UPSC Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2023
UPSC Syllabus 2023
Starting the preparation journey for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) requires a thorough understanding of its syllabus and exam pattern. We will break down the details of the UPSC CSE by providing a comprehensive overview of its syllabus and exam pattern. From the three stages of the examination to the detailed subjects and topics covered, we will provide you with the knowledge necessary to navigate this rigorous selection process successfully. In this blog, we will provide you with the UPSC Syllabus 2023 and Exam Pattern.
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UPSC Exam Pattern 2023
UPSC CSE exam is held in three phases in order to arrive at a merit list for the available vacancies. The three phases are:
- UPSC Prelims
- UPSC Mains
- Interview
The exam pattern of each exam is presented in a tabular format as follows
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
| Paper | No. of Qs. | Marks | Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper-I (GS Paper 1) | 100 | 200 Marks | 2 Hours |
| CSAT- Paper–II | 80 | 200 Marks | 2 Hours |
Note: UPSC Prelims Paper 1 marks will be counted to determine the merit list whereas the CSAT Paper-II will be of qualifying in nature (33% marks required).
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
| Paper | UPSC Mains Exam Papers | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper – A | Compulsory Indian Language (One of the Indian Languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution) | 3 Hours | 300 Marks |
| Paper – B | Compulsory English | 3 Hours | 300 Marks |
| Paper – I | Essay | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper-II | General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society) | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper – III | General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations) | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper – IV | General Studies– III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper – V | General Studies– IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper – VI | Optional Paper– I (Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects) | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Paper – VII | Optional Paper-II | 3 Hours | 250 Marks |
| Total | 1750 Marks |
| Test | Marks |
|---|---|
| Personality Test/Interview | 275 Marks |
Note: Papers A & B is of Qualifying in Nature (25% i.e. 75 marks required). Whereas marks of Paper I to VII will be counted to determine the final order of merit.
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UPSC Interview
- Candidates who have cleared the UPSC Mains Exam are called for an interview or a personality test, here the candidates are interviewed by a board that is appointed by the UPSC.
- The candidate will be interviewed by a board based on the details and interests updated by him/her in the Detailed Application Form (DAF).
- The objective of the interview is to assess the suitability of the candidate for civil services
- In the personality test, the candidates must be very well versed in their field of study as well as current affairs both at the national and international levels.
- This interview is more of a conversation that is aimed at gauging the mental as well as the analytical ability of the candidate.
- The grand total is arrived at by adding the marks obtained in the mains exam and the interview out of the maximum possible marks of ( 1750 +275 = 2025). Based on this number, the merit list is prepared.
UPSC Syllabus
UPSC released the official notification on 1st February 2023 and a detailed syllabus was also released along with the notification. Candidates must check the syllabus for both the prelims and mains in order to have a clear understanding of the exam.
UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus 2023
UPSC prelims consist of 2 papers:
- Paper 1 - General Studies
- Paper 2 - CSAT
download the UPSC CSE Notification 2023
Note* Download the notification for the detailed list of topics for each paper
Syllabus for UPSC General Studies Paper (Paper I)
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity, and Climate Change
- General Science.
Syllabus for UPSC CSAT Paper (Paper-II)
- Comprehension; Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level)
- Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. — Class X level)
UPSC Mains Syllabus 2023
UPSC Syllabus for Mains Examination consists of the syllabus of GS papers and Optional papers. UPSC Mains Syllabus 2023 is mentioned in detail in the official notification.
| Paper | Subject |
|---|---|
| Paper – I | Essay (can be written in the medium of the candidate's choice) |
| Paper-II | General Studies – I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History & Geography of the World & Society) |
| Paper – III | General Studies – II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations) |
| Paper – IV | General Studies – III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security & Disaster Management) |
| Paper – V | General Studies – IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude) |
| Paper – VI | Optional Subject – Paper I |
| Paper – VII | Optional Subject – Paper II |
FAQs
Minimum age 21 years and Maximum age 32 years. Age relaxation for other categories is applicable.
Male candidates from General and OBC categories need to pay Rs.100, while candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD & Female candidates are exempted from paying the UPSC application fee.
UPSC CSE Notification 2023 was released on 1st February 2023.
UPSC Mains 2023 will be conducted from 15th to 19th September 2023.
Candidates can check the UPSC Prelims Result 2023 from the direct link mentioned in the article.
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200 marks
100 Qs
120 min
