Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview)
- The Main Examination will consist of written examination and an interview test.
- It is conducted for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts.
- The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type (i.e subjective type) out of which two papers will be of qualifying in nature.
- Marks obtained for all the compulsory papers (Paper-I to Paper-VII) and Marks obtained in Interview for Personality Test will be counted for ranking.
- 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.
- The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice of the number of vacancies to be filled.
- 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.
- 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.
Source: UPSC CSE Notification
Pattern of the Main Examination:
The written examination will consist of the following papers:
| Qualifying Papers | Marks |
| Paper-A Indian Language | 300 |
| Paper-B English | 300 |
| Papers to be counted for merit | Marks |
| Paper-I Essay | 250 |
| Paper-II General Studies-I | 250 |
| Paper-III General Studies -II | 250 |
| Paper-IV General Studies -III | 250 |
| Paper-V General Studies -IV | 250 |
| Paper-VI Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper-VII Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 |
| Sub Total (Written test) | 1750 |
| Personality Test | 275 |
| Grand Total | 2025 |
Note:
- Paper-A: One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
- General Studies-I contains Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
- General Studies -II contains Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
- General Studies -III contains Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
- General Studies -IV contains Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.
- Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list of subjects provided by the UPSC.
| Syllabus for Main Examination | Click Here |
| List of Indian Languages for Paper A | Click Here |
| List of Optional Subjects | Click Here |
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