Language Choice for UPSC Exam

Choosing the language for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam is an important decision for candidates. The UPSC exam is conducted for the recruitment of candidates into various civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Candidates have the option to choose the language for the different stages of the exam, including the preliminary, mains, and interview. Here is a detailed explanation of the language choice for the UPSC exam.

Language Options

Candidates appearing for the UPSC exam can choose any one of the 23 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. These languages include Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English.

Language Choice in Different Stages

1. Preliminary Exam:
- The preliminary exam consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT).
- The General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) is a qualifying paper with marks not counted for ranking.
- Candidates can choose any language for the General Studies Paper-I, but the General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) can be answered in either English or Hindi.

2. Mains Exam:
- The mains exam includes nine papers, out of which two papers are qualifying in nature: Paper-A (Indian Language) and Paper-B (English).
- The Indian Language paper requires candidates to choose one of the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
- Candidates can choose any language for the English paper.
- The remaining seven papers can be answered in either English or the chosen Indian language.

3. Interview:
- The interview stage is conducted to assess the candidate's personality, suitability, and communication skills.
- Candidates can choose any language for the interview, as per their proficiency and comfort.

Conclusion

Candidates appearing for the UPSC exam have the flexibility to choose any language listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution for different stages of the exam. The language choice should be made based on the candidate's proficiency and comfort level. It is important to note that the UPSC exam is a highly competitive exam, and candidates should focus on thorough preparation in their chosen language to perform well in the exam.