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national ExaminationCentral & State Government RecruitmentOnce a year (Annual Session)

Civil Services Examination

Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission

Premier national competitive examination conducted by UPSC for recruitment to higher Civil Services of the Government of India, including IAS, IFS, and IPS.

Verified against official gazette notifications & examination brochures•Last civic audit: 2026-10-05
⚙️Examination Mechanics

Official Exam Pattern & Test Structure

Standard examination delivery mode, total testing duration, and section-wise paper blueprint for Civil Services Examination.

Test Mode
National Computer Based Test (CBT) or Designated Pen-Paper Examination
Duration
180 Minutes
(3 Hours)
Total Marks
100 Marks
Sections
2 Parts

Curriculum & Paper Sections Breakdown:

  • ✔Section A: Discipline Core Domain Subjects · 70 Marks
  • ✔Section B: General Aptitude, Logical Reasoning & Comprehension · 30 Marks
🎯Evaluation Scheme

Official Marking Scheme & Negative Penalties

Exact scoring methodology applied during computerized evaluation by Union Public Service Commission.

Response TypeMark AllocationRule Description
Correct Answer+2 marks (Prelims Paper 1); +2.5 marks (CSAT)Awarded for each question answered accurately matching the final official answer key.
Incorrect Answer (Negative Penalty)-0.66 mark for Paper 1 (33.3% negative); -0.83 mark for CSATDeducted from candidate's aggregate score for wrong choices to discourage randomized guessing.
Unattempted Question0 marksZero marks awarded or deducted for questions left blank or marked for review without choosing an option.
📋Statutory Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria, Qualifying Degrees & Attempt Rules

Mandatory educational benchmarks and relaxed qualifying guidelines for Civil Services Examination.

Qualifying Educational Degree

Recognized 10+2 Higher Secondary Certificate or Bachelor Degree depending on the level of examination.

Minimum Aggregate Marks

50% aggregate marks in qualifying exam (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates).

Age Limit Policy

As notified officially in the examination information bulletin.

Permissible Attempts

As prescribed by the conducting statutory authority.

🌐Multilingual Examination Delivery (NEP 2020)

Available Language Mediums (2 Languages)

Under the National Education Policy, Civil Services Examination question papers are delivered in multiple regional language mediums.

🗣️ English🗣️ Hindi
💳Registration Fee Schedule

Category-Wise Application Fee Tiers

Official non-refundable application processing charges officially notified by Union Public Service Commission.

General / Unreserved
₹1,000
OBC-NCL / EWS
₹900
SC / ST / PwD
₹500
Female Candidates
₹800
🏛️Centralized Seat Allotment

Post-Exam Counseling & Seat Allotment Pathway

Candidates qualifying in Civil Services Examination are allocated seats via Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Service Allocation. The centralized allotment process encompasses registration, choice locking of institutes/branches, multi-round merit seat allotments, and physical/online document verification.

Government Scholarships Applicable for Civil Services Examination Candidates

Central welfare and higher education scholarship schemes accessible upon qualifying and securing admission.

ActiveCentral Scheme

AICTE Pragati Scholarship Scheme for Girl Students

Scholarship granting ₹50,000 per annum to meritorious female students pursuing technical degree and diploma courses in AICTE-approved institutions.

Verified: 2026-10-12
Details
ActiveCentral Scheme

Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC Students (PMS-SC)

Premier higher education scholarship covering 100% compulsory non-refundable fees and monthly maintenance allowances for SC students pursuing post-secondary degrees.

Verified: 2026-10-12
Details
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❓Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions on Civil Services Examination

Authoritative answers verified against official conducting authority guidelines and information bulletins.

What is the exam pattern and duration for Civil Services Examination?▼
Civil Services Examination is conducted as a National Computer Based Test (CBT) or Designated Pen-Paper Examination with a total duration of 180 minutes. It comprises 100 total marks across designated subject sections with negative marking of Negative marking penalty (25% deduction).
Is there negative marking in Civil Services Examination?▼
Yes, the official marking scheme awards +1 or +4 Marks per correct response for every correct response and deducts Negative marking penalty (25% deduction) for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry 0 Marks.
What are the qualifying marks and eligibility criteria for Civil Services Examination?▼
Candidates must have passed Recognized 10+2 Higher Secondary Certificate or Bachelor Degree depending on the level of examination. with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in qualifying exam (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates).. Regarding age limits: As notified officially in the examination information bulletin.. Permitted attempts: As prescribed by the conducting statutory authority..
In how many languages is Civil Services Examination conducted?▼
Civil Services Examination is available in 2 languages: English, Hindi. Candidates choose their preferred medium during online application form submission.
What is the official application fee for Civil Services Examination?▼
The category-wise application fee is: General (Male): ₹1,000, General (Female): ₹800, Gen-EWS/OBC-NCL: ₹900, and SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender: ₹500. Payment is completed online through the conducting authority official portal (https://upsc.gov.in).

Official Conducting Authority Portal

All official circulars, mock tests, application submission windows, admit cards, answer key challenges, and scorecards are released exclusively on the official conducting authority portal. Eligo never collects application credentials or simulates registration desks.

Sources & Verification

Last verified: 2026-10-05 · Re-verified every 180 days

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