Attempts in UPSC Civil Services 2026 and Age Limit for UPSC CSAT 2026 The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most prestigious competitive exams in India, used to select candidates for various civil services including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS), among others. For aspirants preparing for the UPSC CSE in 2026, understanding the rules regarding attempts and age limits is crucial for effective planning and strategy. Attempts in UPSC Civil Services Exam The number of attempts allowed in the UPSC CSE is an important aspect of the examination process. This limit is defined by the UPSC guidelines, which vary based on the category of the candidate. General Category: - Candidates belonging to the **General category** are allowed a maximum of **6 attempts**. OBC (Other Backward Classes): - Candidates under the **OBC category** can avail a maximum of **9 attempts**. SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled T...
UPSC Civil Services 2013 Main Examination New Pattern
New Main Examination with 7 Papers
Important Changes:
- Four General Studies Papers
- Current Affairs merged with the General Studies itself.
- All Four GS Papers needs to studied in current affairs context.
- Devote more times on reading newspapers, and analysis articles.
- Now, only one optional needs to be selected.
- Literature can't be selected as optional unless, you're having literature in graduation.
- No Scope for HINDI. Pali is removed.
- Higher levels of General Awareness, Analysis, Ethics and General Aptitude are required in the examination.
- Interview (Personality Test) marks are reduced.
- Marks obtained by the candidates for all papers (Paper I-VII) will be counted for merit ranking. However,the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all papers of the examination.
The written examination will consist of the following papers:
Paper-I
Paper-I
Section 1 Essay 200 Marks
Section 2 English Comprehension & English Précis (Of Matriculation/ Xth standard level) 100 Marks
Paper-II
General Studies–I
(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World
and Society) 250Marks
Paper-III
General Studies –II
(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)
250 Marks
Paper-IV
General Studies –III
(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
250 Marks
Paper-V
General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)
250 Marks
twenty
Paper-VI
Optional Subject – Paper 1
250 Marks
Paper-VII
Optional Subject – Paper 2
250 Marks
Sub Total (Written test) 1800 Marks
Personality Test 275 Marks.
Grand Total 2075 Marks
{Candidates may choose any optional subject from amongst the list of subjects given in para 2 below (Group 1). However, a candidate can opt for the literatures of a language, indicated in Group-2 below para 2, as an optional
subject, only if the candidate has graduated in the literature of that particular language as the main subject}.
NOTE:
For the Language medium/ literature of languages, the scripts to be used by the candidates will be as
under:-
Language Script
Assamese Assamese
Bengali Bengali
Gujarati Gujarati
Hindi Devanagari
Kannada Kannada
Kashmiri Persian
Konkani Devanagari
Malayalam Malayalam
Manipuri Bengali
Marathi Devanagari
Nepali Devanagari
Oriya Oriya
Punjabi Gurumukhi
Sanskrit Devanagari
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu Telugu
Urdu Persian
Bodo Devanagari
Dogri Devanagari
Maithilli Devanagari
Santhali
Devanagari or Arabic
Tamil
Devanagari or Olchiki
Note : For Santali language, question paper will be printed in Devanagari script; but candidates will be free
to answer either in Devanagari script or in Olchiki.
For the Language medium/ literature of languages, the scripts to be used by the candidates will be as
under:-
Language Script
Assamese Assamese
Bengali Bengali
Gujarati Gujarati
Hindi Devanagari
Kannada Kannada
Kashmiri Persian
Konkani Devanagari
Malayalam Malayalam
Manipuri Bengali
Marathi Devanagari
Nepali Devanagari
Oriya Oriya
Punjabi Gurumukhi
Sanskrit Devanagari
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu Telugu
Urdu Persian
Bodo Devanagari
Dogri Devanagari
Maithilli Devanagari
Santhali
Devanagari or Arabic
Tamil
Devanagari or Olchiki
Note : For Santali language, question paper will be printed in Devanagari script; but candidates will be free
to answer either in Devanagari script or in Olchiki.
List of optional subjects for Main Examination:
Group-1
(i)Agriculture
(ii)Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
(iii)Anthropology
(iv)Botany
(v)Chemistry
(vi)Civil Engineering
(vii)Commerce and Accountancy
(viii)Economics
(ix)Electrical Engineering
(x)Geography
(xi)Geology
(xii)History
(xiii) Law
(xiv) Management
(xv) Mathematics
(xvi) Mechanical Engineering
(xvii) Medical Science
(xviii) Philosophy
(xix) Physics
(xx) Political Science and International Relations
(xxi) Psychology
(xxii) Public Administration
(xxiii) Sociology
(xxiv) Statistics
(xxv) Zoology
Group-2
Literature of any one of the following languages:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu,
Urdu, English.
(i)Agriculture
(ii)Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
(iii)Anthropology
(iv)Botany
(v)Chemistry
(vi)Civil Engineering
(vii)Commerce and Accountancy
(viii)Economics
(ix)Electrical Engineering
(x)Geography
(xi)Geology
(xii)History
(xiii) Law
(xiv) Management
(xv) Mathematics
(xvi) Mechanical Engineering
(xvii) Medical Science
(xviii) Philosophy
(xix) Physics
(xx) Political Science and International Relations
(xxi) Psychology
(xxii) Public Administration
(xxiii) Sociology
(xxiv) Statistics
(xxv) Zoology
Group-2
Literature of any one of the following languages:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu,
Urdu, English.
NOTE:
(i) The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.
(ii) Each paper will be of three hours duration.
(iii) Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except Section 2 of the Paper-I (English comprehension and English précis) in English or Hindi. If the candidate has had his/ her graduation in any of the following language mediums using the particular language medium for qualifying the graduate level examination, then he/she may opt for that particular language medium to answer all the question papers, except Section 2 of the Paper-I (English comprehension and English précis).
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam,
Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu
(iv) However, in the interest of maintaining the quality and standards of examination, a minimum number of 25
(twenty-five) candidates should opt for a specific language medium for answering the question papers in that
language medium. In case there are less than 25 (twentyfive) candidates opting for any approved language
medium (other than English or Hindi), then those candidates will be required to write their examination either
in Hindi or in English only.
(v) Candidates exercising the option to answer Papers in any one of the languages mentioned above may,
if they so desire, give English version within brackets of only the description of the technical terms, if any, in
addition to the version in the language opted by them. Candidates should, however, note that if they misuse
the above rule, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to them and
in extreme cases; their script(s) will not be valued for being in an unauthorized medium.
(vi) The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.
(vii) The details of the syllabi are set out in Part B of Section III.
(i) The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.
(ii) Each paper will be of three hours duration.
(iii) Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except Section 2 of the Paper-I (English comprehension and English précis) in English or Hindi. If the candidate has had his/ her graduation in any of the following language mediums using the particular language medium for qualifying the graduate level examination, then he/she may opt for that particular language medium to answer all the question papers, except Section 2 of the Paper-I (English comprehension and English précis).
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam,
Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu
(iv) However, in the interest of maintaining the quality and standards of examination, a minimum number of 25
(twenty-five) candidates should opt for a specific language medium for answering the question papers in that
language medium. In case there are less than 25 (twentyfive) candidates opting for any approved language
medium (other than English or Hindi), then those candidates will be required to write their examination either
in Hindi or in English only.
(v) Candidates exercising the option to answer Papers in any one of the languages mentioned above may,
if they so desire, give English version within brackets of only the description of the technical terms, if any, in
addition to the version in the language opted by them. Candidates should, however, note that if they misuse
the above rule, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to them and
in extreme cases; their script(s) will not be valued for being in an unauthorized medium.
(vi) The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.
(vii) The details of the syllabi are set out in Part B of Section III.
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