The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the premier body responsible for conducting recruitment exams for the Union Government of India. Its primary role is to organize exams for civil services and other posts within the Union Government. In specific cases, UPSC may also conduct exams for state governments upon the request of a state governor, with the prior approval of the President of India. UPSC is considered the top authority in the country for direct recruitment to all-India services and various civil services positions. The commission is empowered by Article 315 of the Constitution of India and traces its origins back to the Federal Public Service Commission established under the Government of India Act 1935. This earlier body followed the creation of the first Public Service Commission in India in 1926 under the chairmanship of Ross Barker.
UPSC Full Form
The full form of UPSC is the Union Public Service Commission. The candidates must know that before independence it was known as the Federal Public Service Commission. It was established in India by the British Government in 1926 under the leadership of Ross Barker.
| Exam Name | UPSC Civil Service Exam |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Exams Level | National |
| Selection Process | It is a three-tier exam
|
| Exams Purpose | Recruitment of candidates for All-India Service and Civil Services |
| Category | Government Jobs |
| Total Applications | Around 10 Lakh |
| UPSC 2023 Application Fee |
|
| Eligibility | Graduate from a recognised university/Institution |
| Age Limit | Lower Age Limit - 21 Years Upper Age Limit - 32 Years (upper age limit differs from exam to exam) |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Exams Frequency | Once a year |
| Exams Language | English and Hindi |
| Contact Number | 011-23098543 / 23385271 / 23381125 / 23098591 |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
UPSC Eligibility
The UPSC is the highest exam-conducting body in the country, having the constitutional mandate to do so. In most UPSC exams, the minimum eligibility is a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. The UPSC eligibility for different exams is represented below. Get detailed UPSC eligibility criteria by clicking the exam name.
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | A graduate degree from a recognized university. There is no specific percentage requirement. |
| Age Limit | - Minimum Age: 21 years - Maximum Age: 32 years (Age relaxation is provided for candidates from reserved categories) |
| Nationality Requirement | For All-India Services, candidates must be Indian citizens. Other eligible candidates: - Subject of Nepal - Subject of Bhutan - Tibetan refugee (who came to India before January 1, 1962, intending to settle permanently) - A person of Indian origin from countries like Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, intending to settle permanently in India. |
How to Download UPSC Admit Card?
The candidates can download the UPSC admit card 2024 in the following manner:
- Visit the official website of UPSC (http://www.upsc.gov.in/).
- Click on the Admit Card link available on the home page of the website.
- Read the instructions given on the page and click on the Yes button.
- Select any of the given two options – By Registration ID or By Roll Number.
- Enter registration ID and date of birth (if ‘By Registration ID’ is selected) or roll number and date of birth (if ‘By Roll Number’ is selected).
- Click on the Submit button.
- Download the UPSC admit card and take two printouts for the exam day.
The candidates were required to download their admit card from the official website - upsc.gov.in. The candidates were required to carry the photo identity card with the admit card. The UPSC 2024 admit card informed the candidates about the UPSC exam centre for CSE 2024 exam. The candidates are required to fill out the online applications for the UPSC 2024 exam to get the UPSC exam centre of their choice because the Commission allot the exam centre on a first apply first allot basis. UPSC 2024 applications were closed on March 6, 2024. The Commission notified 1056 vacancies for the UPSC 2024 exam.
How to Check UPSC Result 2024?
The candidates can check the UPSC result 2024 in the manner given below:
- Go to the official website - upsc.gov.in
- The UPSC IAS result 2024 link will appear under the 'What's New' Section
- On clicking above, the 'UPSC IAS result 2024' link will appear
- Click on the link as appear above, and the UPSC IAS 2024 result pdf will open on screen
- Search the roll number in the UPSC Result pdf
- Download the UPSC Civil Service (IAS) Result 2024
UPSC Application Form The candidates must fill out the UPSC online form at the official website only. The candidates were required to login and fill out the UPSC application form.
UPSC Syllabus
The Commission mentioned the UPSC syllabus in the official notification. The candidates must prepare every topic mentioned in the official notification. The UPSC exam is a two-stage examination and the Commission mentions the UPSC syllabus for each stage separately. Let us see the UPSC syllabus for each stage.
UPSC Syllabus - Prelims
UPSC prelims exam is a qualifying exam only and it filters out most of the candidates and limits the number for the UPSC main exam. The UPSC exam syllabus for the prelims exam is defined as the name of the topics only and no explanation is provided with the UPSC exam syllabus. The candidates can see here the UPSC prelims syllabus:
- Current events of national and international importance (Current Affairs)
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
- Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc
- Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc
- General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialisation
- General Science
UPSC Syllabus - Main Exam
The official notification mentions the UPSC syllabus for the main exam. As the name suggests, it is the main stage of the examination. UPSC main exam is a descriptive type exam and the candidates need to write the Essay type conventional type exam. There are Nine papers in the UPSC main exam and the candidates will be required to appear in all the papers and qualify in each of them. The candidates can see here the UPSC main syllabus.
UPSC Exam Pattern
The Commission conducts the UPSC exam every year based on the exam pattern notified in the official notification. The candidates must understand the exam pattern for each stage so that they can manage the time during the exam. Efficient time management can lead to a better score in the UPSC exam. The UPSC has the following two stages:
- UPSC Prelims Exam
- UPSC Main Exam (Written)
- UPSC Main Exam (Personality Test)
The candidates can see the UPSC exam pattern for each stage to score better.
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
The UPSC prelims exam is an objective type exam where the candidates are required to mark the answers in the OMR sheet. The UPSC prelims exam is a screening exam. The marks secured in the prelims exam are not considered for the final result. The UPSC prelims exam has the following structure:
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper- I | 100 | 200 |
| General Studies Paper-II (Aptitude Test) | 80 | 200 |
| Total | 400 | |
The UPSC prelims exam has the highest competition because of the number of applicants and the passing percentage. The UPSC main exam, as the name suggests, is the main stage of the UPSC exam.
UPSC Optional Subjects
There are over 40 optional subjects in the UPSC main exam. In addition to the subjects, the candidates can opt for literature as the subject also. The candidates can check here the UPSC Optional subjects.
| UPSC List of Optional Subject | ||
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science | Anthropology |
| Botany | Chemistry | Civil Engineering |
| Commerce and Accountancy | Economics | Electrical Engineering |
| Geography | Geology | History |
| Law | Management | Mathematics |
| Mechanical Engineering | Medical Science | Philosophy |
| Physics | Political Science and International Relations | Psychology |
| Public Administration | Sociology | Statistics |
| Zoology | ||
In addition to the above, the following are the literature subjects available as the optional subject:
| UPSC List of Literature Subjects | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assamese | Bengali | Bodo |
| Dogri | Gujarati | Hindi |
| Kannada | Kashmiri | Konkani |
| Maithili | Malayalam | Manipuri |
| Marathi | Nepali | Odia |
| Punjabi | Sanskrit | Santhali |
| Sindhi | Tamil | Telugu |
| Urdu | English | |
The Commission can change the subject available as the optional subject in the official notification. The candidates are required to check the official notification to know the list of optional subjects available for the UPSC main exam.
UPSC Preparation
The UPSC exam requires a concentrated effort of over one year to prepare for the UPSC exam. The candidate needs to plan out their preparation strategy as per their affinity for the subjects. Current affairs need to be prepared daily because it increases with each passing day and becomes a part of general studies after a certain time. The candidates must devise an integrated strategy to prepare for prelims and mains exam. Some of the important tips for UPSC preparation are:
- Plan wisely because planning is the most important phase of preparation. There is no perfect plan for UPSC preparation. The best plan depends on the person who owns it and implements it.
- Always keep time for the refreshing activity. The candidates should always keep time for the refreshment of mind but it should be minimum. It should not exceed 45 to 60 minutes a day divided into three to four sessions of 15 to 20 minutes.
- Always prepare notes for each topic. These notes should be expandable because the new events should be covered in these notes only.
- Always refer to the NCERT and standard books. Only NCERT books are not sufficient.
- Always do the answer writing on static general studies and current affairs topics. The answer writing should be done in a time-bound manner.
UPSC Exams
The Union Public Service Commission conducts various exams around the year. The candidates can see below the details related to those UPSC exams.
How Many UPSC Exams are there?
The UPSC conducts the following exams as per the dates notified in the UPSC exam calendar issued six months in advance.
- Civil Services Exam
- Engineering Services Exam(IES)
- Combined Armed Police Forces Exam (CAPF)
- Combined Medical Services Exam (CMS)
- Indian Economic Services/Indian Statistical Services Exam (IES/ISS)
- Combined Geo-Scientist Exam
- Combined Defence Services Exam (CDS)
- National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Exam (NDA & NA)
Besides the above exams, UPSC also conducts various recruitment exams for which the requisition is sent to UPSC by the respective departments.