What is UPSC?
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a National level competitive examination in India, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India. Select your Exam CareerIndia provides you with the list of 20 civil services in India consisting of complete information about each exam and how to apply or prepare for the examination. The syllabus (Preliminary and Main) and updated question papers for all the exams are featured here with an option of downloading them for your reference and preparation.
IAS Exam Indian Administrative Service Exam
What is IAS Exam?
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was formerly known as the Imperial
Civil Service (ICS) is the Civil Services Examination and one of the
toughest competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public
Service Commission for the recruitment of officers for the All India
Administrative Civil Service.
Founded:
1858 (as Imperial Civil Service)
January 26, 1950 (as Indian Administrative Service)
The Indian Administrative Service is the premier administrative civil
service of the Government of India. Hierarchy-wise, IAS is the highest
administrative post among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc.
Popularly known as the IAS exam, officially it is called as Civil
Services Examination (CSE), which is conducted every year by the central
recruiting agency, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
IAS is the permanent bureaucracy in India and forms a part of the
executive branch. It is one of the three All India Services, its cadre
can be employed by both the Union Government, the State Governments and
public-sector undertakings.
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has been termed as one of the
prestigious services among the 24 government services like IPS, IFS
(Foreign), IFS (Forest), IP & TAFS, IAAS, IRS, IDAS, CMSE, IRTS,
IRAS, IRPS, ITS, CAPF-AF to name a few.
All these examinations are conducted by UPSC in the form of Civil
Services Examination (CSE) for selecting the appropriate candidates for
the jobs. Every year lakhs of candidates appear for this examination,
testing their lucks and hard work to get through one of these
prestigious posts.
It is important to mention that any officer selected into the IAS can be
employed by Union government, state governments and/or public-sector
undertakings and gets exposure in numerous job roles like the collector,
head of public sector units, commissioner, chief secretary, cabinet
secretary to name a few.
When on deputation outside India, the IAS officer can be engaged in
inter-governmental organizations like the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank (WB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB),
the United Nations (UN), or its agencies and the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) to name a few.
It is very important for aspirants to know and understand the
requirements of the examination such as the UPSC IAS syllabus, pattern,
eligibility criteria, application procedure and other such significant
details before kick-starting the registrations.
IAS Exam Highlights
Annually, the UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to
shortlist the candidates for more than 20 services, such as IAS, IPS and
IFS. On average, more than eight lakh candidates register for the IAS
exam and around five lakh candidates appear for the examination.
The selection of the candidates will be made through the preliminary
exam, main examination and an interview/personality test. This year-long
selection process will begin in the month of June and conclude in
April. The final merit list for the CSE will be released in May.
Exam Civil Services Examination
Exam level National
Organising body Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam type Pen and paper-based (offline)
Number of services 24
Number of attempts 6 attempts
Number of Vacancies Approximately 900
Admit card online
Expected registrations More than 8 lakh
IAS Prelims 2021: No Extra Attempt For Aspirants Who Missed Exam Due To
COVID
Big news for Civil Services aspirants! The Central Government has
decided not to grant an extra attempt to Civil Services' aspirants, who
could not appear for the Preliminary exam held in October last year due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appearing
for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has told to the
Supreme Court of India.
He Said, "We are not ready to give one more chance. Last night I
received instruction that we are not agreeable."
The Supreme Court has asked Additional Solicitor General to file an
affidavit and said it will again hear the case on January 25. Earlier, a
plea was filed by some IAS aspirants asking an extra attempt to those
candidates who had their last attempt in CSE 2020 and could not appear
the exam due to pandemic.
IAS Prelims 2020 COVID-19 Guidelines
The UPSC has released the important instructions for candidates while
appearing for IAS Preliminary 2020 examination amid Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic. Candidates should wear a face mask or cover, carry
their own hand sanitizer and following the social distancing norms at
the exam centre. Aspirants can download UPSC IAS Prelims 2020 (COVID-19)
exam guidelines here.
UPSC IAS Final Result 2020
The UPSC has released the IAS final result 2020 in August. Aspirants can
visit the official website to check the result. It has recommended a
total of 829 candidates for appointment against 927 vacancies. The
official result notice also stated that marks will be available on the
official website within 15 days from the date of declaration of result.
Check the complete details about IAS Civil Services Examination 2019
result.
Download UPSC IAS Final Result 2020
Download UPSC IAS Toppers 2020 List
UPSC IAS Prelims Exam Date 2020
The UPSC has postponed the IAS Prelims 2020 examination due to lockdown
caused by Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic. The Preliminary exam
scheduled on May 31 was postponed. The Commission will announce the new
exam date on May 20 after assessing the situation. The Commission has
announced the new exam date for Prelims in June. The IAS Prelims 2020
will be held on October 4, 2020. Explore UPSC Coronavirus latest
updates.
IAS Prelims Exam Centre Change Option
The UPSC has released an important notice regarding the IAS Preliminary
exam centre. The Commission allows IAS aspirants to change the
Preliminary exam centre, if so. However, the UPSC made it clear that the
change in the centres will be considered based on the principle of
''First-apply-first-allot'' basis.
The notice reads, "The window of submitting the revised choice of
Centres by the candidates will be operational in two phases i.e.
7th-13th July, 2020 (06.00 PM) and 20th-24th July, 2020 (06.00 PM) on
the Commission’s website https://upsconline.nic.in."
The UPSC also allows aspirants to withdraw the application during the
period from August 1 to 8, 2020.
UPSC IAS Notification 2020
The UPSC has released the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2020
notification on February 12, 2020. Candidates who are aiming for the All
India Services along with other services can apply online between
February 12 and March 3, 2020. The CSE notification was released for a
total of 796 vacancies which include 24 vacancies for persons with
benchmark disability category. Aspirants are advised to check the
official notification for all the details.
Click here to download UPSC IAS notification 2020
UPSC IAS Exam 2020 Important Dates
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) notification will be released on
February 12, 2020. Candidates can apply online until March 3, 2020. The
preliminary exam will be held on May 31 and Main exam in the month of
September.
Civil Services Examination (CSE) notification February 12, 2020
IAS online application form February 12 to March 3, 2020
IAS Preliminary admit card 2nd week of May
IAS exam date October 4, 2020
IAS Preliminary result November 2020
IAS Main exam date January 8, 2021 (5 days)
IAS Main exam result February 2021
IAS personality test/ interview March/April 2021
IAS final result May 2021
IAS 2020 Number Of Vacancies
The total number of vacancies announced in the official notification is
approximately 896, out of which 39 vacancies are reserved for Persons
with Benchmark Disability Category. Aspirants should note that the list
was prepared based on the previous year. The vacancies will be updated
after the official notification.
Total number of vacancies 796 (including 24 reserved vacancies)
Total reserved vacancies 24
Blindness and low vision 3
Deaf and hard of hearing 9
Locomotor disability 8
Multiple disabilities 4
Candidates have to note that the final number of vacancies may change
after getting the firm number of vacancies from the Cadre Controlling
Authorities.
IAS Application Form 2020
The UPSC has activated the IAS application form 2020 window on February
12. Interested candidates who meet all the eligibility conditions set by
the Commission can register for IAS exam until March 3, 2020.
Aspirants need to complete the application form of IAS with great
attention. A single mistake in IAS application form 2020 would lead
aspirants to wait for one more year. Hence, we suggest candidates to
refer our UPSC online application form 2020 page for detailed steps.
IAS Online Application Form 2020 Steps
Visit the official site of UPSC – www.upsc.gov.in
Go to ''Apply Online'' tab.
Click on ''Online Application for Various Examinations''
Find the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination
Start IAS registration with Part-I.
Fill-up the personal details, educational qualification and address.
Pay the prescribed application fee (Rs 100)
Choose the exam centre
Upload the photo, sign and photo identity card.
Accept the declaration.
Check the complete details and submit.
Take a printout of IAS application form for future reference.
UPSC IAS Main Exam Dates 2020 (Tentative)
The UPSC will release the Civil Services Main Exam dates on its official
website. Aspirants who have passed with flying colours in Preliminary
Exam are only eligible to appear for the Main Examination. The
Commission conducts the Main Examination for a total of five days in the
month of September. Candidates are advised to explore the Civil
Services Main Exam dates 2020.
Date
Forenoon Session
(9.00 AM to 12.00 Noon)
Afternoon Session
(2.00 PM to 5.00 PM)
January 8, 2021
(Friday)
Paper-I
Essay
No Paper
January 9, 2021
(Saturday)
Paper-II
General Studies‐I
Paper-III
General Studies‐II
January 10, 2020
(Sunday)
Paper-IV
General Studies‐III
Paper-V
General Studies‐IV
January 16, 2020
(Saturday)
Paper‐A
Indian Language
Paper‐B
English
January 17, 2020
(Sunday)
Paper‐VI
Optional Paper-I
Paper‐VII
Optional Paper-II
Being an IAS Officer
An IAS officer is given administrative command of an entire district as a
District Collector. IAS officers also represent the Government of India
at the international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations.
Given below is the detailed scenario like eligibility criteria, roles
& responsibilities, etc. for the upcoming Civil Services Examination
2020:
Main Syllabus
Prelims Syllabus
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality:
Candidate must be a citizen of India
Candidate must be a citizen of Nepal or a subject of Bhutan
Candidate must be a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before
January 1, 1962, to be settled permanently in India
Candidate must be person of Indian Origin who has migrated from
Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda,
Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia with an intention of permanently settling in
India
Educational Qualification:
Candidate applying for the Civil Services 2020 exam is required to
fulfil the following criteria:
Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the
recognized universities
Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and
are awaiting results or those who are yet to appear for the qualifying
examination are also eligible for the Preliminary Examination. Such
candidates have to produce proof of passing the said examination along
with the application for the Main Examination
Candidates with professional and technical qualifications
recognized by the Government or its equivalent are also eligible to
apply
Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical
Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for
the Main Examination. However, they must submit a certificate from the
concerned University that they have passed the final professional
medical examination
Age Limit :
A candidate should be a minimum of 21 years and maximum 32 years old
as on August 01, 2020. But he/she must have been born not earlier than
August 02, 1988 and not later than August 01, 1999. Necessary action
will take to make corresponding changes in respective Rules/Regulations
pertaining to various services.
The upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable for the following
candidates:
5 Years - Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST)
3 Years - Other Backward Classes (OBC)
3 Years - Defence Services personnel
5 Years - ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and
ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on
August 01, 2020.
5 Years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs
10 Years - Blind, deaf-mute, and orthopedically handicapped
persons
5 Years - In the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an
initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st
August, 2019 and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years
and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they
can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three
months’ notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of
appointment
Number of attempts:
Restriction on the maximum number of attempts is effective since
1984:
For General Candidates: 6 attempts (Up to 32 Years)
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates (SC/ST): No
Limits (Up to 37 Years)
Other Backward Classes (OBC): 9 attempts (Up to 35 Years)
Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while
unlimited for SC/ST
Roles and Responsibilities
The role of IAS officers is very venerable, demands a great deal of
responsibility and reverence. It is also important that an officer is
physically and mentally fit and healthy to handle the work pressure
without giving in. The following are the roles and responsibilities that
an IAS officer is deputed:
Handling affairs of government that involve framing and
implementation of policy in consultation with the concerned Minister
Implementing policies through supervision and also traveling to the
places where the approved policies will be implemented
Implementing policies comprises disbursement of funds through
personal supervision
Answerable to the Parliament and State Legislatures for any
violation of rules while on duty
Functions and responsibilities differ at different levels of career.
Initially, IAS officers join the state administration at the
sub-divisional level, resuming their services as sub-divisional
magistrates, and look after law and order, general administration and
development work in the area assigned to them
The post of the District Officer also known as District Magistrate,
District Collector or Deputy Commissioner is the highly respected and
responsible post the IAS officers enjoy
At the district level, an IAS officer deals with district affairs,
including implementation of developmental programs
The officers may also be appointed in the State Secretariat or they
may serve as Heads of Departments or in Public Sector Undertakings
They may serve in different positions from the State to the Centre
and vice versa. This happens through deputation.
At the Centre, IAS officers serve at the highest position as the
Cabinet Secretaries, Secretaries/Additional Secretaries, Joint
Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Secretaries and Under Secretaries. They
are appointed to these posts based on seniority.
At the Centre, the IAS officers play a key role in formulation and
implementation of policies related to a particular area; for instance,
finance, commerce, etc.
During formulation of a policy and decision making, IAS officers
serving at different levels i.e. joint secretary, deputy secretary give
their valuable inputs
The policy takes its final shape through a final decision the
minister concerned or the cabinet, depending on the seriousness of the
situation
No Extra Attempt For IAS Aspirants: Centre Tells Supreme Court
The Central Government has decided to not give an extra attempt to those
candidates who missed the IAS Prelims exam 2020 held in October due to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing on behalf of the
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has said, "We are not ready
to give one more chance. Last night I received instruction that we are
not agreeable"
IAS Preliminary exam 2021 will be held on June 27. The notification will
be released on February 10, 2021.
23 January 2021
IAS 2019 Revised Result Declared
The UPSC has released the IAS 2019 reserve list. Candidates can check
the list on the official site of UPSC on upsc.gov.in. A total of 829
candidates were shortlisted for the exam. A total of 89 candidates have
been recommended in the IAS 2019 merit list which includes 73 General,
14 OBC, 01 EWS, and 01 SC.
The official notice reads, "The result of the Civil Services (Main)
Examination, 2019 was declared vide Press Note dated 04.08.2020
recommending 829 candidates in order of merit for appointment to IAS,
IFS, IPS and Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ against 927
vacancies."
As per the sources, four candidates are provisional and the result of
one candidate has been kept withheld.
5 January 2021
IAS Mains 2020 Admit Card Released
The UPSC has released the IAS Mains admit card 2020. Candidates who were
shortlisted for the Civil Services Main exam can download their admit
card on the official website with their registration number or roll
number.
The official notice reads, " The Commission has uploaded the e‐Admit
Cards on its website. The eligible candidates are advised to download
their e‐Admit Cards and take a printout thereof. No paper Admit Card
will be issued for this examination by the Commission."
The IAS Mains 2020 exam will be held on January 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17,
2021. The Mains exam result will be declared in March 2021.
18 December 2020
IAS Mains 2020 To Be Held From January 8 To 17
The UPSC has released the IAS (Mains) exam 2020 schedule. Candidates who
have qualified the IAS (preliminary) exam 2020 will be eligible for the
Main exam.
The Commission will conduct the IAS (Main) exam 2020 from January 8, 9,
10, 16 and 17, 2021. The IAS Main exam will be held in two session -
forenoon session (9 AM to 12 noon) and afternoon session (2 PM to 5 PM).
The UPSC will be releasing the IAS Mains admit card 2020 in the last
week of December.
6 November 2
IMPORTANT DATES
