UPSC Civil Services Syllabus, Exam Pattern — Civil Services Examination 2026 (Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE)
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Graduate degree from a recognised University (candidates who have appeared in the qualifying examination may also apply, subject to producing proof as prescribed). Age: 21–32 years as on 01.08.2026 (relaxation: SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3 years, PwBD up to 10 years). |
| Selection process | Preliminary Examination (screening) → Main Written Examination (9 papers) → Personality Test (Interview). Final merit = Main Papers I–VII (1,750 marks) + Interview (275 marks) = 2,025 marks. |
| Negative marking | In the Preliminary Examination, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one answer counts as a wrong answer; a question left blank has no penalty. |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in |
Exam Pattern
Preliminary Examination (screening test)
Both papers are objective-type and compulsory — a candidate must appear in both for evaluation. Prelims marks are NOT counted for the final order of merit. General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) is a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — General Studies | — | 200 | 2 hours |
| Paper II — General Studies (CSAT), qualifying at 33% | — | 200 | 2 hours |
Total: 400 marks (screening only)
Main Examination — Qualifying Papers (not counted for ranking)
Both papers are of matriculation or equivalent standard. A minimum of 25% marks in EACH of these papers is required — the Essay, General Studies and Optional papers are evaluated only for candidates who reach this standard.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A — One Indian Language (from the Eighth Schedule languages) | — | 300 | — |
| Paper B — English | — | 300 | — |
Total: 600 marks (qualifying in nature)
Main Examination — Papers Counted for Merit
Conventional essay-type papers. One optional subject is chosen from the list given in the notification (Papers VI and VII).
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — Essay | — | 250 | — |
| Paper II — General Studies I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Geography, Society) | — | 250 | — |
| Paper III — General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations) | — | 250 | — |
| Paper IV — General Studies III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, Disaster Management) | — | 250 | — |
| Paper V — General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | — | 250 | — |
| Paper VI — Optional Subject, Paper 1 | — | 250 | — |
| Paper VII — Optional Subject, Paper 2 | — | 250 | — |
Sub-total (written test): 1,750 marks
Personality Test (Interview)
Final ranking is determined by the Main written papers counted for merit (1,750) plus the Personality Test (275).
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personality Test / Interview | — | 275 | — |
Grand total: 2,025 marks
Syllabus — Topics to Prepare
These topics are listed in the official notification's syllabus.
Prelims Paper I — General Studies
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and the Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography — physical, social, economic
- Indian Polity and 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 and Climate Change (not requiring subject specialisation)
- General Science
Prelims Paper II — CSAT
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision making and problem solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class X level)
Mains GS-I (Paper II)
- Indian culture — art forms, literature and architecture
- Modern Indian history and the freedom struggle; post-independence consolidation and reorganisation
- History of the world — industrial revolution, world wars, colonisation and decolonisation
- Indian society — diversity, role of women, population, poverty, urbanisation, globalisation, social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, secularism
- World physical geography, distribution of natural resources and industries, geophysical phenomena
Mains GS-II (Paper III)
- Indian Constitution — features, amendments, basic structure; comparison with other countries
- Functions of the Union and States, federal structure, separation of powers
- Parliament and State Legislatures; Executive and Judiciary structure and functioning
- Constitutional, statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies; Representation of the People Act
- Government policies and welfare schemes; governance, transparency, accountability, e-governance; role of civil services
- India and its neighbourhood; bilateral, regional and global groupings; international institutions
Mains GS-III (Paper IV)
- Indian economy — planning, growth, employment, inclusive growth, government budgeting
- Agriculture — irrigation, subsidies, PDS and food security, food processing, land reforms
- Liberalisation, industrial policy, infrastructure and investment models
- Science and technology — developments, applications, IT, space, computers, robotics, nano and bio-technology, IPR
- Environment conservation, pollution and environmental impact assessment; disaster management
- Internal security — extremism, external and non-state actors, cyber security, money laundering, border management, organised crime and terrorism
Mains GS-IV (Paper V) and Optional Subjects
- Ethics and human interface; attitude; aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service
- Emotional intelligence — concepts and application in administration and governance
- Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world
- Public/Civil service values and ethics in public administration; probity in governance
- Optional Subjects (Papers VI–VII): one subject chosen from the notification's list — the detailed subject syllabus is given in the notification itself
Sources (official documents)
Checked: Pattern verified from the official UPSC notification No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026 (Appendix I). The notification does not state the number of questions in the Prelims papers or a per-paper duration for the Main papers, so those fields are left blank rather than taken from other sources. Always confirm with the latest notification before applying.
Disclaimer: NaukriHelp is not associated with any government organisation. All information is based on the official notification — candidates must verify details from the official notification/website before applying. We are never responsible for any inadvertent error.