The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.It is conducted in two phases – a preliminary examination consisting of two objective-type papers (general studies and aptitude test), and a main examination consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type followed by a personality test (interview).

The examination consists of the following three stages:

• Stage I: Preliminary examination – A qualifying test advertised in May and held in August each year. Results are published in mid-October.
• Stage II: Main examination – Held in December every year. Results are usually published in the second week of March.
• Stage III: Personality Test (interview) – held in April/May each year. Final results are usually announced in May .

Eligibility

Eligibility for the examination is as follows:

Nationality

• For the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.
  • A citizen of India
  • A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

• For other services, a candidate must be one of the following:
  • A citizen of India
  • A citizen ofNepal or a subject of Bhutan
  • A person of Indian origin who has migrated fromPakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnamwith the intention of permanently settling in India.

Education

All candidates must have as a minimum one of the following educational qualifications:

• A degree from a Central, State or Deemed university
• A degree received through correspondence or distance education
• A degree from an open university
• A qualification recognized by the Government of India as being equivalent to one of the above

The following candidates are also eligible, but must submit proof of their eligibility from a competent authority at their institute/university at the time of the main examination, failing which they will not be allowed to attend the exam.

• Candidates who have appeared in an examination, the passing of which would render them educationally qualified enough to satisfy one of the above points
• Candidates who have passed the final exam of the MBBS degree but have not yet completed an internship
• Candidates who have passed the final exam of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), ICSI and ICWAI
• A degree from a private university
• A degree from any foreign university recognized by theAssociation of Indian Universities

Age

A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on August 1 of the year of examination. Prescribed age limits vary with respect to caste reservations. For other backwards castes (OBC) the upper age limit is 35, and for scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) the limit is 37 years. The upper age limit is relaxed for certain candidates who are backward with respect to other factors and physically handicapped people.

Numbers of attempts

The number of times a candidate may attempt the exam is limited as follows:^[3]

• General category candidates = 6
• OBC category candidates = 9
• SC/ST candidates = unlimited attempts till 37 years of age

Appearing to attempt one of the papers in the preliminary examination is counted as an attempt, including disqualification/ cancellation of candidature. However, applying to sit the exam but failing to attend is not counted as an attempt.

Vacancies and Selection

Generally the number of vacancies varies every year. The number of candidates that pass the preliminary examination is generally 11 or 12 times the number of vacancies, and the number of candidates selected for the final interview is twice the number of vacancies. As per existing policies, reservation for SC/ST/OBC is applied to each level of the selection process.

In 2006, around 400,000 candidates applied for fewer than 500 vacancies. Of those candidates, 7,500 passed the preliminary exam. In 2010, 547,698 candidates appeared for the preliminary exam.

Posts :

1. Indian Administrative Service
2. Indian Foreign Service
3. Indian Police Service
4. Indian Postal & Telegraph Accounts & Finance Service-Group A
5. Indian Audit & Accounts Service Group A
6. Indian Customs and Central Excise Service Group A
7. Indian Defense Accounts Service Group A
8. Indian Revenue Service
9. Indian Ordinance Factories Service
10. Indian Postal Service
11. Indian Civil Accounts Service
12. Indian Railway Traffic Service
13. Indian Railway Accounts Service
14. Indian Railway Personnel Service
15. Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force Service
16. Indian Defense Estates
17. Indian Information Service
18. Assistant Commandant in Central Industrial Security Forces
19. Central Secretariat Service
20. Railway Board Secretariat Service
21. Armed Forces Head Quarters Civil Service
22. Customs Appraisers Services
23. Delhi, Andaman & Nichobar Islands, Laksha Dweep, Daman & Diu and Dara & Nagar Haveli Civil Service
24. Delhi, Andeman & Nichobar Islands, Laksha Dweep, Daman & Diu and Dara & Nagar Haveli Police Service
25. Pondicherry Civil Service
26. Pondicherry Police Service.

Website:www.upsc.gov.in/