The UPSC Civil Services Examination is conducted to select IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and other Group-A officers for the Government of India.
A candidate must be a graduate and aged between 21 to 32 years (with relaxation for OBC/SC/ST).
General – 6, OBC – 9, SC/ST – Unlimited till age limit.
General: 32 years, OBC: 35 years, SC/ST: 37 years.
The examination is conducted in three stages: Prelims, Mains and Interview.
There are two papers: GS Paper-I and CSAT.
Yes, CSAT is qualifying and requires 33% marks.
There are 48 optional subjects to choose from.
The best optional subject depends on your background, interest and scoring potential.
10–14 months of focused preparation is ideal.
No, coaching is not mandatory. Self-study can also lead to success.
Start with NCERTs, then move to standard books, PYQs, current affairs and test series.
6–8 hours of consistent study is enough.
The overall success rate is around 0.2% to 0.3%.
Yes, with proper time management and discipline.