Government Exams

UPSC Civil Services Examination

upsc-civil-services

National Level Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

Exam profile

Category: Government Exams
Level: National Level
Conducting authority: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Current cycle: UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025

Application & links

Application fees: General-EWS/OBC-NCL: ₹100.00
Official website: https://www.upsc.gov.in/

Timeline

Exam instances

Instance	Notification	Registration	Exam date	Result
UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025	Feb. 12, 2025	Feb. 12, 2025 to March 5, 2025	June 1, 2025	July 1, 2025

Stages

Exam stages

Stage	Date	Time	Duration	Marks
Interview	—	9 a.m. – 6 p.m.	9h	275
Prelims	June 1, 2025	9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	7h	400
Mains	Sept. 20, 2025	9 a.m. – 5 p.m.	8h	1750

Syllabus

Syllabus outline

Current Affairs

Awards and Honors - Nobel, Bharat Ratna, Sports Awards
Economic Developments - Budget, Financial Policies
Important International Events - Summits, Treaties
Important National Events - Government Policies, Laws
Social Issues - Education, Health, Gender, Environment

Economy

Agriculture - Types, Issues, Policies, Crop Patterns
Banking and Finance - RBI, Banking Sector, Monetary Policy
Budget - Components, Deficits, Fiscal Policy
Economic Planning - Five Year Plans, NITI Aayog
Economic Reforms - Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization
Indian Economy - Characteristics and Challenges
Industry - Classification, Growth, MSMEs
International Trade - Balance of Payments, WTO, Trade Agreements
Poverty - Measurement, Causes, Poverty Alleviation Programs
Social Security - Schemes for Health, Education, Employment
Taxation - Direct and Indirect Taxes, GST
Unemployment - Types, Causes, Government Schemes

Environment & Ecology

Biodiversity - Types, Importance, Hotspots
Causes and Effects of Pollution - Air, Water, Soil
Climate Change - Greenhouse Gases, Global Warming
Conservation - Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, Ramsar Sites
Environmental Laws in India - EPA, Wildlife Protection Act
Environmental Movements - Chipko, Silent Valley
Renewable Energy - Solar, Wind, Hydro, Biomass
Sustainable Development - Concepts and Practices

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Case Studies - Ethical Dilemmas, Decision Making
Emotional Intelligence - Self-awareness, Empathy
Ethics and Human Values - Concepts and Importance
Philosophical Foundations - Major Thinkers and Theories
Probity in Governance - Code of Conduct, Whistleblower
Public Service Values - Accountability, Transparency

Geography

Agricultural Practices - Types, Crops, Green Revolution
Atmosphere - Composition, Layers, Weather and Climate
Economic Activities - Industry, Services, Trade
Hydrosphere - Oceans, Rivers, Groundwater
Indian Climate - Monsoons, Seasons, Climatic Regions
Indian Physiographic Divisions - Himalayas, Plains, Plateaus
Indian Rivers - Origin, Drainage Patterns, Importance
Natural Resources - Minerals, Forests, Energy Sources
Plate Tectonics - Types, Earthquakes, Volcanoes
Population Geography - Distribution, Growth, Migration
Soils of India - Types, Distribution, Fertility
Structure of Earth - Lithosphere, Mantle, Core
World Continents - Major Features, Climate Zones

History

Bhakti and Sufi Movements - Key Figures, Teachings
Colonialism - East India Company, Revolt of 1857
Delhi Sultanate - Establishment, Administration, Society
Freedom Struggle - Early Movements, Gandhi, Non-Cooperation
Gupta Empire - Golden Age, Art, Science
Indus Valley Civilization - Urban Planning, Trade, Culture
Mauryan Empire - Administration, Ashoka's Policy
Mughal Empire - Babur to Aurangzeb, Art and Architecture
Post-Independence India - Constituent Assembly, Key Policies
Social Reform Movements - Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Vivekananda
Vedic Period - Society, Economy, Religion

Polity & Governance

Centre-State Relations - Legislative, Administrative, Financial
Constitution - Features, Preamble, Amendments
Directive Principles - Nature and Importance
Election Commission - Role and Functions
Fundamental Duties - Scope and Application
Fundamental Rights - Types, Limitations, Enforcement
Governance Reforms - E-Governance, Transparency
International Relations Basics - India’s Foreign Policy, Key Treaties
Judiciary - Supreme Court, High Courts, Judicial Review
Local Governance - Panchayati Raj, Municipalities
Parliament - Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Functions, Powers
Public Policy and Rights - RTI, Social Justice
State Government - Governor, Chief Minister, Legislative Assembly
Union Government - President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers

Science & Technology

Basic Biology - Cell Biology, Human Body, Genetics
Basic Chemistry - Elements, Compounds, Acids and Bases
Basic Physics - Laws of Motion, Electricity, Magnetism
Biotechnology - Genetic Engineering, Cloning
Health Science - Vaccines, Diseases, Public Health
Information Technology - Internet, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence
Recent Scientific Developments - Innovations, Breakthroughs
Space Technology - ISRO Missions, Satellites

Details

Additional information

General eligibility

Nationality: Indian citizen for IAS and IPS. Age Limit: 21 to 32 years (General category) as of August 1st of exam year. Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Number of Attempts: 6 attempts (General), 9 (OBC), unlimited (SC/ST) until upper age limit.

Syllabus notes

Prelims: General Studies Paper I & CSAT (Paper II). Mains: 9 papers including Essay, General Studies I-IV, two Optional Subject papers, English, Indian Language. Interview/Personality Test: Final stage after qualifying Mains.

Exam pattern

Prelims: Objective type (MCQ). Mains: Descriptive type (written). Interview: Personal interview (275 Marks).

Notes

Prelims is qualifying; only Mains + Interview marks decide the final merit. Negative marking in Prelims: 1/3rd deduction for wrong answers.

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