Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Exam Pattern and Selection Process

Hello Students, In this post, we’ll know about the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Exam Pattern and Selection Process. What procedure do we need to follow to become an IAS?

When Was IAS Service Founded?

Let’s start by discussing about one of the best government job IAS, how the IAS post came about. It replaced the British Indian Civil Service, which was the main administrative service in pre-independence India, in 1946. The IAS is one of three All-India Services, along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFS). All three civil services are conducted by UPSC: IAS, IPS, and IFS.

It is the administrative branch of the government that implements government policies and regulations. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts competitive examinations to recruit IAS officers. As a secure and lucrative career option, IAS is one of the most sought-after careers in India. In various departments of the central and state governments, IAS officers serve as district collectors, district magistrates, commissioners, secretaries, and administrative heads. In order to become an IAS officer, you must meet the following qualifications:

A career in IAS can be very rewarding because of the power, prestige, and status it carries. The IAS officers have the power to make decisions that directly affect the lives of the people in the country. It is expected that IAS officers maintain the highest standards of probity and fairness in their work. In addition to improving government services, they are expected to implement government policies efficiently.

Also, read this: Top 10 Highest Salary Government Jobs In India For Graduates

IAS is a challenging profession that requires dedication and hard work. In order to ensure the smooth functioning of the government machinery, IAS officers must keep up with changes in the political and social environment. To perform their duties effectively, IAS officers must possess decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills.

It is essential for the efficient functioning of the government that the IAS is an important part of the Indian bureaucracy. In addition to providing good governance and effective public administration, the IAS plays a vital role in the development of the nation. The IAS is a job and a service that everyone would like to do.

UPSC Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Selection Process:

There are three stages of the UPSC CSE Selection Process:

Prelims Exam

Mains  Exam

Personality Test and Interview

The final result usually comes in May end.

The below shows the complete selection for the UPSC CSE exam:

UPSC CSE 2023:

The notification for UPSC Civil Services Examination for 2023 will be published on February 01, 2023. You can apply for UPSC CSE 2022 between February 01, 2023, and February 21, 2023.

• UPSC CSE 2023 Prelims Date: May 28, 2023 (Sunday)
• UPSC CSE 2023 Mains Date: September 15, 2023 (5 days)
• UPSC CSE 2023 Interview Date:  January-March 2024 (expected)
• UPSC CSE 2023 Final Result Date: April 2024 (expected)

UPSC CSE [ Civil Services Exam ]

Stage 1: Preliminary  Exam

Civil Services (Preliminary) exam is the first stage to shortlist candidates for the Mains exam. The highlights of the IAS exam are given below:

This examination is conducted just as a screening test to shortlist eligible applicants for the Mains exam.

Candidates who qualify for the preliminary exam will be eligible to take part in the Civil Services (Main) exam.

The marks obtained in Civil Services (Preliminary) exam will not be considered in the final merit list.

Paper II i.e. CSAT will only be qualifying in nature. This means the candidates will only have to acquire 33% marks in the CSAT exam to pass Paper II.

Highlights of UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern

Exam Duration	2 hours (120 minutes, extra time of 20 minutes for blind candidates)
Total Number of Questions	GS Paper I- 100 questions Paper-II (CSAT) – 80 questions
Total Marks	400
Questions Types	MCQ Types
Marking Scheme	Paper I- 200 marks Paper II- 200 marks
Negative Marking	1/3
Mode of Examination	Hindi and English

Stage 2: UPSC CSE Mains Exam pattern

Civil Services Exam Main

The Civil Services IAS (Main) Exam consists of a Written exam & a Personal Interview. These 2 stages of Mains exam have been detailed below:

1. Written Exam

The applicants who score minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Mains exam will be selected for a personal interview test. The number of applicants selected for the personal interview will be just twice the number of vacancies to be filled.

2. Personal Interview

The personal interview will have 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).

The applicants will be asked questions by the interviewers.

The main objective of the Interview is to assess the personal suitability of the applicant for a career in public service by a Board of competent & unbiased observers.

What is UPSC CSE Interview Process?

Final Selection Criteria for Recruitment

The last stage for the selection for the UPSC CSE exam is the interview process which is taken by a panel of UPSC Commission members. The following components of the UPSC CSE interview must be kept in mind.

The interview session is conducted for 275 marks.

No minimum qualifying marks have been prescribed by the commission for the interview.

The skills presented in the career profile must be shown in front of the board members to secure good marks in the personality test.

The final selection will be based on the main examination and Interview session marks combined together.

After the candidates receive the allocation letter.

What Basis for UPSC CSE Final Merit List?

The marks obtained in the Civil Services Mains exam and in the Interview Test are added up for UPSC CSE final merit list. The top 980 students are allotted a post in the Service or Cadre in order of availability and preference for the same. Thus, the top-ranked candidate will get his/her post of first preference, while the last candidate will get what is remaining. So it totally depends on the marks that you obtained in exams as well the personality tests.

FAQs On UPSC Civil Services

Q: 1 I qualified for the UPSC Civil Services Prelims, but not for the UPSC Civil Services Mains.

Ans: Both the Preliminary and Main exams are required for selection.

Q: 2 Is there a certain number of Civil Services vacancies for which UPSC conducts exams every year?

Ans: The number of vacancies is disclosed in the Union Public Service Commission’s advertisement/notification.

Q: 3 Can services be changed after they have been indicated?

Ans: Candidate preferences cannot be changed once they have been indicated.

Q: 4 UPSC’s selection process for Civil Services 2022 consists of what stages?

Ans: The UPSC Civil Services 2023 selection process consists of three stages:

Exam for Civil Services (Preliminary)

Civil Services (Mains) Exam

Personality Test (Interview)