UPSC Civil Services Exam Guide 2026
UPSC Civil Services 2026 notification updates and complete exam guide. Check exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, syllabus, and application details.
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📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Stages | Name | No. of Papers | Type of Exam | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | UPSC Prelims Exam | 2 Papers (GS 1 & CSAT Papers) | Objective | 400 |
| Stage 2 | UPSC Mains Exam | 9 Papers | Descriptive | 1750 |
| Stage 3 | IAS Interview | – | Personality Test | 275 |
| Total Marks (Mains + Interview) | 2025 |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Subject | Nature Of Paper | Exam Type | No. of Questions | Exam Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I - General Studies | Merit Ranking (Marks not counted in Final merit) | Objective | 100 | 2 Hours | 200 |
| Paper II - Aptitude Test (CSAT) | Qualifying | Objective | 80 | 2 Hours | 200 |
| UPSC Prelims Total Marks | 400 |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Paper | Subject | Nature of Paper | Time Allotted | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian language | Qualifying (75 Marks required. ie. 25%) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper B | English | 3 hours | 300 | |
| Paper I | Essay | Final Merit (Marks will be counted in the final merit list) | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 | |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 | |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | |
| Paper VI | Optional I | 3 hours | 250 | |
| Paper VII | Optional II | 3 hours | 250 | |
| UPSC Mains Total Marks | 1750 |
📊 UPSC Mains Optional Subjects List
| Agriculture | Animal Husbandry and 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 |
| Any one literature subject from the following languages – Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English (as per the languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution). |
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Prelims Paper | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Negative Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies-1 | 100 | 2*100 = 200 | 0.67 |
| General Studies-2 (CSAT) | 80 | 2.5*80 = 200 | 0.83 |
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.How many stages are there in the UPSC IAS exam?
The UPSC IAS exam has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Candidates must clear each stage to move to the next one. Final selection is based on Mains and Interview marks.
Q2.What is the UPSC Prelims exam pattern 2026?
UPSC Prelims has two papers: GS Paper 1 and CSAT. Both papers are objective type and of 2 hours each. GS Paper 1 decides the cut-off, while CSAT is qualifying.
Q3.Is CSAT compulsory in UPSC Prelims?
Yes, CSAT is compulsory for all candidates. Candidates must score at least 33% to qualify in CSAT. CSAT marks are not added to the final merit list.
Q4.Is there negative marking in the UPSC exam?
Yes, there is negative marking in the UPSC Prelims exam. One-third marks are deducted for every wrong answer. There is no negative marking in the UPSC Mains exam.
Q5.How many papers are there in the UPSC Mains exam?
The UPSC Mains exam has a total of 9 papers. This includes language papers, essay, general studies, and optional papers. Only some papers are counted for the final merit.
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