The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 is one of India’s most prestigious competitive exams, recruiting candidates for top administrative positions like IAS, IPS, IFS, and other Group A & B services. Understanding the UPSC CSE IAS Syllabus 2025 and exam pattern is crucial for effective preparation.
This article provides a detailed post-wise syllabus breakdown, exam pattern, and key insights to help aspirants strategize their studies efficiently.
UPSC CSE 2025 Exam Pattern
The UPSC CSE selection process consists of three stages:
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Preliminary Examination (Prelims) – Objective Type
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Main Examination (Mains) – Descriptive Type
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Personality Test (Interview)
1. UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
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Mode: Offline (Pen & Paper)
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Type: Objective (MCQs)
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Total Papers: 2 (General Studies & CSAT)
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Duration: 2 hours each
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Negative Marking: ⅓ penalty
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | General Studies (GS) | 200 |
| Paper-II | CSAT (Qualifying) | 200 |
Note: Only Paper-I marks are counted for Prelims cutoff. Paper-II (CSAT) requires 33% to qualify.
2. UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
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Mode: Offline (Descriptive)
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Total Papers: 9 (7 counted for merit + 2 qualifying)
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Duration: 3 hours each
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
| Paper-A | One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution (Qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper-B | English (Qualifying) | 300 |
| Paper-I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 |
| Paper-III | General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 |
| Paper-IV | Genera Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 250 |
| Paper-V | General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | 250 |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 |
3. UPSC Interview (Personality Test)
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Marks: 275
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Total Marks (Mains + Interview): 2025
UPSC Civil Service Notification 2025 1129 Vacancy IAS IPS IFS salary
UPSC CSE IAS Syllabus 2025 (Post-Wise)
1. IAS (Indian Administrative Service)
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Prelims: General Studies & CSAT
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Mains:
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GS Papers (I-IV)
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Essay & Optional Subject
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Ethics & Integrity
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2. IPS (Indian Police Service)
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Same as IAS syllabus but with physical eligibility criteria.
3. IFS (Indian Foreign Service)
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Additional focus: International Relations, Foreign Policies
4. IRS (Indian Revenue Service)
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Optional Subjects: Economics, Commerce, Mathematics
UPSC CSE 2025 Syllabus Breakdown
Prelims Syllabus
Paper-I: General Studies (GS)
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Current Affairs
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Indian History & National Movement
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Indian & World Geography
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Indian Polity & Governance
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Economic & Social Development
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Environment & Ecology
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General Science
Paper-II: CSAT (Qualifying)
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Comprehension
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Logical Reasoning
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Analytical Ability
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Decision Making
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Basic Numeracy
Mains Syllabus
GS Paper-I
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Indian Heritage & Culture
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History of the World
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Geography (India & World)
GS Paper-II
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Constitution & Polity
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Governance & Social Justice
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International Relations
GS Paper-III
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Economic Development
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Technology & Environment
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Disaster Management
GS Paper-IV (Ethics)
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Ethics & Human Interface
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Emotional Intelligence
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Case Studies
Optional Subjects (Choose 1)
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History, Geography, Public Administration, Sociology, etc.
FAQs on UPSC CSE IAS Syllabus 2025
1. What is the UPSC CSE 2025 exam date?
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Prelims: May/June 2025
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Mains: September 2025
2. Is CSAT qualifying in UPSC Prelims?
Yes, candidates need 33% marks (66/200) to qualify.
3. How many attempts are allowed for UPSC CSE?
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General: 6 attempts
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OBC: 9 attempts
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SC/ST: No limit
4. Which optional subject is best for UPSC 2025?
Popular choices include Public Administration, Geography, History, and Sociology.
5. Is the UPSC syllabus the same for all posts?
Yes, but IFS aspirants should focus more on International Relations.
