UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam every year in three stages:
The first stage of the UPSC CSE i.e., the Civil Services Preliminary Exam is only a screening test, conducted to shortlist candidates for UPSC Mains. It is qualifying in nature, consisting of two papers- Paper- I and Paper- II.
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a total of 200 marks, with Paper II being qualifying in nature. The question papers will be set both in English and Hindi.
The number of candidates to be admitted to the Civil Services(Main) Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year through this Examination. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Civil Services(Preliminary) Examination in the year will be eligible for admission to the Civil Services(Main) Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Civil Services(Main) Examination.
The written examination will consist of 7 papers:
Qualifying Paper A– Indian language and Qualifying Paper B– English language, each of 300 marks.
Papers to be conducted for merit (250 marks each)
Paper I Essay
Paper II General Studies I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
Paper III General Studies -II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)
Paper IV General Studies -III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
Paper V General Studies -IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)
Paper VI & VII Optional Paper 1 and Paper 2
Medium of writing: Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the Qualifying Language Papers (Paper-A and Paper-B), in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India or in English. The Candidate will have the choice to write the Optional Papers in English also if candidates opt to write Paper I-V except the Qualifying Language Papers, in any one of the language included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India
The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of the candidate’s career. The candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the Interview/Personality Test is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The Interview/Personality Test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only intellectual qualities but also social traits and interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.