UPSC CSE

Civil Services Examination (Prelims + Mains + Interview) · conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

100questions in the paper

200total marks

120minutes

18,198practice questions here

The paper

Section by section, as the conducting body sets it.

Section	Questions	Correct	Wrong
GS Paper 1 — General Studies	100	+2	0.66

What we have to practise with

18,198 questions matched to this syllabus, by subject.

Geography 7,423 questions

Political Science 4,240 questions

Economics 3,707 questions

History 2,828 questions

Drawn from class 11, 12 material. Open any of it in the chapter library.

Before you apply

Who can sit itIndian citizen (with relaxations for Bhutan/Nepal/Tibetan refugees etc.). Bachelor's degree (any). Age 21–32 (relaxations for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/ex-servicemen).

How oftenAnnual. Prelims (May/Jun) → Mains (Sep) → Interview (Jan–Apr).

Next windowPrelims: 24 May 2026 (tentative). Notification ~Feb 2026.

What it admits you toIAS, IPS, IFS, IRS (IT + Customs), IAAS, IDAS, IRAS, IPoS, IRTS, IRPS, IIS, IDES, IFoS via separate IFoS exam — 24 services in all.

What changed recentlyCSAT (Paper 2) is qualifying (33% min) but counts only for Paper 1 cutoff. Mains (Phase 2) has 9 papers including Essay + 4 GS + 2 Optional. Optional subject choice critical.

Dates and rules change every cycle. The conducting body is the only source that is current: upsc.gov.in/

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