Become an Elite Officer in the Indian Civil Serviecs

[Perfection]

IFS/IAS/IPS and several more top class posts

The recruitment process involves three steps - preliminary, main and interview.

Educational Qualification : Graduate
Last Date of receipt of filled application : 05 Jan at New Delhi
Date of Preliminary Examination : 17 May
Exam centres : Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and other main cities.

UPSC applications can be obtained from main Post Offices at a cost of Rs 20.

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1. The competitive examination comprises two successive stages :

(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination; and
(ii) Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.

2. The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 450 marks in the subjects set out in subsection (A) of Section II. 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 in the various Services and Posts. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in a year will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Main Examination.


3. The Main Examination will consist of a written examination and an interview test. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out in sub-section (B) of Section II. Also see Note (ii) under para I of Section II (B).


4. 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. However, the papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature. Also see Note (ii) under para 1 of Section II (B). The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 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.

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The Preliminary examination will consist of two papers :

Paper I - General Studies, 150 marks
Paper II - One Subject to be selected from the list given below, 300 Marks

Total : 450 Marks

Paper II One subject to be selected from the list of optional subjects set out in Para

[Perfection]

Agriculture
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
Indian History
Law Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology

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Those who are qualified in the Preliminary Exam has to appear a Main Examination.

The Main (written) examination will consist of the following papers :


Paper I : One of the Indian languages given in the list below, 300 Marks
Paper II : English, 300 Marks
Paper III : Essay, 200 Marks
Paper IV & V : General Studies, 300 Marks each
Paper VI & IX :Any two subjects from the list given below. Each subject has two papers each, 300 Marks each


Those who are qualified in the Mains will be called for Interview (300 Marks).

[Perfection]

Assamese
Bengali
Bodo
Dogri
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Maithili
Malayam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Santhali
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu

Script: Devanagari

[Perfection]

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

[Perfection]

Those who are talented, lucky and qualified mains will be called for the interview.

Interview test

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. 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 calibre 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. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.


2. 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.


3. The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialised 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.