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Union Public Service Commission — Free Mock Tests & Syllabus 2026

India's central recruiting agency for the All-India and Central Services including IAS, IPS, IFS and defence officer cadres.

5 exams1.5M+ aspirantsConducted under UPSC

About UPSC exams

The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination — widely regarded as India's most prestigious government exam — along with defence recruitment tests (NDA, CDS, CAPF). The civil services process is a three-stage marathon: Preliminary (objective), Mains (nine descriptive papers) and Personality Test. Defence exams are typically two-stage (written + SSB interview).

At a glance

Conducting body
UPSC
Total exams
5
Typical duration
120–10800 min
Questions
100–340
Languages
English, Hindi
Aspirants
1.5M+

Exams in this category

Pick an exam to view syllabus, pattern and mock tests

Upcoming exams

Exams in this category scheduled in the next 6 months.

  1. UPSC Prelims
    24 May 2026
  2. UPSC CAPF
    3 Aug 2026
  3. UPSC Mains
    18 Sept 2026

Official Resources

Visit UPSC official website

How to prepare for UPSC

  1. 1

    Read NCERTs (classes 6-12) for History, Geography, Polity and Economy before opening any standard reference — Laxmikanth and Spectrum build on this base.

  2. 2

    Make current affairs a daily habit — one newspaper (The Hindu or Indian Express), one monthly magazine (Vision IAS or Insights) and PIB for government announcements.

  3. 3

    Write at least 2 Mains answers per day from July onwards; structure (intro, body with sub-headings, conclusion) matters as much as content at the Mains stage.

  4. 4

    For Prelims, solve 10,000+ MCQs across past papers (2011-present) and topic-wise mocks before the actual exam — elimination technique is the difference-maker.

  5. 5

    Take one full-length Mains mock every 10 days in the final 4 months and get at least 3 answers reviewed per paper by a mentor or peer group.

Frequently asked questions

What is the age limit for UPSC Civil Services?

21-32 years for general category as of August 1 of the exam year. Relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, 10 years for PwBD and up to 5 years for ex-servicemen.

How many attempts are allowed for UPSC CSE?

General: 6 attempts. OBC: 9 attempts. SC/ST: unlimited within the upper age limit. PwBD general/OBC: 9 attempts. An attempt is counted only if you appear for at least one Prelims paper.

What qualification is needed for UPSC CSE?

A bachelor's degree from any recognised university. Final-year students are eligible to apply but must produce proof of graduation before the Mains examination.

Is there negative marking in UPSC Prelims?

Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer in both GS Paper 1 and CSAT (Paper 2). There is no penalty for unattempted questions.

Is CSAT qualifying or scoring?

CSAT is qualifying only — you must score 33% (66 out of 200) to clear the cutoff. Marks are not added to your Prelims merit; GS Paper 1 decides the Mains shortlist.

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