IAS Exam Pattern

The UPSC exam is conducted in three stages. You have to clear one stage and then move on to the subsequent stage. And, at every stage, the number of candidates is drastically reduced. On average, about 5 lakhs candidates take the first stage, and finally, at the end of the process, about 700 – 1000 candidates get selected into the civil services.

Stage 1: Prelims

This stage consists of two objective type papers, the General Studies I and General Studies II (CSAT). For more details on the papers, you can click on the link below:

Stage 2: Mains

This stage consists of nine descriptive papers.

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern

Stage 3: Personality Test

This stage consists of an interview with the UPSC board.

UPSC Syllabus

UPSC syllabus is the most important part of the preparation. You should go through the syllabus thoroughly before commencing your preparation.

Important tips for IAS Preparation

• Chart out a preparation plan and stick to it. Since the exam is a long-drawn process, you should be able to sustain your motivation and go along covering portions of the syllabus in a timely manner.
• Revision is paramount. A huge syllabus and multiple subjects make it difficult for you to remember all that you learnt. To make sure that you are able to recall everything you learnt, you should revise repeatedly and regularly.
• You should get adequate answer writing practice as the exam assess you on what you write and not what you know.
  • For this, you should enrol for a test series for both prelims and the mains. In the prelims exam, a test series can help you deftly avoid negative marking and also teach you how to make intelligent guess work.
  • For the mains exam, a test series is essential as candidates are generally not able to complete the paper. You have to write one answer in about 7 minutes and this requires sufficient practice.
• Your IAS preparation should have an extra focus on current affairs, which is the whole crux of the UPSC civil services exam. This is no mean feat as you have to scan the newspapers daily to keep abreast of the latest national and international news. We make this task easier for you. Check out our offerings in the next section.