• Periyasamy Towers, Chatram, Trichy-02
  • 9.00AM to 8.00PM
  • +91-9840051101

UPSC Overview

Civil Services is the backbone of Indian governance which constitutes all Ministries of their departments. One of the most challenging competitive exams in India if not the entire world, it is conducted by Union Public Service Commission. The prestige, power, charm, and responsibility that comes along with top jobs like IAS, IFS, IPS etc are a definite reason for anyone to choose Civil services as a career option Smart IAS Academy, Trichy to have helped aspirants achieve their goals in these esteemed services.

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

1. For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.
2. For other services, a candidate must be either :

  • A Citizen of India or
  • A subject of Nepal or
  • A subject of Bhutan or
  • A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India or
  • A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Provided further that candidates belonging to categories (b), (c) and (d) above will not be eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.

A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

Age Limits

a) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on 1st August, 2013, i.e. he/she must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1983 and not later than 1st August, 1992.
b) The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable :

  • (i) upto a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe.
  • (ii) upto a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.
  • (iii) upto a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st day of December, 1989.
  • (iv) upto a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof.
  • (v) upto a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August, 2013 and have been released (i) on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2013) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or (ii) on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service, or (iii) on invalidment. (vi) Upto a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years Military Service as on 1st August, 2013 and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.
  • 6. (vi) upto a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, deaf-mute and orthopaedically handicapped persons.
NOTE I

Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of para 3(ii) (b) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen, persons domiciled in the State of J & K, blind, deaf-mute and orthopaedically handicapped etc. will be eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories.

NOTE II

The term ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.

NOTE III

The age concession under para 3(ii) (b) (v) and (vi) will not be admissible to Ex-Servicemen and Commissioned Officers including ECOs/SSCOs who are released on own request.

NOTE IV

Notwithstanding the provision of age-relaxation under para 3 (ii) (b) (vii) above, a physically disabled candidate will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/posts to be allocated to the physically disabled candidates by the Government.

SAVE AS PROVIDED ABOVE THE AGE LIMITS PRESCRIBED CAN IN NO CASE BE RELAXED

The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate. These certificates are required to be submitted only at the time of applying for the Civil Services (Main) Examination. No other document relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, service records and the like will be accepted. The expression Matriculation/Secondary Examination Certificate in this part of the instruction includes the alternative certificates mentioned above.

NOTE I

Candidates should note that only the Date of Birth as recorded in the Matriculation/ Secondary Examination Certificate or an equivalent certificate as on the date of submission of applications will be accepted by the Commission and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted.

NOTE II

Candidates should also note that once a Date of Birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an examination, no change will be allowed subsequently (or at any other examination of the Commission) on any grounds whatsoever.

NOTE III

The candidate should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in the online Application Form for the Preliminary Examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage, any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their matriculation or equivalent Examination certificate, disciplinary action will be taken against them by the Commission under the Rules.

MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University Under Section-3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

NOTE I

Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission's examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination with their application for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination. The applications for the Main Examination will be called sometime in the month of July/August, 2012.

NOTE II

In exceptional cases the Union Public Service Commission may treat a candidate who has not any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate provided that he/ she has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his/her admission to the examination.

NOTE III

Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognised by Government as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.

NOTE IV

Candidates who have passed the final professional M.B.B.S. or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination provided they submit along with their application a copy of certificate from the concerned authority of the University/Institution that they had passed the requisite final professional medical examination. In such cases, the candidates will be required to produce at the time of their interview original Degree or a certificate from the concerned competent authority of the University/Institution that they had completed all requirements (including completion of internship) for the award of the Degree.

(IV) NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS

Every candidate appearing at the examination who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted four attempts at the examination. Provided that this restriction on the number of attempts will not apply in the case of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates who are otherwise eligible. Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are otherwise eligible shall be seven. The relaxation will be available to the candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates. Provided further that a physically handicapped will get as many attempts as are available to other non-physically handicapped candidates of his or her community, subject to the condition that a physically handicapped candidate belonging to the General Category shall be eligible for seven attempts. The relaxation will be available to the physically handicapped candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

NOTE

* An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the Examination.

* If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he/she shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the Examination.

* Notwithstanding the disqualification/ cancellation of candidature, the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.

(V) RESTRICTIONS ON APPLYING FOR THE EXAMINATION

A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete at this examination. In case such a candidate is appointed to the IAS/IFS after the Preliminary Examination of Civil Services Examination, 2013 is over and he/she continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2013 notwithstanding his/her having qualified in the Preliminary Examination, 2013.

Also provided that if such a candidate is appointed to IAS/IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2013 but before the result thereof and continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be considered for appointment to any service/post on the basis of the result of this examination viz. Civil Services Examination, 2013.

(VI) PHYSICAL STANDARDS

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination, 2012 as per guidelines given in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 5th March, 2013.

Structure Of The Examination

Civil Services Examinations is essentially 3-tiered, namely Preliminary examination, Mains Examinations, and Interview / Personality test.

Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination is conducted during August month of every year. It consists of two papers - one to be attended in the forenoon and the other in the Afternoon of the same day. In the Forenoon session, General Studies Paper - I, a set of multiple choice questions is to be answered by the applicants. In afternoon session, CSAT - Paper II, a set of multiple choice question is to be answered by the applicants. Candidates should note that there will be penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers marked by a candidate in the Objective Type Question Papers.


Subjects Session Marks
General Studies Forenoon 200
Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) Afternoon 200

The exam are usually conducted during August month every year.

  • * Both papers will consist of Objective (multiple choice answer) Type questions only.
  • * Question Papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
  • * Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks (to qualify for Main Exam) in any or all the subjects of the examination.
  • * The marks obtained in the Preliminary exam will not be counted in the final merit list/rank.

Main Examination

The candidates who qualify for Main Examination have to choose one optional which has two papers. Totally the aspirants are to appear in nine papers, details of which is given below

SUBJECTS PAPERS MARKS
One of the Indian Languages chosen from the prescribed list*

ENGLISH*
PAPER A

PAPER B
300

300
ESSAY PAPER I 250
GENERAL STUDIES PAPER II 250
GENERAL STUDIES PAPER III 250
GENERAL STUDIES PAPER IV 250
GENERAL STUDIES PAPER V 250
OPTIONAL I PAPER I 250
OPTIONAL II PAPER II 250
TOTAL 1750
  • * Qualifying papers
    The exams are usually conducted during December month of every year.
  • * The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature; the marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
  • * The paper on Indian Languages will not, however, be compulsory for candidates hailing from the North-Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and also for candidates hailing from the State of Sikkim.
  • * All the papers will consist of Conventional (essay) Type questions only.
  • * All Question Papers, other than language papers, will be set both in Hindi and English.
  • * Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks (to qualify for the Interview/Personality test) in any or all the subjects of the examination.
  • * Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the language papers viz. Papers I and II above in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution or in English.
  • * Candidates exercising the option to answer papers III to IX in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution may, if they so desire, give English version within brackets of only the description of the technical terms, if any, in addition to the version in the language opted by them.

Interview / Personality Test

Candidates who qualify for Interview / Personality Test are required to attend the Interview / Personality Test in UPSC, New Delhi The Maximum marks for Interview / Personality are 275 (Grand Total = Main Examination (1750) + Interview (275) = 2025). This test is conducted during March & April months of every year.

The final results are published on-line a week or fortnight before the next preliminary Examination.

Subjects Offered

PRELIMINARY
  • General Studies
  • CSAT
PRELIMINARY CUM MAINS
  • General Studies
MAINS
  • Geography
  • Public Administration
  • Sociology
  • Political Science
  • History
  • Psychology

BOOK LIST

GENERAL STUDIES - PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

S.No TITLE AUTHOR/PUBLICATION
1 History - Ancient, Medieval & Moder NCERT 11th & 12th
2 Geography NCERT 6th to 12th
3 General Science NCERT 9th & 10th
4 India's Struggle for Independence Bipan Chandra
5 Certificate Physical Geography Gohcheng Leong
6 Economic Survey Ministry of Finance
7 International Organisation Class Notes
8 Economics Class Notes & Ramesh Singh
9 Indian Polity Lakshmi Kanth
10 Governance in India Lakshmi Kanth
11 A Brief History of Modern India Spectrum Publications
12 The Hindu Speaks on Scientific Facts
Volume 1 & 2
Hindu Publications
13 Atlas Orient Black Swan School Atlas / Oxford School Atlas / TTK School Atlas
14 Environment SIA Book

CSAT - PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

S.No TITLE AUTHOR/PUBLICATION
1 Objective Arithmetic Arihant-Rajesh verma
2 Quantitative Aptitude R.S Agarwal
3 Verbal Reasoning Arihant Publications & R.S. Agarwal
4 Reading comprehension Wren & Martin
5 Data Interpretation Arun Sharma

GENERAL STUDIES - MAIN EXAMINATION

S.No Data Interpretation Arun Sharma
1 Geography Class Notes
2 Economics Class Notes
3 Science & Technology Class Notes
4 India and World Class Notes
5 India's Struggle for Independence Bipan Chandra
6 A Brief History of Modern India Spectrum Publications
7 India and World Lakshmi Kanth & Class notes
8 Current Affairs The Hindu
9 Statistics Spectrum Publications
10 Social issues Ram Ahuja, Class notes
11 Indian Culture Class Notes

CURRENT AFFAIRS - EXAMINATIONS

S.No TITLE AUTHOR
1 The Hindu Daily News Paper
2 Indian Year Book Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
3 Manorama Year Book Malayalam Manorama Publications
4 Business Line or Economic Times Daily News Paper
5 Yojana – Monthly Magazine Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
6 Kuru shetra - Monthly Magazine Ministry of Rural Development