UPSC Mains Exam 2025 will begin on August 22. Get complete details on the exam schedule, pattern, syllabus, and optional subjects. Download the official timetable and learn how the written stage evaluates candidates' analytical and writing skills.
theIAShub | 14 Aug, 2025 | 15914 | 0 |
The UPSC Mains Exam is conducted in offline mode (Pen & Paper) and is a descriptive (written) examination. It comprises 9 papers, out of which 7 contribute to the final merit ranking, while 2 are qualifying papers. The total marks for the merit-based papers are 1750, excluding the Personality Test (Interview). Candidates can choose to write their answers in English or Hindi, except for the language papers. Each paper has a duration of 3 hours.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination is a competitive exam that tests candidates’ knowledge, analytical ability, decision-making skills, and personality traits. It is known for its rigorous selection process, which ensures that only the most capable candidates are chosen for public service roles.
The exam comprises three distinct stages:
Also Read: UPSC Exam 2025 Date
The UPSC Calendar provides essential dates for the Civil Services Examination, including the Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. Staying informed about these dates is vital for aspirants to plan and prepare effectively.
| Event | Important Date |
| UPSC Notification 2025 Release Date | 22 January 2025 |
| UPSC Prelims Exam Registration | 22 January 2025 |
| UPSC Prelims Exam Date | 25 May 2025 |
| UPSC Mains Exam Date 2025 | 22 August 2025 |
| UPSC Interview/IAS Interview Date | Yet to be announced |
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the timetable for UPSC CSE Mains 2025 on July 14. The dates of the examination can be checked here.
| Date (Day) | Forenoon Session (9:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon) | Afternoon Session (2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.) |
| 22.08.2025 (Friday) | Paper-I Essay | No Paper |
| 23.08.2025 (Saturday) | Paper-II General Studies-I | Paper-III General Studies-II |
| 24.08.2025 (Sunday) | Paper-IV General Studies-III | Paper-V General Studies-IV |
| Next weekend | ||
| 30.08.2025 (Saturday) | Paper-A Indian Language (Assamese / Bengali / Bodo / Dogri / Gujarati / Hindi / Kannada / Kashmiri / Konkani / Maithili / Malayalam / Manipuri / Marathi / Nepali / Odia / Punjabi / Sanskrit / Santhali / Sindhi (Devanagari / Olchiki Script) / Sindhi (Devanagari) / Arabic Script) / Tamil / Telugu / Urdu) | Paper-B English |
| 31.08.2025 (Sunday) | Paper-VI Optional Subject-Paper-1 (Agriculture / Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science / Anthropology / Botany / Chemistry / Civil Engineering / Commerce & Accountancy / Economics / Electrical Engineering / Geography / Geology / History / Law / Management / Mathematics / Mechanical Engineering / Medical Science / Philosophy / Physics / Political Science & International Relations / Psychology / Public Administration / Sociology / Statistics / Zoology / Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese / Bengali / Bodo / Dogri / Gujarati / Hindi / Kannada / Kashmiri / Konkani / Maithili / Malayalam / Manipuri / Marathi / Nepali / Odia / Punjabi / Sanskrit / Santhali / Sindhi / Tamil / Telugu / Urdu / English) | Paper-VII Optional Subject-Paper-2 (Agriculture / Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science / Anthropology / Botany / Chemistry / Civil Engineering / Commerce & Accountancy / Economics / Electrical Engineering / Geography / Geology / History / Law / Management / Mathematics / Mechanical Engineering / Medical Science / Philosophy / Physics / Political Science & International Relations / Psychology / Public Administration / Sociology / Statistics / Zoology / Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese / Bengali / Bodo / Dogri / Gujarati / Hindi / Kannada / Kashmiri / Konkani / Maithili / Malayalam / Manipuri / Marathi / Nepali / Odia / Punjabi / Sanskrit / Santhali / Sindhi / Tamil / Telugu / Urdu / English) |
The UPSC Mains exam consists of 9 papers, divided into qualifying papers and merit-based papers:
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Marks |
| Paper-A | One of the Indian Languages (Qualifying Paper) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper-B | English (Qualifying Paper) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper-I | Essay | 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 Subject Paper I | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject Paper II | 3 hours | 250 |
| Total | 1750 |
Also Read: UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
Note: Papers I to VII are descriptive-type papers, and the marks from these are considered for the final merit ranking.
The UPSC Mains GS syllabus is vast and interdisciplinary, requiring a thorough understanding of subjects related to Indian polity, economy, history, and society, along with international relations and ethical governance. It is designed to test not only knowledge but also the ability to critically analyse and apply concepts in real-life scenarios.
| Paper | Topic | Details |
| GS-1 | Indian Culture | Salient aspects of art forms, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times. |
| Modern Indian History | Significant events, personalities, and issues from the mid-18th century to present times. | |
| Freedom Struggle | Various stages and important contributors to the Indian freedom struggle. | |
| Post-Independence India | Consolidation and reorganisation of India post-independence. | |
| World History | Events from the 18th century, industrial revolutions, world wars, political philosophies (e.g., communism, capitalism) and their societal impacts. | |
| Indian Society | Diversity, women’s role, population issues, poverty, urbanisation, and globalisation’s effect on society. | |
| Social Empowerment | Communalism, regionalism, secularism, and social empowerment issues. | |
| World’s Physical Geography | Key geographical features, natural resources distribution, and natural phenomena (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.). | |
| Indian Culture | Salient aspects of art forms, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times. | |
| Modern Indian History | Significant events, personalities, and issues from the mid-18th century to present times. | |
| Freedom Struggle | Various stages and important contributors to the Indian freedom struggle. | |
| GS-II | Constitution of India | Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure. |
| Union and States’ Functions | Federal structure, devolution of powers, challenges, and responsibilities. | |
| Separation of Powers | Functions and responsibilities of different constitutional organs (Executive, Legislature, Judiciary). | |
| Parliament and State Legislatures | Structure, functioning, powers, privileges, and issues arising in the legislative bodies. | |
| Government and Governance | Role of ministries, pressure groups, NGOs, e-governance, transparency, accountability, and institutional measures. | |
| Social Welfare Schemes | Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections and their performance. | |
| International Relations | Relations with India’s neighbours, global groupings, bilateral and multilateral agreements, and international institutions. | |
| GS-III | Indian Economy | Issues related to planning, resource mobilisation, growth, and employment. |
| Agriculture | Cropping patterns, irrigation systems, subsidies, food security, and technology in farming. | |
| Infrastructure | Development of energy, transport, and communication infrastructure. | |
| Science and Technology | Technological developments and their applications in everyday life, including biotech, IT, space, and nanotechnology. | |
| Environmental Issues | Conservation, environmental pollution, and environmental impact assessments. | |
| Disaster Management | Natural and man-made disaster response and management. | |
| Internal Security | Security challenges, extremism, terrorism, cybersecurity, and organized crime. | |
| GS-IV | Ethics and Human Interface | Essence of ethics in human actions, private and public relationships. |
| Attitude and Values | Attitudes in governance, emotional intelligence, and their applications in administration. | |
| Aptitude for Civil Services | Integrity, impartiality, objectivity, and dedication to public service. | |
| Public Administration Ethics | Accountability, transparency, ethical governance, and moral conduct in administration. | |
| Probity in Governance | Philosophical basis of governance, transparency, corruption, and quality of service delivery. |
Also Read: UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus 2025
The UPSC CSE Mains allows candidates to choose from a wide range of optional subjects across various disciplines, such as Engineering, Science, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Selecting an appropriate subject based on interest and background can greatly influence success in the exam.
Also Read: Optional Subjects List
The Literature section in the UPSC CSE Mains offers a variety of language options for candidates. This allows aspirants to choose a language they are comfortable with, or one that aligns with their academic background, helping in scoring well with a well-prepared strategy.
The UPSC Mains is the second stage of the Civil Services Examination, designed to test candidates on their in-depth knowledge and analytical skills across a range of subjects. The exam includes both objective and subjective types of questions and carries a significant weight in the final selection process.
There is only one Mains exam in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. This exam follows the Preliminary exam and consists of nine papers, including both General Studies and an optional subject.
Yes, the UPSC Mains exam is considered challenging due to its comprehensive syllabus, the depth of knowledge required across multiple subjects, and the level of competition. Candidates need strong preparation and analytical abilities to perform well in this stage.
The UPSC Mains exam includes seven main papers that are scored: the Essay paper, four General Studies papers, and two papers from the optional subject chosen by the candidate. These papers test a wide array of knowledge and skills.
The UPSC Mains Exam Result 2024 was declared on 9th December 2024.
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