UPSC MAIN Exam | Main Examination Syllabus

he Main examination comprises of nine papers, all of them of a descriptive type conducted within a span of 20 days.

It is designed to test not only the academic talent of the aspirant but also his ability to coordinate and present his knowledge in a clear and coherent manner. The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory.

The scope of the syllabus for the optional subject papers for the examinat ion is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors degree and lower than the masters degree. In the case of Engineering and law, the level corresponds to the bachelor's degree.

Civil Services Main Examination Timetable

Part B - Main Examination - Optional Subjects Paper-I One of the Indian Languages to be selected by the candidate from the 22 languages included in the VIIIth Schedule to the Constitution (Qualifying Paper) 300 Marks Paper-II English (Qualifying Paper) 300 Marks Paper-III Essay [in the medium you choose] 200 Marks Papers IV & V General Studies (300 Marks for each paper) 600 Marks Papers VI, VII, VIII & IX Any two subjects (each having 2 papers) to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects (300 marks for each paper) 1200 Marks Total Marks for Written Examination 2000 Marks Interview Test [in the medium you choose] 300 Marks Grand Total 2300 Marks