馃彌 Exam reference
UPSC CSE
India 路 Civil Services & Government 路 India 路 Civil Services Exam
This page is Quantrion's public reference. Full exam prep and paid courses open after learners are on the platform. Reviewed October 2026. If this page and the official notice differ, the notice wins.
Official source: UPSC Civil ServicesThe Civil Services Examination, often called UPSC CSE, selects officers for services such as the IAS, IFS, and IPS. The Union Public Service Commission conducts it. It is a three-stage exam: Preliminary, Main, and the Personality Test. Clearing one stage only opens the next stage.
Who it is for
Graduates who want a career in the listed civil services and who meet the age, attempt, and nationality rules in that year's notification. The attempt limit depends on category and is not the same for every candidate.
How it is structured
Prelims has two objective papers: General Studies and CSAT. CSAT is qualifying. Mains is written and descriptive, with qualifying language papers plus General Studies, an essay, and one optional subject. Candidates who clear Mains are called for the interview. The official notification names every paper and the qualifying marks.
Topics
- Prelims General Studies
- CSAT as a qualifying paper
- Essay
- General Studies I to IV
- One optional subject
- Personality test
How to prepare
Start from the latest UPSC notification and the syllabus printed there. Prepare Prelims and the Mains General Studies core together, and choose the optional subject early. Treat CSAT as a paper you must clear, not as an optional extra. Previous official question papers are on upsc.gov.in.
Watch-outs
A high Prelims score does not carry into Mains. Language papers and CSAT can end the attempt if they are ignored. Age and attempt counts are category-specific. Use only the notification on upsc.gov.in for dates and fees.
Tell me when prep opens
Leave an email for UPSC CSE. This does not start a paid course.