1Prelims(Objective Type)
- GS Paper I: 200 marks (100 questions)
- CSAT (General Studies Paper II): 200 marks (80 questions)
- Qualifying (minimum 33%)
- One-third negative marking (0.66 per wrong answer)
- Prelims marks do not count towards final merit
India’s most prestigious examinationUPSC Civil Services
UPSC Civil Services
Examination (CSE)
Your gateway to a career of service, leadership and nation building. Get complete preparation resources — mock tests, previous papers, detailed syllabus, current affairs and expert guidance — all in one place.
- IAS✦
- IPS✦
- IFS✦
- IRS✦
- & Allied Services
60Available mock tests
11Papers & practice sets
20,000Free topic questions
2Subjects covered
10Practice topics
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UPSC CSE Exam Pattern
Three-stage selection process to identify the best minds for nation building.
2Mains(Descriptive Type)
- 9 papers in total
- 7 papers considered for merit (1750 marks)
- Essay, GS (4 papers), Optional (2 papers)
- Qualifying in Indian language and English
- In-depth understanding and analytical writing
3Interview(Personality Test)
- 275 marks
- Assesses personality, clarity of thought, decision making and overall suitability for a career in civil services
Important Subjects & Topics
Prepare all major subjects with topic-wise resources.
History & CultureAncient, Medieval, Modern IndiaPolity & GovernanceConstitution, Political System, IRGeographyPhysical, Indian & World GeographyEconomyIndian Economy, Budget, SchemesEnvironmentEcology, Biodiversity, Climate ChangeScience & TechnologyLatest developments and current applicationsCurrent AffairsNational & InternationalEthics (GS IV)Integrity, Aptitude, Case StudiesOptional SubjectWide range of optional subjects with study material
Mock tests for UPSC CSE
Choose a test, review its summary, then begin when you’re ready.
UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper I Mock Test 01
- 100 questions
- 120 minutes
- 200 marks
UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper I Mock Test 02
- 100 questions
- 120 minutes
- 200 marks
UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper I Mock Test 03
- 100 questions
- 120 minutes
- 200 marks
Practice by subject and topic
Counts reflect eligible free English questions for this exam. The practice page also lets you choose Hindi where available.
UPSC CSE Prelims - General Studies (Paper I)
6,900 free questions · 6 topics
History and Culture →Indian Polity and Governance →Indian Economy →Choose from all topics →UPSC CSE Prelims - CSAT (Paper II)
13,100 free questions · 4 topics
Reading Comprehension →Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability →Basic Numeracy →Choose from all topics →Previous papers and practice sets
UPSC CSE Practice Papers (Exam Pattern)
Open paper →UPSC CSE Prelims 2024 General Studies (Paper 1) Official 100 Questions
Open paper →UPSC CSE Prelims 2023 General Studies (Paper 1) Official 100 Questions
Open paper →UPSC CSE Prelims 2022 General Studies (Paper 1) Official 100 Questions
Open paper →Understand the exam
Civil Services Examination (IAS, IPS, IFS) Prelims & Mains
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Books and supporting resources
Books for UPSC CSE preparation
Choose a book for the topics you need to strengthen. Buying a book is optional; you can continue using our free practice resources.
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Indian Polity
By M. Laxmikanth
A commonly used reference for Polity. Check it against your syllabus and the editions your institution prescribes before buying.
Find on Amazon ↗Indian Economy
By Ramesh Singh
A commonly used reference for Indian economy. Check it against your syllabus and the editions your institution prescribes before buying.
Find on Amazon ↗India's Struggle for Independence
By Bipan Chandra
A commonly used reference for Modern Indian history. Check it against your syllabus and the editions your institution prescribes before buying.
Find on Amazon ↗Certificate Physical and Human Geography
By G. C. Leong
A commonly used reference for Geography. Check it against your syllabus and the editions your institution prescribes before buying.
Find on Amazon ↗Environment
By Shankar IAS Academy
A commonly used reference for Environment. Check it against your syllabus and the editions your institution prescribes before buying.
Find on Amazon ↗Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations
By R. S. Aggarwal
An option for additional numeracy exercises. Select topics from the CSAT syllabus and practise comprehension and reasoning separately.
Find on Amazon ↗Links open Amazon search results in a new tab. Check the edition, language, seller, price and delivery details on Amazon before ordering.
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