UPSC Mains Exam 2025 Date, Pattern, Syllabus, Optional Papers

UPSC Mains Exam, Get detailed information about the UPSC Mains 2024 exam, including the list of papers, the exam pattern, result declaration, and FAQs. Learn more about the UPSC Mains and how to prepare effectively.

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The UPSC Mains Exam is a crucial stage in the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It plays a significant role in selecting candidates for India’s prestigious administrative positions, such as IAS, IPS, and IFS. The exam is designed to test a candidate’s in-depth knowledge, analytical abilities, and understanding of various subjects essential for public service roles.

Overview of UPSC Mains Exam

The UPSC Mains Exam is the second stage of the Civil Services Examination, held after the Prelims. It is a written exam consisting of nine papers, out of which two are qualifying and seven are counted for merit. These papers cover a wide range of topics, including essay writing, general studies, and an optional subject chosen by the candidate.

The exam is conducted in a descriptive format, requiring students to write detailed answers. The focus is on evaluating the candidate’s ability to express their ideas clearly and critically analyze issues. Successful candidates proceed to the final stage, the personality test or interview.

This stage requires dedication, thorough preparation, and a clear understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern.

What is the UPSC Exam?

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:

Preliminary Examination (Prelims): This stage tests the general awareness and aptitude of candidates.
Main Examination (Mains): This stage assesses the candidates’ depth of knowledge, analytical skills, and ability to articulate their thoughts in a structured manner.
Personality Test (Interview): This stage evaluates the candidates’ overall personality, communication skills, and suitability for a career in public service.

UPSC Mains 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

Latest Updates about UPSC Mains 2024

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the UPSC Mains Result 2024. Candidates who appeared for the Civil Services Main Examination 2024 can check their results on the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in. According to the official notice, the marksheets for all candidates will be uploaded on the website within 15 days from the date of the final result publication (post Personality Tests/Interviews) and will remain available for 30 days.

The Civil Services Mains Examination 2024 was conducted on September 20, 21, 22, 28, and 29, 2024, in two shifts: the first shift from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and the second shift from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2025

The UPSC Mains Exam consists of nine papers. Among these, seven papers are considered for the final merit ranking, while two papers are qualifying in nature.

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

Note: Papers I to VII are discriptive-type papers, and the marks from these are considered for the final merit ranking.

UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus 2025

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 analyze 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, 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 reorganization 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, urbanization, and globalization’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, 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 neighbors, global groupings, bilateral and multilateral agreements, international institutions.
GS-III	Indian Economy	Issues related to planning, resource mobilization, 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.

Optional Subjects List of UPSC Mains Exam

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.

Agriculture
Animal Husbandry and 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 and International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology

List of Literature Optional Subjects in UPSC Mains Examination

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.

Assamese
Bengali
Bodo
Dogri
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Maithili
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Santhali
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu
English

UPSC Mains Exam FAQs

What are the 9 papers in UPSC Mains?

The UPSC Mains exam consists of nine papers. These include two qualifying papers in Indian Language and English, an Essay paper, four General Studies papers covering subjects like history, geography, governance, and ethics, and two papers from an optional subject chosen by the candidate.

What is the Mains exam for UPSC?

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.

How many Mains exams are there in UPSC?

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.

Is UPSC Mains very tough?

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.

What are the 7 papers of UPSC?

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.