UPSC Exam 2023: Essential Registration Documents | News & Notifications: UPSC PDF Download

What is IAS Exam?

IAS (Indian Administrative Services) formerly known as Imperial Civil Service (ICS) is a bureaucracy of India. Through the IAS (UPSC CSE) exam, the conducting body recruits candidates for the All-India Services such as Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and IRS, etc. respectively. Although regarded as one of the toughest exams in the country, with the right approach and strategy, an aspirant can crack the IAS examination on the very first attempt.
The IAS exam is conducted in three phases that are Prelims, Mains, and Interview round. Those who clear all the three stages of the IAS exam enter into the prestigious civil services of the country, and become officers in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and a host of other services.

IAS Exam Date 2023

Check the UPSC IAS 2023 Exam Date and other event dates are given below in the table:

UPSC CSE Notification 2023

UPSC CSE 2023 official notification has been released on February 01, 2023 on the official website. The notification will be available in PDF format for all aspirants. The IAS notification will have all details including application dates, exam pattern, selection process, eligibility criteria and others.

IAS Exam (UPSC CSE) 2023 Highlights

The UPSC CSE exam aspirants can check the highlights for the IAS 2023 exam below in the table:

IAS Exam Pattern

IAS exam pattern is set up by UPSC in such as way that the aspirants have to appear in three stages of the exam.
The three stages are as follows:

• Stage-1: Prelims
• Stage-2: Mains
• Stage-3: Interview

In order to get any of the services, the candidate has to clear all three stages and clear the final cutoff which is released by UPSC after the interview round. In case there is any change in the UPSC CSE exam pattern 2023, the UPSC will mention the details in the UPSC CSE 2023 official notification.

Stage I: IAS Exam – UPSC Prelims

IAS Prelims exam consists of two papers namely, General Studies I and CSAT (General Studies Paper II). While CSAT is qualifying in nature, the marks gained in the General Studies paper define your selection for UPSC Mains. It means your marks in the General Studies Paper will be considered for the Prelims cutoff.
It must be noted that there is a negative marking for the wrong answers. 1/3rd of the total marks assigned for the question would be deducted as a penalty for each wrong answer. However, there will be no deductions for unattempted questions. Check IAS Prelims Syllabus.
The IAS 2023 Prelims Exam Pattern is provided in the table below:

IAS Prelims Exam Pattern Highlights

• The questions in the IAS Exam (Prelims) are of the Objective Type or Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
• There is a ‘Negative Marking’ in the IAS Exam for each incorrect answer but only in the Prelims stage. The negative marking for incorrect answers will be 1/3rd (0.66) of the allotted marks of that question.
• The GS Paper II (CSAT) in the IAS exam is of qualifying nature and candidates should score a minimum of 33 % in this paper to qualify for the next stage of the IAS exam i.e. the Mains.
• Blind candidates are given an extra time of 20 minutes for each paper in the IAS Exam (Prelims).
• It is mandatory for the candidates to appear in both the papers of the civil services prelims exam for evaluation.
• The marks scored by the candidates in the preliminary examination are not counted for the final score. It is only a screening test where candidates not securing the cut-off marks are eliminated.

Stage II: IAS Exam – UPSC Mains

The IAS Mains Exam comprises two types of papers; Paper A (qualifying) and Paper B (merit ranking). Paper A and Paper B are the Language paper and the English paper respectively, which will be qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in these papers shall not be added to marks that would determine the rank of the candidate. However, the rest of the papers are evaluated for merit purposes.
The IAS 2023 Mains Exam Pattern is provided in the table below:

Note:

• The candidates can select their medium of writing the UPSC Civil Services IAS Mains Exam as Hindi or English or any other language listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• The Indian Languages included in the IAS exam are languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• The candidates who score above the prescribed cut-off marks in the IAS exam (Mains) will get the summons for the Personality Test (last stage of the IAS exam).
• The final ranking of the candidates is on the basis of the marks obtained by them in the Main Examination and Personality Test/Interview Round of the IAS exam.

Stage III: IAS Exam – UPSC Interview/Personality Test

The interview process is the final stage of the selection process. The interview consists of 275 marks which makes a total of maximum marks of 2025.
The board assesses the candidate on qualities like:

• Mental acuity
• Critical thinking
• Analytical thinking
• Risk assessment skills
• Crisis management skills
• Ability to become a leader
• Intellectual and moral integrity

IAS Eligibility Criteria

IAS eligibility criteria include educational qualification, age limit, and others. The detailed eligibility criteria are mentioned in the UPSC CSE notification. Below are the eligibility criteria the candidates must meet to be eligible to apply for the examination. The eligibility criteria include 5 sections - Educational Qualifications, Age limit Nationality, Physical Standard, and Number of Attempts, to which the candidates must adhere to.

IAS Exam Nationality

IAS exam nationality criteria are mentioned in the UPSC CSE notification under the section IAS eligibility criteria. The candidates applying for the IAS Exam 2023 should fulfil the Nationality criteria as provided below:
Candidate must be either:

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently, or
• A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam intending to settle in India permanently.

IAS Exam Age Limit

IAS exam age limit is set up by the UPSC. Before applying for the IAS 2023 exam, the applicants must check the age limit criteria. Only those candidates who have attained 21 years of age and are less than 32 years of age as of August 2023 will be eligible for the UPSC CSE exam.
The category-wise Age limits are provided in the table below:

IAS Exam Educational Qualification

IAS exam educational qualification requirement is mentioned in the UPSC 2023 notification. Any graduate is eligible to apply for the IAS 2023 exam. The candidates willing to apply for the IAS Exam must meet the educational qualifications set by the authorities.
The educational qualifications for IAS Exam 2023 are listed below:

• The minimum qualification for the IAS (UPSC CSE) exam is that the candidate must hold a degree from a Government recognized University or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Candidates who are in their last year or waiting for their results are also eligible to appear for UPSC IAS Prelims Exam.
• Candidates having technical and professional qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.

IAS Exam Number of Attempts

For the IAS Exam, the number of attempts is another factor which is considered to determine the eligibility of the candidates applying for the examination.
The category-wise list is provided in the table below:

IAS Exam Application Procedure

IAS exam application process is online only. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release the IAS application form 2023 on February 01, 2023 (tentative) on the website – upsc.gov.in. The eligible candidates can apply for the IAS 2023 exam on or before the last date. The application fee is to be paid by the General category candidates.
The steps to apply for IAS 2023 Application Form are as follows:

• Visit the official website of UPSC – upsc.gov.in
• Click on UPSC IAS Application Form on the Home Page.
• The login window will appear on your screen.
• Now, register yourself by filling in the details in the asked fields.
• After which, a registration ID and password will be sent to your provided email Id and phone number.
• Now, Login using the registration ID and password.
• Fill out the details to complete the UPSC CSE 2023 application form.
• Now, upload the scanned documents asked for in the application form.
• Finally, make the payment of the application form.
• Check all the details and submit your application form.

Required Documents for IAS Exam Online Registration 2023

Before filling out the application form the candidates are advised to keep all the required documents and other details with themselves.
The list of required documents and details required to keep ready before filling out the application form are mentioned below:

• Valid Email ID and Mobile Number.
• Scanned photograph and signature
• Valid photo ID card details.
• Certificates including caste and others (if applicable).
• Personal and academic details
• Fee payment details debit/ credit card, etc.

IAS Exam Application Fee

IAS exam Application fee can be paid offline as well as online. For online payment, candidates may use a credit card/debit card/Rupay card or Internet Banking Services. For offline payment, download the e-challan and submit the fee in cash at SBI bank branches on the next day itself.
Here is the specified payable amount for all candidates:

IAS Exam Preparation

IAS exam preparation must be done as per the UPSC CSE 2023 syllabus. The UPSC CSE Syllabus consists of many subjects and topics. To clear the exam, the candidates must go through the IAS syllabus thoroughly before starting the preparation. They must check the topics and recommended books during the preparation.

IAS Prelims Exam Syllabus for UPSC CSE 2023

IAS Prelims exam syllabus in detail will be mentioned by the UPSC. The UPSC CSE Prelims exam is the primary stage of the selection process. It is an online screening stage. The IAS Prelims syllabus has 2 papers - GAT and CSAT.
The IAS syllabus for both of them is provided below:

IAS Exam 2023 Prelims Syllabus: GAT Paper-1 Topics

• Current events of national and international importance.
• History of India and Indian National Movement.
• Indian and World Geography -Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
• Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
• Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization
• General Science

IAS Exam 2023 Prelims Syllabus: CSAT Paper-2 Topics

• Interpersonal skills including communication skills
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision-making and problem solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) – Class X level)
• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. – Class X level)

IAS Mains Exam Syllabus for UPSC CSE 2023

IAS Mains exam of the IAS (UPSC CSE) Exam comprises 9 theoretical papers among which there are 4 general studies papers, 2 language papers, and 1 essay paper, and 2 optional subject papers.

IAS Exam Mains Language Papers Syllabus: Indian Language and English

There are two language papers in the IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains exam 2022; Indian Language (Hindi) and English. Both of them are qualifying in nature. Therefore, candidates must score above 25% in either of them to qualify.

• One essay question carries 100 marks – candidates have to select one among the given topics.
• Reading comprehension and related five-six questions which carry a total of 60 marks
• Precis writing for 60 marks – the answer sheet will have a separate grid structure where this has to be written
• Translation from English will be done in the chosen language. This section carries 20 marks.
• The Translation from chosen language to English carries 20 marks
• A total of 40 marks are allotted to Grammar and basic language usage such as synonyms, sentence correction, etc.

IAS Exam Mains: Essay Paper

The essay paper has a marks weightage of 250 out of the total 1250 marks of the entire Mains test. It contains 12.5 % of the total. The word limit for the essay is 1000-1200 words.

IAS Exam General Studies Paper I Syllabus

For UPSC Mains 2022 Exam, the syllabus of IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper I has been discussed here for better understanding.

IAS Exam General Studies Paper II Syllabus

For IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains exam, the syllabus of General Studies Paper II is covered by the Polity, Governance, and Indian Governance.

IAS Exam General Studies Paper III Syllabus

The IAS (UPSC CSE) Syllabus for General Studies III is focused on Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.
Here are the details in the following table:

IAS Exam General Studies Paper IV Syllabus

The UPSC mainly included Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude in the syllabus of IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper IV to test the candidate’s approach to the issues of integrity and probity.
Here are details on the syllabus:

1. Ethics and Human Interface

• Essence, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in - Human Actions;
• Dimensions of Ethics;
• Ethics - in Private and Public Relationships.
• Human Values - Lessons from the Lives and Teachings of Great Leaders, Reformers, and Administrators
• Role of Family Society and Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values.

2. Attitude

• Content, Structure, Function; its Influence and Relation with Thought and Behaviour; Moral and Political Attitudes; Social Influence and Persuasion.
• Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Service, Integrity, Impartiality and Non-partisanship, Objectivity, Dedication to Public Service, Empathy, Tolerance and Compassion towards the weaker sections.

3. Emotional Intelligence

• Concepts, and their Utilities and Application in Administration and Governance.
• Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from India and World.

4. Public Administration

• Status and Problems;
• Ethical Concerns and Dilemmas in Government and Private Institutions;
• Laws, Rules, Regulations, and Conscience as Sources of Ethical Guidance;
• Accountability and Ethical Governance;
• Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values in Governance;
• Ethical Issues in International Relations and Funding;
• Corporate Governance.

5. Probity in Governance

• Concept of Public Service;
• Philosophical Basis of Governance and Probity;
• Information Sharing and Transparency in Government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work Culture, Quality of Service Delivery, Utilization of Public Funds, Challenges of Corruption.

IAS Exam Vacancy 2023

IAS exam vacancies 2023 are to be notified by the UPSC on the official notification. Last year, a total of 1011 UPSC Civil Services 2022 vacancies have been announced for different posts like IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS, etc. in the UPSC CSE notification 2022. Go through the table below to know the UPSC CSE vacancy of previous years.

IAS Exam Admit Card- UPSC CSE Hall Ticket

IAS exam 2023 admit card are released for IAS Mains 2023 by the UPSC on its website on August 28, 2023. The candidates would be able to download the admit card by entering their login credentials including Application or Registration Number and Password/Date of Birth. It is mandatory to carry the UPSC CSE 2023 admit card on exam day. No candidate will be allowed to enter the exam hall without the admit card.

Details to Check on IAS (UPSC CSE) Admit Card

UPSC CSE admit Card 2023 will have all the important details required for the exam day. Once the IAS exam admit card has been released, it is advisable to check the details mentioned on the admit card.
The following details must be checked on the IAS 2023 admit card:

• Name of the Candidate
• Father's name
• Mother's name
• Date of birth
• Captcha code as shown on the screen
• Exam Centre

IAS Exam Centres 2023

IAS exam centre list is provided by UPSC at the time of registration. As per the UPSC CSE exam is a national-level exam, the candidates are given the choice to select the exam centre as per their convenience. The candidates have to provide the preference list of the exam centre at the time of registration.
The aspirants can check the UPSC CSE exam centre in the table below:

IAS Exam Cutoff 2023: UPSC Stage Wise and Category Wise

IAS exam cutoff 2023 will be released by the UPSC on its website soon after the commencement of the exam. The UPSC CSE 2023 cutoff marks depend on a number of factors. The candidates can have a look at the factors and previous year’s cutoffs to have an idea for this year cutoff below:

The IAS Cutoff is determined by the following factors:

• The difficulty level of the question paper
• The number of vacancies
• The number of applicants who appeared in the exam

IAS 2019 Cutoff

IAS Cutoff 2018

IAS Cutoff 2017

IAS Salary and Benefits

IAS salary and other allowances are provided by the Central Government. It is considered that IAS officers are one of the highest-paid employees under the Central Government of India. As per the new pay structure, a candidate who cleared the UPSC CSE exam and joins as an IAS officer or any other civil service will get a basic salary of INR 56,100/-. The starting salary of an IAS officer is INR 70,000 approximately as per the 7th Pay Commission.
The IAS salary 2022 is made of various components like basic pay, HRA, TA, DA, medical allowance, and more. Some of the other benefits that are provided to IAS officers are as follows: Resident, Security, Transport facility, Medical benefits, Telephone/ internet bills, Newspaper, and Study leaves.