WHAT IS UPSC CSE? Pattern, Syllabus & Selection Process
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a prestigious national, three-stage competitive examination conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit officers into the All India Services (IAS, IPS, IFoS) and premier Central Civil Services (IFS, IRS, etc.). It consists of Preliminary (objective), Mains (written descriptive), and the Personality Test (Interview).
UPSC CSE Prelims: Structure, Nature & Rules
The Preliminary examination serves as a screening test. It is conducted on a single day and comprises two compulsory objective-type papers (OMR-based) of 200 marks each (total 400 marks).
GS PAPER‑I (General Studies)
Marks in this paper alone determine your qualification for the Mains examination. Covers History of India & National Movement, Geography, Polity & Governance, Economy, Environment & Ecology, General Science, and Current National & International Events.
GS PAPER‑II (CSAT)
Qualifying in nature — you must score a minimum of 33% (66 marks out of 200). Covers Reading Comprehension, Interpersonal Skills, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, Decision Making, Basic Numeracy (Class X level), and Data Interpretation.
Marking Scheme & Logistics:
- Negative Marking: 1/3rd (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for every wrong answer. Unattempted questions incur no penalty.
- Language Medium: Both papers are set bilingually in Hindi and English (except English comprehension questions in CSAT).
- Mode of Exam: Offline pen-and-paper OMR sheet using black ballpoint pen only.
- Mains Qualification Ratio: UPSC shortlists approximately 12 to 13 times the total number of advertised vacancies for the Mains stage based strictly on GS-I merit (subject to clearing CSAT).
Prelims Exam-Day Guidelines:
- Mandatory: E-Admit Card printout along with the original photo ID card mentioned in your application.
- Carry at least two good quality black ballpoint pens for marking OMR bubbles.
- Electronic gadgets, smart watches, mobile phones, and calculators are strictly prohibited.
- Carefully fill in your Roll Number and Test Booklet Series code on the OMR answer sheet.
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