Civil Servant (IAS/PCS)

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted in three phases: Prelims, Mains, Interview.

The preliminary exam consists of two papers:

• General Studies I
• Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

The CSAT paper is qualifying in nature, while marks in GS I will decide whether a candidate is eligible to appear for the UPSC Mains exam.

The exam window extends over a year (from June month of a year to June month next year when the results are announced).
Candidates who clear the prelims can appear in the second stage, i.e. Mains. Candidates who clear Mains are called for the Interview rounds.

Yes, the UPSC asked conceptual and analytical questions in the IAS prelims exam in 2023. The CSAT paper tested analytical skills, reasoning ability, and aptitude. The questions included permutations and combinations and analytical reasoning.

The difficulty level of the exam was moderate. The paper was lengthy because it included statement-based questions. The questions were a mix of static and current affairs. The majority of the questions were from Environment and Geography.

The CSAT was more difficult than previous years. Students with Science and IIT backgrounds found the exam tough.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) asked a few factual questions in the 2023 IAS Prelims exam. The questions were moderate in difficulty and required both conceptual understanding and factual knowledge. The questions covered topics such as presidential elections, money bills, due process of law, and emergency provisions. Some say that the questions were difficult to answer and had limited scope for using the elimination method.

The UPSC Prelims exam syllabus has not changed for many years, so the paper setters tend to repeat questions.

The UPSC IAS 2024 notification was released on February 14, 2024. The notification included important dates, the number of vacancies, the syllabus, and all the criteria for appearing in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Candidates can apply for the UPSC IAS application form until March 5, 2024.  There are 1056 UPSC vacancies in the IAS 2024 exam.

The IAS Exam for 2024 prelims phase will take place on May 26, 2024. The minimum age to fill the IAS 2024 application is 21 years and the maximum age is 32 years. Age relaxation is provided to candidates belonging to certain categories.

The Union Public Service Commission is expected to release the IAS main result 2023 either in December or in January 2024. The Union Public Service Commission will conduct the IAS Main 2023 exam till September 23. The IAS main exam will be conducted at the designated exam centres only. The candidates will be required to carry and show a photo identity card with the IAS main admit card.

The Commission is conducting the IAS main exam 2023 for 1,105 vacancies which is the highest in the recent years.