UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern 2010

UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern 2010

1. The competitive Civil Services Preliminary Examination comprises two successive stages :

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

2. The Civil Services 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 IAS Preliminary Examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Civil Services Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit.

The number of candidates to be admitted to the Civil Services Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of Civil Services vacancies to be filled in the year in the various Services and Posts.


Only those candidates who are declared by the UPSC Commission to have qualified in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination in a year will be eligibe for admission to the Civil Services Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Civil Services Main Examination.

3. The Civil Services 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 Civil Services Main Examination as may be fixed by the Union Public Service 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 Civil Services vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).

Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Civil Services 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 Civil Services Prelims Exam and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and posts.

Civil Services Applications are now invited for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination only. Candidates who are declared by the UPSC Commission to have qualified for admission to the Civil Services Main Examination will have to apply again in the detailed Civil Services application form which would be supplied to them.

The Civil Services Main Examination is likely to be held in October / November, 2010.

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