UPSC Civil Services Examination: Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Posts

Planning for UPSC CSE involves more than meeting the age limit and studying the syllabus. You must also understand how reservation benefits, age relaxations and category-specific eligibility conditions apply to you, as these rules can affect your application and preparation plans.

The UPSC CSE notification specifies the eligibility conditions, number of attempts, examination structure and other application requirements you must check before applying. For preparation across Prelims, Mains and the Interview, PW offers live and recorded classes, updated study material, mock tests, current affairs resources, mentorship and doubt-solving support to help you organise your preparation and practise consistently.

What Is the UPSC Civil Services Examination?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a constitutional body responsible for conducting examinations and recruitment for various government services. The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of its major examinations and is used to recruit candidates for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service (IPS) and other notified Group A and Group B services.

The examination has three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Interview/Personality Test. Candidates must qualify at each applicable stage to progress through the selection process.

UPSC CSE Exam Highlights

The UPSC Civil Services Examination involves multiple stages, eligibility conditions and important deadlines that you must keep track of. The following table summarises the key details of the examination.

UPSC Civil Services Examination 2027 Important Dates

According to the official UPSC Examination Calendar 2027, dated 20 May 2026, the important dates for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2027 are given below.

UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria 

You must satisfy the nationality, age, educational qualification and other conditions prescribed in the CSE notification. UPSC CSE Eligibility should be checked before submitting the application.

1. Nationality

For the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service and Indian Police Service, candidates must be citizens of India.

For other services, the notification also permits certain other categories, including subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, eligible Tibetan refugees and specified persons of Indian origin who migrated from designated countries. Candidates in these categories may need a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Appointment is subject to the applicable certificate requirements.

2. Age Limit

For CSE, the prescribed age limit for the general category is 21 to 32 years as of 1 August 2027. You must have been born not earlier than 2 August 1995 and not later than 1 August 2006.

Additional conditions apply to certain groups, including ex-servicemen and candidates eligible for relaxation under more than one category. 

PW UPSC CSE IAS Online Batches

3. Educational Qualification

You must hold a graduate degree from a recognised university or possess an equivalent qualification accepted under the UPSC rules.

If you have appeared for a qualifying examination, or intend to appear for it, you may be provisionally admitted to the written examination under the conditions specified in the notification. If you qualify for the Interview, you must produce the required proof of passing within the prescribed time.

UPSC CSE: Number of Attempts

The number of permitted attempts depends on the candidate's category and eligibility for relaxation.

An attempt at the Preliminary Examination counts as an attempt at the Civil Services Examination. If a candidate appears in at least one paper of Prelims, it is counted as an attempt, even if their candidature is subsequently cancelled or they are disqualified.

UPSC CSE Exam Pattern

The UPSC Civil Services Examination Pattern consists of Prelims, Mains and the Interview/Personality Test. Prelims is a screening stage, while marks from the Mains merit papers and Interview determine the final ranking.

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern

The Preliminary Examination has two compulsory objective-type papers carrying 200 marks each.

CSAT requires a minimum of 33% marks to qualify. Prelims marks are not included in the final merit ranking. Negative marking applies to incorrect answers as specified in the notification.

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern

The Main Examination consists of 9 descriptive papers. The marks for Paper A and Paper B are qualifying only and are not added to your final merit score, while seven papers contribute to the merit ranking.

The Indian language and English papers are qualifying in nature and are not counted towards the final merit ranking. Candidates must meet the prescribed qualifying standards for these papers.

UPSC Interview/Personality Test

The Interview/Personality Test carries 275 marks. It assesses a candidate's suitability for public service through a purposeful conversation with the interview board.

The assessment may cover qualities such as:

• Mental alertness and critical thinking

• Clear and logical expression

• Balanced judgement

• Awareness of current affairs

• Leadership and social cohesion

• Intellectual and moral integrity

The final merit score is calculated from the Mains merit papers and the Interview, giving a total of 2,025 marks.

UPSC CSE Syllabus 

The syllabus covers a broad range of subjects, from current affairs and Indian history to governance, economics, ethics and an optional subject. You should prepare according to the official syllabus for each stage.

Prelims Syllabus

General Studies Paper I covers major areas such as:

• Current events of national and international importance

• Indian history and the Indian National Movement

• Indian and world geography

• Indian polity and governance

• Economic and social development

• Environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change

• General science

General Studies Paper II (CSAT) assesses comprehension, communication and reasoning-related abilities, including logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy and data interpretation.

Mains Syllabus

The seven merit papers assess written expression, subject knowledge and the ability to analyse issues.

UPSC CSE Optional Subjects

You must choose one UPSC CSE optional subject, which has two papers in Mains. Each paper carries 250 marks.

The subjects include:

You should compare the official syllabi, their academic background and your ability to sustain preparation before choosing an optional subject.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Posts and Services

The CSE recruits candidates for various notified All India Services and Central Services. Service allocation depends on the final rank, preferences, vacancies and applicable eligibility conditions.

Services included in the CSE notification are: