What is UPSC?
UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. One of the most competitive and prestigious exams, civil services, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), India’s major regulating body. UPSC also conducts several competitive exams to fill in various civil service vacancies for the government of India.
The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE), popularly known as IAS (Indian Administrative Service) exam. It is conducted in two phases namely- UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. The prelims exam comprises objective-type questions, while the questions asked in the mains need descriptive and essay-type answering. The UPSC is responsible for conducting various examinations for the post like IAS, IPS, IFS etc.
The Full form of UPSC is Union Public Service Commission. One of the most competitive and prestigious exams, civil services, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), India’s major regulating body. UPSC also conducts several competitive exams to fill in various civil service vacancies for the government of India.
The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE), popularly known as IAS (Indian Administrative Service) exam. It is conducted in two phases namely- UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. The prelims exam comprises objective-type questions, while the questions asked in the mains need descriptive and essay-type answering. The UPSC is responsible for conducting various examinations for the post like IAS, IPS, IFS etc.
History
The British East India Company introduced the concept of a Civil Service exam in 1854. Initially, the examinations for the Indian Civil Service were conducted only in London. In 1864, the first Indian, Shri Satyendranath Tagore brother of Shri Rabindranath Tagore succeeded in this exam. It was only after the Montagu Chelmsford reforms that Indian civil service exams began to be held in India.
The Public Service Commission was set up in India for the first time on October 1, 1926. Sir Ross Barker, a member of the Home Civil Service, United Kingdom was the first Chairman of the Commission. With the introduction of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, the Federal Public Service Commission came to be recognized as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Hence, UPSC was formed as the central commission for conducting government job examinations.
What are the Functions of UPSC?
The functions of the UPSC under Article 320 of the Constitution include the following:
1. Framing and amendment of the Recruitment Rules for services and posts under the Government.
3. Conduct the recruitment examinations for appointment to the services of the Union.
4. Direct recruitment of aspirants by selection through interviews.
5. Appointment of officers in the cadre on promotion/deputation/ absorption.
6. Advising the Government on any matter assigned to the Commission by the President of India.
Which Examinations are conducted by UPSC?
To understand UPSC, you must know the examinations conducted by the UPSC. Here is the list of exams conducted by UPSC:
2. Indian Statistical Service Examination (ISS)
3. Indian Economic Service Examination (IES)
4. Indian Forest Service Examination (IFS)
5. Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination
6. Indian Civil Services Examination (ICSE) for recruitment to IAS, IPS, IRS, etc officers
7. Indian Engineering Services Examination
8. Combined Medical Services Examination
9. Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination
10. Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS)
11. Various Recruitment Tests for UPSC EPFO, other exams
Eligibility Criteria
Broadly, you need to qualify for the below-mentioned parameters to apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
| IAS Age Limit | 21 to 32 years |
| Age relaxations as | As per category (mentioned below) |
| Educational Qualification for UPSC Civil Services | Graduation from any recognized university |
| Nationality | Indian |
Number of Attempts for UPSC Exam for Any Candidate
- For General category and OBC Category and belongs to Creamy layer – 7 Attempts
- OBC non-creamy layer – 7 Attempts
- For Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe classification hopefuls, there is no restriction on the number of attempts till they accomplish the age of 35 years.
- Candidates having a place with OBC/SC/ST can give the initial 4 attempts as General class competitors (on the off chance that they so crave) and from there on they can profit the unwinding in the number of attempts by availing the category relaxation.
Exam Pattern
UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern for Prelims Exam
| Name of the Paper | No of Questions | Marks Allotted | Time Allotted | Nature of Exam |
| Paper I: General Studies (Objective-type) | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | The score will be considered for Cut-off |
| Paper-II: General Studies-II (CSAT) (Objective-Type) | 80 | 200 | 2 hours | Qualifying Nature- Candidates will have to score 33% to qualify for CSAT. |
UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern for Mains Exam
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Total marks | Nature of paper | Type of Paper |
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian language | 3 hours | 300 | Qualifying | Descriptive |
| Paper B | English | 3 hours | 300 | Qualifying | Descriptive |
| Paper I | Essay | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper-II | General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper VI | Optional I | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
| Paper VII | Optional II | 3 hours | 250 | Merit | Descriptive |
IAS Exam Pattern for Personality Test
- All candidates who secured the cutoff marks of the Mains examination will proceed toward the Personality Test.
- This would include the Psychometric Test, Assessment Test as well as Personal Interview.
- The objective 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 candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest.
- The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate.
- In broad terms, this is an assessment of not only the candidate’s intellectual qualities but also his social traits and his interest in current affairs.
All India Services
| Indian Administrative Service (IAS) | One of the three All India Services is the Indian Administrative Service. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the permanent arm of the Indian government and state governments. The IAS cadre is in charge of formulating and enforcing government policies. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is India’s administrative civil service that serves the whole country. The IAS probationers start their training at Mussoorie’s LBSNAA. |
| Indian Police Service (IPS) | Indian Police Service is one of the three All-India services. IPS officers are trained at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. The IPS officers occupy senior positions in the Police service. The IPS officers occupy senior positions in RAW, IB, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) etc. |
| Indian Foreign Service (IFS) | IFS officials are trained at LBSNAA before moving on to the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi. It is one of the most popular civil services in the Group ‘A’ category. IFS officers are in charge of India’s international affairs. High Commissioners, Ambassadors, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Foreign Secretaries are all possible career paths for IFS officers. A candidate who is accepted into the IFS programme is not eligible to return for the Civil Service Exam. |
| Indian Forest Service (IFoS) | One of the three All-India Services is the Indian Forest Service (IFoS). Director General (DG) of Forests is the highest rank held by IFoS personnel serving in the Central Government. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests is the highest rank held by IFoS personnel working for the State Government. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change oversees the Indian Forest Service Cadre. Officers of the IFoS have the chance to work for a variety of organisations, including the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). |
| Indian Revenue services | On a macro level, the Indian Revenue Services include functions such as revenue collection, development, and allocation, as well as security and governance. The officer in charge of this service is in charge of tax administration, as well as the creation and execution of tax and revenue policies, as well as revenue investigations. |
| Indian Railway Traffic Services | Candidates who are selected for this civil service must complete a Railway Foundation Course as well as specialised training to serve the Indian railways in important managerial positions. This service’s executives are in charge of passenger transportation as well as the manufacture and sale of goods and output via rail transportation. |
| Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) | One of the most popular Group ‘A’ civil services is the IA&AS. They begin their education at the NAAA in Shimla. The Comptroller and Auditor General are in charge of this group (CAG). The financial auditing of the Central Government, State Governments, and Public Sector Undertakings is performed by this cadre (PSUs). |
| Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) | This cadre is part of the civil service’s Group ‘A’. They are overseen by the Ministry of Finance. The Controller General of Accounts is in charge of this group. They received their education at the Faridabad-based National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) and the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance. |
| Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS) | The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is in charge of Group ‘A’ services. The primary goal of this service is to oversee India’s corporate sector. Probationary officers are trained at the ICLS Academy, which is located on the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs’ Manesar campus (IICA). Officers of the ICLS would get significant legal, economic, financial, and accounting training. |
| Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) | The Ministry of Defense is in charge of this group. Officers in this cadre receive their first training at CENTRAD in New Delhi. Then there’s NIFM, or the National Academy Of Defence Financial Management Institute, which is based in Pune. Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Ordnance Factories are the principal employers of IDAS cadre officers. The primary goal of this group is to audit defence accounts. The Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) leads the service and also serves as Chief Accounts Officer to the heads of the DRDO, BRO, and Ordnance Factories. |
| Indian Information Service (IIS) | This is the Group ‘A’ service, which is in charge of the Indian government’s media branch. This service’s principal role is to serve as a link between the government and the general public. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting oversees IIS. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication provides the first training for this cadre’s trainees (IIMC). Officers from this cadre serve a variety of media organisations, including DD, PIB, and AIR. |
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