Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2025
Date of Notification – 22/01/2025
Date of Commencement of Examination – 25/05/2025 – May 25th Civil Services Prelims – SUNDAY
Last Date for Receipt of Applications – 11/02/2025 – 6:00pm – 11th February (Sunday)
Download Notification – Notification – Click Here ; Instructions – Click Here
WHERE TO APPLY? – Candidates are required to apply online by using the website https://upsconline.gov.in
APPLICATION ARE INVITED FOR 979 Posts:
Through Civil Services Examination, you can become the following officers:-
HOW TO BECOME AN INDIAN FOREST SERVICE (IFS) OFFICER and career path of an IFS Officer – Click Here
CANDIDATES APPLYING FOR INDIAN FOREST SERVICE (IFS) EXAMINATION SHOULD NOTE THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO APPEAR IN THE CIVIL SERVICES (PRELIMINARY) EXAMINATON AND QUALIFY THE SAME FOR GOING TO THE SECOND STAGE OF INDIAN FOREST SERVICE (MAIN) EXAMINATION (WRITTEN AND INTERVIEW) – Notification – Click Here
(i) How to become an Indian Administrative Service (IAS Officer) and career path of an IAS Officer – Click Here
(ii) How to become an Indian Foreign Service (IFS Officer) and career path of an IFS Officer – Click Here
(iii) How to become an Indian Police Service (IPS Officer) and career path of an IPS Officer – Click Here
(iv) How to become an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IA&AS Officer – Click Here
(v) How to become an Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officerr, Group ‘A’ and career path of an ICAS Officer – Click Here
(vi) How to become an Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an ICLS Officer – Click Here
(vii) How to become an Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IDAS Officer – Click Here
(viii) How to become an Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IDES Officer – Click Here
(ix) How to become an Indian Information Service (IIS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IIS Officer– Click Here
(x) How to become an Indian Postal Service (IPoS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IPoS Officer– Click Here
(xi) How to become an Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IP&TAFS Officer – Click Here
(xii) How to become an Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) Officer (Traffic), Group ‘A’ and career path of an IRMS Officer (Traffic) – Click Here
(xiii) How to become an Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) Officer (Personnel), Group ‘A’ and career path of an IRMS Officer (Personnel) – Click Here
(xiv) How to become an Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) Officer (Accounts), Group ‘A’ and career path of an IRMS Officer – Click Here
(xv) How to become an Indian Railway Protection Force Service (RPF) Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an RPF Officer – Click Here
(xvi) How to become an Indian Revenue Service IRS (C&IT) Customs & Indirect Taxes Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IRS (C&IT) Officer – Click Here
(xvii) How to become an Indian Revenue Service IRS (IT) Income Tax Officer, Group ‘A’ and career path of an IRS (IT) Income Tax Officer – Click Here
(xviii) How to become an Indian Trade Service (ITS) Officer, Group ‘A’ (Grade III) and career path of an ITS Officer – Click Here
(xix) How to become an Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (AFHCS) Officer, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade) and career path of an AFHCS Officer – Click Here
(xx) How to become a Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service Officer (DANICS), Group ‘B’ and career path of a DANICS Officer – Click Here
(xxi) How to become a Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service Officer (DANIPS), Group ‘B’ and career path of a DANIPS Officer – Click Here
(xxii) How to become a Pondicherry Civil Service Officer (PONDICS), Group ‘B’ and career path of a PONDICS Officer – Click Here
(xxiii) How to become a Pondicherry Police Service Officer (PONDIPS), Group ‘B’ and career path of a PONDIPS Officer – Click Here
Plan of Examination:
The Civil Services Examination will consist of two successive stages (vide Appendix I Section-I)
(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination; and
(ii) Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts noted above.
Age Limits:
(1) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2025 i.e., the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1993 and not later than 1st August, 2004.
(2) The upper age-limit prescribed above will be relaxable:
(a) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe;
(b) up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates;
(c) up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof;
(d) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August, 2025 and
have been released:
(i) on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2025, otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency); or
(ii) on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or
(iii) on invalidment.
(e) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August, 2025 and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.
(f) up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories viz.
(i) blindness and low vision;
(ii) deaf and hard of hearing;
(iii) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy;
(iv) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness;
(v) multiple disabilities from amongst person under clauses (i) to (iv) including deaf-blindness.
Note-I : Candidates belonging to either the SC or the ST or the OBC category who are also covered under any other clauses of para 3(II)(2) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen or PwBD, will be eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both categories.
Minimum Educational Qualification:
A candidate must hold a Graduate degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 or possess an equivalent qualification.
Note-I: Candidates who have appeared at a qualifying examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s Examination but have not been informed of the result as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the written part of Civil Services Examination, 2025. However, all such candidates, who are declared qualified by the Commission for Interview/Personality Test, will be required to produce proof of passing of the requisite qualifying examination within the time limit prescribed in Rule 13 of CSE, 2025.
FEE: Candidates (Except Female/SC/ST/Persons with Benchmark Disability Candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred only) either by remitting the money in any Branch of State Bank of India by cash or by using Net Banking facility of any bank or by using Visa/Master/RuPay/Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment.
PLAN OF EXAMINATION
The Civil Services Examination comprises two successive stages:
(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Civil Services (Main) Examination; and
(ii) Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview/Personality Test) for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts.
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks in the subjects set out in sub-section (A) of Section II. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Civil Services (Main) Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year through this Examination. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination in the year will be eligible for admission to the Civil Services (Main) Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Civil Services (Main) Examination.
Note I: The Commission will draw a list of candidates to be qualified for Civil Services (Main) Examination based on the criterion of minimum qualifying marks of 33% in General Studies Paper-II of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and total qualifying marks of General Studies Paper-I of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination as may be determined by the Commission.
Note II: There will be negative marking for incorrect answers as detailed below:
(i) There are four alternatives for the answers to every question. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.
(ii) If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the given answers happen to be correct and there will be same penalty as above for that question.
(iii) If a question is left blank i.e. no answer is given by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.
The Civil Services (Main) Examination will consist of a Written Examination and an Interview/Personality Test. The Written Examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out in sub-section (B) of Section-II out of which two papers will be of qualifying in nature.
[Also see Note (ii) under Para-I of Section II-(B)]. Marks obtained for all the compulsory papers (Paper-I to Paper-VII) and Marks obtained in Interview/Personality Test will be counted for ranking.
4.1 Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Civil Services (Main) Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for an Interview/Personality Test, vide sub-section (C) of Section-II. The number of candidates to be summoned for Interview/Personality Test will be about twice of the number of vacancies to be filled. The
Interview/Personality Test will carry 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).
SECTION II: Scheme and Subjects for the Preliminary and Main Examination
A. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION:
The Examination shall comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
Note:
(i) Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
(ii) The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
(iii) The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
(iv) Details of the syllabi are indicated in Part A of Section III.
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). 300 Marks
Paper-B – English 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
Detailed Syllabus – Click Here
Previous Years Question Paper
Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2024
General Studies Paper 1 – Click Here
General Studies Paper 2 – Click Here
FAQs About Indian Civil Services Exam
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE):
What is the Civil Services Exam?
The Civil Services Exam (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for prestigious government services like IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), and other central services.
Who conducts the Civil Services Exam?
The exam is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
What are the stages of the Civil Services Exam?
The exam is conducted in three stages:
1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims): Objective-type test.
2. Main Examination (Mains): Written descriptive test.
3. Personality Test (Interview): Assessment of personality, communication, and suitability.
What is the selection process after clearing the exam?
Candidates are allotted services based on their rank in the final merit list and preferences given during the application process. Higher ranks typically secure IAS, IPS, or IFS positions.
How tough is the UPSC Civil Services Exam?
It is one of the toughest exams globally due to:
• The vast syllabus.
• High competition (less than 1% of candidates succeed).
• Intense preparation requirements.
How should one start preparing for the exam?
• Begin with understanding the syllabus and exam pattern.
• Refer to NCERT books and standard reference materials.
• Regularly read newspapers like The Hindu or Indian Express for current affairs.
• Practice mock tests and previous years’ question papers.
• Odisha Career for Competitive Exams based out of Berhampur also provides guidance on preparation for Civil Services
Is coaching necessary to crack the UPSC exam?
No, coaching is not mandatory. Many candidates clear the exam through self-study. However, coaching can provide guidance, structured preparation, and access to resources.
What are the career prospects after clearing the exam?
Successful candidates join the civil services and work in fields such as:
• Public administration (IAS)
• Law enforcement (IPS)
• Diplomacy (IFS)
• Revenue services (IRS)
• Other administrative roles.
Can I prepare for UPSC Civil Services while working?
Yes, many working professionals prepare for the exam by managing their time efficiently. It requires discipline and effective time management.
Can graduates from any stream apply?
Yes, graduates from any stream are eligible to apply for the UPSC Civil Services Exam.