Every year the UPSC conducts Civil Services Examination (CSE) to various key Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), etc. A candidate planning to prepare for CSE must get himself acquainted with the examination plan/pattern and its syllabus which would help him in getting an edge over others and in planning his preparation in a manner best suitable for him. Following are the complete details:
The Civil Services Examination comprises three successive stages:
- Civil Services Preliminary Examination-Objective Type, for the selection of candidates for Main Examination.
- Civil Services Main Examination-Written, for the selection of candidates for Interview.
- Interview or Personality Test for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts.
Overview of IAS Exam Pattern
| Name of the Exam | Civil Services Exam- IAS |
| Type of Questions | Prelims: Objective type Mains: Subjective type |
| Prelims marking scheme | Paper 1: +2 marks per question Paper 2: +2.5 marks per question Negative marking: One-third of marks allotted to each question |
| Post | 1000 approximate (Tentative) |
| Number of Stages | Prelims Mains Exam Interview |
| Number of papers | Prelims: 2 Mains :9 |
| Mode of exam | Offline |
| Duration | Prelims: 2 hours (Each paper) Mains: 3hours (Each paper) |
| Conducting authority | Union Public Service Commission |
IAS Exam pattern of Prelims
- Firstly, this stage consists of 2 compulsory papers – General Studies paper and (CSAT) Civil service aptitude test. Moreover, it will test the analytical skills of the candidate.
- Secondly, all questions are objective. So, the candidate has to choose any one option out of 4 answers given for each question.
- On the other hand, questions are in both Hindi and English language. However, comprehension questions in the English language in the CSAT paper are without Hindi translations.
- Also, prelims is a qualifying paper. The cut off of paper I is decided by UPSC every year. The CSAT paper requires the candidates to score at least 33% i.e. 66 marks to qualify and to be able to sit for the Mains exam.
- Moreover, the number of candidates that sit for the main exams is much higher than the vacancies.
IAS Exam Pattern for Prelims
| Exam Mode | Offline |
|---|---|
| Number of Papers | 2- General Studies and Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) |
| Number of Questions | Paper 1- 100; Paper 2- 80 |
| Question Paper Type | Multiple Choice Questions |
| IAS Prelims Total Marks | 400 |
| Nature of Exam | Qualifying |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours each, +20 minutes for blind students |
| Exam Language | English and Hindi |
Marking Scheme of Prelims
The IAS Exam pattern is very important to understand to pass the prelims exam. Here is the marking scheme of prelims:
- Firstly, every question in paper I is of 2 marks. So, the question paper is a total of 200 marks.
- Secondly, every question in the Civil Service Aptitude Test carries 2.5 marks. So, the question paper is a total of 200 marks.
- Also, for every wrong answer by the student, 0.33 marks will be deducted i.E. 0.66 will be deducted from paper I and 0.83 marks will be deducted from paper II. But, there is no negative marking from Q74 – Q80 because these are decision-making questions.
- Moreover, if the candidate gives more than 1 answer, then it will be considered as wrong even if one of them is right.
- However, if there is no penalty then no negative marking will be done.
- In other words, candidates must cross the cut-off marks in Paper I and a minimum of 33% score in Paper II to sit for the main exam.
Negative Marking
The IAS Exam pattern is very different from other exams. Also, the candidates can easily get negative marking in the UPSC Exam. In other words, 3 incorrect answers will lead to around 1 mark deduction. In short, the candidate will get a 1/3 mark deducted for incorrect answers. Also, there is no negative marking for blank answers. Read everything about UPSC on its official website.
| Paper | Type | No. of questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies I | Objective | 100 | 2*100 = 200 | 2 hours | Yes, 0.66 |
| General Studies II(CSAT) | Objective | 80 | 2.5*80 = 200 | 2 hours | Yes, 0.83 |
IAS Exam Pattern for Mains
- Firstly, IAS mains is an offline exam. There are a total of 9 papers in the Mains exam.
- Secondly, every paper is of 3 hours and extra 30 minutes extra is given to blind students.
- Thirdly, Paper A and Paper B are of 300 marks each and the remaining papers are of 250 marks each.
- On the other hand, the main exam is divided into 2 parts qualifying and merit exam. And it is compulsory to sit in for all the exams to go into the stage.
- Moreover, questions will be subjective. And you can write in either Hindi or English language
- So, the candidate will be tested on the basis of knowledge and understanding of the subject. You have to answer touching the basic and relevant aspects. You will also be marked upon whether you are able to provide valuable and constructive way forwards.
Qualifying Paper
- Paper A – Either of the Indian languages can be selected from the 8th schedule of the constitution. Also, it carries 300 marks.
- Paper B – The 2nd exam is an English paper. And it also carries 300 marks.
Qualifying Exams – The students have to score minimum marks in the qualifying exam to crack the exam. Moreover, the question paper is set to test the student’s ability to analyze. The exam tests the student’s grasp of the Indian languages. In other words, the questions test the student’s understanding of the concept and subject. However, there would be 2 optional exams that the student will have to choose. Also, below is the list of mandatory exams and marks for more information:
| Paper | Title of the Paper | Marks Allotted |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Essay writing | 250 Marks |
| Paper 2 | General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 3 | General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 4 | General Studies –III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 5 | General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) | 250 Marks |
| Paper 6 | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
| Paper 7 | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 Marks |
| – | Sub Total in the written Test | 1750 Marks |
| – | Personal Interview | 275 Marks |
| – | Grand Total ( for merit calculation) | 2025 Marks |
Marking Scheme of Mains
- Firstly, 1750 is the total marks for the main examination.
- Secondly, students will be marked on the basis of opinion, content flow, problem understanding, solution, presentation, and language.
- Also, the candidate has to appear in two papers of the optional papers that they choose. The syllabus for both papers is different.
You can choose any one of the Optional subjects from 26 subjects provided by the UPSC. You can download the syllabus from the official website of UPSC for free.
IAS Exam pattern for Personality Test
- The students who qualified Mains will go further towards the Personality test.
- Also, this will include testing of the candidate’s psychology.
- On the other hand, the objective of the interview is to judge the suitability of the candidate for the Civil Service Position. Also, the candidate is asked questions on general interest.
- However, the test reflects the mental caliber of the candidate.
- Moreover, this is the assessment of intellectual qualities, social traits, and interest in current affairs. So, a candidate must make sure that they read the newspaper daily till the Interview day.
- Also, the qualities that they look for are alertness, logical thinking, balance of judgment, interest, the ability of leadership, and moral integrity.
- Most importantly, the test is conducted in a candidate’s preferred choice.
- Further, the interview is for 275 marks.
- To sum up, the candidate will be ranked by a grand total and will be called for the final interview.
The total marks that will be counted for ranking is 2025. (1750 + 275 = 2025 marks).
Prelims Syllabus
Paper 1(General Studies) – This will test the student’s knowledge and passion for learning about the country. Also, the questions are from various aspects like history, geography, economy and much more.
- Events of National and International Importance
- Geography impact in the country
- Constitutional and governance structure
- Issues faced by the country currently
- Social and Economic Development
- Research and development
- Scientific development
Paper 2(English and General Aptitude) – Knowing high-level English is not compulsory in the field of Public Service but students have to score at least 33% to crack the exam. So, candidates have to practice mock tests in English to be able to score the minimum marks. However, the aptitude of the student determines the ability to solve complex problems, time management, and much more. Also, the important fields to practice for the IAS exam are as follows:
- Logical Reasoning
- The capacity of problem-solving
- Interpersonal Skills
- Numerical Ability
- Analytical Skills
- Comprehension
- Synonyms/antonyms
Mains Syllabus
Paper A(Any Indian Language) – This paper is to test the candidate’s knowledge of the language.
Paper B (English) – This paper tests your ability to understand the English language.
Paper 3(Essay Writing) – Students write essays on the topic of their choice.
Paper 4(General Studies 1) – It will have questions related to ancient India like history, geography, heritage and much more.
- Ancient and Modern – History of India.
- Significant changes in Architecture, Literature, etc.
- Significance of Geography.
- Diversity
- Globalization
Paper 5(General Studies 2) – This part will have questions regarding the reform in Indian governance after Independence. Further, the topics are:
- India’s Constitution
- Analysis of the world’s constitution
- Legislature and Parliament
- Main issues faced by the nation and solutions
- Welfare schemes by the government
- Structures and department in government
Paper 6(General Studies 3) – This paper has questions regarding Modern India and key developments. Also, the included topics are:
- Indian Economy
- Farming
- Science
- Research and Development
- IT
- Environmental Studies
- Achievement in different fields
- Security challenges
- Industrial growth
- Infrastructure Development
Paper 7(General Studies 4) – This will have the questions about Integrity, Ethics and aptitude. Moreover, the included topics are:
- Public Administration ethics
- Emotional Intelligence
- Behavior Analysis
- Functional Values
Paper 8 and 9 – This will have the questions about Integrity, Ethics and aptitude. Moreover, the included topics are:
- Agriculture
- Animal husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and Accountancy
- Economics
- Electrical Engineer
- Geography
- Geology
- History of India
- Law
- Management
- Maths
- Mechanical Engineer
- Medical Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political science and International relations
- Psychology
- Public administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Literature of any available 23 subjects
IAS Preparation Books
Firstly, we present to you the best books for IAS preparation. Secondly, take your time to prepare for the exam at home.
History | Ancient India | RS Sharma |
|---|---|---|
| History | Modern India | Satish Chandra Mittal |
| History | History of Modern India | Bipan Chandra |
| Polity | The Constitution of India | PM Bakshi |
| Ethics | Ethics, Aptitude and Integrity for Civil Services Mail Examination | Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudary |
| Economy | Indian Economy | Mishra and Puri |
| Environment | Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure | Rajgopalan |
| Science and Technology | Science and Technology in India | TMH |
| English | High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren and Martin |
| General Studies | IAS Mains Exam General Studies (IAS Mains Exam General Studies) | Ashish Bharti (IPS) |
| Geography | 1. NCERT VI to XII 2. Certificate Physical Geography: G C Leong 3. World Atlas | RS Sharma |
Editor’s Note
We have covered everything that you need to know about IAS Exam Pattern. However, take your time to prepare for the UPSC exam. Further, not everyone can qualify for this exam. Also, only 1% of people qualify out of lakhs of applicants. Therefore, you need to understand the IAS exam pattern deeply. The IAS exam pattern will clear your doubts and you will have a clear picture. To sum up, prepare yourself wisely with us.
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