The UPSC Civil Services Examination consists of three stages:

•  Preliminary Examination: The Preliminary Examination is the first stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It consists of two objective-type papers - General Studies Paper 1 and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper 2. The questions are of multiple-choice type, and the total duration of the examination is two hours for each paper. The Preliminary Examination serves as a screening test, and only those candidates who qualify in this stage are eligible to appear for the Main Examination.


•  Main Examination: The Main Examination is the second stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It consists of nine papers, out of which seven papers are compulsory, and two papers are optional. The compulsory papers include Essay, General Studies I, II, III, and IV, Indian Language, and English Language. The optional papers are chosen by the candidates based on their interest and educational background. The Main Examination is a written examination, and the total duration of the examination is 3 hours for each paper.


•  Personality Test (Interview): The Personality Test, also known as the Interview, is the final stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It is conducted to assess the candidate's overall personality, including their intellectual ability, social traits, and leadership qualities. The interview panel consists of experienced and unbiased members who ask questions to the candidate related to their educational background, current affairs, and their interest in public service. The total marks for the interview are 275, and the duration of the interview is around 30-40 minutes. The final selection of candidates is based on the combined score of the Main Examination and the Personality Test. It is important to note that each stage of the examination is crucial, and candidates need to prepare thoroughly for each stage to succeed in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

For more details visit their official website of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at https://upsc.gov.in./