UPSC CSE Notification 2024 Exam Date, Syllabus, Download PDF Selection Process

UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2024

To choose the best applicants for the main exam, there will be a preliminary exam. Those who make it through the preliminary exam will be invited to the main exam.

Preliminary Examination

• Both exam papers will consist of multiple choice questions of the objective type and have a duration of two hours each.
• The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination's General Studies Paper-II will serve as a qualifying paper, with a minimum qualifying mark of 33%.
• Both Hindi and English will be used for the question papers.
• Every incorrect response will result in a deduction of ⅓ marks.

The UPSC Prelims Exam pattern is shown here in detail.

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
Subject	No. of Questions	Marks	Exam Duration
Paper I - General Studies	100	200	2 Hours
Paper II - Aptitude Test (CSAT)	80	200	2 Hours
Total	180	200

Main Examination

• There will be a descriptive type of exam for the UPSC mains.
• Every paper will run for three hours. A further half hour will be given to candidates who are applying to be scribes.
• The qualifying variety of language papers are Mains Paper A and Paper B.
• UPSC offers a list of 48 optional subjects from which candidates may choose one.

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
Paper	Subject	Marks	Exam Duration
Qualifying Papers
Paper-A	Compulsory Indian language	300	3 hours
Paper-B	English	300	3 hours
Papers to be counted for merit
Paper-I	Essay	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-II	General Studies-I	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-III	General Studies-II	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-IV	General Studies-III	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-V	General Studies-IV	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-VI	Optional Subject - Paper 1	250 Marks	3 hours
Paper-VII	Optional Subject - Paper 1I	250 Marks	3 hours
Total		1750