UPSC CSE Exam Eligibility
Before starting preparation for civil services examination, it is important for an aspirant to know the UPSC Exam eligibility criteria:
Age Limit for UPSC Exam
Category | Age Limit |
General/EWS | 21–32 years |
OBC | 21–35 years |
SC/ST | 21–37 years |
PwBD | Up to 42 years (category-wise) |
Note: Age is calculated as on 1st August of the examination year.
How many Attempts for UPSC?
- The number of attempts for UPSC is not uniform for all. The attempts are limited based on the category of the applicant, providing relaxations for candidates from reserved categories.
Category | Maximum Age Limit | Number of Attempts Allowed |
General (UR) | 32 years | 6 attempts |
OBC | 35 years | 9 attempts |
SC / ST | 37 years | Unlimited (till age limit) |
EWS (within General) | 32 years | 6 attempts |
PwBD (General) | 42 years | 9 attempts |
PwBD (OBC) | 45 years | 9 attempts |
PwBD (SC/ST) | 47 years | Unlimited (till age limit) |
Ex-Servicemen (General) | 37 years | 6 attempts |
Ex-Servicemen (OBC) | 40 years | 9 attempts |
Ex-Servicemen (SC/ST) | 42 years | Unlimited (till age limit) |
Note: An attempt is counted if a candidate appears in at least one paper of the Preliminary Examination. Simply filling out the application form does not count as an attempt.
UPSC Exam Pattern
- Mode: Offline.
- Stages: Prelims (screening), Mains (merit), Interview (merit).
The final merit is calculated based on the marks obtained in the Mains Examination (1750 marks) and the Interview (275 marks), totaling 2025 marks.
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted in three stages:
- Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration | Nature |
Paper I | General Studies (GS) | 200 | 2 hours | Counted for merit (qualifying for Mains) |
Paper II | CSAT (Aptitude Test) | 200 | 2 hours | Qualifying (minimum 33% required) |
- GS Paper I: History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment, Science, Current Affairs.
- CSAT (GS Paper II): Aptitude, Reasoning, Comprehension.
- General Studies (GS), i.e. Paper I, decides selection for Mains Examination.
- Negative Marking: There is a penalty for wrong answers; one-third of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted.
- Mains Examination (Descriptive)
- 9 papers (Essay, 4 GS papers, 2 Optional papers, 2 Language papers).
- Total: 1750 marks.
- Focuses on analytical ability, critical thinking, and answer writing skills.
Papers Breakdown
- Essay – 250 marks
- GS I – Indian Heritage, History, Society, Geography – 250 marks
- GS II – Polity, Governance, Social Justice, International Relations – 250 marks
- GS III – Economy, Agriculture, Science & Tech, Environment, Security, Disaster Management – 250 marks
- GS IV – Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude, Case Studies – 250 marks
- Optional Subject – Choose one subject from the list of 48 subjects; Paper I & II – 250 marks each
- Language Papers – Qualifying in nature (marks not counted for merit)
- Personality Test (Interview)
- Total: 275 marks.
- This is the final stage where candidates are interviewed by the UPSC board.
- It assesses the candidate’s suitability for a career in public service by evaluating their personality traits, communication skills, and mental alertness.
UPSC Exam Syllabus (Brief Overview)
Preliminary Examination
General Studies (GS)
- History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Freedom Struggle).
- Geography (India & World, Physical, Human).
- Polity & Governance (Constitution, Rights, Institutions).
- Economy (Basic macro, sectors, budgeting).
- Environment & Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate.
- Science & Technology (basics and applications).
- Current Affairs (national/international).
CSAT (Qualifying in Nature)
- Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability.
- Basic Numeracy, Data Interpretation.
- Decision-making (no negative marking sections when notified).
Mains Examination
- Essay: Structure, coherence, examples
- GS I–IV: Broad coverage of society, governance, economy, ethics, science, environment, security
- Optional Papers: Deep knowledge in one chosen subject.