Exam Pattern

UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern: 

• The UPSC Civil Services Exam is a three-stage multiple subject examination.
• Candidates have to go through each stage to get finally selected.

First stage	preliminary examination (Pre)
Second stage	Main Exam (Mains)
Third stage	Interview

How many papers are there in UPSC Civil Services Exam:

1. First Stage (Preliminary Examination)-

• There are two papers in this stage-

Paper- I	General Studies- 1 (GS)
Paper- II	General Studies-2 (CSAT)

• Both papers are multiple choice questions (Objective type).
• Each paper is of two hours.
• Both the papers are conducted on the same day.
• Each question paper is of 200 marks.
• There is also a provision for one-third negative marking for wrong questions.
• The merit of the preliminary examination is decided based on the marks of the first question paper.
• CSAT is qualifying in nature, in which minimum one third marks are required to pass.
• Only after passing the preliminary examination, the candidate becomes eligible for the second stage.

2. Second Stage or Main Examination:

• There are a total of nine question papers in this exam, each paper is of 3 hours duration.   

3.Third Stage (Interview)-

• This is the last and important stage of civil services.
• Like other question papers, it does not have any fixed syllabus.
• This paper is of 275 marks.