Change of UPSC Exam Pattern

The scheme of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination was revised with effect from Civil Services Examination (CSE), 2011 on the recommendations of Prof. S.K. Khanna Committee with notification of Civil Services Examination Rules, 2011 by the Government. The earlier objective type paper of optional Subject (in Preliminary stage) was discontinued. Vide these Rules, two papers of objective type of 200 marks each were introduced i.e. General Studies Paper-1 and General Studies Paper-2. The merit of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination was prepared on the basis of sum total of marks scored by the candidates in Paper-1 and Paper-2. This scheme of Preliminary Examination continued till Civil Services Examination, 2014. However, the English language comprehension as a part of General Studies Paper-2 in the scheme of Preliminary Examination was deleted in CSE, 2014.

The Government with the notification of Rules of CSE, 2015 made the Paper-2 of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination qualifying with minimum marks of 33%.

The scheme of Civil Services (Main) Examination was revised with the Notification of Civil Services Examination, 2013 on consideration of the recommendations of Prof. Arun Nigavekar Committee constituted for the purpose. The list of optional subjects was revised. The candidates were allowed to choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list of optional subjects given in the Scheme of Civil Services (Main) Examination. Four conventional (subjective) type papers of General Studies of 250 marks each and two papers of one Optional; subject each of 250 marks were introduced. The essay paper had a weightage of 250 marks.

The Government had increased two more attempts with consequential two years increase in the permissible upper age limits with the Civil Services Examination, 2014. This is still in existence. The candidates who had appeared in CSE, 2011 and were not eligible in CSE, 2015 either in terms of attaining the maximum age or exhausting the number of attempts were allowed to appear in CSE, 2015 irrespective of their age and number of attempts taken. Prior to CSE, 2014 maximum number of attempts allowed for General Category candidates were four with the maximum age limit as 30 years.