The UPSC Exam 2025 notification was officially released on January 22, 2025, for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2025 and Indian Forest Service (Prelims) 2025 on the UPSC website. This year, UPSC aims to recruit 979 candidates, including 38 seats reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD). The application process began on January 22, 2025, and will close on February 21, 2025. Aspirants targeting prestigious positions like IAS, IPS, and IFS must submit their applications accurately to avoid disqualification. Additionally, an application correction window will be available from February 22 to 28 for necessary modifications.

UPSC Exam full form consists of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam. This exam is to select officers for prestigious Group A and Group B services, such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. Lakhs of aspirants apply every year, making it one of the most competitive exams in India.

UPSC Exam Overview

The UPSC Exam is conducted in three stages: Preliminary, Mains Exam, and Personality Test (Interview). The Prelims Exam is the first qualifying stage, while the Mains Exam marks and the Personality Test score determine the final ranking. Candidates can find detailed information about the UPSC 2025 exam pattern, syllabus, recommended books, and preparation strategy here. The UPSC 2025 Exam follows a three-stage selection process:

• Preliminary Exam (Objective-type test)
• Mains Exam (Descriptive papers)
• Personality Test (Interview)

The final selection depends on the scores of the Mains and Interview rounds.

UPSC Exam 2025 Highlights

The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 is conducted annually by UPSC to recruit Group A and Group B officers through Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. Candidates aged 21-32 years can apply online, with a starting salary of ₹56,100/month as per the 7th Pay Commission. Here are the specific particulars of the UPSC Exam are as follows:

UPSC Exam 2025 Notification & Important Dates

The UPSC 2025 notification was published on January 22, 2025. It contains essential details about eligibility, the application process, the syllabus, and the exam schedule.

Candidates must read the UPSC Exam 2025 notification PDF carefully to understand the exam process.

UPSC Exam 2025 Application Process

The UPSC Exam 2025 Online Application Form has been released along with the official notification. Eligible candidates can apply for the exam, but the application process has recently changed. Now, aspirants must complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) before proceeding with the UPSC 2025 application form. Here is the step-by-step guide:

• Step 1: OTR Registration:

• Visit the UPSC official website.

• Click on “New Registration” for One-Time Registration (OTR).

• Fill in personal details, such as name, date of birth, and category.

• Submit the form and save the OTR ID for future applications.

• Step 2: Fill the UPSC Exam Form:

• Log in using the OTR ID and password.

• Select UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.

• Fill in educational qualifications and category details.

• Choose your preferred exam center and optional subject.

• Upload scanned copies of photograph, signature, and ID proof.

• Pay the application fee (if applicable).

• Submit the form and download the application confirmation PDF.

Also Read: UPSC Registration 2025

UPSC Exam 2025 Prelims Pattern

The UPSC Exam 2025 Prelims Pattern consists of two objective papers: General Studies (GS) Paper-I and CSAT (Paper-II). It serves as a screening test, with marks from GS Paper-I determining qualification for the Mains. The UPSC Prelims is an objective-type exam with two papers:

• General Studies Paper I – Tests knowledge of history, polity, geography, and current affairs.
• General Studies Paper II (CSAT) – Tests reasoning and comprehension skills (Qualifying in nature).

Candidates who qualify for Prelims can appear for the Mains Exam.

Also Read: UPSC Exam Pattern 2025

UPSC Exam 2025 Mains Pattern

 UPSC Mains Exam Pattern consists of nine descriptive papers, with seven considered for merit. It includes one optional subject and requires qualifying marks in Indian Language and English.

• Descriptive Format: The UPSC Mains consists of nine theory-based papers, all of which are descriptive. Out of these, seven papers contribute to the final merit list.
• Optional Subject: Candidates must select one optional subject for the Mains examination.
• Evaluation Process: The Essay, General Studies, and Optional Subject papers are evaluated along with the qualifying papers on Indian Language and English.
• Minimum Qualifying Standards (25%): Only candidates securing 25% marks in both Indian Language and English will have their merit-based papers considered.

The Mains exam determines the final ranking, along with the Interview marks.

UPSC Exam 2025 Personality Test (Interview)

Candidates who qualify for the Mains stage of the UPSC 2025 Exam by securing the required cut-off advance to the final stage, the Personality Test (Interview) conducted by the UPSC Board Members.

Candidates who clear Mains qualify for the Personality Test (Interview) conducted at UPSC Bhavan, New Delhi.

The final merit list is based on Mains (1750 marks) + Interview (275 marks) = 2025 marks.

UPSC Exam 2025 Eligibility Criteria

UPSC 2025 Exam has low eligibility criteria, attracting many candidates compared to other services like Engineering Services. To appear for the IAS Exam, candidates must meet age and educational requirements, along with limits on attempts, physical qualifications, and citizenship. The minimum IAS qualifications are:

• Age Criteria for UPSC Exam 2025: For the UPSC 2025 Exam, the age limit for General category candidates is 21 to 32 years as of August 1, 2025.

• Candidates must be at least 21 years old and not older than 32 years on this date.

• Relaxation in Age Limit for Certain Categories:

• Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes: 5 years

• Other Backward Classes (OBC): 3 years

• Defence Services Personnel (disabled in operations): 3 years

• Ex-servicemen (with at least 5 years of service): 5 years

• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): 10 years

• Nationality Criteria for UPSC 2025 Exam: The citizenship requirement for Grade-A Services (IAS, IPS, IFS) is as follows:

• IAS/IPS: Citizen of India

• IFS: Citizen of India or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) who migrated from specific countries (e.g., Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar) for permanent settlement in India.

• Other Services:

• Citizen of India

• Citizen of Nepal or Bhutan

• Tibetan refugees who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, for permanent settlement

• PIO from the same list of countries (e.g., Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar) for permanent settlement

• Candidates from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, or PIOs must provide a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India when appointed, even though they can write the exam without it.

Also Read: UPSC Exam 2025 Eligibility Criteria

UPSC Exam 2025 Educational Criteria

Union Public Service Commission has set the educational criteria for the UPSC Civil Services exam for appearing in the exam. Here are the educational criteria for this exam are:

• Minimum Qualification for IAS: Candidates must have graduated from a recognized university or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Eligibility for Final Year Graduates: Final year students or those awaiting results can appear for the UPSC Prelims. However, they must have passed their final year exams by the time they apply for the UPSC 2025 Mains.
• Eligibility for Professional and Technical Qualifications: Candidates with professional or technical qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to degrees are eligible for the exam.
• Eligibility for Medical Students: Medical students who have not completed their internship but have passed their final MBBS exams can also apply. They must submit a course completion certificate with their Mains application.

UPSC Exam Attempts and Age Limit 

The UPSC sets a limit on the number of attempts for candidates, which varies by category:

Also Read: UPSC Age Limit

UPSC Exam 2025 Medical Criteria for Candidates

Candidates must meet certain physical fitness standards to qualify for UPSC services.

• Medical Fitness: A medical examination is required to assess the candidate’s physical fitness for civil service roles.
• Specific Requirements for IPS and Other Services: Candidates aiming for IPS, Indian Railway services, or police services in Pondicherry must meet specific weight, height, and chest measurements.

UPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus 2025

The Prelims exam consists of two papers: General Studies (GS) and CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test). The Prelims will be in multiple-choice format, with the General Studies paper contributing to qualification for the Mains, while the CSAT paper is qualifying with a required cutoff of 66.66 marks.

UPSC Prelims General Studies (GS) Paper I:

• Current Affairs: National and international events of importance.
• History (Including Art and Culture): Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History; Indian National Movement.
• Geography: Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World.
• Polity and Governance: Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, and Rights Issues.
• Economy: Basic Economic Concepts, Sustainable Development, Trade, Demographics, and Economic Organizations.
• Environment and Ecology: General environmental issues, Biodiversity, and Climate Change.
• Science and Technology: General Science and recent scientific developments.

UPSC Prelims CSAT (GS Paper II):

• Comprehension: Reading, Vocabulary, Antonyms, Synonyms, and Grammar.
• Interpersonal Skills: Communication, Active/Passive Voice, Direct/Indirect Speech, and Writing.
• Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability: Analogies, Coding-Decoding, Series, Blood Relations, Venn Diagrams.
• Decision-Making and Problem-Solving: Data Sufficiency, Decision Analysis, and Problem-Solving.
• General Mental Ability: Number series, Letter series, Word Patterns, and Mixed Patterns.
• Basic Numeracy and Data Interpretation: Charts, Graphs, Tables, and Data Interpretation at Class X level.

UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus 2025

UPSC Mains Exam consists of nine papers: two language papers (qualifying), one essay paper, four General Studies papers, and two optional subject papers. Below are the details of the syllabus.

• Qualifying Papers (300 Marks each):

• Paper A: Indian Language: Comprehension, Precis Writing, Vocabulary, Short Essays, and Translation.

• Paper B: English Language: Comprehension, Precis Writing, Vocabulary, Short Essays.

• Essay Paper: General topics for essay writing.

• General Studies Papers:

• General Studies I: Indian Heritage and Culture, World History, Geography of the World and Society.

• General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations.

• General Studies III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.

• General Studies IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude.

• Optional Papers (Graduate-level topics):

• Optional Paper I and Paper II: Topics related to the candidate’s chosen optional subject.

Also Read: UPSC Syllabus 2025

UPSC Mains Exam 2025 Optional Subjects

Candidates can choose one optional subject from the following list:

• Anthropology
• Political Science and International Relations
• Public Administration
• Sociology
• History
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Zoology
• Botany
• Medical Science
• Statistics
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Law
• Geography
• Geology
• Literature Languages
• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
• Agriculture
• Economics
• Civil Engineering
• Commerce and Accountancy
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mathematics
• Management
• Electrical Engineering

Available Literature Languages:
Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Konkani, Kannada, Manipuri, Marathi, Santhali, Sanskrit, Maithili, Malayalam, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu (Total 23 Languages).

UPSC Exam Admit Card 2025

The admit card is an important document required to appear for the UPSC 2025 Exam. It includes details like the candidate’s name, photograph, signature, roll number, exam center, and session details.

UPSC issues admit cards separately for Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages. Without an admit card, candidates will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.

UPSC Exam Preparation Tips 2025

To succeed in the UPSC 2025 Exam, candidates need proper planning and dedication. Here are some key strategies:

• Effective Use of Resources: Focus on quality study material and structured preparation to enhance your chances of success.
• Understand the Syllabus: Get familiar with the exam format, previous question papers, and marking scheme to plan your preparation accordingly.
• Create a Study Timetable: Plan a schedule that covers the entire syllabus, balancing strengths and weaknesses. Seek guidance from mentors if needed.
• Solve Previous Year Questions: Practice past papers to understand question patterns and identify weak areas for improvement.
• Take Mock Tests: Regularly attempt mock exams to improve time management and exam strategy. Analyze performance to refine your approach.
• Stay Updated on Current Affairs: Read newspapers and journals to stay informed about national and international events relevant to the exam.
• Stay Motivated and Seek Support: Set realistic goals, stay disciplined, and seek encouragement from family and friends to maintain motivation.

UPSC Exam Result 2025

UPSC announces results after each stage of the exam—Prelims, Mains, and the Final Result. Candidates appearing for the UPSC 2025 Exam can check their results on the official UPSC website.

UPSC Exam Cut-off 2025

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the cut-off marks for Prelims, Mains, and the Final selection on its official website, upsc.gov.in, along with the UPSC Final Result 2024. Aspirants can refer to previous years’ cut-offs to understand the qualifying trends for UPSC 2025.

UPSC Exam Marksheet 2025

UPSC publishes the marksheets of candidates who appeared for Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. These mark sheets are made available only after the final results are declared. Candidates can check their marks by visiting the official UPSC website.

UPSC Exam 2025 FAQs