Exam · Govt Service · Live
UPSC CSE
Conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and a range of other Group 'A' and Group 'B' Central Services and posts. Figures below describe the CSE 2026 cycle (Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE); the structure has been stable across recent cycles.
- Volume
- 9.3 lakh candidates a year
- Geography
- India
- Syllabus topics
- 314
- Bank
- 14,000+ solved PYQs
- Access
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- Syllabus map
- Previous year questions, where the bank exists
- Mock tests and weak-area diagnostics
- Five explanations on every question
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How the paper is built.
- Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination
- Civil Services (Main) Examination — Written
- Interview / Personality Test
Negative marking applies ONLY to the two objective Preliminary papers; the Main Examination is entirely descriptive and has no negative marking. In Prelims, each question has four alternatives; for every wrong answer, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question is deducted as a penalty. Marking more than one answer is treated as wrong and attracts the same penalty even if one of the marked answers is correct. A question left blank attracts no penalty. Because all questions in a paper carry equal marks, this works out to: GS Paper I — +2 for a correct answer, −0.667 for a wrong answer (200 marks / 100 questions); CSAT Paper II — +2.5 for a correct answer, −0.833 for a wrong answer (200 marks / 80 questions). The per-question values are arithmetic derivations from the official 'all items carry equal marks' statement, not verbatim notification text; the one-third rule itself is verbatim.
You need to be right on more than 25% of the questions you guess for guessing to add marks — and since a blind pick from four options is exactly 25%, random guessing in Prelims is expected-value-neutral and only starts paying once you can eliminate at least one option.
The calendar, and who can sit it.
- Qualification
- A degree from any University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or from an institution established by an Act of Parliament or deemed a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, or an equivalent qualification. Candidates awaiting results, or who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination, may apply — but must produce proof of passing before the Interview/Personality Test. Professional and technical qualifications recognised by Government as equivalent are also accepted; MBBS/BDS/Veterinary candidates must show completion of internship by the interview stage.
- Age
- 21 to 32
- Attempts
- General and EWS: 6 attempts. OBC (eligible for reservation): 9 attempts. SC/ST: unlimited (within the age limit). PwBD: 9 attempts if General/EWS/OBC, unlimited if SC/ST. Appearing in even one paper of the Preliminary Examination counts as an attempt, and a later disqualification or cancellation of candidature does not restore it.
- Nationality
- For IAS, IFS and IPS the candidate must be a citizen of India. For the other services a candidate may also be a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam intending to settle permanently — in these cases a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India is required.