UPSC- CIVIL SERVICES
“Government strives to have a workforce who reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply”
Nationality:
Citizen of India(Subjects of Nepal, Bhutan & others are eligible for posts other than IAS, IPS) For details refer notification)
Age limit:
General:21 to 32 years.Age is calculated as on 1st August of the year of the examination.(For 2016 Exam, candidates born not earlier than 2 Aug, 1984 and not later than 1 Aug 1995 are eligible)
O.B.C.:3 years relaxation (21 to 35 years)(Non-creamy Layer)
SC/ST: 5 years relaxation (21 to 37 years)
Ex-serviceman: 5 years relaxation (For conditions refer notification)
Minimum Educational Qualifications:
The candidate must hold a degree of any of 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.
(Note: Proof of passing requisite exam is required to be produced with Main Exam application form i.e. September / October 2016. Thus candidates who appeared for degree exam awaiting result are eligible)
Candidates, who passed M.B.B.S. or any other Medical Examination but have not completed internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination under proviso as per notification.
Physical Standard:
Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination as per guidelines given in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 23rd May, 2015.
NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS ALLOWED
GENERAL:6 attempts
O.B.C.: (Non-creamy Layer):9 attempts
SC/ST: Up to 37 years No limit
Physically Handicap (General): 9 attempts
EXAMINATION STAGES
(1) Preliminary
(2) Main (Written)
(3) Main (Interview)
(1) Preliminary (Prelim):
• This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit.
• The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
• Candidates will be asked to exercise their option to either choose Civil Services or Indian Forest Service or both, as per their eligibility conditions.
• Combined Prelim Exams for Civil Services & Indian Forest Service, 2016 shall be held on 7 August, 2016. Candidates intending to appear for the exam shall have to apply online between 23 April 2016 to 20 May 2016 at www.upsc.gov.in
(2) Mains (Written):
• Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in the year will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Main Examination.
• Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and Posts.
• Civil Services Mains (Written Examination), 2016 shall be held in December, 2016.
(3) Mains (Interview):
• Candidates, who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for interview for a Personality Test.
• Candidates who are selected in the Mains Written Examination will be eligible to appear before the Interview Board at New Delhi. It is usually held by the UPSC in March & April.
SYLLABUS FOR THE EXAMINATION:
I. PRELIMS: Each paper of 200 marks – Two Hours duration
General Studies Paper-I (GS)
• Current events of national and international importance.
• History of India and Indian national movement.
• Indian and World Geography- physical, social, economic geography of India and the world.
• Indian Polity and governance – constitution, political system, Panchayatraj, public policy, Rights issues, etc.
• Economic and social development – sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives etc.
• General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and climate change-that do not require subject specialization.
• General science.
General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) (Qualifying Paper with 33%)
• Comprehension.
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills.
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
• Decision making and problem solving.
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc. (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. –Class X level).
• English language comprehension skills (Class X level).
II.Main Written Examination
Qualifying Paper: (Papers not to be counted for merit) (Paper- A&B)
Compulsory Papers: (Papers to be counted for merit) (Paper I to VII)
| Paper-A | Indian Language(Matriculation or equivalent standard) | 300 Marks |
| Paper-B | English (Matriculation or equivalent standard) | 300 Marks |
| Paper-I | Essay | 250 Marks |
| Paper-II | General Studies–I(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-III | General Studies –II(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-IV | General Studies –III(Technology, Economic Development,Bio-diversity, Environment, Security And Disaster Management) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-V | General Studies –IV(Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
(Each paper of 3 hours duration) Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks
(Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list given below:)
| Agriculture Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Anthropology Botany Chemistry Civil Engineering Commerce and Accountancy Economics Electrical Engineering Geography |
Geology History Law Management Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Medical Science Philosophy Physics Political Science and International Relations Psychology |
Public Administration Sociology Statistics Zoology Literature of any one of the following languages : Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English |
EXAMINATION PATTERN:
1. Prelims:The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers (General Studies Paper-I & paper-II) of Objective type (multiple choice questions) of 200 marks each. The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%. It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the Papers of Civil Services (Prelim) Exam ination for the purpose of evaluation.
2. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year through this examination. The number of vacancies to be filled on the result of the examination of 2015 was approximately 1129.
3. The Commission will draw a list of candidates to be qualified for Civil Service (Main) Examination based on the criterion of minimum qualifying marks of 33% in General Studies Paper- II of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and total qualifying marks of General Studies Paper-I of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination as may be determined by the Commission.
4. There will be negative marking for incorrect answers (as detailed below) for all questions except some of the questions where the negative-marking will be inbuilt in the form of different marks being awarded to the most appropriate and not so appropriate answer for such questions.
5. There are four alternatives for the answers to every question. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.
II.Main Written Examination
1.The Mains Examination is held for those candidates who qualify the Prelims.
2. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out in sub-section (B) of Section II out of which two papers will be of qualifying in nature. Also see Note (ii) under Para I of Section II (B). Marks obtained for all the compulsory papers (Paper-I to Paper-VlI) and Marks obtained in Interview for Personality Test will be counted for ranking.
3. Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test, vide sub-section ‘C’ of Section II. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).
4. Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various services keeping in view their ranks in the Examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various services and posts.
5. The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory.
6. The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V) will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will be such as to test a candidate’s general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate’s basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio- economic goals, objectives and demands.
7. The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers.
8. The scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is broadly of the honors degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’ degree. In the case of Engineering, Medical Science and law, the level corresponds to the bachelors’ degree.
9. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies tobe filled in the year through this examination. The number of vacancies to be filled on the result of the examination of 2015 was approximately 1129.
10. The question papers of the Main Examinationwill be of conventional (essay) type.
11. Evaluation of the papers, namely,Essay, General Studies and OptionalSubject of all the candidates would bedone simultaneously along with evaluationof their qualifying papers on ‘IndianLanguages’ and ‘English’ but the papers on Essay, General Studies and Optional Subject of only such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 30% marks in Indian Language and 25% marks in English as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.
12. Marks obtained by the candidates for the Paper-I-VII only will be counted for merit ranking. However, the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of these papers.
13. If a candidate’s handwriting is not easily legible, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him.
14. Marks will not be allotted for mere superficial knowledge.
15. Credit will be given for orderly, effective, and exact expression combined with due economy of words in all subjects of the examination.
III.Mains Interview (Personality Test)
1. The interview will carry 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks). Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. (Ranking is based on score out of 2025 Marks). Candidates will be allotted to the various services keeping in view their ranks in the Examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various services and posts.
2. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled.
3. The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest.
4. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers.
The test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest in current affairs.
5. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.6. The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross‐examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.7. The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialized or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own State or Country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well-educated youth.
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