UPSC IAS 2025 Latest Update: The Union Public Service conducts the UPSC CSE 2025 exam to recruit eligible candidates for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other posts. This year, a total of 979 posts were released through UPSC CSE Recruitment 2025. The last date to submit the UPSC application form was February 18, 2025, and the prelim exam is scheduled for May 25, 2025. Download the UPSC IAS 2025 Notification PDF along with exam dates, patterns, syllabus, eligibility, and much more on this page.
What is the UPSC IAS Exam?
UPSC IAS exam is one of the prestigious competitive exams in India conducted every year to recruit suitable candidates for top civil service posts including Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). The UPSC selection process is divided into three stages such as preliminary, mains, and interview. Securing passing marks in all these rounds is necessary to excel in the UPSC IAS 2025 exam. IAS is one of the reputed posts because IAS officers lead all government ministries and departments at both the national and state levels. The top-performing candidate in the IAS exam can achieve the highest position in the Indian bureaucracy i.e. the Cabinet Secretary.
IAS Full Form
The IAS full form is the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). During the British rule, it was popularly known as Imperial Civil Service. After the British left India in 1947 and the country was partitioned, the Indian Civil Service (ICS) was divided between India and Pakistan. The portion of the ICS allocated to India became known as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
IAS Full Form in Hindi
IAS Full Form भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा (आईएएस) है। ब्रिटिश शासन के दौरान इसे इंपीरियल सिविल सर्विस के नाम से जाना जाता था। 1947 में अंग्रेजों के भारत छोड़ने और देश के विभाजन के बाद, भारतीय सिविल सेवा (ICS) को भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच विभाजित कर दिया गया। भारत को आवंटित आईसीएस का हिस्सा भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा (आईएएस) के रूप में जाना जाने लगा।
UPSC IAS 2025 Exam Overview
Here is the major overview of the UPSC IAS 2025 Exam discussed below for the candidates planning to participate in the upcoming civil services exam:
UPSC IAS Exam 2025 Highlights
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| IAS Full Form | Indian Administrative Service |
| Post Name | Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), etc. |
| Exam level | National |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Last Date to Apply Online | February 18, 2025 |
| IAS 2025 Prelims Exam | May 25, 2025 |
| Vacancies | 979 |
| No. of applicants | 10 lakh (approx) |
| No. of test-takers | 6.5 lakh (approx) |
| Selection Process | Prelims, Mains, and Interview |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC IAS 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
The UPSC IAS notification was released on January 22, 2025, and the last date to apply online has also been extended to February 18, 2025. Check all the important dates of the UPSC IAS exam shared below so that aspirants do not miss any deadlines:
UPSC IAS 2025- Important Dates
| Events | Dates |
| UPSC Notification 2025 Release Date | 22nd January 2025 |
| UPSC Registration Date Begins on | 22nd January 2025 |
| Last Day to Apply for the UPSC Exam | 18th February 2025 |
| Correction window | 19th February to 25th February 2025 |
| UPSC Admit Card 2025 Release Date | May 2025 |
| Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2025 | 25th May 2025 |
UPSC IAS Application Form 2025
The UPSC IAS application form will remain active from January 22 to February 18, 2025, only at the official website, upsc.gov.in. The UPSC application form is divided into four stages such as Part I (OTR) Profile, Part II (Application Form), Part III (DAF) & Part IV (Fees, Photograph, Signature & Examination Centre Selection). Aspirants are required to pay a fee of Rs.100/. However, candidates belonging to SC/ST/ Female/Persons with Benchmark Disability candidates are exempted from fee payment. Applicants can pay fees in any branch of the State Bank of India by cash, net banking, Visa card, Master card, RuPay card, Credit& Debit Card or UPI Payment.
Before filling out the form, they must have a photograph and signature duly scanned in the .jpg format. Each file must not exceed 300 KB each and must not be less than 20 KB in size for the photograph and signature. They must have details of one Photo ID Card viz. Aadhar Card/ Voter Card (EPIC) / PAN Card / Passport/ Driving License / Any other photo ID card issued by the State / Central Government. Applicants must avoid submitting multiple applications. Follow these simple steps to fill out the UPSC IAS application form 2025 without any difficulty.
- Visit the official UPSC website.
- On the homepage, click on the “Examination Notifications” button.
- Click on the “Apply Online” link under the “Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2025” tab.
- Register with all the required information such as valid email ID, mobile number, and other details.
- Now, log in with the credentials and fill out the online form with all the details.
- Next, upload all the documents like photographs and signatures and pay the examination fees.
- Submit the UPSC online form successfully and take the printout of the same for future reference.
UPSC IAS 2025 Notification
The Union Public Service Commission has uploaded the UPSC IAS 2025 Notification PDF on the official website. The UPSC notification includes details like eligibility, exam dates, selection process, syllabus, pattern, and other relevant information. Aspirants must thoroughly read the IAS notification and ensure they adhere to all the eligibility requirements before applying for the civil services exam. The direct link to download the UPSC IAS 2025 Notification PDF is activated below.
UPSC IAS 2025 Notification PDF-Click Here
UPSC IAS Eligibility 2025
The authorities have announced the UPSC IAS Eligibility 2025 in the official notification. Fulfilling all these IAS eligibility requirements is mandatory to proceed ahead in the CSE recruitment process. In simpler terms, any candidate who has completed graduation and whose age is 21 years or above can apply online for UPSC IAS 2025 recruitment. Check the complete UPSC IAS age limit and other eligibility requirements listed below for the knowledge of the aspirants.
UPSC IAS 2025 Age Limit
The minimum UPSC age limit shall be 21 years whereas the maximum age shall be 32 years on the 1st of August, 2025 as per the official notification. It implies that the aspirants must have been born not earlier than 2nd August 1993 and not after the 1st August 2004 when applying for UPSC IAS recruitment.
UPSC IAS 2025 Age Limit
| Minimum Age | 21 years |
| Maximum Age | 32 years |
UPSC IAS 2025 Age Limit Relaxation
The upper age limit shall be relaxed for reserved category candidates applying for the UPSC IAS 2025. The category-wise UPSC age relaxation is tabulated below for the knowledge of the candidates:
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe | 5 years |
| Other Backward Classes | 3 years |
| Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years of Military Service | 5 years |
UPSC IAS 2025 Educational Qualification
As per UPSC IAS educational qualification, the candidate must have completed a graduation degree from any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India/other educational institutions or equivalent qualification.
Only valid proof of passing the qualifying examination i.e. degree certificate/final mark sheet/provisional degree certificate etc, that are normally issued by the competent authority after the results are declared by the University/Boards will be accepted.
UPSC IAS 2025 Nationality
To be eligible for the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service and the Indian Police Service, the aspirant must be a citizen of India. However, they will be eligible for other services if they are:
a citizen of India, or
a subject of Nepal, or
a subject of Bhutan, or
a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India
UPSC IAS 2025 Vacancies
A total of 979 vacancies have been released for UPSC CSE recruitment 2025, of which 38 posts are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability Category, 12 vacancies are released for candidates of blindness and low vision, 7 vacancies for deaf and hard of hearing, 10 vacancies for locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy and 9 vacancies for multiple disabilities from amongst persons. Check the detailed distribution of UPSC IAS 2025 vacancies detailed below:
| UPSC CSE Vacancies 2025 | 979 |
UPSC IAS 2025 Selection Process
The UPSC IAS selection process 2025 is divided into three stages such as preliminary, main, and interview. The preliminary exam comprises two papers (objective type) carrying 200 marks each whereas the mains & interview rounds will be conducted for a total of 2025 marks (1750 for mains and 275 marks for personality test).
However, the marks obtained in the Civil Services (Main) Examination and Interview/Personality Test would determine their final ranking. The allotment of various services to the candidates will be made after considering their ranks in the examination and the preferences given by them for the various Services and posts. The UPSC selection process comprises the following stages such as:
- Preliminary Exam
- Main Exam
- Personality Test/Interview
UPSC IAS 2025 Exam Pattern
Aspirants must check the UPSC IAS 2025 Exam Pattern to get insights into the assessment criteria and format in which questions are asked in the exam. It will help them strategise their exam goals accordingly. Check the UPSC exam pattern 2025 for all the stages in the table below:
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
- The UPSC Prelims exam comprises two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.
- Both the papers carry objective type (multiple choice questions).
- The exam duration shall be two hours duration for each paper.
- The General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) will be a qualifying paper with minimum marks fixed at 33%. The language of question papers will be Hindi and English.
- There shall be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for each incorrect answer.
| Subject | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| General Studies Paper-I | 200 | 2 hours |
| General Studies Paper-II (CSAT) | 200 | 2 hours |
About UPSC CSAT
The General Studies Paper-II or CSAT is the second paper of the UPSC IAS prelims exam. The medium of these papers is Hindi and English. Typically, it is a qualifying paper with minimum marks set at 33%. It comprises Objective type (multiple choice questions) for a total of 200 marks. The exam duration shall be two hours.
The commission will prepare a list of candidates to be qualified for the main exam based on the criteria of minimum marks of 33% in CSAT and total qualifying marks of the General Studies Paper-I prelims exam.
There will also be a negative marking of one-third (0.33) mark for incorrect answers. Questions in UPSC CSAT will be asked from topics like Comprehension, Interpersonal skills, Logical reasoning and analytical ability, Decision-making and problem-solving, General mental ability, Basic numeracy, Data interpretation, etc.
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2025
The UPSC Civil Services (Main) exam comprises 9 papers of conventional essay type.
The standard of papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and Paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent exam and will be qualifying in nature. The marks secured in these papers will not be considered for ranking.
| Paper | Maximum Marks |
| Paper-A (One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). | 300 Marks |
| Paper-B English | 300 Marks |
| Paper-I Essay | 250 Marks |
| Paper-II General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-III General Studies -II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-IV General Studies -III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-V General Studies -IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) | 250 Marks |
| Paper-VI Optional Subject-Paper 1 | 250 Marks |
| Paper-VII Optional Subject-Paper 2 | 250 Marks |
| Sub Total (Written test) | 1750 Marks |
| Personality Test | 275 Marks |
| Grand Total | 2025 Marks |
UPSC IAS Interview/Personality Test
All the qualified aspirants will be interviewed by a Board that will have a record of the candidate’s career. Questions in the interview will be related to general interest. The UPSC Interview/Personality Test tests the personal suitability of the aspirants for a career in public service. It carries a total of 275 marks.
UPSC IAS Syllabus 2025
Aspirants must also download and check UPSC IAS Syllabus 2025 to cover all the chapters/topics/sub-topics that can be asked in the exam. The UPSC IAS syllabus is available in two stages i.e. prelims and mains. Check the subject-wise UPSC syllabus 2025 for all the exam stages in the tables below:
UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025
We have discussed below the latest UPSC prelims syllabus 2025 for all the papers to guide the candidates in their preparation journey:
| Paper I Syllabus 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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization. General Science |
| CSAT Syllabus 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) |
UPSC Mains Syllabus 2025
We have compiled below the latest UPSC mains syllabus 2025 for all the papers to assist the test-takers in a detailed manner:
| English and Indian language Comprehension of given passages. Precis Writing. Usage and Vocabulary. Short Essays Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa. |
| Paper-I Write essays on multiple topics, arrange ideas in orderly fashion and write concisely |
| General Studies-I Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues. The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country. History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. Effects of globalization on Indian society. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism. Salient features of the world’s physical geography. Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India). Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. |
| General Studies- II Indian Constitution-historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. Separation of powers between various organs disputes redressal mechanisms and institutions. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries. Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures. Role of civil services in a democracy. India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. |
| General Studies-III Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Government Budgeting. Major crop-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing. Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management. Land reforms in India. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. Investment models. Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing the new technology Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Disaster and disaster management. Linkages between development and spread of extremism. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention. Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism. Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate |
| General Studies- IV 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; the role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values. 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. Emotional intelligence concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world. Public/Civil Service values and Ethics in 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. 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. Case Studies on the above issues |
| Optional Subject Papers I & II (i) Agriculture (ii) Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science (iii) Anthropology (iv) Botany (v) Chemistry (vi) Civil Engineering (vii) Commerce and Accountancy (viii) Economics (ix) Electrical Engineering (x) Geography (xi) Geology (xii) History (xiii) Law (xiv) Management (xv) Mathematics (xvi) Mechanical Engineering (xvii) Medical Science (xviii) Philosophy (xix) Physics (xx) Political Science and International Relations (xxi) Psychology (xxii) Public Administration (xxiii) Sociology (xxiv) Statistics (xxv) Zoology (xxvi) Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English |
UPSC IAS Admit Card 2025
The UPSC IAS Admit Card 2025 will be released by the officials a few days before the exam date. Aspirants need to use the correct login credentials to download the admit card from the official portal. Here are the easy steps to access the UPSC admit card 2025 without any inconvenience:
- Go to the official UPSC website.
- On the homepage, click the “UPSC CSE Admit Card 2025” link.
- Enter the required credentials.
- The hall ticket will be displayed.
- Download the document for future use.
UPSC IAS Exam Analysis
Candidates planning to appear in the upcoming UPSC IAS 2025 exam must check the past year’s analysis and trends to get an idea of the difficulty level and competition trends of the exam. As per the UPSC IAS exam analysis 2024, the questions asked in the prelims exam were moderate in nature. Here is the UPSC exam analysis 2024 for the prelims exam across all the sections tabulated below:
UPSC Prelims Exam Analysis 2024
| Subject | Question | Difficulty Level |
| Ancient & Medieval History | 5-6 | Difficult |
| General Science | 4-5 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Environment, Wildlife & Biodiversity | 9-10 | Difficult |
| Art, Culture & Ancient Literature | 2-3 | Difficult |
| Geography | 22-24 | Moderate to Difficult |
| World Economy | 1-2 | Difficult |
| Defence Force Ranks | 1-2 | Moderate |
| Books | 1-2 | Moderate |
| Technology | 4-5 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Current Affairs | 9-10 | Moderate |
| Government Scheme | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Indian Polity | 20-21 | Moderate |
| Indian Economy | 11-12 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Overall | 100 | Moderate |
UPSC IAS Answer Key 2025
The UPSC IAS Answer Key 2025 will be uploaded by the officials a few days after the exam date. Aspirants need to use the correct login credentials to access the answer key in the official portal. Here are the easy steps to access the UPSC answer key 2025 without any hassles:
- Go to the official UPSC website.
- On the homepage, click the “UPSC CSE Answer Key 2025” link.
- Enter the required credentials.
- The answer key PDF will be displayed.
- Download the document for future use.
UPSC IAS Cutoff 2025
Aspirants need to score more than or equal to the UPSC IAS cut-off 2025 in order to get shortlisted for further rounds. The UPSC cutoff marks are determined by several factors such as a number of test-takers, vacancies, categories, etc. As UPSC cut-off 2025 is yet to be released. So, candidates can check UPSC’s previous year cut-off for 2023 and 2022 for reference purposes:
UPSC IAS Cut Off 2023
Check the UPSC IAS Cut Off 2023 for prelims, mains, and final tabulated below for the ease of the aspirants.
| Category | IAS Prelims Cut off 2023 | IAS Mains Cut off 2023 | IAS Final Cut off 2023 |
| General | 75.41 | 741 | 953 |
| EWS | 68.02 | 706 | 923 |
| OBC | 74.75 | 712 | 919 |
| SC | 59.25 | 694 | 890 |
| ST | 47.82 | 692 | 891 |
UPSC IAS Cut Off 2022
Let’s discuss the UPSC IAS Cut Off 2022 for prelims, mains, and final below for reference of the aspirants.
| IAS Exam | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
| CS(Prelim) | 88.22 | 82.83 | 87.54 | 74.08 | 69.35 |
| CS(Main) | 748 | 715 | 714 | 699 | 706 |
| CS(Final) | 960 | 926 | 923 | 893 | 900 |
UPSC IAS Result 2025
The UPSC IAS Result 2025 will be announced by the officials a few days after the exam is over. Aspirants need to use the correct login credentials to check the result in the official portal. Here are the easy steps to access the UPSC Result 2025 with ease:
- Go to the official UPSC website.
- On the homepage, click the “UPSC CSE Prelims/Mains Result 2025” link under “What’s New”.
- Enter the required credentials.
- The result PDF will be displayed.
- Download the result for future use.
UPSC IAS Salary & RankWise Posts
Aspirants must also check UPSC IAS salary before applying to understand whether the offering aligns with their financial goals. The basic pay of the IAS Officer post will be Rs 56100 per month. Along with basic UPSC salary, IAS officers will also receive various allowances including Dearness Allowances, House Rent Allowances, and Travel Allowances. Here is the post-wise IAS officer salary shared below for reference purposes:
| IAS Rank Wise Post | IAS Basic Pay | IAS Pay Level | Total Years of Service |
| SDM, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary | Rs 56100 | 10 | 1-4 years |
| ADM, Deputy Secretary, Undersecretary | Rs 67,700 | 11 | 5-8 years |
| District Magistrate, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary | Rs 78,800 | 12 | 9-12 years |
| District Magistrate, Deputy Secretary, and Director | Rs 1,18,500 | 13 | 13-16 years |
| Divisional Commissioner, Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Joint Secretary | Rs 1,44,200 | 14 | 16-24 years |
| Divisional Commissioner, Principal Secretary, and Additional Secretary | Rs 1,82,200 | 15 | 25-30 years |
| Additional Chief Secretary | Rs 2,05,400 | 16 | 30-33 years |
| Chief Secretary and Secretary | Rs 2,25,000 | 17 | 34-36 years |
| Cabinet Secretary of India | Rs 2,50,000 | 18 | 37+ years |
UPSC IAS Question Paper
UPSC releases the IAS question paper soon after the exam is conducted successfully, Aspirants who are planning to appear in the upcoming UPSC 2025 exam must download the UPSC previous year’s question paper to get an idea of the topics from which questions are asked in the exam. Here is the direct link to download the UPSC IAS previous year’s question paper for the prelims exam from 2024 to 2022 shared below:
| Subject | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| General Studies Paper I | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here |
| General Studies Paper II | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here |
List of UPSC Toppers
The UPSC toppers list 2025 is yet to be announced. The list of UPSC toppers is announced on the official website after all the stages are conducted successfully. Meanwhile, candidates can check the UPSC CSE 2023 Toppers list compiled below for reference purposes.
UPSC CSE 2023 Toppers list
| All India Rank | Name |
| 1 | Aditya Srivastava |
| 2 | Animesh Pradhan |
| 3 | Donuru Ananya Reddy |
| 4 | P K Sidharth Ramkumar |
| 5 | Ruhani |
| 6 | Srishti Dabas |
| 7 | Anmol Rathore |
| 8 | Ashish Kumar |
| 9 | Nausheen |
| 10 | Aishwaryam Prajapati |
UPSC IAS 2025 Preparation
UPSC IAS is one of the most prestigious yet highly competitive civil service examinations in the country. The right set of books, approach, and mindset can help candidates plan a well-structured study plan. Let’s discuss the UPSC preparation guide to excel in the exam:
- Analyse the IAS syllabus and pattern to understand important topics/chapters and actual test requirements.
- Consider feedback from previous toppers while choosing UPSC books for preparation.
- Practice questions from the mock test, question bank and past papers to strengthen weak areas.
- Maintain short notes of subject-specific chapters for quick revision.
UPSC IAS Books
Aspirants must choose the best UPSC IAS books before commencing the civil service exam preparation. It must explain the concepts in an easy yet detailed manner and must have numerous practice papers. However, candidates must read one book for one subject in order to maintain conceptual clarity. Check the UPSC books for prelims and mains exam shared below:
| UPSC IAS Prelims Books | India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval) Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania NCERT XII (Modern Indian History) Certificate Physical Geography by G C Leong Geography NCERT VI-X (Old Syllabus) Geography NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus) World Atlas (Orient Black Swan) Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth Polity NCERT IX-XII Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania NCERT XII (Contemporary World Politics) Economic Development & Policies in India by Jain & Ohri NCERT XI Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R S Aggarwal |
| UPSC IAS Mains Books | Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra World Geography by Majid Husain World Atlas (Orient Black Swan) Geography of India by Majid Husain Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Main Examination by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudary |
Services in UPSC Civil Services (IAS) Exam
The UPSC Civil Services Exam is the gateway to All-India Services (AIS) and numerous Central Civil Services positions. Here is the list of services included in UPSC CSE recruitment shared below:
- Indian Administrative Service
- Indian Foreign Service
- Indian Police Service
- Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Corporate Law Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Information Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Railway Management Service (Traffic), Group ‘A’
- Indian Railway Management Service (Personnel), Group ‘A’
- Indian Railway Management Service (Accounts), Group ‘A’
- Indian Railway Protection Force Service, Group ‘A’
- Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) Group ‘A’
- Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group ‘A’
- Indian Trade Service, Group ‘A’ (Grade III)
- Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade)
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS), Group ‘B’
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS), Group ‘B’
- Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS), Group ‘B’
- Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS), Group ‘B’
UPSC IAS FAQs
Are IAS and UPSC the same?
No. IAS and UPSC are not the same. UPSC conducts civil services exam to recruit IAS officers.
What is the highest post in IAS?
The highest post in IAS shall be The Cabinet Secretary.
Who can apply for the UPSC IAS Exam?
Any candidate who has completed graduation and whose age is 21 years or above can apply online for the UPSC IAS exam.
What is the salary of IAS?
The basic salary of the IAS Officer post will be Rs 56100 per month and allowances like Dearness Allowances, House Rent Allowances, and Travel Allowances.
What if I fail to qualify UPSC CSAT?
If you fail to qualify UPSC CSAT paper, then you will not be shortlisted for the mains exam as it is one of the compulsory qualifying papers of the UPSC prelims exam.