Union Public Service Commission · IAS, IFS, IPS and other Group A and Group B central services
UPSC CSE: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Attempts & Mock Tests
The Civil Services Examination recruits for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service and 20 other Group A and Group B services. Everything about the exam on one page, from the official 2026 notice.
UPSC CSE latest updates
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Important dates
Dates for the next UPSC CSE cycle (notification, last date, admit card, exam and result) appear here when they are announced. See the exam calendar →
Check your eligibility
- ✓IAS, IFS, IPS and all other servicesAge 21–32 +3
UPSC CSE vacancies
Total, category-wise and post-wise vacancies appear here when the UPSC CSE notification is released.
Eligibility and age limit
| Posts | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| IAS, IFS, IPS and all other services | Degree from a recognised university, in any subject | 21–32 |
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC | 3 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| PwBD | Up to 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen (5 years’ military service) | Up to 5 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations | Up to 3 years |
Age is counted as on 1 August of the exam year.
You must be at least 21 and must not have turned 32 on 1 August 2026.
Attempts: General and EWS 6, OBC 9, SC and ST no limit. PwBD candidates get 9 (no limit if SC or ST). Appearing in any one Prelims paper counts as an attempt.
IAS, IFS and IPS need Indian citizenship. Other services also accept subjects of Nepal and Bhutan and certain other persons with a certificate of eligibility.
A serving IAS or IFS officer cannot take the exam. Relaxations for SC, ST and OBC are added to those for ex-servicemen and PwBD.
Application fee
Selection process
- 1Prelims2 objective papers · 400 marks · screening only
- 2Mains9 written papers · 1,750 merit marks · 2 qualifying language papers
- 3Personality test275 marks · merit on Mains + interview
UPSC CSE exam pattern
Civil Services Prelims 2 objective papers · 2 hours each · 400 marks · −1/3 of the marks per wrong answer
| Paper | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper-I | 200 | 2 hours |
| General Studies Paper-II (CSAT), qualifying at 33% | 200 | 2 hours |
| Total | 400 |
Mains (written) 9 conventional papers · 3 hours each · language papers qualifying at 25%
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-A | Indian language (qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper-B | English (qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper-I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies-I: Heritage, Culture, History, Geography, Society | 250 |
| Paper-III | General Studies-II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations | 250 |
| Paper-IV | General Studies-III: Technology, Economy, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, Disaster Management | 250 |
| Paper-V | General Studies-IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude | 250 |
| Paper-VI | Optional subject, paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper-VII | Optional subject, paper 2 | 250 |
| Merit total | Papers I–VII + personality test (275) | 2,025 |
Prelims is a screening test: its marks do not count in the final merit, and about 12–13 times the vacancies are called to Mains. Paper-II (CSAT) needs 33%. Prelims papers are set in Hindi and English. Paper-A is not compulsory for candidates from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim. About twice the vacancies are called for the personality test.
UPSC CSE syllabus
Subject by subject. The number on a topic is how many practice questions we have for it.
General Studies (Prelims Paper-I)
Prelims · 200 marksCSAT (Prelims Paper-II)
Prelims · 200 marks · qualifying 33%General Studies I–IV
Mains · 4 × 250 marksEssay
Mains · 250 marksOptional subject
Mains · 2 × 250 marksUPSC CSE cut-offs
Year-wise official cut-offs for every category appear here once they are published.
UPSC CSE salary by post
| Level / group | Posts | Pay scale |
|---|---|---|
| Level 10 | Indian Administrative Service, junior scale | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 |
The IAS junior scale is Level 10 under the IAS (Pay) Rules 2016; the amounts are Level 10 of the 7th CPC pay matrix. Pay of the other services is set by their own service rules. Allowances are extra.
UPSC CSE mock tests and previous year papers
Exams with a similar syllabus
Your CSE preparation already covers most of these exams.
UPSC CSE articles
Preparation strategy, syllabus breakdowns and cut-off analysis for UPSC CSE are on the way. Read the blog →
UPSC CSE frequently asked questions
How many vacancies are there in UPSC CSE 2026?
The notice expected about 933, including 33 for persons with benchmark disabilities. UPSC’s Prelims result press note of 15 June 2026 puts the number notified at 1,016, against which 13,343 candidates were shortlisted for Mains. For CSE 2025 the figure was 1,087.
What is the age limit for UPSC CSE?
You must be at least 21 and must not have turned 32 on 1 August 2026. OBC candidates get 3 more years, SC and ST 5, and PwBD up to 10. Ex-servicemen with five years of military service get up to 5.
How many attempts are allowed?
Six for General and EWS candidates, nine for OBC, and no limit for SC and ST (within the age limit). PwBD candidates get nine, or no limit if they are SC or ST. Appearing in any one Prelims paper counts as an attempt.
Is CSAT counted in the merit?
No. General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying: you need 33%. Prelims marks as a whole are not counted in the final merit.
Is there negative marking?
Yes, in Prelims. One third of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one option counts as wrong; a question left blank carries no penalty.
Can I write the Mains in Hindi or another Indian language?
Yes. Except the qualifying language papers, you can answer in English or any language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Question papers other than literature papers are set in Hindi and English.
When was CSE 2026 held and when is CSE 2027?
Prelims was held on 24 May 2026 and Mains on 21–23 and 29–30 August 2026. UPSC’s calendar lists the CSE 2027 notice for 13 January 2027 and Prelims on 23 May 2027; those dates can change.
What is the application fee?
₹100 for Prelims and ₹200 more for candidates who reach Mains. Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates are exempt.
Sources: UPSC CSE 2026 notice No. 05/2026-CSE (04-02-2026) · UPSC press note: CS (Prelims) 2026 result (15-06-2026) · UPSC press note: CS (Main) 2026 (19-08-2026) · UPSC Programme of Examinations 2027 · IAS (Pay) Rules 2016, DoPT (checked 14 Sept 2026). Always confirm in the official notice before applying.