UPSC Exam: Meaning, Full Form, IAS, IPS, IFS, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Study Material

UPSC Exam stands as a gateway to India’s most prestigious civil services, offering aspirants the opportunity to serve the nation through administrative, diplomatic, and law enforcement roles. Conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission, this examination is renowned for its stringency, competitiveness, and significance in shaping the bureaucratic framework of the country.

Also Read: UPSC Mains Admit Card 2025

What is UPSC Exam?

UPSC Exam Full Form

UPSC Exam Meaning

UPSC Exam Conducted For?

UPSC Exam Conducted By?

How Many Post in UPSC Exam?

UPSC Exam 2026 Overview

UPSC Exam 2026 is being conducted in multiple stages as part of the Civil Services Examination to recruit candidates for prestigious posts like IAS, IPS, IFS, and others. The UPSC Prelims Exam 2025 was successfully held on May 25, 2025 (Sunday). The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) officially declared the UPSC Prelims Result 2025 on 11th June 2025 on its official website www.upsc.gov.in.

The UPSC Mains Result 2025 was declared on November 11, 2025. The official websites upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in are now accessible to candidates who took the Civil Services (Main) Examination between August 22 and August 31, 2025.

Aspirants are advised to stay updated with official notifications and prepare systematically according to the prescribed syllabus to ensure success in each stage of the UPSC Exam.

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UPSC Exam Prelims Pattern

UPSC Prelims is the first stage of the UPSC Exam and consists of two objective-type papers: General Studies I and General Studies II (or CSAT). These papers are conducted on the same day in two sessions in offline mode (pen-paper).

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IAS aspirants can check the UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern in the given below table:

UPSC Exam Mains Pattern

• Descriptive: The UPSC Mains exam pattern includes nine theory-based papers, all of which are descriptive in nature. 
• Among these nine papers, seven will be considered for creating the merit list. 
• Optional Subject: As part of the UPSC Mains, candidates will need to choose one optional subject for the examination. 
• Evaluation: Essay,’General Studies and Optional Subject’ of all the candidates would be done simultaneously along with evaluation of their qualifying papers on ‘Indian Languages’ and ‘English.

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• Minimum Qualifying Standards of 25%: However,  the papers on ‘Essay’, General Studies, and Optional Subject of only such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in ‘Indian Language’ and 25% in English as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers. 

UPSC Exam Personality Interview

Candidates who successfully clear the Mains stage of the UPSC Exam with the required cut-off marks move on to the final stage, which is the Personality Test or Interview round conducted by the UPSC Board Members.

Eligibility Criteria for the UPSC Exam 

UPSC Exam has kept very low eligibility criteria for candidates to appear. This is the reason why lakhs of candidates apply for the exam, compared to specific services such as Engineering Services. For a candidate to appear for the IAS Exam, he/she has to majorly fulfil two types of criteria: age criteria and educational criteria. In addition, there are limits imposed on the number of attempts a candidate can give, the physical qualifications and citizenship criteria. The minimum qualification for IAS is as follows:

Age Criteria for UPSC Exam 

The UPSC Exam age limit for the candidates belonging to the General category is 21 to 32 years. 

For being eligible for UPSC Exam, candidates must be at least 21 years old and not more than 32 years old as of August 1, 2025.

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However, there are age limit relaxation for candidates belonging to certain categories:

Nationality Criteria for the UPSC Exam 

There is a citizenship qualification for Grade-A Services such as IAS, IPS and IFS in UPSC Exam.

Candidates who are citizens of Nepal, citizens of Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee or a Person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam, for permanently settling in India, must furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India for getting appointed, even though they are eligible to write exam without it.

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Educational Criteria for UPSC Exam

• Minimum Qualification for IAS: As a minimum qualification for IAS, a candidate must have graduated from a recognized university or have an equivalent qualification.
• Eligibility Criteria for Final Year Graduates: Candidates who are in their final year of graduation or awaiting results can also appear for the UPSC Prelims Examination. However, they are required to have passed their final year examination while applying for the UPSC Exam Mains.
• Eligibility of Professional and Technical Qualifications: Candidates who possess professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees are also eligible for UPSC Exam .
• Eligibility for Medical Students: Medical students, who will not completed their internship, despite passing the final year of MBBS, can also apply for IAS Exam. However, they are required to submit a course completion certificate from the concerned authority along with their Mains Exam application.

Attempts and Age Limit for UPSC Exam 

The UPSC imposes a limit on the number of times a candidate can appear for the UPSC Exam. This number varies according to the category of the candidate.

Medical Criteria for UPSC Exam 

Candidates aspiring to clear UPSC Exam have to maintain certain physical fitness and capabilities. Without minimum standards, they may not be considered for the service.

Candidates are required to pass a medical fitness examination to assess their physical capabilities to become civil servants. 

For being appointed as IPS officers for districts, Indian Railway services and the police services of Pondicherry, candidates need to have necessary weight, height, and chest measurements.

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The medical test for assessing the physical fitness will be conducted at the following hospital in Delhi:

• Safdarjung Hospital
• Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
• Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital
• BR Ambedkar Hospital
• Sucheta Kriplani Hospital
• Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
• Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital

UPSC Exam Syllabus For Prelims and Mains

UPSC Exam Syllabus is an essential aspect that aspirants need to understand thoroughly when preparing for UPSC exams. The syllabus is comprehensive and includes subjects like General Studies, Essay Writing, Indian History, Indian Polity, Economy, Geography, Environment, Science & Technology, Current Affairs, and more.

Moreover, the UPSC Syllabus also includes optional subjects that candidates can choose based on their interests and expertise. The detailed syllabus for UPSC prelims and Mains is given below.

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UPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus 

UPSC Exam prelims will be in MCQ format. Candidates will have to attempt two papers: General Studies and CSAT. The marks scored in only General Studies paper will be considered for qualification for mains. The candidates have to secure a fixed cutoff of 66.66 marks in the CSAT paper.

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026

UPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus For GS Paper I (General Studies)

Candidates have to study subjects such as polity, history, economy etc as part of General Studies. The detailed prelims General Studies syllabus for UPSC Exam is as below.

UPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus For CSAT (GS Paper II) 

Comprehension, reasoning and numerical abilities make up the syllabus of the CSAT paper in UPSC Exam. The detailed CSAT syllabus is given below.

Also Read: UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2026

Also Read: How to Prepare for Prelims?

UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus

Mains syllabus of UPSC Exam consists of nine papers. There are two language papers (qualifying), one essay paper, four General Studies Papers and two optional papers. The details of the syllabus are given below. 

UPSC Exam Mains includes two qualifying papers: Paper A: Indian Language and Paper B: English. Each paper has a weightage of 300 marks. The minimum qualifying mark is 25% (75 marks) in these language papers. The marks scored in these papers will not be considered for merit rank calculation. The details of the syllabus are provided below.

• Compulsory Indian Language: Comprehension, Precis Writing, Usage and Vocabulary, Short Essays, and Translation.
• English Language: Comprehension, Precis Writing, Usage and Vocabulary, Short Essays.
• Essay: General Topics
• General Studies I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
• General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
• General Studies III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
• General Studies IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
• The syllabus of Optional Paper I and Optional Paper II will have graduate-level topics.

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Optional Subjects For UPSC Mains Examination

Candidates writing UPSC Exam mains have to select one of the optional subjects from the list below.

Available Literature Languages:

Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Konkani, Kannada, Manipuri, Marathi, Santhali, Sanskrit, Maithili, Malayalam, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu. (Total 23 Languages)

Also Read: UPSC Mains Optional Syllabus

UPSC Exam Booklist 

UPSC Exam requires extensive knowledge and clarity of concepts. This is the reason why candidates have doubts when it comes to selecting the books for preparation. Following are some of the core books that are vital for IAS Preparation, both prelims and mains.

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Question Paper

UPSC Exam Test Series For Prelims and Mains 

Test series are of utmost importance for any candidate preparing seriously for the exam. Attempting test series will help them get used to the rigorous challenge they are likely to encounter during the actual exam. Test series will also help in managing time effectively and address any weakness in their preparation. 

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UPSC Exam Preparation Tips 

Candidates preparing for UPSC Exam require certain planning to increase their chances of qualification. Through systematic planning, dedication and hard-work, UPSC preparation can be simplified:

• Optimal Utilization of Resources: IAS Exam preparation requires dedication and hard work. A comprehensive strategy can help you in utilisation of resources in order to maximize your chances of success in the UPSC IAS Exam.
• Understanding of the Syllabus: The first step of the strategy should be to familiarize yourself with the syllabus and format of the exam. Develop a plan to consult exam resources, such as previous papers, in order to gain a basic understanding of the question patterns, topics covered and how marks are allocated.
• Making a Time-table: Make a timeline to cover the syllabus in an organized manner. This should consider your own strengths and weaknesses and involve breaking the syllabus into manageable chunks. Professionals, such as a mentor or coaching centre, can be consulted for advice.
• Practice PYQs: Complete existing question papers and create a bank of mock paper topics. Regularly attempt past exam paper questions and review areas of weakness in order to improve your score.
• Mock Tests: Time management is essential, and developing a personalized time management strategy is key to IAS Exam success. Always practice mock exams on time and analyse the time taken to complete each section.
• Update Current Affairs: Read newspapers and journals regularly in order to keep abreast of current developments, both in India and around the world. Knowledge of current events is important, particularly understanding their relevance to IAS Exam topics.
• Familial Support: Remain motivated during your preparation period by increasing your knowledge of the topics in which you are weak. Set realistic goals, taking into account your time constraints, and actively seek support from family and friends to help you reach them.

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UPSC Exam PYQs

Analysis of PYQs gives an idea about the types of questions asked in the exam. A closer look at PYQs will help candidates predict the themes that are most likely to be repeated again in UPSC Exam, both prelims as well as mains. Solving PYQs can also help candidates answer the questions correctly in case the themes are repeated. The following table contains links of PYQs for the UPSC Exam:

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Previous Years Papers and Solutions Subject-Wise Download PDFs

UPSC Interview 

The UPSC Personality Test, often known as the UPSC Interview, is the final step in the civil services examination. Unlike the Mains and Prelims, this UPSC interview assesses not just your knowledge but also your natural personality characteristics. The official interview schedule for UPSC Civil Services 2025 is expected to be revealed soon, with the process beginning in January 2026. Qualified applicants can now submit or update their Detailed Application Form-II (DAF-II) on the UPSC website to guarantee the timely receipt of their e-Summon Letters, following the notification of the UPSC Mains Result 2025 on November 11, 2025.

UPSC Exam Result 

UPSC releases exam results after each stage of the exam, i.e. after prelims, mains, and final results. Candidates appearing for UPSC 2025 Exam can check their results on the official website of UPSC.

UPSC Exam Cut-off 

Union Public Service Commission will publish the UPSC Cutoff marks for the Civil Service Preliminary, Mains, and Final rounds on its official website, upsc.gov.in, along with the UPSC Final Result 2024. 

Candidates who will appeared in the exam and are preparing for UPSC 2025 Exam can check the cut off marks from previous years. 

UPSC Exam Marksheet 

UPSC releases the marksheet of candidates who will appeared for the prelims, mains and interview. The marksheet is released only after the final results are announced. Candidates can check their marks by accessing their marksheet in UPSC’s official website through following steps:

UPSC Study Material

UPSC Books List

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