Prelims Exam Question Papers and answer key click here IAS Main Exam Question Papers and answer key click here

3. UPSC IAS Selection Procedure

The UPSC IAS selection procedure consists of three stages:

1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims):

   • This is a screening test to shortlist candidates for the Main examination.
   • Exam Format: Objective-type questions
   • Duration: 2 papers (General Studies and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)) of 2 hours each.

2. Main Examination (Mains):

   • Candidates who qualify for the Prelims are eligible to appear for the Main exam.
   • The Mains exam consists of 9 papers (2 qualifying papers and 7 merit-based papers).
   • Exam Format: Descriptive-type questions.
   • Duration: Each paper is of 3 hours.

3. Interview/Personality Test:

   • Candidates who qualify for the Mains exam are called for the Personality Test.
   • The interview assesses the candidate’s overall personality, communication skills, leadership qualities, and decision-making ability.

Final Merit List:

• The final selection is based on the combined performance of the Prelims, Mains, and Interview.

4. UPSC IAS Exam Pattern

Preliminary Examination:

There are two papers in the Prelims exam:

1. Paper I: General Studies (GS):

   • Marks: 200
   • Duration: 2 hours
   • Topics: Current events, history, geography, economics, polity, environment, and general science.
2. Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT):
   • Marks: 200
   • Duration: 2 hours
   • Topics: Logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, and decision-making.
   • Note: Candidates must secure a minimum of 33% in CSAT to qualify for the Prelims.

Negative Marking: For each wrong answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question are deducted.

Main Examination:

The Main exam consists of 9 papers:

1. Paper A: Indian Language (qualifying)
2. Paper B: English (qualifying)
3. Paper I: Essay (250 marks)
4. Paper II: General Studies I - Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society (250 marks)
5. Paper III: General Studies II - Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations (250 marks)
6. Paper IV: General Studies III - Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management (250 marks)
7. Paper V: General Studies IV - Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude (250 marks)
8. Paper VI: Optional Subject Paper I (250 marks)
9. Paper VII: Optional Subject Paper II (250 marks)

• Total Marks: 1750 (for the written exam)
• Interview Marks: 275

Note: Paper I to Paper VII are considered for the final ranking. Paper A and Paper B (language papers) are qualifying in nature.

5. UPSC IAS Syllabus Overview

Preliminary Exam Syllabus:

1. General Studies (Paper I):

   • Current Affairs: National and international news, politics, economics, science, and technology.
   • Indian History and Culture: Ancient, medieval, and modern history, freedom struggle, art, and culture.
   • Geography: Physical, economic, and social geography of India and the world.
   • Polity: Indian Constitution, governance, political system, and social justice.
   • Environment and Ecology: Conservation, environmental issues, climate change.
   • General Science: Biology, physics, chemistry, and general scientific knowledge.

2. CSAT (Paper II):

   • Comprehension: Reading and understanding passages.
   • Logical Reasoning: Puzzles, analogies, coding-decoding.
   • Quantitative Aptitude: Basic arithmetic, data interpretation, and reasoning.
   • Decision-Making and Problem-Solving.

Mains Exam Syllabus:

1. Essay: Candidates are required to write essays on diverse topics, reflecting their analytical skills.

2. General Studies:

   • Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society: Topics related to culture, art, history, and geography.
   • Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations: The functioning of the government, rights, policies, and relations with other countries.
   • Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management: Economic reforms, environmental issues, and security.
   • Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude: Moral philosophy, public administration ethics, and decision-making processes.

3. Optional Subjects:

   • The candidate must choose one optional subject from a list of subjects (e.g., Anthropology, Geography, Sociology, Political Science, History, Public Administration, etc.).

6. UPSC IAS Preparation Tips

Understand the Syllabus:

• Start with the Basics: Thoroughly understand the syllabus for both Prelims and Mains. Prioritize topics that frequently appear in the exams.

Time Management:

• Create a study plan with adequate time for each subject.
• Devote sufficient time to both General Studies and Optional Subject preparation.

Focus on Current Affairs:

• Regularly read newspapers like The Hindu, Indian Express, and watch news channels.
• Focus on National and International Affairs, Government Schemes, Economics, Science & Technology, and Environment.

Revision is Key:

• Constantly revise your study material. Make short notes for quick revision closer to the exam date.

Practice Answer Writing:

• Develop a habit of writing structured answers. Practice writing answers for Mains to improve presentation, coherence, and time management.

Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers:

• Regularly solve mock tests and review previous year papers. This will give you an idea of the exam pattern and help identify weak areas.

Physical and Mental Well-being:

• Maintain a healthy routine, with proper sleep, diet, and exercise. Stay motivated and positive throughout your preparation.