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About CSE

What is Civil Service Examination

Civil Services Examination is a competitive examination through which government of India recruits candidates to All India Services (IAS, IPS, IFos), Central Services (IRS, IRTS, ICAS, ADAS, IAAS, IIS and others)

It is conducted in two phases – a preliminary examination consisting of two objective-type papers (general studies and aptitude test), and a main examination consisting of nine papers of subjective type, followed by a personality test (interview).

To Which Services recruitment is done?

Recruitment is done to 24 services through Civil services Examination

These Service are

Sl No Name Of Service
1 Indian Administrative Service.(IAS)
2 Indian Foreign Service.(IFS)
3 Indian Police Service.(IPS)
4 Indian P&T Account & Finance Service, Group 'A'
5 Indian Audit and Account Service,Group'A'.(IAAS)
6 Indian Revenue Service(Customs and Central Excise),Group'A'.(IRS)
7 Indian Defence Account Service, Group'A'.(IDAS)
8 Indian Revenue Service(I.T),Group'A'.(IRS)
9 Indian Ordance Factories Service, Group'A'(Assistant Works Manager,Administration).
10 Indian Postal Service,Group'A'.
11 Indian Civil Account Service,Group'A'.(ICAS)
12 Indian Railway Traffic Service,Group'A'.(IRTS)
13 Indian Railway Account Service,Group'A'.(IRAS)
14 Indian Railway Personnel Service,Group'A'.(IRPS)
15 Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force,Group'A'.
16 Indian Defence Estates Service,Group'A'.(IDES)
17 Indian Information Service(Junior Grade),Group'A'.(IIS)
18 Indian Trade Service,Group'A'(Gr.III).(ITS)
19 Indian Corporate Law Service,Group'A'.(ICLS)
20 Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service,Group 'B'(section Officer's Grade).(IFHCS)
21 Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands ,Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group'B'.(DANICS)
22 Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli police Service,Group'B'. (DANIPS)
23 Pondicherry Civil Service,Group'B'.
24 Pondicherry Police Service,Group'B'.

What are the eligibility criteria to give Civil Services Examination?

Anyone who fulfills the following eligibility criteria can appear in the examination-

Nationality

Slno Service Nationality
1 For the Indian Administrate Service and the Indian police Service A Candidate must be a Citizen of India.
2 For other Service, a candidtae must be either
  1. a citizen of India,or
  2. a subject of nepal,or
  3. a subject of Bhutan,or
  4. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the Intention of permanentely settling In India,or
  5. a person of India origin who has migrated from pakistan, Burma, Srilanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently setting in India.
    Provided that a candidate belonging to categories(b),(c),(d)and(e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued bt the Government of India.
    Provided further that candidate belonging to categories(b),(c)and(d) above will not be eligible for appoinment to the indian Foreign Service .
    A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

Age Limit& Number of Attempts

Category Min Age Maximum Age No of Attempt
GEN 21 32 06
OBC 21 35 09
SC 21 37 Till Maximum age limit
PH 21 GEN:42
OBC:45
SC/ST:47 		Gen:09 attempts
OBC:09 attempts
SC/ST:Till upper age limit
J&K Domicile 21 GEN:37 Year
OBC:40 Year
SC/ST:42 Year
PH:47 year		 Till upper age limit
Disabled Serviceman 21 GEN:37 Year
OBC:38 Year
SC/ST:40 Year 		Till upper age limit
Ex-serviceman (Military Service) 21 GEN:37 Year
OBC:40 Year
SC/ST:42 Year		 Till upper age limit

Eduactional Qualification

Candidate should have Graduation degree from any recognied university/institution.
Note: Candidate appearing in final year can also apply for the examination.

Scheme of examination

The civil services examination consists of THREE Stages
Stage 1 - Preliminary Examination
Stage 2 - Mains Examination
Stage 3 - Personality Test (Interview)
Note -Preliminary examination is of qualifying nature.

Final merit list is made on the basis of total marks gained in Mains Examination and Personality Test.

Stage 1 - Preliminary Examination

Preliminary Examination
Papers Subject Paper Type No of Questions Marks Negative Marking
Paper 1 General Studies Objective 100 200 1/3rd of marks allotted to the question
Paper 2 Aptitude Test (Qualifying) Objective 80 200 1/3rd of marks allotted to the question

Note -
  1. Aptitude test (CSAT) is of qualifying nature only i.e. candidate has to score 33% of the total marks to pass in CSAT.
  2. CSAT marks are not added in the merit list of prelims.
  3. Merit list of prelims is made on the basis of General Studies marks only.

Qualified candidates areligible to appear in Mains Examination.

Stage 2 - Mains Examination

Mains Examination
S.No. Subject Marks Exam Duration
1 Essey 250 3 Hours
2 General Studies-I 250 3 Hours
3 General Studies-II 250 3 Hours
4 General Studies-III 250 3 Hours
5 General Studies-IV 250 3 Hours
6 Optional Subject Paper-I 250 3 Hours
7 Optional Subject Paper-II 250 3 Hours
8 Regional Language Paper (Qualifying) 300 3 Hours
9 English Language Paper (Qualifying) 300 3 Hours

Note - Language Papers (Regional language paper and English language paper) are qualifying in nature i.e. a candidate must score minimum 33% marks in these papers.
  1. Language paper marks are not considered for the purpose of merit list.
  2. Merit list is made on the basis of 7 papers only (1 to 7 in the table )
  3. Merit is made out on the basis of marks scored by a candidate out of 1750 marks carried by 7 papers.
- Qualified candidates in Mains examination are eligible to appear in Personality Test.
- Candidate has to appear before a Personality Test (Interview) board of UPSC. Board members interact with the candidate and give marks based on their personality assessment of the candidate.
- Personality Test carries 275 marks.
- Final Merit
- Marks of Mains Examination and Personality Test are added to make a final merit list of the candidates.