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UPSC Civil Services Examination

Complete guide to understanding and preparing for the Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC.

About Civil Services Examination

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for various civil services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other Group A and Group B services.

The examination is conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination (Objective type), Main Examination (Written), and Personality Test (Interview). It is considered one of the toughest competitive examinations in India.

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Exam
  • • Paper 1: General Studies (200 marks)
  • • Paper 2: CSAT (200 marks)
  • • Objective type (MCQ)
  • • Qualifying in nature
Main Exam
  • • 9 Papers (7 + 2 Optional)
  • • Written examination
  • • 1750 marks total
  • • Essay, GS, Optional subjects
Interview
  • • Personality Test
  • • 275 marks
  • • Final selection
  • • Board interview

How to Prepare

Prelims Preparation
  • • Focus on NCERT books
  • • Current affairs daily
  • • Regular mock tests
  • • Revision strategy
View Courses
Mains Preparation
  • • Answer writing practice
  • • Optional subject mastery
  • • Essay writing
  • • Time management
Test Series
Interview Preparation
  • • Mock interviews
  • • Personality development
  • • Current affairs update
  • • DAF preparation
Get Guidance

Important Websites & Resources

UPSC Official Website

upsc.gov.in

Notifications

Latest exam notifications

Results & Cutoff

Previous year data