The Civil Services examination comprises two successive stages:

1. Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination and
2. Civil Services Main Examination (Written and interview) for the selection of candidates to various services and posts.

2. The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers (General Studies and one of the Optionals chosen by candidate from the list of the optional subjects mentioned in sub-section A of Section 2). This Preliminary Examination is of Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions), and carry a maximum of 450 marks - 150 marks for General Studies and 300 for Optional. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year in the various Services and Posts. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in a year will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission to the Main examination.

3. The Main Examination consists of Written Examination and an Interview Test. The written examination consists of an Indian language paper for 300 marks, English lanuage paper for 300 marks, General Studies for 600 marks with two papers (each paper for 300 marks), Essay for 200 marks, and two optionals for 1200 marks chosen by the candidate from the list of optional subjects given in sub-section B of Section 2. Each Optional has two papers. Each paper is for 300 marks. Interview Test is for 300 marks.

4. Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the Written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their descretion, shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test vide sub-section C of Section II. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).

Marks thus obtained by the candidates in Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and Posts.


Note:

1. The papers on Indian languages and English are of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature: the marks obtained in these papers are not counted for ranking.
2. The papers on Essay, General Studies and Optional Subjects of only such candidates will be evaluated who attain such minimum standard as may be fixed by the Commission in their discretion for the qualifying papers on Indian language and English.
3. The paper-I on Indian language is not compulsory for candidates hailing from North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and also for candidates hailing from the State of Sikkim.

Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Sciences, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, Indian History, Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics and Zoology.


Note:

1. Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions).
2. The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
3. The course content of the syllabi for the optional subjects will be of the degree level.
4. Each paper will be of two hours duration.

B. MAIN EXAMINATION

List of Optional Subjects

Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce and Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology.

Literature of one of the following languages:

Arabic, Assamese, Bengali, Chinese, English, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Pali, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.

Note:

1. Candidates will not be allowed to offer the following combinations of subjects:

   1. Political Science and International Relations and Public Administration

   2. Commerce and Accountancy, and Management

   3. Anthropology and Sociology

   4. Mathematics and Statistics

   5. Agriculture, and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

   6. Management, and Public Administration

   7. Of the Engineering subjects viz., Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering not more than one subject

   8. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, and Medical Sciences.

2. The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.

3. Each paper will be of three hours duration.

4. Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the language papers, in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution or in English.

5. The question papers other than language papers will be set both in Hindi and English.

C. INTERVIEW TEST

The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of the candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are: mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

2. The technique of the interview is not that of a strict corss-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

3. The interview test is not intended to be a test eithe of the specialised or general knowledge of the candidate which has been alredy tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.