UPSC Prelims 2024 Exam Date, Eligibility, Notification, Syllabus
Many people from different backgrounds are expected to apply for UPSC 2024, all hoping to secure a position in the respected civil services. As the UPSC exam date for 2024 gets closer, it's important for candidates to learn the important details, how to prepare, and what to expect in the exam.
Come with us as we break down the complexities of UPSC CSE 2024, providing you with the information, tips, and resources you need to do well in this significant exam. We'll cover important things like the structure of the UPSC exam, who is eligible to apply, what subjects to study at each stage, tips for preparation, and suggested study materials.
UPSC PRELIMS 2024- Overview
| Particulars |
Prelims |
| Exam Date |
28th May 2024 |
| No. of Papers |
Two |
| Types of Questions |
Objective Type |
| Duration of Exam |
2 hours each |
| Total Marks |
400 |
| Medium of Exam |
English & Hindi |
| Negative Marking |
(1/3rd of the maximum marks for the question) |
| Marks Counted in Merit |
No |
UPSC Exam Date 2024
AThe UPSC Notification for 2024 is set to be released on February 14, 2024. This document holds significant information such as important dates, the number of available positions, the syllabus, and all the requirements that candidates must adhere to in order to participate in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It serves as a crucial guide for individuals aspiring to take part in this prestigious examination.
| UPSC 2024 Important Events |
Schedule |
| Availability of UPSC 2024 Notification |
February 14, 2024 |
| UPSC Form Date 2024 |
February 14, 2024 |
| UPSC Application Last Date 2024 |
March 05, 2024 |
| UPSC 2024 Prelims Date |
May 26, 2024 |
UPSC 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Before commencing the journey of preparing for UPSC 2024 Civil Services, understanding the eligibility criteria is crucial. These criteria form the basis for aspirants looking to take part in the esteemed Civil Services Examination and contribute as administrators to the nation.
For UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, the eligibility criteria are as follows:
Nationality:
- The candidate must be either:
- A citizen of India
- A subject of Nepal or Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of settling permanently
- A person of Indian origin who migrated from specific countries with the intention of settling permanently in India
Educational Qualification:
- Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
- Those in their final year of graduation can apply provisionally but must provide proof of passing the degree examination before a specified date.
Number of Attempts:
- General Category: Six attempts
- OBC Category: Nine attempts
- SC/ST Category: No restriction on attempts until the upper age limit is reached (excluding relaxation categories)
Physical Fitness:
- Candidates must meet specific physical and medical standards, particularly for services like the Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
UPSC Age Criteria – The age limit for the UPSC 2024 is given below:
| Category |
Minimum Age for UPSC 2024 |
Maximum Age |
| For General Candidate |
21 years |
32 years |
| EWS |
21 |
32 |
| For OBC candidates |
21 years |
35 years |
| For SC/ST |
21 years |
37 years |
UPSC Qualifications Eligibility Criteria 2024
Given below are the eligibility criteria for different UPSC exams. Check the eligibility criteria here..
| Exam |
Age Limit |
Qualifications |
| Civil Services Examination |
21 years – 32 years |
Degree from a recognized University or equivalent |
| Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination |
19 years – 25 years |
Degree from a recognized University or equivalent |
| National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) Examination |
16 years – 19 years |
Candidate can apply after class 12. |
| Engineering Services Examination |
21 years – 30 years |
Valid Engineering Degree. |
| Combined Geo-Scientist Examination |
21 years – 32 years |
Master’s Degree |
| CISF AC (EXE) LDCE Examination |
18 years – 23 years |
Candidate can apply after class 12. |
| Indian Forest Services Examination |
21 years – 32 years |
Bachelor’s degree in interested field |
| IES / ISS Examination |
21 years – 30 years |
Graduation and Post-Graduation Degree. |
| Combined Medical Services Examination |
The upper age limit is 32 years |
M.B.B.S. Examination |
| Central Armed Police Force (ACs) Examination |
20 – 25 years |
Bachelor’s Degree |
| S.O./Steno (GD – B / GD - I) LDCE Examination |
Not specified |
Different educational qualifications and work experience required for a different post. |
UPSC Age Relaxation 2024
UPSC provides age relaxation for different categories. The candidates must check the age relaxation details for the exam
| Category |
Age Relaxation |
| SC/ST |
5 years |
| OBC |
3 years |
| Defence Services Personnel |
3 years |
| Ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs |
5 years |
| Hearing problem, deaf, low vision, ex-servicemen, blindness, muscle deformity |
10 years |
UPSC Syllabus 2024 for Prelims Exam
The UPSC 2024 syllabus is extensive and all-encompassing, aiming to evaluate candidates on their knowledge, analytical abilities, and comprehension of various issues related to governance, society, economy, and international affairs.
Paper-I: General Studies (GS)
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and the Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, and 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, Biodiversity, and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.
- General Science.
Paper-II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)
- Comprehension
- 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).
Here are some useful tips to prepare for UPSC 2024:
- Know the Syllabus Well: Make sure you understand and cover all the topics in the UPSC 2024 syllabus.
- Practice Previous Year's Questions: Get familiar with the exam pattern and types of questions by practicing previous years' question papers.
- Stay Updated with News: Read newspapers daily and monthly magazines to stay informed about national and international events.
- Take Notes for Important Events: Develop a habit of creating concise and organized notes for important events to make revision easier.
- Practice Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): Improve your problem-solving skills by regularly practicing multiple-choice questions for better speed and accuracy.
Key Points to Remember:
- If you answer a question incorrectly, 1/3rd of the total mark will be deducted.
- No marks will be deducted for leaving a question blank.
- In General Studies (Paper I), each question is worth 2 marks, and there is a penalty of 0.66 marks for each incorrect answer.
- In CSAT (Paper-II), each question is worth 2.5 marks, and there is a penalty of 0.833 marks for each incorrect answer.
- Preliminary exam marks won't be considered in the final merit list.
- Paper II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination is a qualifying paper, and you need a minimum of 33% marks to pass.
UPSC 2024 Application Process
The UPSC Application Form for 2024 is made available on the same date as the Notification. As per the 2024 Calendar, the UPSC Prelims 2024 application form will be released on 14th February 2024. Candidates can fill out the form up to the last date, which is 5th March 2024. It's essential to complete the application within this timeframe to be considered for the UPSC Preliminary Examination.
To apply for UPSC 2024, follow these simple steps:
- Open the UPSC Notification and download it.
- Look for the UPSC 2024 Application Form link and click "Apply."
- Fill in all the necessary information in the application form.
- Double-check the details before submitting to ensure accuracy.
UPSC Application Fee:
Candidates are required to pay a fee of Rs. 100/- for the UPSC online application. This fee can be paid by depositing the amount in any branch of the State Bank of India in cash, utilizing the Net Banking facility of any bank, or using Visa/Master/RuPay/Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment. It's important to note that certain categories of candidates, such as Females, SC/ST, and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, are exempted from paying the application fee.
Also Read – UPSC 2024 Exam eligibility, pattern, syllabus, dates
UPSC Admit Card 2024
To obtain the UPSC 2024 admit card, candidates should adhere to the following steps:
- Visit the Official UPSC Website: Access the Union Public Service Commission's official website at www.upsc.gov.in.
- Locate the Admit Card Section: Look for the "Admit Card" or "e-Admit Card" link on the homepage of the website.
- Choose the CSE Examination: Click on the link specifically related to the UPSC Civil Services Examination admit card.
- Enter Required Details: Provide the necessary details, such as Registration ID/Roll Number and Date of Birth, to access the admit card.
- Download the Admit Card: After entering the required details, the UPSC CSE admit card will be displayed on the screen. Candidates must carefully verify the details, including the examination venue, date, and time.
- Print the Admit Card: Once verified, download and print a copy of the admit card. It is mandatory to carry a printed copy to the examination centre.
It's essential to note that separate admit cards are issued for the Preliminary and Main examinations. Candidates should keep their admit cards safe until the entire selection process is completed.
Details mentioned on UPSC 2024 Admit Card
- Name of the candidate
- Roll Number of the candidate
- Gender
- Category of the candidate
- Date of birth
- Exam date and timings
- Exam Centre name
- Photo of the candidate
- Signature of the candidate
- Exam day guidelines
UPSC CSE 2024 Exam Centers
The list of examination centres for IAS Prelims are given below:
| Agra |
Bilaspur |
Faridabad |
| Agartala |
Bhopal |
Gaya |
| Ahmedabad |
Chennai |
Gangtok |
| Ajmer |
Chandigarh |
Gautam Buddh Nagar |
| Aizawl |
Cuttack |
Gorakhpur |
| Aligarh |
Coimbatore |
Ghaziabad |
| Aurangabad |
Delhi |
Gurgaon |
| Anantpur |
Dehradun |
Gwalior |
| Bareilly |
Dharwad |
Hyderabad |
| Bangalore |
Dispur |
PANAJI (GOA) |
| Imphal |
Indore |
Itanagar |
| Jabalpur |
Jodhpur |
Jaipur |
| Jorhat |
Kochi |
Kolkata |
| Kozhikode |
Lucknow |
Leh |
| Ludhiana |
Mumbai |
Madurai |
| Mysore |
Nagpur |
Navi Mumbai |
| Patna |
Port Blair |
Pune |
| Prayagraj |
Rajkot |
Shillong |
| Shimla |
Siliguri |
Srinagar |
| Sambalpur |
MANDI (NEW) |
Thane |
| Thiruvananthapuram |
Tirupati |
Tiruchirapalli |
| Udaipur |
Varanasi |
Vellore |
| Vijayawada |
Visakhapatnam |
Warangal |
| Vishakhapatnam |
Dharamsala (new) |
Nasik |
| Mysuru |
Dharwar |
Tirupati |
| Kozhikode (calicut) |
Surat |
Kolkatta |
| Srinagar (uttarakhand) |
Kohima |
Jammu |
| Bengaluru |
Ranchi |
Ananthapuru |
| Almora (uttarakhand) |
Raipur |
Indore |
| Puducherry |
Prayagraj (allahabad) |
Portblair |
Also Read – LBSNAA: India’s Civil Services Training Academy
UPSC IAS 2024 Result
The results for UPSC IAS 2024 will be announced by the Union Public Service Commission on their official website. The Prelims results will be declared online, presented in a merit list format containing the names and roll numbers of the successful candidates. UPSC will also release the marks obtained by the qualified candidates, and a direct link will be activated to download the mark sheet for those who clear the civil services examination. Additionally, the final merit list for UPSC IAS 2024 will be made available to the public. Candidates are encouraged to regularly check the official website for updates and access their results and related information.
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