About CS Exam
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS) etc. Also simply referred to as the UPSC examination, it is conducted in three phases – a preliminary examination consisting of two objective-type papers (General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II also popularly known as Civil Service Aptitude Test or CSAT), and a main examination consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type, in which two papers are qualifying and only marks of seven are counted followed by a personality test (interview).
Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
A.PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION:
The Examination shall comprise two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
Note:
- Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
- The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
- The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
B. MAIN EXAMINATION
The written examination will consist of the following papers: —
Qualifying Papers:
Paper-A (One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution).
(One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). 300 Marks
| Papers to be counted for | |
| merit | |
| Paper-I | |
| Essay | 250 Marks |
| Paper-II | |
| General Studies-I | 250 Marks |
| (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) | |
| Paper-III | |
| General Studies-II | 250 Marks |
| (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | |
| Paper-IV | |
| General Studies-III | 250 Marks |
| (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | |
| Paper-V | |
| General Studies-IV | 250 Marks |
| (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | |
| Paper-VI | |
| Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
| Paper-VII | |
| Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 Marks |
| Sub Total (Written test) | 1750 Marks |
| Personality Test | 275 Marks |
| Grand Total | 2025 Marks |
C. Personality Test (275 Marks)
- The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.
- The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.
- The personality test is not intended to be a test either of the specialized or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own State or Country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
