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There are a total of 3 stages or levels in the UPSC CSE exam.
What are the 3 levels of the UPSC CSE exam?
The three stages of the UPSC CSE exam are known as Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Which is the toughest level of UPSC CSE?
Each stage has different difficulty levels which increases gradually making the interview as the most challenging stage.
Is the UPSC exam pattern going to change soon?
The UPSC exam pattern remained unchanged since 2013. Any significant changes will be announced well in advance by the UPSC through an official notification.
Will the UPSC pattern change in 2025?
No, there is no major change in the UPSC exam pattern in 2025.
What are the 9 papers in UPSC Mains exam?
The 9 papers in UPSC Mains are: Essay, General Studies I, II, III, IV, Optional Paper I, Optional Paper II, and two qualifying language papers.
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025, Check IAS Prelims and Mains Pattern
Union Public Service Commission set the UPSC exam Pattern 2025 for recruiting Civil Servants, which consists of three stages Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. In this article, we have discussed the IAS Exam Pattern.
Deeksha Dixit3 May, 2025
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Union Public Service Commission conducts the UPSC Civil Service Exam every year. Candidates preparing for the UPSC CSE 2025 Examshould have an idea about the UPSC Exam Pattern 2025. The UPSC 2025 Civil Services Examination (CSE) consists of three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The exam pattern has remained consistent since 2013, and understanding it is crucial for effective preparation. The IAS Exam Pattern provides a blueprint for candidates, outlining the structure, subjects, number of questions, and marking scheme for each stage. With thorough knowledge of the exam pattern, candidates can strategize their preparation effectively for the desired outcome.
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025
The Commission designed the UPSC Exam Pattern to check expertise and Knowledge. The IAS Paper Pattern has remained unchanged since 2013. As Per the IAS Selection process, UPSC CSE consists of three stages, and candidates must clear each separately to be selected for the post of civil servant. The first stage is known as the UPSC Prelims, with two papers that have multiple-choice questions worth 200 marks each. Those who pass this move on to the UPSC Mains, which has nine descriptive-type papers worth 1750 marks. Finally, those selected for the third stage will need to appear for a personality test, also known as the UPSC Interview, which adds 275 marks to the final score, totaling up to 2025 marks.
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025 Overview
Stages
Name
No. of Papers
Type of Exam
Marks
Stage 1
UPSC Prelims
2 Papers
Objective
400
Stage 2
UPSC Mains
9 Papers
Descriptive
1750
Stage 3
UPSC Interview
–
Personality Test
275
Final Merit List
UPSC Mains + Interview Marks = 2025 Marks
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
The UPSC Prelimsis a first stage or screening exam that filters candidates for the next stage, known as the Mains, as per UPSC Selection process. It consists of two papers, both having objective-type questions. The first paper tests candidates on general studies, while the second paper focuses on aptitude. Each paper is worth 200 marks, making a total of 400 marks. Both papers are conducted on the same day in two shifts. To clear this stage, candidates must pass the CSAT paper with 33% marks and reach the UPSC cut-off for the GS paper. Here is a detailed UPSC exam pattern for the prelims exam:
Subject
Nature Of Paper
Exam Type
No. of Questions
Exam Duration
Marks
Paper I - General Studies
Merit Ranking (Marks not counted in Final merit)
Objective
100
2 Hours
200
Paper II - Aptitude Test (CSAT)
Qualifying
Objective
80
2 Hours
200
UPSC Prelims Total Marks
400
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2025
The UPSC Mainsis the second stage after clearing the Prelims. It presents a rigorous test of analytical and articulation skills for candidates through nine descriptive papers. In this stage, each of the nine papers will have a three-hour time frame to be completed as per the IAS exam pattern. While two language papers are considered qualifying, assessing proficiency in Indian languages and English, the remaining seven papers contribute to the final merit list.
The qualifying papers require a minimum score of 25%, while candidates must secure at least 10% in each of the merit papers to be considered for the overall cut-off. The total score of 1750 marks from the merit papers determines the candidates' final ranking in the results. The UPSC exam pattern of this stage is as follows:
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025 Mains
Paper
Name of Paper
Time Duration
Maximum Marks
Qualifying Papers
Paper A
Indian Language
3 Hours
300
Paper B
English
3 Hours
300
Merit Papers
Paper I
Essay
3 Hours
250
Paper II
General Studies-I
3 Hours
250
Paper III
General Studies -II
3 Hours
250
Paper IV
General Studies -III
3 Hours
250
Paper V
General Studies -IV
3 Hours
250
Paper VI
Optional Paper 1
3 Hours
250
Paper VII
Optional Paper 2
3 Hours
250
Total
1750 Marks
UPSC Optional Exam Pattern 2025
As per UPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2025, candidates can choose any optional subject from a list of 48 options provided by the commission in the official notification. This allows candidates to select a subject they feel confident in for two optional papers, Paper VI and Paper VII, each carrying 250 marks. The question paper in the UPSC optional subject usually consists of graduation or higher-level topics; therefore, candidates must be cautious in selecting the optional from the given list. Here is the pattern of UPSC Mains Optional papers:
UPSC Optional Subject Exam Pattern
Particular
Detail
Mode of Exam
Offline Pen and Paper Based
Language of Exam
Hindi, English, and regional languages (as per the literature subject)
Types of Questions
Descriptive
Total Papers
2 (for each optional subject)
Total Marks
500 (250 each)
Time Allotted Per Paper
3 Hours
UPSC Exam Pattern 2025 for Interview
In the UPSC examination's final stage, known as the UPSC interview or personality test, candidates undergo a critical evaluation to determine their suitability for civil services. The objective of this phase is to assess the candidate's character and aptitude under a panel of highly experienced professionals, including ex-bureaucrats, academicians, and specialists. The UPSC interview typically lasts between 20 and 30 minutes and is worth 275 marks. Here, candidates are scrutinized on multiple parameters, ranging from mental alertness and clarity of thought to critical thinking, leadership qualities, and integrity. The questions posed during the interview cover a broad spectrum, encompassing current affairs, socio-economic issues, and opinion-based questions.
UPSC Interview Pattern 2025
Particular
Details
Duration
20 to 30 Minutes
Venue
UPSC Office, Dholpur House, New Delhi
Total Marks
275 Marks
UPSC Marking Scheme 2025
The UPSC marking scheme for 2025 is designed to fairly evaluate candidates throughout the Civil Services examination. In the Prelims stage, there are two objective-type papers, and a negative marking system is used. In this negative marking system, candidates face penalties for incorrect answers. Candidates must strategize their approach to minimize errors to avoid unnecessary negative markings and leave unknown questions unattempted since they do not have a negative marking. This negative marking does not apply to the Mains stage, since it has descriptive questions.
Negative Marking in UPSC Exam Pattern
As per the UPSC negative marking rules, 1/3rd of marks will be deducted for each wrong answer. Negative marking will apply for incorrect answers as follows:
Each question has four possible answers. If a candidate provides a wrong answer , one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty.
If a candidate selects more than one answer, it will be treated as incorrect, even if one of the answers is correct, and the same penalty will apply.
No penalty will be applied if a candidate leaves a question blank with no answer.
Therefore, in the General Studies Paper, comprising 100 questions, each wrong answer leads to a deduction of 0.66 marks. Similarly, in the CSAT Paper, consisting of 80 questions, candidates lose 0.83 marks for every incorrect response.
UPSC Negative Marking 2025
Paper
No. of Questions
Negative Marking
General Studies Paper
100
0.66
CSAT Paper
80
0.83
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