Job Profile Description

The primary objective of the CSE is to recruit candidates for various civil services and administrative positions in the Government of India. Due to that the officials which will represent the nation at higher levels and Administration for the posts mentioned below.

1.    Indian Administrative Service (IAS): 

Administrative and executive positions at the district, state, and central levels.

2.    Indian Police Service (IPS):

Leadership roles in law enforcement and public safety.

3.    Indian Foreign Service (IFS):

Handling diplomatic relations and representing India internationally.

4.    Indian Revenue Service (IRS):

Managing and administering revenue and taxation.

5.    Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS):

Ensuring financial accountability and auditing government expenditures.

6.    Indian Forest Service (IFS):

Conservation and management of forests and wildlife.

7.    Indian Economic Service (IES):

Formulating and implementing economic policies.

8.    Indian Statistical Service (ISS):

Collection and interpretation of statistical data.

Eligibility

Age Limit

The candidate must be between the ages of 21 and 32 on August 1 of the examination year.

The upper age limit is relaxed for candidates who fall under one of the following categories:

• - Non-Creamy Layer (OBC): Maximum age of 35 years.
• - SC/ST: Up to 37 years.
• - PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disability): Up to 42 years.

 Nationality: 

An applicant must be an:-

- Indian citizen or a permanent resident of India.

-Nepalese, or

- Bhutan's subject, or

- A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to establish permanent in India.

- A Tibetan refugee who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, to establish permanently in India

Qualification

·        A candidate must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized university or an equivalent certification.

·        Candidates in their final year of a degree program are also allowed to apply, as long as they include documentation of passing the qualifying exams with their application.

Syllabus

The syllabus for the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is extensive and covers a wide range of disciplines to examine the candidate's knowledge, analytical skills, and comprehension of diverse issues. Here is a synopsis of the CSE curriculum:

The CSE syllabus is broken into two parts: the preliminary exam and the main exam.

Preliminary Examination:

                           I.            Paper I: General Studies

·        Current events of national and international importance: This section assesses the candidate's knowledge of current events both nationally and worldwide.

·        History of India and Indian National Movement: The questions are intended to assess the candidate's understanding of Indian history and the liberation movement.

·        Indian and World Geography: It discusses physical, social, and economic geography in India and around the world.

·        Indian Polity and Governance: This section tests the candidate's understanding of the political system, Constitution, and governance in India.

·        Economic and Social Development: Concerns about sustainable development, poverty, demographics, social sector activities, and so forth.

·        Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change: This section tests the candidate's understanding of environmental issues.

·        General Science: Questions on general science topics, emphasizing scientific aspects relevant to day-to-day life.

                        II.            Paper-II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test)

·        Comprehension - Examining the candidate's ability to comprehend and analyze information from various sources.

·        Interpersonal skills including communication skills: Assessing the candidate's communication and interpersonal skills.

·        Logical reasoning and analytical ability -Take a look at the candidate's logical and analytical reasoning.

·        Decision-Making and Problem-solving- Evaluating decision-making and problem-solving abilities.

·        General and Mental Ability - Assessing the candidate's cognitive abilities and comprehension.

                    III.            Main Examination

The main Examination consists of nine papers, out of which seven papers are considered for merit ranking. The main Examination syllabus includes:

1.    Paper – A: Indian Language (Qualifying): This paper assesses the candidate's knowledge of any of India's scheduled languages.

2.    Paper – B: English (Qualifying): This paper tests the candidate's proficiency.

3.    Paper-I to Paper-VII: These papers cover the following subjects

a.    Essay: Candidates must prepare essays on a variety of topics.

b.    General Studies-I to General Studies-IV: History, geography, sociology, government, governance, ethics, integrity, aptitude, and optional subjects are all covered in these papers.

4.    Optional Subject Paper-I and Paper-II – Candidates can choose one optional subject from a list of subjects; each paper is 250 marks.

                    IV.            Personality Test (Interview):

The Personality Test, sometimes known as the interview, is not a written exam, but rather an oral examination of the candidate's personality, communication skills, and suitability for a career in civil services.

As changes may occur, applicants should refer to the UPSC's thorough and updated official curriculum. Aspirants should properly understand the material and focus on a methodical and planned preparation approach.

Exam Pattern

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) in three stages-

Stage 1 – Preliminary Examination

Stage 2 – Main Examination

Stage 3 – Personality Test Interview

                                         I.            Preliminary Examination –

A.   Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions):

·        There are two papers: General Studies Paper – I and General Studies Paper – II (CSAT).

·        General Studies Paper – I cover topics like current events, history, geography, polity, economic environment, and general science.

·        General Studies Paper – II (CSAT – Civil Services Aptitude test) assesses a candidate's comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, and analytical ability.

B.  Negative Marking:

There is a negative marking for incorrect answers in General Studies paper – I.

C.  Qualifying Nature of CSAT Paper:

Candidates need to score a minimum qualifying mark in the CSAT paper, but its scores are not considered for the final merit.

Main Examination:

A.  Descriptive Type:

Ø The Main Examination consists of nine papers, all of which are descriptive.

Ø Essay, General Studies (four papers), Optional Subject Paper-I, Optional Subject Paper-II, Indian Language Paper (Qualifying), and English Paper (Qualifying) are among the papers available.

B.  Optional Subjects:

UPSC provides a list of optional subjects for candidates to choose from. There are two papers for each optional subject.

C.  Qualifying Papers:

The Indian Language Paper and the English Paper are both qualifying exams. Candidates must obtain the required minimum qualifying marks in these papers.

D.  Marks Counted for Merit:

The ultimate merit is determined by the marks achieved in the remaining seven papers, which include the Essay and General Studies papers.

                                     II.            Personality Test (Interview):

A.   Interview Process –

Ø Candidates who pass the Main Exam are invited to the Personality Test, also known as the Interview.

Ø The interview evaluates the candidate's personality, communication abilities, and suitability for a civil service career.

B.    Marks of final merit –

Ø The marks obtained in the Main Examination and the Interview are considered for the final merit list.

                                 III.            Aggregate Scoring

A.   Preliminary Examination:

Ø The Preliminary Examination is a screening test. The scores obtained in this stage are not counted for the final merit.

B.    Main Examination and Interview –

Ø The Main Examination and the Interview together contribute to the final merit list.

·        The final selection is based on the cumulative performance in the Main Examination and the Interview.

Selection Criteria

The final selection is based on the cumulative performance in the Mains examination and the Personality Test.

Number Of Attempts

·        The number of attempts allowed varies based on the candidate's category:

·        General Category: 6 attempts

·        OBC Category: 9 attempts

·        SC/ST Category: Unlimited attempts until the upper age limit is reached.

Frequency

·        The UPSC CSE is conducted annually by the UPSC.

·        Preparing for the CSE requires a thorough understanding of the syllabus, consistent effort, and a strategic approach. Many aspirants opt for coaching, self-study, and continuous practice to increase their chances of success in this highly competitive examination.