Well, it’s no brainer that Civil Services Exams are the most talked about topic in Indian households. Almost all parents dream of seeing their wards becoming IAS officers. To become an IAS officer, you must pass the Civil Services Examination, which is held every year by the UPSC. The exam is held to select civil officials for around 25 different services, including the IAS, IPS, IFS, Central government services, and other affiliated services.
Eligibility to become an IAS Officer: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any stream from any recognized university. There are age criteria as well, a person must be of minimum 21-Year-old. For complete Eligibility Criteria visit here
Each year, around January-February, UPSC issues a notification requesting applications, and the first part, or preliminary examination, takes place at the end of May or the beginning of June.
UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination in three phases namely:
- Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
- Civil Services (Main) Examination (Mains)
- Personality Test or Interview
UPSC Prelim Exams: The UPSC Prelims are divided into two parts: General Studies-I and General Studies-II, often known as the CSAT paper. You can learn everything you need to know about these papers by clicking on the provided links.
| Paper Title | Questions | Topics | Marks | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies – 1 | 100 | Questions from subjects like History, Polity, Geography, Science, Economy, and Current Affairs are asked. | 200 | 120 Minutes | Objective TypeThe score will be considered for Cut Off |
| General Studies – 2 | 80 | Questions from topics like Math, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension are asked | 200 | 120 Minutes | Objective TypeMin. 33% to Qualify for CSAT |
UPSC Mains / Civil Services (Main) Examination: The Mains paper is divided into nine sections, the specifics of which are listed in the table below. To learn everything there is to know about each paper, click on the subject links
| Paper Title | Topics | Marks | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian Language | 300 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveQualifying Exam |
| Paper B | English | 300 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveQualifying Exam |
| Paper-1 | Essay | 250 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveMerit |
| Paper-2 | General Studies – 1 | 250 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveMerit |
| Paper-3 | General Studies – 2 | 250 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveMerit |
| Paper-4 | General Studies – 3 | 250 | 180 Minutes | DescriptiveMerit |
Here is our 5-step Approach to Crack UPSC Exams
Personality Test or Interview – According to many successful UPSC candidates of IAS Academy, the UPSC Interview round is a measure of personality rather than of one’s knowledge. It’s also considered as the most significant and difficult stage to pass through.
Many students believe that the CSE interview is merely a knowledge exam. It is a personality exam, not a knowledge test. There is no single correct or incorrect response. The interview panel just looks at how an applicant responds to a question. The candidates’ expertise is not checked by the panel. Rather, it evaluates a handful of the candidates’ personality qualities. Another myth is that the panel assigns grades based on personal preference. Candidates who receive low scores frequently attribute their poor performance to the interview panel or bad luck. The panel’s members are quite objective. I am certain that the candidate determines the grade based on his or her performance and personality attributes.
A Civil Services interview with the UPSC panel lasts roughly 30 minutes. The goal of the interview is to determine whether the candidate is qualified for a civil service career. That is, whether or not the candidate has the ability to display strong administrative abilities. The interview is worth 275 points out of a possible 2025. Although the marks from both the Mains and the Personality Test are considered for the ranking, the candidate’s performance in the Mains test has no bearing on the course of the interview.