UPSC
The Civil Services Examination is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India
About UPSC Exam
The Civil Services Examination is based on the British era Imperial Civil Service tests, as well as the civil service tests conducted by old Indian empires such as the Mauryan Empire and Mughal Empire. It is considered to be the most difficult competitive examination in India.
A single attempt takes two complete years of preparation – one year before the prelims and one year from prelims to interview. In total, one sits in actual exam for 32 hours from prelims till interview.
Results for the Prelims are published in mid-August, while the final result is published in May of the next year. The Civil Services Main written examination consists of nine papers, two qualifying and seven ranking in nature.
The range of questions may vary from just one mark to sixty marks, twenty words to 600 words answers. Each paper is of a duration of 3 hours. Candidates who pass qualifying papers are ranked according to marks and a selected number of candidates are called for interview or a personality test at the Commission’s discretion.
Stage I: Preliminary Examination – Held in June every year. Results are announced in August.
Stage II: Mains Examination – Held in October every year. Results are announced in January.
Stage III: Personality Test (Interview) – Held in March. Final results are usually announced in May.
The training program for the selected candidates usually commences the following September.
Educational qualification
All candidates must have as a minimum one of the following educational qualifications:
- A degree from a Central, State or a Deemed university
- A degree received through correspondence or distance education
- A degree from an open university
- A qualification recognized by the Government of India as being equivalent to one of the above.
The following candidates are also eligible, but must submit proof of their eligibility from a competent authority at their institute/university at the time of the main examination, failing which they will not be allowed to attend the exam.
Candidates who have appeared in an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified enough to satisfy one of the above points.
Candidates who have passed the final exam of the MBBS degree but have not yet completed an internship.
Candidates who have passed the final exam of ICAI, ICSI and ICWAI.
A degree from a private university.
A degree from any foreign university recognized by the Association of Indian Universities.
Age
The candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years (for the General category candidate) on 1 August of the year of examination.
Prescribed age limits vary with respect to caste reservations.
For Other Backward Castes (OBC) the upper age limit is 35 years.
For Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), the limit is 37 years.
For Defence Services Personnel disabled in operations during hostilities, the limit is 40 years.
For ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service, the limit is 32 years.
For PwD candidates, the limit is 37 years.
For Domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989, the limit is 32 years.
For the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, the standard age limits apply.