UPSC examination is considered one of India's most coveted and prestigious examinations. Thousands of applicants write this prestigious examination yearly, and only a handful are selected. Only relentless hard work, determination and sound knowledge can prepare a candidate for the examination. Before beginning the examination, therefore, it is essential to understand the minute details of the examination. Continue reading this article as we share details about the examination.
What is the UPSC exam?
The UPSC exam is more commonly known as the IAS exam or formerly known as the UPSC Civil Service Examination. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit suitable candidates for different branches of civil service in India (IAS, IFS, IPS and other allied services).
The examination can be categorised into Prelims, Mains and the final round of interviews. Online registration for UPSC exams starts in February, and the prelims exams are held in June and the Mains in September.
The eligibility criteria for UPSC exams include
Age limit: 21-32 years (For OBC/ SC/ ST candidates, the age limit can extend to 35- 37 years as well
Number of attempts: 06 for general candidates and 09 attempts for OBC candidates
Educational Qualification: Graduation from any recognised university
Nationality: Indian (for IAS and IPS)
Exam Pattern
UPSC Prelims is like a qualifying round and acts as a screening round. The marks are not calculated in the final merit. The GS Paper I score determines the prelims exam's cutoff. The papers of UPSC prelims are MCQ-based.
The Prelims Exams consist of two papers:
General Studies Paper I consists of 100 questions, with a total mark of 200 and the time allotted is 2 hours
General Studies Paper II consists of 80 questions, with total mark of 200, and the time allotted is 2 hours
On the other hand, UPSC's main exams are descriptive examinations comprising nine papers. The examination comprises of
Paper A
Paper B
Paper I
Paper II
Paper III
Paper IV
Paper V
Paper VI
Paper VII
Paper A is Compulsory English Language, and Paper B is English paper. These papers are qualifying in nature and are of 300 total marks each. Paper I is Essay Paper, and Paper II- V are General Studies papers, each awarding 250 marks. The remaining papers ( Paper VI and Paper VII) are optional papers and each, 250 marks as well.
The optional subjects available for UPSC examinations are
Agriculture
Animal husbandry and veterinary services
Anthropology
Civil Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy
Economics
Geology
History
Law
Mechanical Engineering
Medicinal Science
Philosophy
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
[To learn in detail about the exam pattern and syllabus of the UPSC examination, there are detailed articles on those topics on our website, which will clear all your doubts].
The UPSC interview round is important and is the final round of the examination. A competent board of members conduct the interview, and the candidate's traits and interest in social affairs are gauged and assessed.
Preparation for the UPSC examination requires an effective learning strategy. Ensure you remain abreast with all the notifications published by the UPSC board. Strengthen your knowledge of topics by covering the basics by studying NCERT books and then upgrading with standard books. You should practice writing the answers to improve your writing skills, and mock test-based learning approaches should be followed. Structured preparation with the right guidance will help you to crack UPSC effortlessly.