UPS
UPSC Civil Services Mock Test Series 2026 (Tier 1 & Tier 2)
Last updated on Oct 11, 2026
52 Total Tests
100% FREE
English
Β· Instant all-India rank
- 4 Full Mocks
- 9 Sectional Tests
- 38 Chapter-wise Tests
- 1 Practice Sets
UPSC Civil Services topic-wise practice questions β Previous year papers β
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS Paper I β Full Mock 2 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims CSAT (Paper II) β Full Mock 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims CSAT (Paper II) β Full Mock 2 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I History & Culture β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I Polity & Governance β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I Geography & Environment β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I Economy β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I Science & Technology β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims GS I General Awareness β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims CSAT Comprehension β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims CSAT Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability β Sectional Test 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services Prelims CSAT Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation β Sectional Test 1 Free
History & Culture 1 test
UPSC Civil Services History β Chapter Test Free
Polity & Governance 1 test
UPSC Civil Services Polity β Chapter Test Free
Geography & Environment 1 test
UPSC Civil Services Geography β Chapter Test Free
Economy 2 tests
UPSC Civil Services Economy β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Banking Awareness β Chapter Test Free
Science & Technology 3 tests
UPSC Civil Services Physics β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Chemistry β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Biology β Chapter Test Free
General Awareness 1 test
UPSC Civil Services Static GK β Chapter Test Free
Comprehension 1 test
UPSC Civil Services Reading Comprehension β Chapter Test Free
Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability 14 tests
UPSC Civil Services Series β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Coding-Decoding β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Analogy β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Classification β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Alphabet & Word Order β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Direction Sense β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Blood Relations β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Order & Ranking β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Calendar β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Clocks β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Mathematical Operations β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Syllogism β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Counting & Patterns β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Inequality β Chapter Test Free
Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation 14 tests
UPSC Civil Services Percentage β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Profit, Loss & Discount β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Simple & Compound Interest β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Ratio & Proportion β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Average β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Time & Work β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Speed, Time & Distance β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Number System β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Simplification & Approximation β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Problems on Ages β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Mixture & Alligation β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Mensuration β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Partnership β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Civil Services Data Interpretation β Chapter Test Free
UPSC Prelims GS 1 β Mock 1 Free
UPSC Civil Services guide
What is UPSC Civil Services?
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, is India's most prestigious examination. It selects officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Audit and Accounts Service and over 20 other central services. A single merit list ranks all selected candidates across all services.
The exam is a year-long three-stage process: Prelims (May-June, objective), Mains (September, descriptive) and Personality Test/Interview (February-April of the following year). Each stage is a separate elimination round. Roughly 5-8 lakh candidates appear in Prelims; about 10,000-13,000 qualify for Mains; about 2,000-2,500 are called for the interview; and finally 900-1,100 candidates are recommended for various services.
Prelims has two objective papers: GS Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) which is counted in merit for shortlisting, and CSAT Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks) which is qualifying at 33%. Mains consists of nine papers β two qualifying language papers (one Indian language + English, each 300 marks) and seven merit papers: Essay (250), GS I (250), GS II (250), GS III (250), GS IV (250), Optional I (250), Optional II (250) β totalling 1,750 marks. The Personality Test (interview) carries 275 marks. Final merit = Mains + Interview = 2,025 marks.
IAS officers are India's administrative backbone β they head district administrations, run government departments and implement policy. An IAS officer starts as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate and can rise through District Collector, Division Commissioner to Secretary/Chief Secretary and Secretary to Government of India. The service offers immense authority, national and international postings, accommodation, and a pensionable career.
A new IAS officer draws Pay Level 10 (βΉ56,100 basic). With DA + HRA + other allowances in a major city, the in-hand salary is approximately βΉ75,000-βΉ90,000 per month. At the DM/Collector level (around 5-8 years of service), total compensation including accommodation, vehicle, staff and allowances represents significantly higher effective value. At Secretary level, pay reaches Level 17 (βΉ2,25,000 fixed).
Conducted byUPSC (Union Public Service Commission)
FrequencyOnce a year β Prelims in May/June
EligibilityGraduation in any discipline from any recognised university
Age limit (General)21β32 years
Age limit (OBC)21β35 years
Age limit (SC/ST)21β37 years
Attempts (General)6 attempts
Attempts (OBC)9 attempts
Attempts (SC/ST)Unlimited (within age limit)
Final merit marks2,025 (Mains 1,750 + Interview 275)
How it works
UPSC Civil Services selection process
1
Prelims (objective)
GS Paper I: 100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours. Tests History, Geography, Economy, Science, Environment, Polity, Current Affairs. Negative marking: 0.66 marks per wrong answer. CSAT Paper II: 80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours. Tests Comprehension, Reasoning, Maths, Communication. Qualifying at 33% (66 marks). Only GS Paper I marks are used for shortlisting.
2
Mains (descriptive)
Nine papers over 5-6 days. Qualifying: Indian Language (300m) + English (300m). Merit papers: Essay (250m), GS I (250m), GS II (250m), GS III (250m), GS IV Ethics (250m), Optional Paper I (250m), Optional Paper II (250m). Total merit marks: 1,750. Mains tests depth of understanding, writing skill, analytical ability and ethical reasoning.
3
Personality test (interview)
Final stage conducted at UPSC Bhawan, New Delhi. Duration: 30-40 minutes. Board of 4-5 members tests intellectual curiosity, clarity of thought, current events knowledge, optional subject understanding and overall personality. Carries 275 marks.
β
Service allocation
Final rank on the 2,025-mark merit list determines service allocation. Top ranks typically go to IAS (most preferred), followed by IPS, IFS, IRS and others. Candidates give a service preference order; allocation is strictly by rank Γ vacancy availability. Cadre allocation (state) within IAS is also rank-based.
Exam pattern
UPSC Civil Services exam pattern
Prelims
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I: General Studies | 100 | 200 | 2 hr |
| Paper II: CSAT (qualifying, 33%) | 80 | 200 | 2 hr |
One-third of the question's marks deducted for each wrong answer. Only Paper I decides the cut-off, provided you score 33% in CSAT.
Mains (descriptive) + interview
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A: Indian language (qualifying) | β | 300 | 3 hr |
| Paper B: English (qualifying) | β | 300 | 3 hr |
| Essay | 2 | 250 | 3 hr |
| General Studies IβIV (250 each) | β | 1000 | 3 hr each |
| Optional subject, Papers I & II (250 each) | β | 500 | 3 hr each |
| Personality test (interview) | β | 275 | β |
| Total | β | 2025 | β |
Final merit = 1,750 (Mains) + 275 (interview). Language papers are qualifying only.
Syllabus
UPSC Civil Services syllabus: subjects & topics
GS Paper I (History, Geography, Society)
Indian History β Ancient, Medieval, ModernFreedom Struggle & National MovementIndian Geography β Physical, Economic, ResourcesWorld GeographyIndian SocietySocial Empowerment & CommunalismPoverty & Developmental IssuesUrbanisationPost-independence Consolidation
GS Paper II (Governance, Polity, IR)
Indian Polity & ConstitutionParliament & State LegislaturesGovernance & Public PolicyGovernment SchemesSocial JusticeInternational RelationsBilateral & Regional GroupingsIndia & its Neighbourhood
GS Paper III (Economy, Science, Security)
Indian EconomyPlanning & BudgetingAgricultureIndustry & InfrastructureScience & TechnologyEnvironment & EcologyDisaster ManagementInternal Security & TerrorismLeft-Wing Extremism
GS Paper IV (Ethics)
Ethics & Human InterfaceAttitude & AptitudeEmotional IntelligencePublic Service Values & EthicsProbity in GovernanceCorruptionCase Studies in Administrative Ethics
Strategy
How to prepare for UPSC Civil Services
01NCERT foundation first β then standard texts
UPSC Prelims and Mains both test conceptual clarity. Start with NCERT textbooks Classes 6-12 for History, Geography, Polity, Economy and Science. NCERTs give the factual foundation; standard texts like Laxmikanth (Polity), Bipin Chandra (History) and Ramesh Singh (Economy) build on top. Skipping NCERTs and jumping to coaching material is the most common beginner mistake.
02Choose your optional subject based on graduation background
The optional subject (500 marks, two papers) is the biggest scoring opportunity in Mains. Choose a subject you genuinely understand β preferably your graduation subject. Public Administration, Geography, History, Sociology, PSIR and Anthropology are the most popular optional subjects among successful candidates. Analyse recent toppers' optional marks before deciding.
03Answer writing practice is non-negotiable for Mains
The Mains exam is purely descriptive. Most candidates who clear Prelims fail Mains because they can think but cannot write well under time pressure. Start writing 5-mark and 10-mark answers daily from Day 1 of Mains preparation. Join a test series and get answers reviewed by mentors.
04Current affairs: read 1 newspaper daily + monthly magazine
Current Affairs touches all four GS papers and the interview. Read The Hindu or Indian Express editorial page daily. Supplement with a monthly current affairs compilation (Vision IAS, Insights, etc.). Maintain a personal current affairs notebook organised by theme (Economy, IR, Governance, Science, Environment).
05Attempt 15+ full-length Prelims mocks before the exam
Prelims is a speed-accuracy test β 100 questions in 2 hours (72 sec per question) with negative marking. Many well-prepared candidates fail Prelims due to poor time management and over-marking. Attempt at least 15 full-length Prelims mocks under actual exam conditions, analyse every error and track your accuracy.
FAQs
UPSC Civil Services: frequently asked questions
How many times can I appear for UPSC CSE?
General: 6 attempts between age 21-32. OBC: 9 attempts between 21-35. SC/ST: unlimited attempts between 21-37. PwBD (General/OBC/SC/ST): 9 attempts within respective age limits.
Is graduation percentage required for UPSC?
No minimum percentage is required. Any graduate from a recognised university is eligible. Final year students can also appear in Prelims; they must complete graduation before the Mains application.
What is the UPSC Prelims cut-off?
UPSC publishes the final cut-off after each cycle. Historically, the GS Paper I cut-off ranges from 90-115 marks out of 200, varying by category and paper difficulty. The cut-off is not predictable β focus on maximising your score rather than aiming for the cut-off.
How many optional subjects are there in UPSC Mains?
Candidates choose one optional subject from a list of about 48 subjects, including Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Anthropology, Engineering (Civil/Electrical/Mechanical), History, Geography, Law, Medical Science, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, and literature of many Indian languages.
Is CSAT counted in the UPSC merit?
No. CSAT (Paper II) is qualifying only β you need 33% (66 marks out of 200) to clear it. Only GS Paper I marks are used to shortlist candidates for Mains.
How long does UPSC preparation typically take?
Most successful candidates take 1-3 years of focused preparation. First-time selectors are rare but not unheard of. The key variables are your graduation background, optional subject choice, study hours per day, and access to mentorship and test series.
What is the IAS salary per month?
Newly appointed IAS officers (Junior Time Scale) draw Basic βΉ56,100 (Pay Level 10) + DA (revised quarterly) + HRA. In-hand salary is approximately βΉ75,000-βΉ90,000 per month. At Senior Time Scale and above (5+ years), salary increases substantially. IAS officers also receive free government accommodation, staff and vehicle at certain levels.
Which service is considered most prestigious β IAS, IPS or IFS?
All three are elite, but preference typically goes: IAS (most chosen, administrative power), IPS (policing and security), IFS (foreign service and diplomacy). Final allocation depends on your rank and the preference order you submit.
Can I change my optional subject after registering for Mains?
No. Once you submit the DAF (Detailed Application Form) for Mains with your optional subject choice, it cannot be changed for that cycle. Choose your optional subject carefully before your first Mains attempt.
What is the UPSC Personality Test (interview) like?
The UPSC interview is conducted by a board of 4-5 members and lasts 30-45 minutes. It tests your personality, communication, awareness of current events, understanding of your optional subject and administrative thinking. It is not a test of knowledge alone β your ability to reason, accept different viewpoints and communicate confidently matters greatly.
Also in State PSC
The exam pattern, eligibility and other details are based on the latest notifications available and can change from one cycle to the next. Always confirm in the official notification on upsc.gov.in before you apply.
Ready to practise UPSC Civil Services?
Take a free mock test and see your all-India rank instantly.
