Full form of UPSC

The full form of UPSC is Union Public Service Commission. 

The UPSC test is one of the most difficult exams in the country. Union Public Service Commission is the respected and major exam-conducting authority. The Union Public Service Commission conducts a variety of examinations to choose qualified applicants for the Indian government. It also administers the Civil Services Examination (CSE), often known as the IAS exam. This exam is divided into two parts: UPSC preliminary and mains. In this paper, the preliminary examination will be objective in character, whilst the mains exam will be descriptive. It also covers essay writing. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is also in charge of organizing several examinations for posts such as IAS, IFS, and IPS, among others. 

Union Public Service Commission History

The Royal Commission on Superior Civil Service was established in 1923 under the chairmanship of Lord Lee of Fareham, and it included an equal number of Indian and British members. In 1924, on the advice of the public service commission’s report, it was established.

The Lee Commission’s primary pointers include the following:

  • 40% of future recruits should be British.
  • 40 percent of Indians should be personally recruited.

Twenty percent of Indians in provisional services should be promoted.
Finally, the first Public Service Commission was established on October 1, 1926, under the presidency of Sir Ross Barker. It was a restricted advisory committee with little power. So, on January 26, 1950, the Federal Union Public Service Commission was renamed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) upon independence under the Government of India Act 1935.

UPSC Functions

  • UPSC has numerous functions and duties. According to Article 320 of the Indian constitution, the Union Public Service Commission will conduct examinations for appointments to various Union-level offices and services.
  • Some of the additional functions of the UPSC include consultation on the following issues: 
    • On techniques of recruiting people for various civil service positions. 
    • To make appointments for civil service and other positions.  
    • Promotion and transfer of officers from one service to another. 
    • Checking candidates’ suitability for such jobs, promotions, or transfers 
    • On pursuing disciplinary action against a civil servant in a civil capacity, including petitions or memorials in such cases.  
  • In addition to these functions, the UPSC, if requested, can help two or more states in developing and implementing joint recruiting plans for any service.  

Difference between UPSC and IAS

The UPSC administers the Civil Services Examination (CSE) every year. CSE is also known as the IAS Exam because it recruits applicants for the IAS. 

The UPSC CSE has three stages:

  • Civil Services Preliminary Examination: Civil Service Prelims, also known as the Preliminary Examination, is the initial stage of examination. It consists of two papers comprising objective questions.GS Paper – The linked article has detailed information regarding UPSC Prelims.
  • CSAT Paper or GS Paper 2 – Read the linked article to learn more about CSAT.
  • Civil Services Mains Examination: Learn about the relevant GS papers asked in UPSC Mains by following the links below:
  • UPSC Mains GS 1 – UPSC Mains GS 2: UPSC Mains GS 3
  • UPSC Mains, GS 4
  • The UPSC Personality Test is the final stage of the examination. Only applicants who pass the mains examination with a score higher than the UPSC’s cut-off will be invited for an interview.
  • The UPSC then compiles the final merit list by adding the candidates’ scores from the mains examination and the personality test. The services are then given to the candidates based on their preferences, the merit list, the candidate’s category, and the number of vacancies in each.

What are the exams conducted by UPSC for selection into civil services?

  1. Civil Services Examination (CSE).
  2. Engineering Services Examination (ESE).
  3. Indian Forestry Services Examination (IFoS).
  4. Central Armed Police Forces Examination (CAPF).
  5. Indian Economic Service and Indian Statistical Service (IES/ISS).
  6. Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination.
  7. Combined Medical Services (CMS).
  8. Special Class Railway Apprentices Exam (SCRA).
  9. Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for selection of Assistant Commandant. (Executive) in CISF.

What exams does UPSC conduct for selection into the defence services?

  1. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination – NDA & NA (I).
  2. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination – NDA & NA (II).
  3. Combined Defense Services Exam – CDS (I).
  4. Combined Defense Services Exam – CDS (II).

What is the UPSC age limit for the IAS Exam?

  • To take the IAS exam, the candidate must be at least 21 years old (by August 1 of the exam year).
    • The maximum age for the General Merit category is 32, 35 for Other Backward Classes (OBC), and 37 for Scheduled Classes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). There are additional relaxations for specific unique instances.

IAS Salary 2024

  • An IAS officer’s job profile includes executing activities such as overseeing the implementation of government projects and policies. 
  • In addition, officers are responsible for dealing with abnormal events such as tragedies, disasters, riots, and significant accidents that occur within their authority. 
  • According to the 7th Pay Commission, the basic monthly compensation for someone appointed for the IAS post is Rs. 56,100.  
  • However, it should be emphasized that this is only the base monthly income, which excludes all perks and incentives that an IAS officer is eligible to earn from the government.  
  • The gross monthly remuneration of an IAS official can reach Rs. 1,50,000, depending on allowances.  
  • Someone who has been an undersecretary for four years and is now a deputy secretary would receive a monthly basic wage of Rs. 67,700.  
  • An IAS official who has served for 37 years or more and is now the Cabinet Secretary of India receives a basic monthly salary of around Rs. 2,50,000.  

UPSC CSE Notification 2024

  • Latest update: – The UPSC exam 2024 notice was released on February 14, 2024. The application procedure began on the same day the announcement was released and will continue until March 5, 2024.  
    • The announcement lists a total of 1056 openings. 
    • The official UPSC calendar 2024 was declared on May 10, 2023.  
  • According to the notification, the UPSC CSE preliminary test will be held on May 26, 2024, while the mains exam will take place on September 20, 2024, for a 5-day period.  
    • This is the quick information regarding the UPSC 2024 exam dates.
Important eventsDates
Date of Notification14th February 2024
Online Application Window14th February – 05th March 2024 (till 6:00 PM)
Date of Commencement of Prelims16 june 2024
Duration of Prelims ExamOne Day
Result Date of Prelims ExamTBA
Date of Commencement of Mains20th September 2024 
Duration of Mains ExamFive Days

UPSC Recruitment 2024

  • Every year, multiple UPSC recruitments take place for various streams. When it comes to recruiting for various public service positions, you should consider the following: 
  • The UPSC examination consists of three stages: preliminary, main, and interview.  
    • The UPSC CSE is a typical recruitment method used to fill yearly UPSC vacant listings for various officer positions such as IPS, IFS, and IRS officers. 
    • The yearly UPSC recruitment procedure lasts between 9 months and a year. 
  • Many students apply for the UPSC CSE exam each year, however only a few number are selected to fill the different UPSC empty jobs. 

UPSC IAS Exam Vacancy 2024

  • The UPSC IAS Exam Vacancy 2024 information are given alongside the notice. 
  • The UPSC declared a total of 1056 jobs, including 40 vacancies earmarked for Persons with Benchmark Disability Category, out of which the following –  
  • There are 9 vacancies reserved for candidates with locomotor disabilities, including cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy. There are also 13 vacancies reserved for candidates with multiple disabilities, 6 for candidates with low vision and blindness, and 12 for candidates with deafness and low hearing.  

UPSC IAS Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024

UPSC Eligibility is an important topic because it determines whether you will be able to take the exam or not.
As a result, my advise is that you thoroughly review all of the Eligibility Criteria before applying to take the UPSC exam in 2024.
1. Nationality.
Candidates for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service must be Indian citizens.
Other services’ nationality requirements differ; you may learn more about them on my blog on eligibility criteria (link supplied at the end of the section).
2. Age Limit.
If you are an aspirant from the general category, you must be at least 21 years old and not have reached the age of 32 on August 1, 2024, the year of the examination.
If you are a SC or ST, you may be eligible for age relaxation of up to 5 years. So, the maximum age for SC or ST is 37 years.

Age relaxation for OBCs is limited to three years. So, the maximum age for OBC is 35 years.
If you are a PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities), you may be eligible for age relaxation of up to ten years. So, the upper age restriction is 42 years.

Here are the UPSC age limits for the various categories: Gen: 32, OBC: 35, SC/ST: 37, and PwBD: 42.

3. Educational Qualification.
To appear for the UPSC CSE (IAS test), you must have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification.
As a result, you must provide documentation that you have graduated from a state or centrally recognized university.
That is, you must have a bachelor’s degree certificate from any educational institute established by an Act of the Parliament of India, any university incorporated by an Act of the State and Central Legislatures of India, or any deemed university recognized under Section 3 of the UGC Act of 1956.

4. Number of Attempts

CategoryNo. of Attempts
General6
OBC9
SC/STUnlimited (Up to age limit)
PwBD9 for GL/EWS/OBC
Unlimited for SC/ST

UPSC Prelims – Syllabus

General Studies Paper-1 Syllabus:

  • 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, Biodiversity and Climate Change- that do not require subject specialization.
  • General Science.

General Studies Paper-2 (CSAT) Syllabus:

  • 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).
  • English language comprehension skills – Class X level.
  • Focus Areas for different subjects in UPSC Prelims:
    1. Indian Independence Movement:
      • Main congress sessions with the year, president and important resolutions
      • Significant viceroys and their period with important decisions
      • The Government of India Acts 1909, 1919, 1935 and charter acts
    2. Ancient history:
      • Hindu philosophy, Buddhism and Jainism
      • Mauryan and Gupta Period
      • Art, architecture and scientific development during that period
    3. Medieval history:
      • Important kings such as Sher Shah, Akbar, etc.
      • Delhi Sultanate
    4. Polity:
      • Here, importance should be given to current events, such as any changes in the constitution, new acts or amendments, and schemes
      • Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)
      • Committee system, parliament, and parliamentary proceedings
      • Judiciary
      • Constitutional bodies
    5. S&T:
      • For basic science concepts, refer to NCERT books selectively as in-depth knowledge is not needed
      • Focus on the current affairs part
    6. Environment and Ecology
      • Important declarations, conventions
      • IUCN’s Red List
      • Biosphere Reserves, Tiger Reserves etc.
      • International bodies
    7. Geography:
      • Solar system
      • Latitudes and longitudes
      • Layers of the atmosphere
      • Global atmospheric wind, cyclones
      • Pressure belts
      • Revolution, rotation and seasons
      • Monsoons
      • Types of rainfall
      • Koeppen classification
      • Jet streams, ocean currents
      • El Nino, La Nina
      • India’s physical geography (NCERT)
      • Rivers, hills, soil (India)
      • Mineral resources (India), Geological history of India
      • Basics of agriculture (NCERT)
      • Maps
    8. Economy:
      • Importance should be given to current events like new bills and important committees
      • focus on basic and fundamental concepts like:
        • Growth and development, poverty, unemployment, inflation
        • State of the national and global economy
        • Major committees and bills
        • Latest budget and economic survey

UPSC Civil Services Prelims – Trend Analysis

PSC Prelims 2023 GS Paper 1 Subject-Wise Analysis
SubjectNumber of questions
History14
Economy14
Polity15
Environment & Ecology14
Geography16
Science & Technology12
International Relations11
Miscellaneous4
Total100
PSC Prelims 2022 GS Paper 1 Subject-Wise Analysis
SubjectNumber of questions
History10
Economy16
Polity11
Environment & Ecology17
Geography10
Science & Technology14
International Relations14
Miscellaneous3
Total100

UPSC Prelims 2021 GS Paper 1 Subject-Wise Analysis
SubjectNumber of questions
History20
Economy10
Polity14
Environment & Ecology11
Geography10
Science & Technology08
Current Affairs27
Total100
UPSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper 1 Subject-Wise Analysis
SubjectNumber of questions
History18
Economy14
Polity16
Environment & Ecology17
Geography10
Science & Technology10
Current Affairs15
Total100

UPSC Mains Syllabus

Language Papers (Indian language and English)

Although both of these papers are just qualifying in nature, candidates should not be complacent because if they get less than 25% on either, their remaining answer sheets will not be reviewed. Both papers follow a similar pattern of questions, as shown below.

  • One essay question for 100 marks – candidates have to select one out of a few given topics
  • Reading comprehension and related five-six questions for a total of 60 marks
  • Precis writing for 60 marks – the answer sheet will have a separate grid structure where this has to be written
  • Translation from English to chosen language for 20 marks
  • Translation from chosen language to English for 20 marks
  • Grammar and basic language usage such as synonyms, sentence correction etc. for a total of 40 marks

Essay

The UPSC mains syllabus contains no prescribed syllabus for the essay paper. According to the UPSC, “Candidates are expected to stick closely to the subject of the essay, to organize their ideas in an orderly manner, and to write concisely.” Credit will be given for clear and precise expression.

GS Paper 1

  • Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
  • Modern Indian History
    • Significant events, issues, personalities during the middle of the eighteenth century (1750s) until the present.
    • Different stages and important contributors and contributions from various parts of the country in ‘The Freedom Struggle’.
    • Post-independence consolidation and reorganisation within the country.
  • History of the world
  • Events, forms and effect on society since the 18th century (world wars, industrial revolution, colonisation, redrawal of national boundaries, decolonisation, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc.)
  • Society
    • Indian society and diversity – Salient aspects.
    • Role of women and women’s organisations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and remedies.
    • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
    • Effects of globalisation on Indian society.
  • Geography
    • Distribution of key natural resources across the world including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent; factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world including India.
    • Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.
    • Geographical features and their location, changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and polar ice caps) and, in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
    • Salient features of world’s physical geography.

GS Paper II

  • Indian Constitution
    • historical underpinnings,
    • evolution, features
    • amendments, significant provisions
    • basic structure doctrine
    • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
  • Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
  • Structure, organisation and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
  • Parliament and State Legislatures
    • structure, functioning
    • conduct of business
    • powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
  • Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
  • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
  • Government policies and interventions aimed at development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
  • Development processes and the development industry – the role of NGOs, Self Help Groups, various groups and associations, institutional and other stakeholders.
  • Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and the States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
  • Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
  • Issues relating to poverty and hunger
  • Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures
  • Role of civil services in a democracy
  • International Relations
    • India and its neighbourhood – International relations
    • Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting the Indian interests
    • Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
    • Important International institutions, agencies, their structure and mandates

GS Paper III

  • Economy
    • Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.
    • Government Budgeting.
    • Inclusive growth and associated issues/challenges
    • Effects of liberalisation on the economy (post 1991 changes), changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
    • Infrastructure – Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
    • Investment models (PPP etc)
    • Agriculture
      • Major cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
      • Economics of animal rearing.
      • Food processing and related industries in India – scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
      • Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions
      • Land reforms in India.
  • Science and Technology
    • Recent developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
    • Achievements of Indians in science & technology.
    • Indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
    • General awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nanotechnology, bio-technology
    • Issues relating to intellectual property rights
  • Environment
    • Conservation,
    • Environmental pollution and degradation
    • Environmental impact assessment
  • Disaster Management (Laws, Acts etc.)
  • Security
    • Challenges to internal security (external state and non-state actors)
    • Linkages between development and spread of extremism
    • Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges,
    • Basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention
    • Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organised crime with terrorism
    • Various Security forces and agencies and their mandates

GS Paper IV

This Ethics paper in the UPSC mains syllabus includes questions designed to assess candidates’ attitudes and approaches to issues of integrity and probity in public life, as well as their approach to problem resolution in diverse societal situations. Questions may use a case study technique to determine these elements, and the exam covers the areas outlined in the curriculum below.

  • Ethics and Human Interface
    • Essence of Ethics, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in Human Interaction
    • Dimensions of Ethics
    • Ethics in private and public relationships
    • Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators
    • Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating moral and ethical values
  • Attitude
    • Content, structure and function of attitude
    • Influence of attitude in thought and behaviour
    • Relation of attitude to thought and behaviour
    • Moral and Political attitudes
    • Social influence and persuasion
  • Aptitude
    • Aptitude and foundational values of Civil Service
    • Integrity
    • Impartiality and non-partisanship
    • Objectivity
    • Dedication to public service
    • Empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections of the society
  • Emotional Intelligence
    • Concepts of emotional intelligence
    • Utility and application of emotional intelligence in administration and governance
  • Contributions of Thinkers and Philosophers
    • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world to the concepts of morality
  • Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration
    • Status and associated problems
    • Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
    • Laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance
    • Accountability and ethical governance
    • Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance
    • Ethical Issues in international relations and funding
    • Corporate governance
  • Probity in Governance
    • Concept of public service
    • The philosophical basis of governance and probity
    • Information sharing and transparency in government
    • Right to Information
    • Codes of ethics
    • Codes of Conduct
    • Citizen’s Charters
    • Work culture
    • Quality of service delivery
    • Utilization of public funds
    • Challenges of corruption

Optional Subject (Two Papers)

A candidate must select one optional subject (out of 48 options). There will be two papers with a total of 500 marks. Choosing the appropriate optional subject for UPSC mains should be a thoughtful and deliberate decision. Refer to the link provided above to choose which optional subject is suitable for you.