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UPSC exam 2024 - Complete Guide

UPSC exam 2024 - Complete Guide

What is UPSC EXAM?

One of India's most famous and challenging exams is the UPSC exam, also known as the Union Public Service Commission exam. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central civil services and posts are among the civil services positions in the Indian government for which it is administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview) are the three phases of the UPSC test. The General Studies and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) are the two papers that make up the screening test known as the Preliminary Examination.

A candidate may sit for the Main Examination, which consists of nine papers covering a variety of topics, if they pass the preliminary exam. Those who pass the Main Exam are then invited to the Personality Test, where a personal interview is used to determine the candidate's suitability for the civil service. The intense responsibility that comes with working for the government as a civil servant, together with the strict selection procedures and high standards, are the hallmarks of the UPSC exam.

The primary central recruiting body in India, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is in charge of holding civil service exams to choose qualified applicants for a range of roles in the administrative services, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and many more.

Thousands of candidates apply for the UPSC exam each year, which is regarded as one of the most difficult and prestigious exams in India. The UPSC 2024 test is quickly approaching, therefore now is the perfect time to ramp up your study for it. Only a hundred applicants are selected for the UPSC Exam out of the many millions that apply for it.

UPSC Notification

On May 10, 2023, the UPSC released the exam schedule for 2024. Candidates should be aware that the preliminary test was set for May 26, 2024, while the UPSC 2024 exam announcement was issued on February 14, 2024. Due to the upcoming general elections, the commission has now rescheduled the UPSC preliminary examination for June 16, 2024.All pertinent information like exam dates, posts, vacancies, eligibility requirements, age relaxation, application form, application process, exam centres, test pattern, syllabus, etc. is included in the UPSC notification.In order to prepare for the exam and achieve a high exam score, candidates can download the UPSC notification for their records.
 

UPSC Jobs & Openings

The UPSC administers the civil service test for two types of positions. Group A and Group B are these. Below is a list of some significant posts from Groups A and B.

  1. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
  2. Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
  3. Indian Police Service (IPS)
  4. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’
  5. Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
  6. Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’
  7. Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
  8. Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’
  9. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade)
  10. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group ‘B’
  11. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group ‘B’

UPSC 2024 Exam dates

UPSC exam dates for 2024 are as follows:

UPSC Programme of Examinations/Recruitment Tests (RT) – 2024
Sl.no.  Name of Examination Date of notification Last date for receipt of applications Date of commencement of exam Duration of exam
1. Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     13-1-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
2.  Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination 2024 6-9-2023 26-9-2023 18-2-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
3.  Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination 2024 20-9-2023 10-10-2023 18-2-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
4.  Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     24-2-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
5. CISF AC (EXE) LDCE 2024 29-11-2023 19-12-2023 10-3-2024 1 day
6.  Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     9-3-2024 2 days
7.  NDA and NA examination (I) 2024 20-12-2023 9-1-2024 21-4-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
8.  CDS Examination (I) 2024
9.  Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2024 14-2-2024 5-3-2024 26-5-2024 (Sunday) POSTPONED to

 

16-6-2024 (Sunday)

1 day
10.  Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination 2024 through CS(P) Examination 2024 
11.  IES/ISS Examination 2024 10-4-2024 30-4-2024 21-6-2024 (Friday) 3 days
12.  Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) Examination 2024     22-6-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
13.  Engineering Services (Main) Examination 2024     23-6-2024 (Sunday) 2 day
14.  Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     6-7-2024 2 days
15. Combined Medical Service Examination 2024 10-4-2-2024 30-4-2024 14-7-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
16. Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination 2024 20-4-2024 14-5-2024 4-8-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
17.  Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     10-8-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
18.  NDA and NA examination (II) 2024 15-5-2024 4-6-2024 1-9-2024 (Sunday) 1 day
19.  CDS Examination (II) 2024
20. Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024     20-9-2024 (Friday) 5 days
21. Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     19-10-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
22.  Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination 2024     24-11-2024 (Sunday) 7 days
23.  SO/Steno (GD-B/ GD-I) LDCE 11-9-2024 1-10-2024 7-12-2024 (Saturday) 2 days
24. Reserved for UPSC/RT Examination     21-12-2024 2 days

UPSC Exam Dates for 2024  for IAS

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the IAS exam, also referred to as the Civil Services Examination, once a year. On February 14, 2024, the official UPSC notification for the IAS exam was made public. IAS Exam 2023 is now taking place. The prelims phase of the 2024 IAS Exam was set for May 26, 2024. However, the IAS preliminary examination has been moved to June 16, 2024, because of the approaching general elections. The start date of IAS Mains 2024 is September 20, 2024.

IAS Exam Conducting Body

UPSC

Mode of IAS exam

Offline

Number of times conducted

Once every year

Prescribed age limit

21 – 32 years (upper age relaxation for reserved candidates)

IAS Exam – Prelims 2024

Sunday – 26th May 2024 Postponed to 16 June 2024

IAS Exam – Mains 2024

20th September 2024 onwards (exams for five days)

IAS Exam Pattern

Prelims (MCQs), Mains (Descriptive papers)

 

UPSC Qualifications

The Commission sets the eligibility requirements for the UPSC IAS. In this section, let's review the UPSC IAS 2024 eligibility requirements.
Applicants must be citizens of India in order to compete for the Indian Administrative Services. Candidates may review the nationality requirements for additional positions on the Commission's official notification.
Limit of Age for IAS 2024
The candidates need to be at least 21 years old and under 32 years old on August 1, 2024, which means they need to have been born between August 2, 1992, and August 1, 2003.
The lowest and maximum age limits for each category must also be known by candidates.

Category

Minimum Age Limit for UPSC

Maximum Age Limit for UPSC

IAS exam Age Limit for General Category

21

32

EWS

21

32

SC/ST

21

37

IAS OBC Age Limit

21

35

Number of attempts for the UPSC IAS Exam in 2024
The following lists the number of tries for each category of applicants who intend to appear in the UPSC IAS 2024.

 

General/EWS

SC/ST

OBC

PwBD

Number of attempts

6

unlimited

9

09 for General/EWS/OBC Unlimited for SC/ST

UPSC Online Application
The UPSC 2024 online application procedure will begin as soon as the official announcement is made public. Carefully filling out the UPSC online application form is necessary because even a small typo could result in the candidate being rejected.
There are two steps involved in registering an online UPSC application:

• Part 1 includes basic information like name, age, and address.
• The UPSC exam centre selection, money payment, and uploading of the photo, signature, and ID proof are all included in Part 2 registration.
The attached article contains information on the UPSC online application process for candidates.

Application fee for UPSC
Applicants must pay an application fee of Rs. 100/-for the UPSC online. This can be done in cash at any State Bank of India branch, using any bank's Net Banking service, or with a credit/debit card, Visa, Master, RuPay, or UPI payment. Candidates who fall into one of the following groups are not required to pay the fee: female, SC, ST, or persons with physical disabilities.

Pattern of the UPSC Exam
The Preliminary test, Main examination, and Personality Test are the three phases of the UPSC exam.

UPSC Prelims: The General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II, often known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), are the two papers that make up the objective-style UPSC Preliminary examination. Nine papers make up the UPSC Mains examination, which is a subjective test of four General Studies papers, two optional papers, two language papers, and an essay. Those who pass the UPSC Mains exam can proceed to the UPSC interview, which is the last round.

UPSC Interview: Those who have made it through the Main test are invited to participate in the Personality Test, commonly referred to as the Interview.

The following is the exam schedule for the UPSC 2024 Prelims:

UPSC Civil Service Exam Pattern – Prelims

Paper

Type

No. of questions

UPSC Total Marks

Duration

Negative marks

General Studies I

Objective

100

200

2 hours

Yes

General Studies II (CSAT)

Objective

80

200

2 hours

Yes

Total Marks

400 (where GS Paper II is qualifying in nature with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%)

The following is the exam schedule for the UPSC 2024 Mains:

UPSC CSE Exam Pattern – Mains

Paper

Subject

Duration

IAS Total marks

Paper A

Compulsory Indian language

3 hours

300

Paper B

English

3 hours

300

Paper I

Essay

3 hours

250

Paper II

General Studies I

3 hours

250

Paper III

General Studies II

3 hours

250

Paper IV

General Studies III

3 hours

250

Paper V

General Studies IV

3 hours

250

Paper VI

Optional I

3 hours

250

Paper VII

Optional II

3 hours

250

UPSC Prelims Curriculum
There are two main subjects on the UPSC Prelims syllabus:
1. general studies
2. CSAT
The UPSC Prelims Exam's first paper is general studies.

Topics covered include Indian Polity, Geography, History, Indian Economy, Science and Technology, Environment and Ecology, and International Relations. It is worth 200 marks.
The 200-mark CSAT paper includes Reasoning and Analytical, Reading Comprehension, and the infrequent Decision-Making question type.

The following lists the key subjects covered in the UPSC Prelims curriculum (General Studies, paper 1).
• Important national and worldwide current events.
• The Indian National Movement's history.

Geographical information about the physical, social, and economic aspects of India and the world.
• Indian Polity and Governance: Public Policy, Rights Issues, Panchayati Raj, Political System, and Constitution, among Others.
• Social and Economic Development: Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Sustainable Development, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
• Broad topics related to Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environmental Ecology that don't require specialised knowledge.
• Science in General
The following list contains the key subjects covered in the UPSC Prelims curriculum (CSAT Paper 2).
• Intelligibility
logical thinking and analytical ability; decision-making and problem-solving abilities; interpersonal skills, especially communication abilities; and general mental capacity

UPSC Primary Course Curriculum
Seven of the nine theory exams in the UPSC IAS mains test are taken into account for creating the final merit list. Indian language and English are the other two qualifying examinations.
The UPSC IAS Mains syllabus's key subjects are
1. Mandatory Indian Language - Assignment A
Second, Paper B: English
3. Essay 4. General Studies I: Indian History and Culture, Global History and Geography, and Society
5. General Studies II: International Relations, Social Justice, Welfare Initiatives, Constitutionalism, and Governance
6. General Studies III: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Technology, Economic Development, Security, and Disaster Management
7. General Studies IV: Aptitude, Integrity, and Ethics
8. Paper I, an optional subject
Subject Optional: Paper II
 

UPSC Admit Card 2024
The UPSC will provide e-admit cards to candidates three weeks before to the start of the exam for UPSC 2024. The e-admit card can be downloaded by candidates from the official website.
These details will be on the UPSC 2024 admission card:
1. The candidate's name
3. The candidate's photograph 2. The roll number
4. Examination location
5. Exam schedule and shift information
6. Topic and topic code
7. Crucial directions
It is important for candidates to understand that failing to bring their e-Admit Card to the exam would prevent them from being admitted. Upon obtaining the UPSC e-Admit Card, applicants are required to review all the information, and if there are any inconsistencies or inaccuracies, they must tell the

How to download the e-admit card from UPSC
The processes to download the UPSC e-admit card 2024 are as follows.

First step: Check out the official webpage.
Second Step: Select the link for the e-Admit Card.
Third Step: Select "e-Admit Cards" for any of the UPSC's examinations.
Fourth Step: Type in the registration or roll number.
Fifth Step: Print a copy of the prelim/mains admission card after downloading it, and bring it with you to the exam location.

Tips to prepare UPSC exam 2024:

Use those key strategies to ace the united states exam: cautious making plans, in-intensity research, regular exercise, a focal point on cutting-edge events, and putting a wholesome stability.

Recognise the Exam Pattern: Become acquainted with the exam sample, which includes the subjects, number of papers, and grading machine for every exam degree.

Establish a Study Timetable: Create a nicely-organized look at plan with sufficient time allotted for every topic and revision. If you need to nicely cowl the whole syllabus, comply with the programme each time.

Go over the syllabus Completely: Make certain the U.S. Syllabus is very well blanketed for the initial and essential exams. Prioritise conceptual comprehension over rote reminiscence.

See Standard Study Materials: To benefit a thorough expertise of every challenge, make use of fashionable reference books, examine substances, and assets which have been recommended with the aid of specialists and beyond toppers.

Practice Previous Year Question Papers: Complete the previous year's question papers to get a experience for the layout, nature, and timing of the check. Examine your overall performance and determine what needs to be progressed.

Current Affairs Preparation: Read periodicals, newspapers, and internet sources to stay current on current occasions. For enhancing, jot down quick notes on full-size activities, problems, and advancements.

Mock Exams and Revision: To gauge your diploma of readiness and pinpoint your vulnerable points, take frequent mock exams and practice papers. Set aside time to review key subjects and thoughts to be able to give a boost to your information.

Develop Writing and Analytical Skills: Write responses to essay-style questions and case research to hone your writing and analytical skills. Pay interest to how concepts are presented logically, absolutely, and coherently.

Stay Well and Manage Stress: To keep a healthful lifestyle, devour a properly-balanced food regimen, get enough sleep, and workout regularly. Take up calming hobbies like yoga, meditation, or pursuits to alleviate strain.

Stay Upbeat and Inspired: Try now not to lose your nice mind-set or concept whilst preparing for the united states. Have self assurance in your capabilities, stay committed for your desires, and paintinssgs nonstop