Civil Services Exam 2023 Application Form (01 Feb), Exam Date, Eligibility, Pattern

Civil Services Exam 2023: UPSC Conducts the Civil Services Exam to recruit candidates for the civil services in various departments of the Government of India.  The posts filed under this examination are Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), & Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The examination is conducted throughout the country. There are three phases of this examination. The application process will be started on 1st February 2023. Check here for complete details about UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.

UPSC Civil Services Exam 2023 Important Dates

Issue of  Notification 01 February 2023
Application form availability 01 February 2023
Last date for Application Submission (online) 21 February 2023 
Prelims Admit card May 2023
Preliminary Exam date 28 May 2023 (1 Day)
Prelims exam result August 2023
Main Exam Admit Card September  2023
Main Exam Date 15 September  2023 (5 Days)
Declaration of the final result January 2023

Eligibility Criteria

  • The candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
  • Candidates who are appearing for the final year exams can also apply.

Age limit and Number of Attempts

Category Upper age limit No. of attempts
General 32 Years 06 Attempts
OBC 35 Years 09 Attempts
SC/ST 37 Years No bar
PH (Blind, Deaf, Orthopedic) 42 Years GEN/OBC= 9 Attempts SC/ST= No bar
J & K Domicile GEN=37 Yrs, OBC= 40 Yrs, SC/ST=40 Yrs, PH=50 Yrs No bar
Disabled servicemen, disabled from duty. GEN=37 Yrs, OBC=40 Yrs, SC/ST=40 Yrs. No bar

UPSC Civil Services Exam 2023 Application Form

Aspirants for UPSC civil services like IAS, IPS, IFS, and other civil services need to fill the CSE Application form online through the official website i.e. www.upsconline.nic.in. Eligible candidates should apply online only as there is no other mode to apply. Before going to apply, the applicant must know the instructions carefully given in the notification. We will update here, UPSC Civil Services online application link after the release of the official notice.

Application Fee

  • The application fee for General/Others is Rs.100/-
  • The SC/ST/PH Candidates are not need to pay the application fee.
  • Candidates have to pay the application fee through Credit/Debit card/Internet banking or cash in SBI Bank.

Selection Procedure

  • The following stages will be considered for final selection.
  • Only the main exam & Interview marks will be considered for the final selection list.
  • Stage-1: Preliminary Exam (Objective type questions -100 Marks)
  • Stage-2: Main Exam (Descriptive Type)
  • Stage-3: Personal Interview (275 Marks)

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Exam

  • The pattern of the preliminary exam is known as CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test). There will be 2 papers in the preliminary exam of 2 hours duration for each containing 200 marks each paper.
  • Paper, I will check the applicant’s knowledge of current events, Indian history, Indian national movements, Indian & world geography, Indian polity, economy, social development, environmental ecology, biodiversity, etc.
  • Paper II will check the applicants’ knowledge of comprehension, interpersonal skills, communication, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision making, problem-solving, data interpretation, English language, etc.
  • The exam will be conducted in offline mode in duration.
  • Each question will be a 1/3 Mark penalty for the wrong answer.
Papers Details of the question papers Total Marks Total Time
I General Studies – This paper will be counted for qualifying to write the Civil Services Mains exam. 200 2 hrs
II Aptitude test (CSAT) – This paper is of qualifying nature, but the candidate must score at least 33% marks in this paper. However, marks of this paper are not counted for writing the Mains examination. 200 2 hrs
Total 400 4 hrs

Main Exam

There will be a total of nine papers in the main exam- 2 are of qualifying in nature and the rest 7 are ranking in nature. The qualified applicants for the Main examination will be called for a personal interview.

Papers Subjects Marks
Paper A One of the Indian languages from the list selected by the applicants (qualifying) 300
Paper B English (qualifying) 300
Paper I Essay 250
Paper-II General studies I 250
Paper III General Studies II 250
Paper IV General Studies III 250
Paper V General Studies IV 250
Paper VI, VII 2 papers on subjects to be selected by the applicants from the list of optional subjects (250 marks for each paper) 500
Sub-total (of Written Exam) 1750
PI 275
Total marks 2025

Personal Interview

The main objective of this test is to assess the applicant’s personal suitability for a particular service. The board of competent will evaluate the applicants on their mental abilities, intellectual skills, social traits & interest in current affairs. The interview will not only be a strict cross-questioning but of a natural conversation. The applicants are expected to have an interest in the happening around them in India as well as in the world instead of showing their knowledge about the particular academic subject.

Civil Services Exam 2020 Cut Off (Expected)

The cutoff can be expected as we are giving the cutoff for the previous year

Category Pre Main Final
Gen 107.34 676 877
OBC 106.00 630 834
SC 94.00 622 810
ST 91.34 617 801
PH-I 90.66 580 802
PH-2 76.66 627 830
PH-3 40.00 504 697

Important Books for Pre Exam

  • History Of Modern India – Bipan Chandra. (History)
  • India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma. (History)
  • India’s Struggle For Independence – Bipan Chandra. (History)
  • The Wonder That Was India – A.L. Bhasham. (Culture)
  • History Of Medieval India – Satish Chandra. (History)
  • Geography of India – Majid Husain. (Geography)
  • Indian Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania. (Culture)
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong. (Geography)
  • Oxford School Atlas – Oxford. (Geography)
  • Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh. (Economy)
  • Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations – M. Laxmikanth. (Polity)
  • Science and Technology in India – TMH. (Science and Technology)
  • Economic Survey. (Economy)
  • Environment for Civil Services Prelims and Mains – Khuller. (Environment)
  • Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure – Rajagopalan. (Environment)
  • Manorama Yearbook. (Current Affairs)
  • India Year Book (Current Affairs)
  • Analytical Reasoning – M. K. Pandey (CSAT – Paper 2: Analytical Reasoning)
  • CSAT Paper – 2 Manual by TMH or CSAT-II – Arihant (CSAT – Paper 2)
  • Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R. S.Aggarwal (CSAT Paper 2: Reasoning)
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Important Books for Main Exam

  • Essays for Civil Services – Pulkit Khare (Essay Paper)
  • Norman Lowe OR History of Modern World – Jain and Mathur (World History – GS1)
  • India After Gandhi – Ramchandra Guha (History – GS1)
  • IAS Mains General Studies Paper 2 (Arihant Manual – GS2)
  • Social Problems In India – Ram Ahuja. (Indian Society – GS1)
  • Pax Indica – Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy – GS2)
  • Governance in India for CSE. (Governance – GS2)
  • IAS Mains General Studies – GS3. (Arihant Manual – GS3)
  • India and the World by Surendra Kumar. (Foreign Policy – GS2)
  • Challenges to Internal Security of India. (Internal Security – GS3)
  • India’s National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security – GS3)
  • IAS Mains General Studies – Ethics. ( Arihant Manual – GS4)
  • Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude. ( Ethics – GS4)

126 thoughts on “Civil Services Exam 2023 Application Form (01 Feb), Exam Date, Eligibility, Pattern”

    • Agr sir mere marks gardution m 43.4% h toh ..can I applied for this exm …????
      Tell me sir or Meri study m 2yrs ka gapping bhi h issy koi effect toh nhi pdega ???

      Reply
  1. Dear Sir,
    My DOB is 17 Sep 1981 and belongs to SC category.
    Please could you clear me that I can appear in UPSC Prelims 2019.
    I am confusing with age limit. Kindly clarify me.

    Reply
  2. Thank you for the above information, it is very useful as i have very less knowledge about the UPSC exam.
    I also have a doubt that I am a graduate from hyderabad and secured a very less 52%!!!!
    will i be eligible to attempt the exam, do they have any specific cutoff as a part of eligibility criteria?

    Reply
    • I have a doubt regarding age limit many are informing me that from 2019 upsc going to change criteria for age that is they are reduce the age limit is it true, kindly reply me sir

      Reply
  3. Hi, My DOB is 18th Aug 1987, i am a working professional, working as Project Manager, i am targeting UPSC 2019, but i m doubtful about my Age eligibility as i am belong from General category.

    Can some one please help me to clear my dought whether i am eligible for next year attempt or not.

    Reply
  4. Hi,this is Om Rajak
    i,m Completed my graduation of Accounts (Hon) From Burdwan university.
    Can i eligible for this Examination

    Reply
  5. Thank you Sir for giving such a valuable and brief information about UPSC exams.it is really very helpful to people like me. Your work really deserve a compliment.

    Reply
    • yes sure bhai u can apply
      but you you have to minimum age limit 21 years and maximum 32 if you belong to general category

      Reply
  6. Dear Sir,
    My DOB is 27-nov.,1986 and belongs to General category.
    Please could you clear me that I can appear in UPSC Prelims 2019.
    I am confusing with age limit. Kindly clarify me.

    Reply
      • Why can’t she apply, being OBC she has her upper age limit up to 35. If the notification comes anywhere before June, she would b in her 34 + only, so can’t she apply. Iam also of the same category and is preparing thinking I have one more attempt.pls clarify.

        Reply
  7. sir this sree My Date of Birth is 04 june 1982 and belongs to SC .
    Please could you clear me that I can appear in UPSC Prelims 2019.
    I am confusing with age limit. Kindly clarify me.

    Reply
  8. sir My DOB is 04june982 and belongs to SC.
    Please could you clear me that I can appear in UPSC Prelims 2019.
    I am confusing with age limit. Kindly clarify me.

    Reply
  9. Kindly suggest. My DOB is 7th October 1986. Whether I shall be eligible for 2019 UPSC Exams. I belong to General Category.

    Reply
  10. Sir I have completed my graduation on age basis I have done my 10th after that on age basis I did my graduation in correspondence.. Can I eligible for the exam plz kindly confirm me
    Thanks and Regards

    Reply
  11. Dear Sir,
    My DOB is 05Sep 1997 and belongs to OBC category.
    Please could you clear me that I can appear in UPSC Prelims 2019.
    I am confusing with age limit. Kindly clarify me.

    Reply
  12. Same question sir my date of birth is 25-9-1997 am I eligible for 2019 exam can I apply for the exam. And I’m degree 3rd year.

    Reply
  13. VERY NICE PATTERN. ..WITH ALL SYLLABUS AND TIME.TABLE FOR EXAM AND APPLICATION FORMS. ..THANKS A LOT. …
    ER. RAJU KUMAR KUSHWAHA. ..

    Reply
  14. Hello,sir I am M.A B.Ed & school teacher with 8years experience but I am weak in Maths can I apply for this exam. Pls reply me sir

    Reply
  15. I don’t know any of the Indian language except English.
    How will i write for GS1 for qualifying paper since I don’t know even hindi.
    Please help me out

    Reply
  16. Please help me out for GS1 qualifying paper for Indian language because I don’t know any Indian language except English..will be eligible

    Reply
  17. respected sir
    I am sangram swain, sir plz clarify me can a SEBC(NCL) odisha state are eligibble for 9 times upsc civil service exam 2019. plz say.

    Reply
  18. It is a great blog post about civil services .I am always read your blog helpful and informative tips. I like it thanks for sharing this information with us

    Reply

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