The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts various examinations for recruitment to government services in India. The most prominent of these exams are the Civil Services Examination (CSE), which includes the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other central services.

Here's an overview of the UPSC exam pattern and eligibility criteria:

Exam Pattern:

  1. Preliminary Examination (Objective Type):

    • Consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT - Civil Services Aptitude Test).
    • Both papers are conducted on the same day.
    • Paper-I is meant for screening the candidates for the Mains examination.
    • Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature (33% marks required).
    • Marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not counted in the final merit.

  2. Main Examination (Descriptive Type):

    • Consists of 9 papers, out of which 7 are counted for merit.
    • Papers include Essay, General Studies (4 papers), Optional Subject (2 papers), and a qualifying language paper.

  3. Interview/Personality Test:

    • Candidates who qualify the Main Examination are called for the interview round.
    • The interview tests the candidate's personality, attitude, and aptitude for the administrative services.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Nationality:

    • For IAS and IPS: Must be a citizen of India.
    • For other services: Can be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, a subject of Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India.

  2. Age Limit:

    • The candidate must be at least 21 years old and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August of the exam year (for the general category).
    • Age relaxation is provided for candidates belonging to reserved categories.

  3. Educational Qualification:

    • A candidate must hold a degree from 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.

  4. Number of Attempts:

    • The number of attempts varies based on the category of the candidate.
    • For General Category: 6 attempts.
    • For OBC Category: 9 attempts.
    • For SC/ST Category: Unlimited attempts till the age limit.
    • Physically Handicapped (General Category): 9 attempts.
    • Physically Handicapped (OBC Category): 9 attempts.
    • Physically Handicapped (SC/ST Category): Unlimited attempts till the age limit.