IAS Exam Pattern

Scheme of Civil Services Examination

The Civil Services Examination consists of two successive stages -

1. Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination; and
2. Civil Services Main Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various Services and post. The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) each of 200 marks and carries a total of 400 marks. The question papers are set both in Hindi and English. Each paper is of two hours duration. Blind candidates are allowed extra time of twenty minutes for each paper.
   

Phase 1

This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year in the various Services and Posts. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in the year are eligible for writing the Main Examination of that year.

Syllabus of Paper I -(200 marks) Duration : Two hours

• Current events of national and international importance.
• History of India and Indian National Movement.
• General Science
• Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic geography of India and the World.
• Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
• Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
• General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization

Syllabus for Paper II-(200 marks) Duration: Two hours

• Comprehension
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision making and problem solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)
• English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).
• Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level (last item in the Syllabus of Paper-II) will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.

Phase 2

Main Examination Syllabus (1750 Marks):

This phase will test your academic and intellectual talent in depth. It consists of 9 papers, in which two are qualifying papers of 300 marks each:

I. Any Indian Language

II. English

These two papers just need to qualify which is mandatory and marks obtained will not be considered or counted.

Language for the rest seven papers can be any of the languages mentioned in Eighth Schedule of the constitution or you can opt for English. Rest seven papers are mentioned below, each weighing 250 marks:

III. Essay

IV. General Studies 1 (Indian Heritage/Culture, World History & Geography)

V. General Studies 2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

VI. General Studies 3 (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-Diversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management)

1. General Studies 4 (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude)
2. Optional 1 (Of your choice)