IAS Exam Dates, Eligibility, Exam Pattern And Syllabus - IAS Exam 2025
The Civil Services Examination, commonly referred to as the IAS exam, is administered annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The official notification for the IAS Exam 2025 was released. The IAS Exam 2024 is currently in progress. The IAS Mains 2025 will begin on May 25, 2025.
Clearing all three stages of the IAS exam paves the way to joining the esteemed civil services of India, including roles in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and various other positions. Although widely recognized as one of the most challenging exams in the country, it is possible to succeed on your first attempt with the right strategy and approach. To begin preparations effectively, candidates need to understand key aspects of the IAS exam 2025, including the UPSC syllabus for both Prelims and Mains, the exam pattern, eligibility criteria, the application process, and other essential details. This guide provides all the crucial information for aspirants aiming to excel in the IAS exam.
IAS Exam Date
| 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 2025 | Sunday – 25th May 2025 |
| IAS Exam – Mains 2025 | 22 – 27th August 2025 |
| IAS Exam Pattern | Prelims (MCQs), Mains (Descriptive papers) |
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the various services for which candidates are recruited by the UPSC through the Civil Services Exam. However, the Civil Services Exam is often referred to as the UPSC IAS exam.
IAS Exam Pattern
The IAS Exam pattern is:
Stage I: Preliminary Examination (IAS Prelims)
Stage II: Mains Examination (IAS Mains)
Stage III: UPSC Personality Test (IAS Interview)
Stage I: IAS Exam – UPSC Prelims
| Sl. No. | Name of the Paper | Nature of the Paper | Duration of the Exam | Questions | Marks |
| 1 | IAS Exam Paper – I: General Studies | Merit Ranking Nature | 2 Hours | 100 | 200 Marks |
| 2 | IAS Exam Paper – II: General Studies (CSAT) | Qualifying Nature | 2 Hours | 80 | 200 Marks |
Question Format: The IAS Exam (Prelims) consists of objective-type questions, also known as Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
Negative Marking: The IAS Exam (Prelims) has a penalty for incorrect answers, with negative marking set at one-third (0.66) of the marks allotted for each question.
GS Paper II (CSAT) Qualifying Criteria: GS Paper II (CSAT) in the IAS exam is a qualifying paper. Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 33% in this paper to progress to the Mains stage of the IAS exam.
Extra Time for Blind Candidates: Blind candidates are granted an additional 20 minutes for each paper in the IAS Exam (Prelims).
Mandatory Participation: Candidates must appear for both papers in the Civil Services Prelims Exam for evaluation purposes.
Prelims Marks and Final Score: The marks obtained in the preliminary examination are not included in the final score. The Prelims serve only as a screening test to eliminate candidates who do not meet the cut-off marks.
Stage II: IAS Exam – UPSC Mains
The second stage of the IAS Exam is known as the Mains Exam. This stage is a written descriptive test consisting of 9 papers. The papers are divided as follows: Paper-A (Compulsory Indian Language) and Paper-B (English), which are qualifying in nature, while the remaining papers—Essay, General Studies Papers I, II, III, and IV, and Optional Papers I and II—are used to determine the final ranking.
| Sl. No. | IAS Exam Paper | Name of the Paper | Nature of the Paper | Duration of the Exam | Marks | ||
| 1 | Paper – A | Compulsory Indian Language | QUALIFYING NATURE | 3 Hours | 300 Marks | ||
| 2 | Paper – B | English | 3 Hours | 300 Marks | |||
| 3 | Paper – I | ESSAY | MERIT RANKING NATURE | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | ||
| 4 | Paper – II | General Studies I | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 5 | Paper – III | General Studies II | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 6 | Paper – IV | General Studies III | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 7 | Paper – V | General Studies IV | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 8 | Paper – VI | Optional Paper I | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 9 | Paper – VII | Optional Paper II | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| TOTAL | 1750 Marks | ||||||
| Interview or Personality Test | 275 Marks | ||||||
| GRAND TOTAL | 2025 Marks | ||||||
NOTE:
Medium of Examination: Candidates can choose their medium of writing the UPSC Civil Services IAS Mains Exam from Hindi, English, or any language listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Indian Languages: The Indian languages available for the IAS exam are those specified in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Personality Test Eligibility: Candidates who achieve scores above the prescribed cut-off marks in the IAS Mains Exam will be invited for the Personality Test, which is the final stage of the IAS exam.
Final Ranking: The final ranking of candidates is based on their scores in both the Mains Examination and the Personality Test/Interview Round.
Stage III: IAS Exam – UPSC Interview/Personality Test
Candidates who pass the Mains stage of the IAS exam with the required cut-off marks are eligible for the final stage, which is the Personality Test or Interview with UPSC Board Members. Those advancing to this stage will receive an e-summon from the Commission to attend a face-to-face interview with the board. During this interview, the board evaluates candidates’ personality traits and may ask questions about their hobbies, current affairs, general knowledge, and situational responses to determine their suitability for a career in civil services. The UPSC Personality Test is conducted exclusively at the UPSC Bhavan in New Delhi.
IAS Exam Age Limit and Attempts
Candidates wishing to take the IAS exam must meet specific conditions related to nationality, age, number of attempts, and educational qualifications. For general category aspirants, the requirements are as follows: the candidate must be an Indian citizen or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO), must hold a graduate degree, must be between the ages of 21 and 32, and must not have attempted the IAS exam more than 6 times. There are, however, certain relaxations and additional conditions applicable to these criteria.
IAS Exam Application Procedure
The application process for UPSC exams is conducted online, and admit cards are also issued digitally. IAS exam aspirants should download their admit cards from the official UPSC website.
IAS Exam Preparation
IAS Exam Preparation Strategy
- Current Affairs Focus: Current affairs play a crucial role in both the Prelims and Mains stages of the IAS exam. Rely on credible sources such as PIB, The Hindu, and align current events with the IAS exam syllabus. Concentrate on national and international events from the past 10-12 months.
- Review Previous Years’ Questions: Analyze previous years’ IAS exam questions to gauge the extent of your preparation and identify key areas of focus.
- NCERT Books and Note-taking: Study NCERT books thoroughly and create at least two sets of notes: brief notes for Prelims and detailed notes for the Mains exam.
- Simultaneous Preparation: Prepare for both Prelims and Mains concurrently, up until 1-2 months before the Prelims exam. Identify and prioritize the overlapping syllabus areas between the two stages.
- Choosing an Optional Subject: Select an optional subject based on your aptitude, interest, and background. Be aware that while some optional subjects overlap with the General Studies syllabus in Mains, they often have extensive syllabi. Do thorough research before making your choice.
- Standard Books: Use standard reference books for each subject. Access the IAS exam book list, Current Affairs notes, and NCERT notes through the provided links.
- Importance of CSAT, Ethics, and Language Papers: Do not underestimate the CSAT paper in Prelims or the Ethics paper in Mains. Similarly, the two qualifying language papers in Mains are crucial; failing to score at least 25% in these papers can disqualify you, regardless of your performance in other sections.
- Practice and Revision: Regularly practice multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for Prelims and answer writing for Mains. Revise frequently, update your notes, and continue revising to reinforce your knowledge.
Mistakes to Avoid in the IAS Exam Preparation
- Inadequate Understanding of Exam Pattern and Syllabus: Ensure you are well-acquainted with the exam structure, including the number of papers, their weightage, and the marking scheme.
- Neglecting Current Affairs and General Knowledge: Cultivate a habit of reading newspapers, magazines, and reliable online sources to stay updated on national and international events. Broaden your knowledge by covering diverse topics.
- Lack of a Systematic Study Plan and Discipline: Divide the syllabus into manageable sections and allocate specific time slots for each topic. Maintain a consistent and disciplined study routine to ensure steady progress.
- Overemphasis on Memorization: Focus on understanding concepts deeply rather than just memorizing information. Develop critical thinking and analytical skills by applying fundamental concepts to real-world scenarios.
- Insufficient Practice in Answer Writing and Time Management: Regularly practice answering previous years’ question papers to improve your writing style, structure, and coherence. Work on time management by solving questions within the allotted time to boost your efficiency.