How many papers are there in the IAS prelims exam?

The IAS prelims exam is an objective type exam. The IAS prelims is conducted offline and the candidates need to mark their answers on the answer sheet (OMR). There are two papers in the IAS prelims exam. The details of IAS prelims exam is given below: General Studies Paper 1 General Studies Paper 2 ( Aptitude Test) The Aptitude paper is qualifying only and the passing marks in the aptitude paper is 67.5 marks out of 200.

How many papers are there in the IAS main exam?

As the name suggest, the IAS main exam has 9 descriptive papers. The details of these papers are given below: Paper Description Marks A One of the Indian language to be selected by the candidate from the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the constitution (Qualifying only) 300 B English (Qualifying Only) 300 1 Essay 250 2 General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) 250 3 General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) 250 4 General Studies –III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) 250 5 General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) 250 6 Optional Subject - Paper 1 250 7 Optional Subject - Paper 2 250

What qualities are tested in IAS Interview?

In the IAS interview test, candidates will be judged on different skills mentioned below: Mental Alertness Critical Powers of Assimilation Clear and Logical Exposition Balance of Judgement Variety and Depth of Interest Ability for Social Cohesion and Leadership Intellectual and Moral Integrity Also Read: UPSC 2024 Interview Questions

How many days are provided to fill out the IAS application form?

The Union Public Service Commission mention the application start and end date in the official notification. The Commission released the IAS 2024 notification online on February 14 and mentioned that the last date to apply for the IAS 2024 exam is March 5, 2024. Every year, the UPSC provide the time frame of 20 days to fill out the IAS applications online.

When did the IAS 2024 application start?

The Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2025 notification on January 22, 2025. The Commission provides time of 20 days for the IAS applications. The IAS applications are filled online only and no application of any type is accepted physically for the IAS exam. The UPSC mention all the details related to the IAS application in the official notification. The candidates are suggested to read the official notification before applying for the exam. The last date to apply for the IAS 2025 exam is February 11, 2025. The candidates will be allowed to make corrections in the IAS 2025 application form from February 12 to 18, 2025.

What will be the last date to apply for UPSC IAS 2025 exam?

The last date to apply for the UPSC IAS 2025 exam will be February 11, 2025. The application form is available at upsc.gov.in. Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2024 notification January 22, 2025 and with its release, the Commission also activate the IAS 2025 application link for the candidates. Candidates between the ages of 21 and 32 are eligible to apply. The IAS 2025 preliminary exam will be held on May 25, 2025 and the main exam will be held in September 2025.

What are the five fundamental subjects of IAS syllabus?

The candidates should prepare the five fundamental subjects as mentioned for the IAS prelims exam. These fundamental subjects are History Geography Economy Polity Current Affairs Environment issues General Science The candidates should also prepare the Environmental issues because they have gained more importance in the recent years.

How many subjects are in the IAS exam?

The Union Public Service Commission's main (written) examination comprises nine papers. Union Public Service Commission includes two qualifying papers and seven papers which will be calculated for ranking. However, according to the updated syllabus of the Indian Administrative Service exam: History of India, History of World, Art and Culture, Indian and World Geography, Indian Polity, Governance, Economics, Social Development, Environment, General Science, General mental ability, and Reasoning. Other than these subjects, there are around 25 degree subjects and 23 literature language subjects from which to select your optional subjects for the Indian Administrative Service main stage. For more details, You may visit the Shiksha IAS exam page. (https://www.shiksha.com/exams/ias-exam). I hope this will help you.

Does the syllabus of IAS change every year?

No, IAS syllabus is same in last few years and before changing the syllabus, the UPSC needs to take approval from the Ministry of Personnel and Training before changing the IAS syllabus. The candidates should prepare the UPSC IAS syllabus in its present form and do not fear the change that will be made in the syllabus because in any way, the topics prepared will be relevant to the IAS exam irrespective of any change in UPSC IAS syllabus.

How many vacancies are notified in IAS 2024 exam?

The Union Public Service Commission notifed 1056 vacancies in the Civil Service Exam (CSE) 2024 notification on February 14, 2024. The Commission notifies the tentative number of Civil Service vacancies for the exam. The Commission can increase or decrease the number of vacancies in the final result. In normal circumstances, the Civil Service vacancies increase because the Commission includes the requisition received from the Central Government Ministries till the prelims exam is conducted.

How many vacancies are there in the IAS 2023 exam?

The Union Public Service Commission UPSC notified 1,105 vacancies in the IAS 2023 exam. The Commission will conduct the IAS prelims 2023 exam on May 28. These vacancies are the highest in the last six years. It does not change the number of IAS and IPS recruited this year also. There will be 200 IPS officer posts and 180 IAS officer posts in the exam. The higher vacancies imply a low cutoff at each stage of the IAS examination. The IAS vacancies have a motivational value as it drives a higher number of application forms which makes the exam more difficult.

Are the number of IAS and IPS vacancies fixed in the Civil Service Exam?

The candidates should note that the Union Public Service Commission does not provide service-wise vacancies in the official notification. The service-wise vacancies are published by the Ministry of Personnel on its official website. Following the past trends, the number of candidates recruited for the Indian Administrative Service is 180 and 200 candidates are recruited for the Indian Police Service. The number of vacancies for other services varies every year.

What is the age limit to appear for IAS exam?

The age limit to appear for the Civil Service (IAS) exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is as follows: For the IAS exam's general category candidates, the minimum age limit is 21 years, and the maximum age limit is 32 years. This means that candidates must have attained the age of 21 but must not have reached the age of 32 as of August 1 of the year of examination. There are certain age relaxations provided for candidates belonging to specific categories: OBC (Other Backward Classes): Maximum age limit is 35 years. SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes): Maximum age limit is 37 years. Ex-servicemen: Maximum age limit varies based on their service period and other factors. Physically handicapped/disabled candidates: Maximum age limit is 42 years for general category, 45 years for OBC, and 47 years for SC/ST candidates.

What is the eduational qualification required to apply for IAS exam?

To apply for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), candidates need to meet certain educational qualification criteria. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, here are the educational qualifications required for the IAS exam: A Bachelor's Degree: Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university or institution. There is no specific subject or stream requirement for the undergraduate degree. Candidates from various academic backgrounds, including science, engineering, commerce, humanities, and others, are eligible to apply. Candidates in the Final Year: Candidates who are in the final year of their bachelor's degree programme are also eligible to apply for the IAS exam. However, they must ensure that they can provide proof of passing the required examination and obtaining their degree before the specified dates mentioned in the UPSC notification.

What are the nationality requirements for IAS Exam?

The nationality requirements for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) are as follows: Indian Citizen: The candidate must be a citizen of India. Only Indian citizens are eligible to apply for All India Services. Other Nationalities: Foreign nationals, including citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibetan refugees who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, are also eligible to apply for the IAS exam. However, they must possess an Eligibility Certificate issued by the Government of India. Please note that these nationality requirements are based on information available up to September 2021. UPSC may update its eligibility criteria, so it's essential to check the latest UPSC notification or the official UPSC website for the most up-to-date information regarding nationality requirements for the IAS exam.

How can I download IAS notification PDF?

The candidates are suggested to download and read the official IAS notification pdf. The steps to download the IAS notification pdf are as follows: Go to the official website of UPSC - upsc.gov.in Click on the Civil Service notification 2024 link A new window will appear (on clicking above link) Click on the link for the Civil Service (IAS) 2024 notification pdf link given corresponding to the exam name Download and Save the IAS 2024 notification PDF.

Why IAS notification is important for candidates?

The candidates should read and understand all the information mentioned in the IAS notifcation to know whether they are eligible for the Civil Service Exam or not. The IAS notification is an important document because it will be the official document which will work as a ready recknoer for all information about the exam. In case of any judicial interpretation, the IAS notification will be deemed as the final official document.

Does IAS syllabus change every year?

No, the Union Public Service Commission does not change the IAS syllabus every year. The Commission is required to take the approval of the Ministry of Personnel before changing the syllabus of the IAS exam. So we can say that, the IAS syllabus does not change every year. The candidates need to read the Civil Service Exam Notification (IAS notification) as released by the Union Public Service Commission to know all the topics mentioned in the IAS syllabus.

Who releases the Civil Service (IAS) notification?

The Union Public Service Commission releases the Civil Service (IAS) notification 2024 every year to recruit the candidates for the Group A and B Civil Services. It is a common notification for all the All India Services (AIS) which includes Indian Administrative Service Indian Police Service & Indian Forest Service The Civil Service notification serves as a Common notification for the prelims exam for Indian Forest Service.

What are the various posts that are recruited through the UPSC examination?

The UPSC examination recruits candidates for 24 different Civil Services posts through the Civil Service Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Some of the various posts that are recruited through the UPSC examination include: Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Indian Police Service (IPS) Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Indian Audit and Accounts Service Indian Civil Accounts Service Indian Corporate Law Service Indian Defence Accounts Service Indian Defence Estates Service Indian Information Service Indian Ordnance Factories Service Indian Postal Service Indian Railway Accounts Service Indian Railway Personnel Service Indian Railway Traffic Service Indian Trade Service Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services These are just a few examples of the diverse range of services for which candidates are recruited through the UPSC examination process.

UPSC IAS Notification 2025 OUT: Download UPSC IAS Notification PDF

Registration - 22 Jan '25 - 11 Feb '25

Updated on Jan 22, 2025 13:48 IST

By Rachit Kumar Saxena, Manager-Editorial

The UPSC IAS 2025 Notification was officially released on January 22, 2025. The Union Public Service Commission released the combined notification for Civil Service Prelims and Indian Forest Prelims Service. The Commission will release the number of vacancies, eligibility criteria, important dates, syllabus, exam pattern and other important rules and regulations governing the IAS exam 2025. The candidates should note that the IAS 2025 applications also started with the release of the official notification. The IAS notification will be the ready reckoner for the exam. The IAS 2025 exam will be conducted on May 25, 2025.

UPSC IAS 2025 Notification Latest Updates & News

UPSC IAS Notification 2025 Released; Civil Services Exam Application Link Available; Apply at upsc.gov.in

UPSC IAS 2025 Application Details; Check Information Required To Fill Civil Services Registration Form

Q: When will IAS 2025 notification be released?

The Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2025 notification on January 22, 2025. The IAS notification notifies the number of vacancies, syllabus, exam pattern, eligibility, age limit and other rules which will govern the exam. The last date to apply online for the IAS 2025 exam will be February 11, 2025.

The IAS 2025 exam will be conducted on May 25, 2025.

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Q: How to register for IAS application?

The candidates can see below the registration process for the UPSC IAS application form. The candidates can register for any exam on the official website - upsc.gov.in. The candidates can see below the steps to register for the IAS application:

Visit the official website of UPSC- upsconline.nic.in
Click on the Exam Notifications tab.
Click on Apply Online link.
Click on the link available for Civil Services Part-I registration.
Read the application form instructions carefully and click on Yes.
Fill the personal details as asked in the UPSC registration form.
Submit the personal details and verify the mobile number and email id.

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Q: What information is provided in the IAS notification?

The IAS notification contains information about the UPSC IAS vacancies, application process, application fee, eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam pattern, and selection process. It also includes the exam date, age limit, job profile, and last date.

The notification is the only authentic source of information on the total number of vacancies, eligibility criteria, exam date, exam pattern, syllabus, selection procedure, and any proposed changes in the upcoming examination.

The eligibility criteria for the UPSC IAS exam include:

Nationality
Age limit
Educational qualification
Number of attempts

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Q: When was the IAS 2024 Notification released?

The UPSC IAS 2024 notification was released on February 14, 2024. The notification included important dates, the number of vacancies, the syllabus, and all the criteria for appearing in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Candidates can apply for the UPSC IAS application form until March 5, 2024. There are 1056 UPSC vacancies in the IAS 2024 exam.

The IAS Exam for 2024 prelims phase will take place on May 26, 2024. The minimum age to fill the IAS 2024 application is 21 years and the maximum age is 32 years. Age relaxation is provided to candidates belonging to certain categories.

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IAS Notification 2025

UPSC released the IAS 2025 notification online on January 22, 2025. The candidates should note that the IAS notification is the reference point for all the rules that will govern the conduct of exam. The candidate should read and understand all the details mentioned in the official notification fill out the IAS form accordingly.

IAS 2025 Notification PDF download

The UPSC releases the Civil Service IAS notification every year. The IAS notification 2025 pdf is available here. The candidates can download here the IAS notification 2025 for reference purposes.

Download Here: IAS 2025 Notification PDF

IAS 2025 Highlights

The candidates can see here the IAS exam highlights below

IAS Exam 2025 Highlights
Exam name	Civil Service Exam (CSE), 2025
Conducting body	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Purpose	To recruit the candidates for All India and Central Civil Services
Exam level	National
IAS 2025 Application Start Date	22-Jan-2025
IAS 2025 Application End Date	11-Feb-2025
Exam Date	25-May-2025
Vacancies	959 (CSE) + 150 IFS(P)
No. of applicants	Approximately 10 lakh
No. of applicants who appeared in the exam	Approximately 6.5 lakh
Exam frequency	Once a year
Exam mode	Offline - pen and paper mode
Exam stages	Prelims (Qualifying Only) - 400 Marks Mains (written) - 1750 Marks Mains (Personality Test) - 275 Marks
Exam Duration	Prelims - 2 hours for each paper Mains - 3 hours for each paper Personality Test - not fixed
Application fee(Prelims)	INR 100
Exam helpdesk no.	011-23098543 / 23385271 / 23381125 / 23098591
Official website	https://www.upsc.gov.in/

Download HereIAS 2024 notification pdf

IAS Vacancies 2025

The Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2025 vacancies in the official notification. Vacancies play a important roll in the cutoff for the exam because both are inversely proportional to each other.

The Commission notified 979 IAS vacancies for the IAS 2025 exam. The number of vacancies serves as a motivation factor for the candidates and in turn increases the number of applications in the exam. The Union Public Service Commission can change the number of vacancies through the official notice.

The number of IAS vacancies decreased this year. It can be attributed to the Government’s impetus to recruit more candidates for the Central Ministries and departments. The number of IAS officers recruited every year is around 180 and the number of IPS vacancies was also increased to 200 last year. The candidates can see here the IAS vacancies in recent years.

IAS Exam Year	Vacancies
2025	979
2024	1,056
2023	1,105
2022	1,022
2021	712
2020	836
2019	927
2018	812

The Commission can increase the number of vacancies before the final result.

IAS Eligibility 2025

The IAS notification 2025 will specify the eligibility criteria for the Civil Service Exam 2025. The UPSC mentions all the IAS eligibility conditions in the official notification. IAS eligibility has the following factors:

Age limit
Educational Qualification
Number of Attempts
Exemptions provided to reserved category candidates

The IAS eligibility is one of the most important factors for the candidates because they will be required to fulfil all the conditions mentioned in the IAS notification. This will be checked at the time of IAS interview and in case of any variance, the candidature of the candidate will be cancelled irrespective of their result. The physical verification of all the documents is done at the time of the IAS personality test. The candidates can see the IAS eligibility 2025.

Age Limit for IAS 2025

Most of the IAS aspirants wait eagerly for the Civil Service notification to know whether the age limit for IAS exam is reduced or remains the same. The age limit is an important factor because of the limited number of attempts permitted in the IAS Exam. There is a proposal under consideration to reduce the upper age limit for UPSC IAS exam. This proposal was circulated based on various committees' recommendations. But as of now, the lower age limit for IAS exam is 21 years and the upper age limit is 32 years and relaxations in the upper age limit are also provided to the candidates belonging to the reserved categories.

Age Relaxation Provided in IAS 2025

The Commission provides the following relaxations in the age limit:

Category	Age Relaxation (in years)
SC/ ST	5
OBC	3
Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof	3
Ex-servicemen including commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years of military service as on August 1, 2022, and have been released	5
PwD [(a) blindness and low vision; (b) deaf and hard of hearing; (c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and (e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness]	10

IAS Application 2025

DeskCalendar Registration: 22 Jan '25 - 11 Feb '25

The UPSC activated the IAS application online link with the release of the official notification on January 22, 2025. The candidate required to open and fill and timely submit the IAS form 2025. The candidates should carefully fill out the IAS form because UPSC does not provide the facility to change the details mentioned in the IAS application as provided for the SSC exams.

How to Apply for IAS 2025?

UPSC started the one-time registration for the candidates so that they can register once and apply for as many exams where they fulfil the eligibility conditions. The candidates can see here the steps to apply online for the exam

Go to the official website of UPSC - upsc.gov.in
Click on the Apply online link given at the right side corner
The new website - https://upsconline.nic.in/upsc/OTRP/index.php
Login with the registration number and password
Enter the following details
Photo Identity Card type
Photo Identity Card Number
Examination Centre
Upload the scanned images of photo identity proof, Photograph and signature
Submit the application fee
Submit the IAS application 2025

The candidates should note that the IAS form 2025 is accepted till February 11, 2025 only. The Commission provisionally accepted the applications but it will remain provisional till the recommendation process.

IAS Syllabus

IAS syllabus was notified in the official Civil Service advertisement. The Commission mention the syllabus for prelims and main exam separately but it is advised that the candidates prepare the IAS syllabus in an integrated manner. The candidates can see below the IAS prelims syllabus.

IAS Syllabus for Prelims

The Commission mention the names of the topics in the IAS prelims syllabus. The candidates should understand that there is no limit for the expansion of the topic. They should prepare all the aspects of the topics. The candidates can see below the IAS prelims syllabus topics below:

Current events of national and international importance (Current Affairs)
History of India and Indian National Movement
Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc
Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc
General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
General Science

The candidates can see here the details about the IAS syllabus.

IAS Exam Pattern

The candidates can see that the IAS exam pattern has not changed for years. The Commission is following the same pattern and for making any change, the Commission is required to take approval of the Ministry of Personal. The candidates can see here the IAS exam pattern.

IAS Exam Pattern - Prelims exam

The IAS prelims exam is an objective type exam conducted offline. The candidates are required to mark the correct answer in the OMR sheet provided by the Commission. The exam is conducted in two shifts as per the pattern notified in the official IAS notification.

Paper	Questions	Marks
General Studies Paper- I	100	200
General Studies Paper-II (Aptitude Test)	80	200
Total		400

In addition to above the candidates should note that there is a negative marking of one by three for each incorrect answer. The General Studies paper -2 is qualifying only and the candidates need to score only 33 per cent marks in it. The marks scored in the aptitude paper is not considered for the IAS prelims exam merit.