The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the main organization in India responsible for conducting exams to select people for top government jobs like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). Known as one of India's toughest exams, the UPSC exam attracts thousands of hopefuls every year.
As we get closer to the UPSC 2023 exam, it's smart to start getting ready for the UPSC 2024 exam. Even though lots of people apply, only a small number, usually in the hundreds, pass the UPSC Exam. This article aims to give detailed information about the UPSC 2024 exam to help those preparing for this highly competitive test.
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
The UPSC calendar for session 2024 is released now. The exam dates have been released we have enlisted the important dates for the candidates, take a look at it
| 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 Prelims Eligibility Criteria 2024
The official notice provides all the rules about who can take the exam. Candidates must look at the UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024 before applying. If someone who doesn't meet the requirements still applies, it can cause problems later.
Here's the age limit for the UPSC 2024 exam:
| 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 |
Also Read - Free UPSC Classes
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 |
Nationality for the UPSC Exam
a candidate must fulfill certain criteria: –- Citizen of India
- Citizen of Nepal
- Citizen of Bhutan
- A tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India
- Migrated from Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zaire
UPSC Syllabus 2024
The UPSC Prelims exam is the first part of the test. Candidates need to get at least 33% marks and also score above a certain level set by UPSC. This exam is to pick a small number of candidates for the Mains exam.
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2024
The UPSC Prelims has two parts: General Studies I and General Studies II or CSAT. These are multiple-choice questions worth a total of 400 marks. Both parts are usually taken on the same day in two sessions using pen and paper.
Before looking at the UPSC Syllabus 2024, candidates should know the exam format of the UPSC CSE exam well.
| Paper | Subjects | Marks | No. of Question | Duration |
| I | General Studies I(GS) | 200 | 100 | 2 hours (9:30 AM to 11:30 AM) |
| II | General Studies II OR CSAT | 200 | 80 | 2 hours (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM) |
UPSC Syllabus 2024 for Prelims Exam
Here's a simplified breakdown of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024:
UPSC Prelims Syllabus for General Studies (Paper I):
- Current affairs - National and international events.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Geography - Physical, social, and economic aspects of India and the world.
- Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, political system, etc.
- Economic and Social Development - Poverty, demographics, etc.
- Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change.
- General Science.
UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus for CSAT (Paper-II):
Candidates can check the IAS Prelims CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) Syllabus given below.
- Comprehension.
- Interpersonal skills and communication.
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
- Decision-making and problem-solving.
- General mental ability.
- Basic numeracy (up to Class X level) and Data interpretation (up to Class X level).
Here are valuable guidelines to enhance your preparation for UPSC 2024::
- Study the entire syllabus thoroughly.
- Practice Previous Years Questions (PYQs).
- Read daily newspapers and monthly magazines for current affairs.
- Take notes on important events.
- Practice multiple-choice questions regularly.
Key Highlights:
- Negative marking: 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer in Paper I and 0.833 marks in Paper II.
- No deduction for blank answers.
- Paper I questions are worth 2 marks each, while Paper II questions are worth 2.5 marks.
- Prelims marks don't count towards the final result.
- Paper II requires a minimum qualifying score of 33%.
IPS Salary Structure, Job Profile
Candidate can check the Salary Structure and Job Post in the table below.
| Post | Basic Pay (INR) |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police | 56,100 |
| Additional Superintendent of Police | 67,700 |
| Superintendent of Police | 78,800 |
| Deputy Inspector General of Police | 1,31,100 |
| Inspector-General of Police | 1,44,200 |
| Director-General of Police | 2,05,400 |
| Director-General of Police/ Director of IB or CBI | 2,25,000 |
UPSC 2024 Application Process
Here are simple steps for applying to UPSC 2024:
- Go to the official UPSC website.
- Look for the UPSC Notification and download it.
- Find the UPSC 2024 Application Form link and click "Apply."
- Fill out the form with all the necessary information.
- Double-check everything before submitting the application.
UPSC Online Application Process for 2024
Here's a simplified explanation of the UPSC 2024 online application process:
- The application process starts when the official notification is released.
- It's important to fill out the application form accurately because even small mistakes can lead to rejection.
The online application has two parts:
- Part 1: You enter basic details like your name, age, and address.
- Part 2: You choose your exam center, pay the fee, and upload your photo, signature, and ID proof.
For a detailed guide, candidates can check the linked article.
Application Fee:
- The fee for the UPSC online application is Rs. 100/-. You can pay this at any State Bank of India branch, online through net banking, or using a debit/credit card or UPI.
- However, some candidates like females, SC, ST, and persons with disabilities don't need to pay the fee.
UPSC Answer Key 2024
User The UPSC declares the answer key of the UPSC Exam 2024 on its website after the conduction of the examination. The organization announces the candidates' scores as well as the minimum scores needed to qualify for the UPSC 2024 exam after the announcement of the final result.
Here's how to check the UPSC Answer Key 2024:
- Go to the official UPSC website.
- Look for the "Answer Key" section and find the UPSC CSE 2024 exam.
- The UPSC Answer Key 2024 will be displayed. Download and save it for future reference.
UPSC 2024 Admit Card
Here's a simplified explanation of the UPSC IAS 2024 admit card:
- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will put out the UPSC IAS 2024 admit card on their official website.
- The admit card is available online.
- UPSC will first release the prelims admit card. Only candidates who pass this exam can sit for the main exam.
- At the time of the exam, candidates must bring their admit card and a valid ID card to the exam center.
- The Prelims Admit Card will be available on the UPSC official website 2-3 weeks before the exam date.
Details on the UPSC 2024 Admit Card include:
- Candidate's Name
- Candidate's Roll Number
- Gender
- Category
- Date of Birth
- Exam Date and Timings
- Exam Centre Name
- Candidate's Photo
- Candidate's Signature
- Exam Day Guidelines
UPSC CSE 2024 Exam Centers
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will announce the list of exam centers for the UPSC 2024 exam when they release the official notification. They have added two new centers for the prelims, bringing the total number of prelims exam centers to 79.
UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims Exam Centre
| 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 - UPSC 2024: Exam Date, Eligibility, Notification, Syllabus
UPSC IAS 2024 Result
- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will publish the results of the UPSC IAS 2024 exam on their official website. The results will be available online.
- The UPSC IAS 2024 results will be in the form of a merit list, which will include the names and roll numbers of the candidates who have qualified for the exam.
- UPSC will also provide the marks scored by the qualified candidates. A direct link will be activated to download the mark sheet for those who pass the civil services examination.
- Additionally, UPSC will release the final merit list for UPSC IAS 2024.