Civil Services Examination (CSE) — UPSC
Duration
Prelims: 2 hours per paper; Mains: 3 hours per paper
Questions
100
Total Marks
2025
Conducting Body
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
India's premier national-level recruitment exam conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission for selection into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other Group A and Group B central government services. Conducted in three stages: Preliminary (objective), Mains (descriptive), and Personality Test (interview).
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims — GS Paper 1 | 100 | 200 |
| Prelims — CSAT (Paper 2, qualifying) | 80 | 200 |
| Mains — Essay (Paper I) | 2 | 250 |
| Mains — GS Paper I | 20 | 250 |
| Mains — GS Paper II | 20 | 250 |
| Mains — GS Paper III | 20 | 250 |
| Mains — GS Paper IV (Ethics) | 12 | 250 |
| Mains — Optional Paper 1 | varies | 250 |
| Mains — Optional Paper 2 | varies | 250 |
| Mains — English (Qualifying) | — | 300 |
| Mains — Indian Language (Qualifying) | — | 300 |
| Personality Test (Interview) | — | 275 |
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Final Result | April / May 2027 |
| Mains Result | December 2026 / January 2027 |
| Prelims Result | ~6 weeks after exam |
| Mains Exam Date | September 2026 (5 days) |
| Prelims Exam Date | May / June 2026 (single day, both papers) |
| Notification Release | January / February 2026 |
| Online Application Window | Feb 2026 (~3 weeks) |
| Personality Test (Interview) | February – April 2027 |
| Category | Fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (Male) — Mains | ₹200 |
| General / OBC (Male) — Prelims | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Female (all categories) | ₹0 |
Official website
upsc.gov.in