UPSC Civil Services 2025 (IAS/IPS/IFS)
UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) is the premier national exam for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and over 20 other Group A and Group B services.
UPSC CSE Vacancy, Eligibility, and Apply Link
Use this section for recruitment information and the official application portal. Practice resources are kept separately below, so users can quickly choose whether they want to apply or prepare.
Opening Timeline
| UPSC CSE 2025 Notification | February 12, 2025 |
| Last Date to Apply | March 4, 2025 |
| Prelims Exam | May 25, 2025 |
| Mains Exam | August 22–31, 2025 |
| Interview | January–March 2026 |
| Final Result | April 2026 (expected) |
Eligibility Criteria
Exam Pattern
| Stage 1 — Prelims (Screening only) | Paper I: General Studies (100Q, 200 marks) + Paper II: CSAT (80Q, 200 marks, qualifying 33%) |
| Stage 2 — Mains (Merit-based) | 9 papers: 2 qualifying language papers + 7 merit papers (GS I, II, III, IV, Optional I, Optional II, Essay) |
| Mains Total Marks | 1750 marks (7 merit papers × 250 each) |
| Stage 3 — Interview | 275 marks (Personality Test / Interview by UPSC board) |
| Grand Total (Mains + Interview) | 2025 marks |
| Attempts Allowed | General/EWS: 6 attempts | OBC: 9 attempts | SC/ST: No limit (within age) |
Syllabus
General Studies I (History, Geography, Society)
- Indian Heritage & Culture
- Modern Indian History (1857–Independence)
- Post-independence Consolidation
- World History (18th–20th century)
- Indian & World Geography
- Indian Society
- Urbanisation & Social Empowerment
General Studies II (Governance, Polity, IR)
- Indian Constitution
- Parliament & State Legislature
- Executive & Judiciary
- Governance & Civil Services
- Social Sector Issues
- International Relations
- Important International Organisations
General Studies III (Economy, Science, Security)
- Indian Economy & Planning
- Agriculture
- Infrastructure
- Science & Technology Developments
- Environment & Ecology
- Internal Security & Disaster Management
General Studies IV (Ethics)
- Ethics & Human Interface
- Attitude & Aptitude
- Emotional Intelligence
- Public/Civil Service Values
- Probity in Governance
- Case Studies
CSAT Paper II (Qualifying)
- Reading Comprehension
- Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability
- Decision Making
- General Mental Ability
- Basic Maths (10th level)
Frequently Asked Questions — UPSC CSE
How many attempts are allowed in UPSC CSE?+
General/EWS: 6 attempts (up to age 32). OBC: 9 attempts (up to age 35). SC/ST: No limit on attempts, only age limit of 37 years applies. PwD: No limit, up to age 42.
What is the IAS salary?+
IAS officers at entry level (Junior Scale) receive a basic pay of Rs. 56,100 per month (Level 10). Including DA, HRA, TA, and other allowances, the gross monthly take-home is approximately Rs. 70,000–80,000. Senior IAS officers (Cabinet Secretary) receive the highest administrative pay of Rs. 2,50,000/month.
What optional subject should I choose for UPSC Mains?+
Choice of optional depends on your academic background and genuine interest. Popular and scoring optionals include: Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, History, Public Administration, Political Science & IR, and PSIR. Science background students often choose Physics, Chemistry, or Engineering subjects. Choose based on syllabus overlap with GS, availability of good study material, and your genuine interest.
What is the UPSC Prelims cut-off?+
UPSC Prelims GS Paper I cut-off varies each year based on difficulty. Typically it ranges from 90–105 marks out of 200 for General category. CSAT Paper II only requires 33% (66 marks) to be qualifying and is not counted in merit.