UPSC Mains, Exam Date 2025, Mains Exam Schedule & Time Table Out

The UPSC CSE Mains 2025 is all set to commence from 22 August, 2025 onwards and will continue for 05 days., that is, 22, 23, 24, 30 and 31 August, 2025. According to the Schedule, UPSC Essay (Paper 1) will be conducted on 22.08.2025 (Friday), GS 1 & GS 2 will be conducted on 23.08.2025 (Saturday), GS 3 & GS 4 will be conducted on 24.08.2025 (Sunday), Language Papers (Paper A & Paper B) are on 30.08.2025 (Saturday) and Optional Subjects (Paper 1 & Paper 2) are on 31.08.2025 (Sunday).

The UPSC Mains Admit Card 2025 is expected to be released 1-2 weeks before the scheduled exam date. The UPSC Civil Services Notification 2025 was officially released on 22nd January 2025, announcing 979 vacancies for prestigious posts such as IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS, and UPSC Prelims Result 2025 was announced at @upsc.gov.in on 11 June, 2025! A total of 14161 candidates have qualified the Prelims 2025 conducted on 25th May, 2025 and will now be appearing for the UPSC Mains 2025. 

Talking about UPSC CSE 2026, Official Notification will be released on 14 January, 2026 as per the official UPSC Calendar 2026 released on 15 May, 2025. Applicants must first register on the UPSC One Time Registration (OTR) Portal, which requires a one-time setup for lifetime use. UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24 May, 2026 (Sunday), while the Mains 2026 will commence from 21 August, 2026 onwards. 

Every year through UPSC Civil Services Examination eligible candidates are shortlisted for various Central Government Positions, including the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes and Income Tax), Indian Railway Management Services, Indian Trade Service, and several other Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ services, including DANICS and DANIPS. Go through the important details about UPSC CSE 2025 in this article. 

• The UPSC age limit for the Civil Services Examination is 21 to 32 Years for General Category, 21 to 35 years for OBCs, 21 to 37 for SC/ST Candidates and 21 to 42 for PwBD Candidates.
• There is no separate UPSC age limit for female candidates.
• The minimum educational qualification required for the UPSC CSE is a Bachelor's Degree (Graduate Degree) from any recognized University/Institution in India.
• A total of 6 attempts are available for General Candidates and 9 attempts for OBC Candidates. There is no limit to number of attempts for SC/ST candidates.

In this article, go through detailed information about UPSC Civil Services Exam 2025, including upcoming upsc exam date 2025, eligibility, selection process, post-wise salary details and latest exam updates.

Attempt UPSC CSE GS Paper 1 (Final Sprint) Full Length Test

UPSC Mains 2025 Exam Schedule OUT

The Union Public Service Commission has released the Mains 2025 Exam Schedule. The Civil Services Mains Exam will be conducted from 22 August, 2025 onwards. The Mains Exam will be conducted on 22, 23, 24, 30 and 31st August, 2025 in two sessions per day. Check the detailed exam schedule in the table below -

Paper A (Indian Language): Assamese / Bengali / Bodo / Dogri/ Gujarati / Hindi / Kannada / Kashmiri/ Konkani / Maithilli / Malayalam / Manipuri / Marathi / Nepali / Odia / Punjabi / Sanskrit / Santhali (Devanagari / Olchiki Script)/ Sindhi (Devanagari / Arabic Script) / Tamil / Telugu / Urdu

Optional Subjects (Paper 1 & Paper 2): Agriculture / Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science / Anthropology / Botany / Chemistry / Civil Engineering / Commerce & Accountancy / Economics / Electrical Engineering / Geography / Geology / History / Law / Management / Mathematics / Mechanical Engineering / Medical Science / Philosophy / Physics / Political Science & International Relations / Psychology / Public Administration / Sociology / Statistics / Zoology / Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese / Bengali / Bodo / Dogri / Gujarati / Hindi / Kannada / Kashmiri / Konkani / Maithilli / Malayalam / Manipuri / Marathi / Nepali / Odia / Punjabi / Sanskrit / Santhali / Sindhi / Tamil / Telugu / Urdu / English)

Download UPSC CSE Mains 2025 Time Table & Exam Schedule PDF

UPSC Civil Services Exam 2025: Highlights

The UPSC IAS 2025 Notification is available on the UPSC website from 22nd January, 2025. After filling the DAF-1, Shortlisted candidates can appear for the UPSC Mains Exam from 22.08.2025 onwards. Below are quick highlights of the UPSC Civil Services Notification that you should be aware about –

UPSC CSE Prelims Booklet

UPSC Key Directive Words

UPSC Civil Services Notification 2025

As per the UPSC Calendar 2025, the Union Public Service Commission has released the official UPSC CSE Notification 2025 on 22nd January, 2025 on the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in. UPSC has announced 979 Vacancies for various posts. The UPSC 2025 Prelims was conducted on 25th May, 2025 and Mains Exam is scheduled from 22 August, 2025 onwards. UPSC aspirants who will be appearing for the upcoming Mains exam should keep themselves well informed with the latest UPSC Exam updates as the commission will soon release Mains Admit Cards.

Download UPSC IAS Notification 2025 PDF

UPSC Exam Date 2025

UPSC Mains Exam 2025 is scheduled from 22 August, 2025 onwards and will stretch for a span of 05 days. The Union Public Service Commission has released the Mains Detailed Application Form-1 @upsc.gov.in on 16 June, 2025 and the last date to complete the UPSC Mains DAF-1 was 25th June, 2025. 

Knowing the UPSC Civil Services Exam Dates for each stage of the selection process is essential for the aspirants to strategize their preparation effectively. 

UPSC Exam Date 2026 (Out)

The Union Public Service Commission has released the official UPSC Calendar 2026 announcing the detailed exam schedule for the Civil Services Examination 2026. UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24 May, 2026 (Sunday), while the Mains Exam 2026 will commence from 21 August, 2026 onwards. The official UPSC CSE 2026 Notification will be out on 14 January, 2026. 

Download UPSC 2026 Exam Date Calendar PDF

UPSC Mains Hall Ticket 2025 Out Soon!

The Union Public Service Commission will soon release the official UPSC Mains Hall Ticket 2025, tentatively in the 2nd week of August, 2025. The UPSC e-admit card for the Civil Services Prelims Exams was released on 13th May, 2025. The admit card is an important document issued by the UPSC for appearing in the Civil Services Prelims, Mains and Interview. Details such as the UPSC exam date 2025, UPSC Exam Timing, venue and guidelines to be followed on exam day will be printed on the Admit Card. Candidates must download their e-admit card well in advance to avoid last-minute hassles. No candidate will be allowed to enter the exam center without a valid UPSC CSE Admit Card. The admit card copy acts as a proof for identifying candidates appearing for the prestigious Civil Services Exam.

UPSC Civil Services Vacancies 2025

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced 979 vacancies for recruitment through the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025. These vacancies cover various prestigious posts and services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS, among others. This year’s vacancies show a slight decrease compared to the previous year, where 1,056 positions were announced for UPSC CSE 2024. 

UPSC Mains Registration 2025

UPSC Mains DAF-1 2025 is out on the official website @upsc.gov.in from 16 June, 2025 onwards. Candidates who have qualified the Prelims will now be appearing for the Mains from 22 August, 2025 onwards. The last date to fill the DAF-1 is 25th June, 2025. UPSC Online Registration 2025 began on 22nd January, 2025 for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) along with the release of the UPSC Notification 2025. The online UPSC Application Form was available on the official UPSC website @upsc.gov.in from 22 January, 2025 onwards. The last date to complete the UPSC online application form and the pay the application fee was 21st February, 2025. Candidates must keep themselves updated with the UPSC Application Form dates to complete the registration process well in advance before the deadline.

How to Apply Online for UPSC Civil Services 2025?

Only those candidates who are eligible as per the requirements given above can register for this exam. If you are looking to learn how to apply for this exam, follow the steps given below –

Step 1 – Visit the Official Website

Click on the direct link provided above to go to the online registration portal. Alternatively, visit the official UPSC Online Recruitment Application (ORA) page for carrying out the registration process.

Step 2 – Online Registration

In Part - I registration, candidates will have to fill in all the personal information like name, age, address, etc.

Step 3 – Corrections in Online Application

After the completion of this section, candidates must ensure/double-check that they have filled in all details correctly. Corrections cannot be made after clicking on the submit button.

Step 4 – Uploading of Documents

In Part - II registration candidates have to submit all the requisite documents, namely; educational certificates, ID proof, age relaxation if applicable, photograph, signature, payment details, and declaration. (Photograph & Signature should be uploaded in JPG format).

Step 5 – Selection of Exam Centre

Candidates must also choose the exam center they wish to write the examination.

Step 6 – Final Submit

Candidates can finally click on the “I Agree” button and submit the application form after filling in all the details. A Registration Number will be provided to the candidates, make sure to keep it safe and also take copies of the application form for future reference.

Note – Candidates must also ensure that they give a valid email address as all communication and follow ups will be sent to the candidates on this very email ID.

UPSC Civil Services Application Fee 2025​

Candidates applying for the UPSC Civil Services Exam are required to pay the following application fee as per their category:

UPSC Civil Services Eligibility 2025

Along with the official UPSC CSE notification, the Union Public Service Commission has also released the UPSC Civil Services Eligibility Criteria. All candidates must fulfill all the eligibility requirements in order to be shortlisted for the various posts under the Civil Services Exam. The eligibility criteria for the UPSC Civil Services exam is as follows.

• In terms of education, candidates must hold a degree from a recognized university or its equivalent. The minimum age to appear for the exam is 21 years while the maximum age is 32 years as on August 1 of the year of examination. 
• There are age relaxations provided for candidates belonging to reserved categories like SC, ST and OBC. 
• Candidates must be citizens of India or subject of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees or persons of Indian origin migrated from certain African countries. 
• The number of attempts allowed for general candidates is 6, for OBC it is 9 and for SC/ST category, there is no limit on number of attempts till the prescribed age limit. 

Aspiring candidates must ensure they meet these eligibility norms before applying for this prestigious civil service examination.

UPSC Selection Process 2025

The selection process for the Civil Services exam takes place over three stages – Prelims, Mains and Interview. Each stage is a gradual filtering process to select the most suitable candidates for the coveted IAS, IFS, IPS and other Central Services. Let us look at the detailed UPSC CSE Selection Process below –

Prelims (Phase-1)

The UPSC CSE Prelims is a screening test consisting of two objective papers of 200 marks each – General Studies and the CSAT Exam. Candidates have to qualify the UPSC Prelims 2025 by obtaining minimum marks separately in each paper. The papers are designed to shortlist around 12-15 times the number of vacancies. Important highlights of the UPSC CSE Prelims paper are –

• Paper I is the General Studies test which evaluates candidates’ General Knowledge/Studies and Awareness.
• Paper II tests aptitude through questions on comprehension, interpersonal skills etc.
• The Prelims is conducted for a total of 400 marks, with each paper carrying 200 marks.
• The duration of both GS and CSAT papers is 2 hours each.

Mains (Phase-II)

Candidates who qualify the UPSC Prelims 2025 will be called to appear for the second stage of the selection process, i.e. Mains. It consists of 7 Descriptive papers including two Language papers, 1 Essay paper, 4 General Studies papers, and two Optional papers. Only the candidates who clear the Prelims will be allowed for Mains. Important highlights of the UPSC CSE Mains are as follows –

• Written exam of 1750 marks in 9 papers held in August-September
• The papers include General Studies, Essay, Language and optional subjects
• The duration of each of the papers will be 3 hours.
• Questions will be both of objective-type and descriptive type.
• There is a negative marking in the objective type paper where 1/3rd of marks will be deducted for wrong answers.

Interview (Phase-III)

Candidates are called for the Interview, which is the final stage of the selection process, in the ratio of 1:5. The following are some of the important details for this final selection stage –

• Interview is of 275 marks with no minimum qualifying marks
• Conducted in January-February by UPSC board members
• Candidates are judged for their intelligence, manner, alertness of mind etc.
• Final merit list and selection done basis marks of candidates in the Mains and Interview

The selection process evaluates candidates on various parameters using multiple stages to pick the most suitable ones for the nation's premier administrative services.

UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern 2025

The UPSC Civil Services Exam Pattern details the types of questions, sectional weightage, marking scheme, etc., for each stage of the examination. Since the UPSC exam date 2025 is out, candidates must not wait any further to acquaint themselves with the exam pattern. The stage-wise UPSC IAS Exam Pattern is given below.

UPSC CSE Syllabus

The UPSC Civil Services Syllabus is different for the Prelims and Mains stages. As the UPSC 2025 Prelims exam date is out, candidates preparing for the UPSC IAS Exam must carefully go through the entire syllabus and plan their preparation accordingly. 

• The UPSC Prelims Syllabus includes topics related to General Studies and Aptitude for Civil Services. 
• The UPSC Syllabus for Mains includes  Essay writing, General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society), General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations), General Studies –III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management), General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude), and optional subjects (as chosen by the candidates).

​UPSC Civil Services Salary 

The starting monthly basic pay for an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer is Rs. 56,100. The gross monthly salary ranges from Rs. 56,000 to approximately to Rs. 1,50,000. During the initial two-year training period, IAS officers receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 56,100. The maximum salary for an IAS officer can reach up to Rs. 2,50,000, particularly for those holding the esteemed position of Cabinet Secretary. These figures represent the current salary structure for IAS officers, reflecting the various stages of their careers and responsibilities.

Also read - UPSC Post List & Salary

UPSC Civil Services Books

The UPSC Civil Services Exam is perhaps the country’s most challenging exams that require years of dedicated preparation. Choosing the right books for preparation is essential for clearing the UPSC CSE.

• NCERT Books for UPSC are a must-have for subjects like History, Geography, Polity and Environment.
• For comprehensive knowledge of Current Affairs, books like Spectrum, Yojana, Kurukshetra and Indian Year Book are useful.
• For Polity, Laxmikant and DD Basu are considered the bible.
• Books by Sumit Ganguly and Raj Kumar help with International Relations.
• For Economics, ND Vohra, MC Shukla and Micro & Macro guides suffice.

Also, GIST of newspapers like The Hindu, Anthropic Optional books and other study materials aid revision and practice tests. Proper reading and revision of the right UPSC CSE Books is recommended for UPSC Prelims 2025 preparation for each subject.

UPSC Civil Services Preparation Tips

There are several effective tips and strategies for preparation of UPSC Civil Services Exam which can help aspirants clear this challenging test with flying colors. Since the UPSC Exam Date 2025 is released, candidates aspiring to crack the upcoming Civil Services Examination must go through the following preparation tips recommended by experts –

1. Make a detailed study plan and practice discipline in adhering to a routine.
2. Focus on NCERT textbooks and revise regularly instead of jumping to other books.
3. Pay attention to taking notes and analyze previous year papers.
4. Track current affairs daily from multiple sources like newspapers and monthly magazines.
5. Choose an optional subject based on your strengths, interest and availability of study material.
6. Practice answering questions in a timed manner to build speed and accuracy.
7. Learn from mentors, join coaching and online test series for evaluation and improvement.
8. Take mock tests at regular intervals and analyze results to strengthen weak areas.
9. Maintain physical, mental and emotional well-being through exercises, yoga and meditation.
10. Have confidence in your abilities and stay motivated by focusing on your goal.

UPSC Civil Services Answer Key 2024 OUT!

The Union Public Service Commission has released the official UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key 2024 on the official website @upsc.gov.in. Candidates can now download the official UPSC Prelims 2024 Answer Key for GS Paper 1 and CSAT. The UPSC releases the official Answer Key for the Civil Services Prelims Exam afte rthe final Result is out!

Aspirants must analyze the UPSC Civil Services Answer Key to assess their performance and identify areas requiring improvements. Any discrepancy observed can be raised through representations within the stipulated time frame, based on the instructions specified in the official notification.

Download UPSC Answer Key 2024 for GS Paper 1 PDF

Download UPSC Answer Key 2024 for CSAT PDF

UPSC Civil Services Cut Off

The UPSC announces category-wise cut-off marks after each of the Prelims and Mains exams. The cut-off varies each year based on the difficulty level of the paper and number of vacancies. It is the minimum marks required to qualify for the next phase. The UPSC CSE Cut Off of prelims is based on the GS Paper 1 while the Mains cut-off helps shortlist candidates for the interview round. Aspirants must obtain marks higher than the prescribed cut-off to have a chance of getting recommended for the Civil Services. For the 2023-24 cycle, the Union Public Service Commission announced the Prelims cutoff marks which were in the range of 85-90 for the General category. Candidates must keep a tab on the latest updates related to the cutoff to benchmark their preparation accordingly.

UPSC Civil Services Result 2025 @upsc.gov.in [OUT]

The UPSC Prelims 2025 Result is out for the CSE conducted on 25th May, 2025. The final result for UPSC CSE will be declared after the successful completion of all three stages – Prelims, Mains and the Interview. The Union Public Service Commission has released the official UPSC Prelims Result 2025 @upsc.gov.in for the Preliminary Examination in the form of a roll number wise Merit List PDF.

• A comprehensive merit list is prepared by the UPSC based on the cumulative scores of candidates in the mains written exam and viva round.
• The final UPSC CSE Result contains roll numbers and names of recommended candidates in order of merit for appointment to IAS, IFS and other coveted civil services.
• Every year, candidates eagerly await the UPSC CSE Result and merit list as it marks the culmination of, often, years of dedicated effort. 

We hope you find this article about UPSC Exam 2025 to be informative. You can also check out our UPSC Online Coaching program. For more information on the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam) download the Testbook App now!