UPSC Annual Calendar 2024

For the year 2023-24, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has already released the UPSC calendar 2024 for the various national-level exams on its official website, www.upsc.gov.in. Through UPSC Exam Calendar 2024, the dates for notification, online registration and exams have been announced which would be of great help to the candidates who are planning to prepare for UPSC Exams for the year 2024.

This article will provide you a detailed account of exam date and other dates as per the UPSC notification.

As per the UPSC Annual Exam Calendar 2024, the notification release date, registration dates, and examination dates for all UPSC Exams 2024 are given below-

UPSC CAPF: As per the UPSC Calendar 2024, Central Armed Police Forces Exam 2024 will be held on 04th August 2024 for Assistant Commandants posts. The Central Armed Police Force is a unified name of the seven security forces in India which is authorized by the MHA. The recruited candidates in the UPSC CAPF exam will be selected for vacant Assistant Commandants posts in seven security forces.

UPSC NDA: NDA Exam is conducted two times a year for the candidates who are interested in admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Courses (INAC). According to the UPSC Calendar 2024, NDA I will be held on 21st April 2024 & NDA II is scheduled for 01st September 2024. The selection process for NDA-NA will be conducted through an online examination and SSB Interview.

UPSC CDS: UPSC will be conducting CDS Exam twice a year (21st April 2024 & 01st September 2024) for the aspirants interested in joining the defence force in the Indian Air Force, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Officer’s Training Academy. The selection will be done through an online exam, interview, and medical examination.

UPSC Civil Services-

UPSC Age Limit – Minimum and Maximum Age Eligible for UPSC Exam-

The candidates must be 21 years old and should be less than 32 years as of on 1st August 2023 it means that the candidate should have born not before 2nd August, 1990 and not later than 1st August, 2001. 

UPSC Eligibility Criteria – Nationality

For IAS and IPS:

• Candidate must be a citizen of India

All other Services:

• Candidate must be either:-

1. A citizen of India, or

2. A subject of Nepal, or

3. A subject of Bhutan, or

4. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently, or

5. 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.

Although there are some exceptions for recruitment in certain posts-

• The candidates belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) and (5) should furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India

• A person belonging to categories (2), (3) and (4) is not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

• One must go through the details of the eligibility criteria before starting the preparations because if a person is unable to fulfill any of the eligibility criteria he/she is not eligible to take the UPSC exam.

UPSC 2024 Online Application

It is important for candidates to fill out the UPSC application form to apply for various exams. The application process will start soon after the notification is released. Before the last date of submission, those who intend to take the UPSC 2024 examination must verify their eligibility and complete the application form.

Candidates must carefully read the guidelines before completing the application. Candidates can check the steps to fill out the application form below:

How to Apply for UPSC 2024?

Candidates must follow the steps mentioned below to complete the UPSC 2024 application form.

• Step 1: Visit the official website and select the “Apply Online” option..

• Step 2: Candidates need to register themselves on the UPSC website by creating a profile. To register, candidates need to provide their basic information such as name, date of birth, email ID, and mobile number.

• Step 3: Fill out the online application form with personal information, educational qualifications, and other relevant details. Also, upload scanned copies of their photograph and signature as per the specifications.

• Step 4: Preview the application form to check for any errors or omissions. Verify all the information provided in the application form before submission.

• Step 5: Pay the application fee online using a credit card, debit card, or internet banking. The application fee varies depending on the exam and the category of the candidate.

• Step 6: Candidates can submit the application form. They will receive a confirmation message and a registration number.

• Step 7: Take a printout of the application form and keep it safe for future reference.

UPSC Application Fee

Candidates should ensure that they are eligible to apply for the exam before making the payment. The application fees for UPSC Exam 2024 are as follows:

UPSC Exam Admit Card 2024

The UPSC 2024 admit card is an essential document required to appear in the UPSC examination. The commission will release the admit card a few weeks before the examination date. Candidates can download the admit card in PDF format from the official website by using their registration ID and password. The admit card contains crucial details such as the candidate’s name, photograph, signature, examination centre details, examination date, and time, along with other important instructions. It is mandatory for candidates to carry the admit card with them to the examination center. Without the UPSC 2024 admit card, candidates will not be allowed to enter the examination hall.

Steps to Download the UPSC Exam 2024 Admit Card

• Step 1: Navigate the official website

• Step 2: From the main menu, select the “Admit Cards” tab

• Step 3: Select the examination for which you want to download the admit card

• Step 4: Enter your registration ID or roll number

• Step 5: Enter the Captcha code as shown on the screen

• Step 6: Click on the “Submit” button

• Step 7: UPSC 2024 Admit Card will be displayed on the screen

• Step 8: Take a printout of the admit card after downloading it

UPSC Exam Pattern and Syllabus-

The UPSC CSE exam is conducted in three phases: 

1- THE PRELIMS– a preliminary examination which consists of two objective-type papers 

2- MAINS– a main examination that consists of nine papers that include essay writing, in which two papers are qualifying and only marks of seven are counted

3- An interview round

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern

The candidates should understand the exam pattern of the UPSC Prelims, for better understanding a table is given below-

The subjects in Prelims are common and compulsory to all the students. But there are optional subjects in the mains exam.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Paper-1 (GS-1)

Listed below is the syllabus for GS-1 that is General Studies Paper -1

• Current events of national and international importance

• Current affairs

• Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World

• Indian History 

• Indian National Movement

• Economic & Social Development (Poverty, Demographics, Sustainable Development, Social Sector Initiatives)

• Biodiversity

• General Issues on Environmental Ecology

• Climate Change

• General Science

• International Relations

• Indian Polity

• Indian Governance

UPSC Prelims Syllabus Paper-2 (CSAT)

Listed below is the syllabus for GS-2 that is General Studies Paper -1 or CSAT- Civil Services Aptitude Test.

• Interpersonal skills including communication skills

• Comprehension

• Decision-making and problem-solving

• Logical reasoning and analytical ability

• General mental ability

• Basic numeracy (orders of magnitude, numbers and their relations & others)

• Data Interpretation (Charts, Tables, Graphs Data Sufficiency, etc. Class 10 level knowledge would be sufficient for these topics.

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern-

• After clearing the Prelims the candidate is eligible to appear for the main exam which is the second phase of the UPSC exam. 

• The Mains examination constitutes of  total 9 papers

• Two papers of language out of 9 are the qualifying papers of 300 marks each

• These two qualifying papers are English Language Papers and Any Indian Language

• The papers on General Studies, Essay and Optional Subjects of only those candidates are evaluated who get 25% marks in both language exam papers. If a candidate fails to do so the marks are not counted.

Paper 1-

Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English

Structure of the language papers:

The types of questions asked are –

1. Essay – 100 marks

2. Reading comprehension – 60 marks

3. Precise Writing – 60 marks

4. Translation:

• English to compulsory language (e.g. Hindi) – 20 marks

• Compulsory language to English – 20 marks

Grammar and basic language usage – 40 marks

The rest of the seven papers can be written in any of the languages mentioned under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India or in English.

The pattern of the papers is as follows-

English Language:

• Comprehension of given passages.

• Precise Writing.

• Usage and Vocabulary.

• Short Essays.

Indian Languages:

• Comprehension of given passages.

• Precise Writing.

• Usage and Vocabulary.

• Short Essays.

Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

II. Paper-I: Essay

Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics.

They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. The more exact and efficient the writing is the better you score.

General Studies -1 Syllabus

Also known as Paper-II of UPSC Mains.  The syllabus here includes- Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.

Let us have a look at the detailed syllabus of General Studies-1:

The topic Indian culture includes Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

• Modern Indian History

• The Medieval History 

• The Indian Freedom Struggle, Freedom fighters and their contributions.

• India Post-independence 

• History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.

• 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 world’s physical geography.

• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); 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, cyclone. 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. 

UPSC Mains GS-II (Paper III) Syllabus 

1. Indian Constitution- a detailed study

2. Federal Structure

3. Distribution of Power

4. Comparison between other nations and Indian Constitution

5. Parliament and State legislatures

6. Indian Executive and Indian Judiciary

7. Representation of People’s Act.

8. Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies

9. Various quasi-judicial bodies

10. Government policies and implementation

11. The role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders

12. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

13. Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

14. Issues relating to poverty and hunger

15. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

16. Role of civil services in a democracy

17. India and its neighbourhood- relations

18. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

19. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

20. Important International institutions and agencies.

UPSC Mains GS-III (Paper IV) Syllabus

1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment

2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it

3. Government Budgeting

4. Major crops-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

5. 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

6. Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management

7. Land reforms in India

8. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

9. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways and others

10. Investment models

11. Science and technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

12. Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and development of new technology.

13. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights

14. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

15. Disaster and disaster management

16. Linkages between the development and spread of extremism

17. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

18. Challenges to internal security through communication networks, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money laundering and its prevention

19. Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism

20. Various Security forces and agencies 

UPSC Mains GS-IV (Paper V) 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; the role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values

2. Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion

3. 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

4. Emotional intelligence concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance

5. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world

6. 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

7. 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.

UPSC Mains Optional Paper (VI & VII) Syllabus-

It is very necessary to choose an optional subject which is right for you and helps you score better marks. Many candidates do their graduation in fields that they wish to choose their optional subjects in the UPSC exam or even you can choose the subject which you are most familiar to.  Choose a subject which you feel is easy for you and has less syllabus to cover. Many applicants adopt the overlapping technique, in which they select an optional subject that is also a significant component of General Studies. Optional choice should be made correctly as this can boost your marks in the final exam.

Here is a list of total 48 optional subjects in the UPSC Mains exam, which includes 25 core subjects and 22 Literature optional.

• Agriculture

• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

• Anthropology

• Botany

• Chemistry

• Civil Engineering

• Commerce and Accountancy

• Economics

• Electrical Engineering

• Geography

• Geology

• History

• Law

• Management

• Mathematics

• Mechanical Engineering

• Medical Science

• Philosophy

• Physics

• Political Science and International Relations

• Psychology

• Public Administration

• Sociology

• Statistics

• Zoology

Literature-

• Assamese, 

• Bengali, 

• Bodo,

• Dogri, 

• Gujarati

• Hindi, 

• Kannada,

• Kashmiri, 

• Konkani, 

• Maithili, 

• Malayalam,

• Manipuri, 

• Marathi, 

• Nepali, 

• Oriya,

• Punjabi, 

• Sanskrit, 

• Santali, 

• Sindhi, 

• Tamil, 

• Telugu, 

• Urdu, 

• English.

The candidate needs to choose any one of the optional subject from the above given list. You can also analyze the success rate of different optional subjects and then make a choice.

UPSC Syllabus for Interview

The candidates who qualify the UPSC main exam are called for the personal interview round. The candidates are interviewed by a Board appointed by the Union Public Service Commission –

1.​The main objective of the interview is to examine the candidate’s personality, mental ability, communication skills etc.

2.​In addition to the academic study, the candidates must be aware of the crucial affairs happening in the country or outside the country

3.​The candidate will be examined based on their career, professional and personal records, hobbies and interests which were filled by them in the DAF (Detailed Application Form).

4.​The interview will be 275 marks and the total marks for the written test is 1750, so their sum up is a total of 2025 marks.

For further detailed information you can visit the official website of the UPSC. The information provided in this article are as per the notification issued by UPSC.

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