UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022

Union Public Service Commission has released the schedule of UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022. The candidates who missed the UPSC Cut Off by 1 or 2 marks in 2021 can re-apply for UPSC 2022. Whether it is your first attempt or last, go through this article to learn about the UPSC Exam 2022 Application Process, Notification Date, Syllabus and more.

About UPSC Exam

UPSC Civil Services Examination is largely called UPSC Exam or IAS Exam. It is an annual examination conducted by the sole authority – Union Public Service Commission. Deriving its functions entailed under Article 320, UPSC conducts various examinations for appointment to the services of the Union. All such examinations are mentioned in the official UPSC Calendar 2022.

Civil Services Examination takes place in three stages:

UPSC 2022 Prelims

As per the official notice by the UPSC, IAS Exam Prelims 2022 is scheduled for 5th June 2022.

A few important points about CSE Prelims are briefly mentioned below:

1. It is the first stage of the UPSC Exam.
2. It has two papers: GS-I and CSAT.
3. Both the papers are of objective type (MCQ).
4. GS 1 has 100 questions, while CSAT has 80.
5. There is a provision of negative marking for each wrong answer.
6. CSAT paper is of qualifying nature. Only those candidates passing with the minimum of 66 marks in this paper get their GS Paper 1 checked.
7. Marks of both the prelims papers are not considered for the final merit list.

To know about the syllabus, exam pattern, and negative marking in UPSC Prelims, visit the linked article.

Boosters for UPSC 2022 Prelims

UPSC 2022 Mains

The official examination calendar released by the UPSC has notified the date of UPSC 2022 Mains. The CSE Mains is scheduled from 16th September 2022 onwards.

Learn about some important points about this stage of the UPSC exam, mentioned briefly below:

1. It is a theory-based paper. Therefore, unlike prelims where a candidate has to select the right answer out of the given options (MCQ); in mains examination, one has to write subjective answers.
2. There are nine papers, out of which two language papers are of qualifying nature.
3. A candidate has to secure at least 30 percent in Indian language paper and 25 percent in English Language paper, failing which the remaining papers (GS, Essay & Optional) are not evaluated.
4. Marks scored in the language papers are not considered in the final evaluation.
5. The candidate has to select one optional subject from the list of 48 subjects listed by the Commission. There are two optional papers. (Please Note – Two Papers are based on the optional subject selected by the candidate).
6. While language papers are of 300 marks; the remaining seven papers are of 250 marks each.

Boosters for UPSC 2022 Mains

Once through the Mains syllabus, aspirants can start off with UPSC Mains Answer Writing. Here, we post questions tailored to suit the exam trend. This practice gets you familiar with your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to penning down what you have learnt so far.

UPSC 2022 Interview

The dates of the UPSC 2022 personality test are not out. Only those candidates who will qualify mains examination would be summoned to take UPSC 2022 interview. Usually, the number of candidates who take the personality test is twice the number of vacancies allotted for that year.

Learn about the process of the IAS Interview in the linked article, where we have given a detailed explanation about it, kinds of questions asked and guidance tips.

How to apply for UPSC 2022?

UPSC releases an official notification mostly in the month of February. An interested candidate has to download it from the official website of the Commission. After going through the instructions, syllabus and exam pattern of the CSE, the candidate has to apply for the preliminary stage online.

UPSC 2022 Eligibility

The Commission releases eligibility criteria for the recruitment year with its official notification. The eligibility criteria include:

• Eligibility Criteria for General Category
• Eligibility Criteria for SC/ST
• Eligibility Criteria for OBC
• Eligibility Criteria for PwBD

Candidates can also seek age exemption for the examination given they fulfil the required eligibility criteria.

The basic eligibility criteria for UPSC 2022 considering the general category:

• Minimum age limit – 21
• Maximum age limit – 32
• Number of attempts – 6
• Minimum Educational Qualification – Graduate Degree/Final Year Student

UPSC 2022 Preparation

Candidates must often hear the word ‘integrated preparation’ whenever it comes to UPSC preparation. It means one must prepare for prelims and mains together. As the sources of preparation don’t differ much for both these stages, candidates should opt for a blended strategy encompassing tips and tricks for each.

First, let us name all the important subjects asked in the UPSC Exam:

1. History – Ancient, Medieval. Modern Indian, World
2. Indian Polity – Governance, Constitution
3. Geography – India, World
4. Economy – Indian Economy
5. Environment – Ecology
6. Art & Culture
7. Science & Technology
8. Ethics

Each of these subjects can be studied using some very important books, some referred by even IAS toppers every year. Let us go through the list of some of these below:

The above-mentioned books can be complemented with the following reference books:

1. Norman Lowe’s Mastering Modern World History
2. Rajiv Ahir’s Brief History of Modern India
3. Subhash Kashyap’s Constitution of India
4. Ramesh Singh’s Indian Economy
5. G.C. Leong’s Certification Physical and Human Geography
6. Majid Hussain’s Environment & Ecology

One very important part of the UPSC Exam is Current Affairs. Though there is no dedicated section for this, questions from various subjects are influenced by the events of national and international importance.

UPSC 2022 – Frequently Asked Questions

How can I plan for UPSC 2022?

One should have at least eight months to one year of preparation before they sit for UPSC 2022. UPSC Syllabus should be covered verbatim, but before that trend analysis of both prelims and mains papers of last 5 years should be taken. If you are working, check the strategy for working professionals to crack UPSC.

Can I apply for UPSC 2022?

A candidate who fulfils the UPSC Eligibility Criteria can apply for the UPSC 2022. The minimum age limit is 21 and the maximum age limit is 32. A few candidates are given age exemption & more number of attempts based on the reservation.

What is the date of the UPSC exam 2022?

UPSC 2022 Prelims is on 5th June 2022, while UPSC 2022 Mains start from 16th September 2022. These dates are provisional and any official change to these dates will get reflected on the UPSC Exam Date Page.

Will Optional be removed from UPSC 2022?

There has been no official statement from the Union Public Service Commission to confirm the removal of Optional Subject from UPSC 2022. The best advice will be to prepare for the optional subject without wasting time.

What is the syllabus for UPSC 2022?

The Union Public Service Commission releases prelims and mains syllabus along with its official civil services examination notification. Check the syllabus:

1. UPSC Prelims Syllabus
2. UPSC Mains Syllabus