UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), located at Dholpur House, New Delhi, has announced the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination for 2025. This exam, slated for May 25, 2025, aims to recruit individuals for prestigious government positions, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and various other Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ Central Services/Posts. The official advertisement, numbered 05/2025-CSP, provides detailed information about the recruitment process.

Eligibility Criteria for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025:

The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 aims to fill 979 vacancies (including 38 for physically handicapped candidates) across different administrative services. To be eligible, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Age: Applicants must be at least 21 years old and not more than 32 years old as of August 1, 2025. Age relaxations are available for SC/ST/OBC and other specified categories as per government regulations.
Educational Qualification: A degree from a recognized university or an equivalent qualification is required.
Physical Standards: Candidates must meet the physical fitness standards outlined in the official notification.
Number of Attempts: The maximum number of attempts allowed for different categories is:
- General Category: 6
- Physical Handicapped: 9 (No limit for SC/ST)
- OBC: 9
- SC/ST: No Limit

Services Included in the Civil Services Exam 2025:

The preliminary examination will serve as the gateway to recruitment for the following services and posts:

Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Indian Police Service (IPS)
Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Corporate Law Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Information Service, Junior Grade Group ‘A’
Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Railway Management Service (Traffic), Group ‘A’
Indian Railway Management Service (Personnel), Group ‘A’
Indian Railway Management Service (Accounts), Group ‘A’
Indian Railway Protection Force Service, Group ‘A’
Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) Group ‘A’
Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group ‘A’
Indian Trade Service, Group ‘A’ (Grade III)
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade)
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS), Group ‘B’
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS), Group ‘B’
Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS), Group ‘B’
Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS), Group ‘B’

Examination Pattern:

The Civil Services Examination 2025 will be conducted in two stages:

Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination: This objective-type exam acts as a screening test for the Main Examination. It is scheduled for May 25, 2025.
Civil Services (Main) Examination: This stage consists of a written examination and an interview. It is expected to be held in November 2025.

Preliminary Examination 2025:

The Preliminary Examination, on May 25, 2025, will comprise two objective-type papers with a total of 400 marks. This exam is a qualifying test, with minimum qualifying marks set at 33%. Question papers will be available in both Hindi and English. Negative marking will be applied for incorrect answers.

Main Examination 2025:

The Main Examination will consist of a written exam and a personality test (interview). The written exam will have nine conventional essay-type papers, two of which are qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in the compulsory papers (Paper-I to Paper-VII) and the interview will be considered for final ranking.

Candidates who achieve the minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination will be called for a personality test. The number of candidates called for the interview will be approximately twice the number of vacancies. The interview carries 275 marks, with no minimum qualifying score.

The final ranking will be determined by the combined marks obtained in the Main Examination (written and interview). Candidates will be allocated to different services based on their ranking and their preferences.

Papers in the Mains Examination:

Qualifying Papers:
- Paper-A: One of the Indian languages (from the Eighth Schedule) (300 marks)
- Paper-B: English (300 marks)
Papers Counted for Merit:
- Paper-I: Essay (250 marks)
- Paper-II: General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) (250 marks)
- Paper-III: General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations) (250 marks)
- Paper-IV: General Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management) (250 marks)
- Paper-V: General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) (250 marks)
- Paper-VI: Optional Subject – Paper 1 (250 marks)
- Paper-VII: Optional Subject – Paper 2 (250 marks)
Sub Total (Written test): 1750 marks
Personality Test: 275 marks
Grand Total: 2025 marks

Candidates can choose one optional subject from the list provided by the UPSC.

Online Application for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025:

Applications must be submitted online through the prescribed format at https://upsconline.gov.in between January 22, 2025, and February 11, 2025. Applicants are advised to upload all necessary documents during this period and avoid last-minute rushes.

Application Fee:

A fee of ₹100 is required (no fee for Female/SC/ST/PH candidates). Payment can be made online using net banking with State Bank of India or via Visa/Master Credit/Debit Card.

Detailed Information:

For detailed information about the examination, exam venues, syllabus, and other related details, please visit the official UPSC website: https://upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-CSP-2025-Engl-220125.pdf