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IAS Exam Pattern
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Indian Civil Service Examination- IAS Exam Pattern & IAS Exam Syllabus

Stage – 1: IAS Prelims IAS Exam
A. General Studies
(100 multiple choice questions 2 marks each)		 200 marks
B. Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT)
(80 multiple choice questions 2.5 marks each)		 200 marks
Stage – 2: Civil Services Exam
A. English 300 Marks
B. Indian Language 300 Marks
C. Essay 250 Marks
D. General Studies 1000 Marks
E. Optional 500 Marks
Stage – 3:
Interview 275 Marks
Total 2025 Marks

Stage I - IAS Exam Syllabus – IAS Prelims

Paper I - General Studies - 100 Questions (2 Marks each)

  • Current events of national and international importance
  • History of India & Indian National Movement
  • Indian & World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic geography of India & the World.
  • Indian Polity & Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues
  • Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives
  • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity & Climate Change
  • General Science

Paper II - CSAT - 80 Questions (2.5 Marks each)

  • Comprehension
  • Interpersonal skills including communication skills
  • Logical reasoning & analytical ability
  • Decision-making & problem-solving
  • General mental ability
  • Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc.) (Class X level)
  • Data interpretation (charts, graphs, fables, data sufficiency etc.) (Class X level)

Note:

  • CSAT is a qualifying exam and the marks are not counted for Prelims Rank. The candidate should score 33% of total marks to pass.
  • Negative valuation is in Prelims is 0.83 marks
  • UPSC might change marks, qualifying or rank procedure for Indian Civil Service Exam in 2017

Stage II - Civil Services Exam IAS Exam Pattern - Main IAS Exam Syllabus

A. Qualifying Papers (2 papers )

Paper - Subjects - Marks - Duration
1. English Comprehension & Precise Writing 300 Marks 3 hours.
2. Any one Indian language 300 Marks 3 Hours.

C. Compulsory Papers

Paper - Subjects - Marks - Duration
Paper - I:
Essay		 250 Marks 3 Hours
Paper - II:
Indian Heritage & Culture, World History & Geography		 250 Marks 3 Hours
Paper - III:
Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations		 250 Marks 3 Hours
Paper - IV:
Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management		 250 Marks 3 Hours
Paper - V:
Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude		 250 Marks 3 Hours
Optional Paper:
Paper - 1
Paper - 2
250 Marks
250 Marks
3 Hours
3 Hours
STAGE – 3
Interview(Personality Test) 275 Marks
Total 2025 Marks

IAS Exam Syllabus for Mains

Optional Subjects to choose from


Sociology, Public Administration, Geography, History, Political Science & International Relations, Anthropology, Psychology, Law, Electrical Engg., Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Zoology, Agriculture, Statistics Mechanical Engg., Medical Science, Philosophy, Civil Engg. , Economics, Commerce & Accountancy, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Management, Geology.

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