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IAS 2025 will be conducted by Union Public Service Commission to select eligible candidates for the range of posts offered through UPSC CSE. Considered as one of the most coveted Government exams conducted in the country, clearing IAS Exam is like a dream for every Government Job Aspirant. UPSC CSE Exam is considered to be one of the most difficult exam conducted in the country, but with proper guidance and preparation it is scalable. Majority of candidates who start their preparation for the exam do so with the zeal of becoming an IAS Officer. Let’s have a look at the details of this examination.In this blog we will discuss about UPSC 2025 Selection process.
UPSC 2025: Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| UPSC IAS Notification 2025 released | 22 January 2025 |
| Date of IAS Application | 22 January 2025 |
| End Date of IAS Application | 11 February 2025 |
| Release of IAS Admit Card | April 2025 (Tentative) |
| IAS Prelims Exam Date | 25 May 2025 |
| IAS Mains 2025 Exam Date | 22 August 2025 |
UPSC 2025 Eligibility
1: Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?
To appear for IAS Exam 2025, a candidate must fulfill the mentioned eligibility criteria as underlined by Union Public Service Commission.
Nationality: For the post of IAS & IPS, a candidate must be a citizen of India. For all other posts,
A candidate must be:
- A citizen of India
- or a Subject of Nepal
- or a Subject of Bhutan
- or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, to settle permanently.
- or An Indian origin migrant from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam who came to permanently settle in India.
Educational Qualification: A candidate must be a Graduate or must hold the equivalent qualification from a recognized university to be eligible for IAS Exam 2025.
Age Limit: A candidate must be minimum 21 years of age and must not exceed 32 years age limit as on August 1, 2025. Candidates belonging to reserved categories are granted relaxation in their age limit. Let’s have a look at the same.
| Categories | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| Defense Services Personnel disabled in operations during hostilities | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen | 5 years |
| ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service | 5 years |
| PwD candidates | 10 years |
| Domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir from January 1, 1980, to December 31, 1989 | 5 years |
UPSC 2025 Selection Process
Candidates who want to seek recruitment in Civil Services IAS/IPS/IFS need to undertake:
• IAS Prelims
• IAS Mains & Interview
UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam is qualifying in nature. The marks of IAS Prelims are not considered in final merit list, from which the selection of candidates is made. The UPSC prepares the final merit list on the basis of marks secured by candidates in IAS Mains exam and Interview.
Attempt a free UPSC IAS mock test to ace your Preparation
UPSC 2025 Prelims Exam Pattern
| Paper | Total Questions | Marks | Time Duration |
| Paper I: General Studies | 100 | 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper II: GS (CSAT) | 80 | 200 | 2 Hours |
• In IAS Prelims exam, questions will be asked in Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) format
• There will be Negative Marking of 1/3rd marks (0.66) for each wrong answer
• GS Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature; you need only 33 percent marks to clear this paper
• In the PwD category, blind candidates are allotted 20 minutes extra for each paper
UPSC 2025 Mains Exam Pattern
| Paper | Name of Paper | Nature of Paper | Time Duration | Marks |
| Paper – A | Any Indian Language
(objective) |
Qualifying | 3 Hours | 300 |
| Paper – B | English
(objective) |
3 Hours | 300 | |
| Paper I | Essay | Merit Ranking | 3 Hours | 250 |
| Paper II | General Studies I | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Paper VI | Optional Paper I | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Paper VII | Optional Paper-II | 3 Hours | 250 | |
| Total | 1750 | |||
| Interview Round | 275 | |||
| Grand Total | 2025 | |||
• IAS Mains exam is objective as well as descriptive in nature
• Candidates need to obtain IAS Cut off marks to qualify this round
• The cut off is decided on the basis of total vacancies, the difficulty level of paper and candidates appearing for the exam.
– There will be Negative Marking of 1/3rd marks (0.66) for each wrong answer in objective paper only
UPSC 2025 Syllabus
As the paper will be conducted in three different stages, the requirement & syllabus for Written Exams will be different. Let’s have a look at the Syllabus for Preliminary & Mains Exam to give you a list of topics to prepare for the upcoming UPSC IAS Exam 2025
Preliminary Exam Syllabus
Syllabus of Paper 1 – General Studies (200 Marks) 2 hours of duration
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- 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.
Mains Exam Syllabus
General Studies- I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
- Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
- Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
- The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.
- Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
- History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
Conclusion
The UPSC Civil Services Examination stands as one of the toughest and most respected exams in India. Cracking this exam demands consistent effort, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus. Knowing the selection process—Prelims, Mains, and Interview—is the first step toward effective preparation. Candidates should start early, follow a disciplined schedule, and stay updated with current affairs. With proper guidance and commitment, success in the UPSC exam is definitely achievable
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three stages of the UPSC CSE selection process?
The three stages are Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Is the Prelims exam score considered in the final merit list?
No, only the Mains and Interview scores count toward the final ranking.
How many papers are there in the Prelims exam?
There are two papers: General Studies and CSAT.
Is there negative marking in the UPSC Prelims?
Yes, 1/3rd mark is deducted for each incorrect answer.
What is the minimum qualifying mark for the CSAT paper?
Candidates must score at least 33% in CSAT to qualify.
How many marks is the UPSC Mains exam out of?
The Mains exam is for a total of 1750 marks.
Is there a language paper in UPSC Mains?
Yes, Paper A is any Indian language and Paper B is English—both are qualifying.
How many optional papers are there in Mains?
There are two optional subject papers—Paper VI and VII.
What is the weightage of the Interview in final selection?
The Interview carries 275 marks.
What is the total mark considered for the final UPSC ranking?
The final merit is based on 2025 marks (Mains + Interview).
