UPSC Mains: Every year, the Union Public Service Commission conducts examinations to fill various Group A and Group B positions in the Indian government. The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India.
This page provides the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Mains 2025 pattern and details. After the official announcement, the content will be updated with any changes specific to the UPSC Mains 2025 exam.
UPSC Mains 2025
The UPSC CSE Notification 2025 is expected to be released in February 2025. The UPSC Prelims 2025 exam will be held on June 2025, with the UPSC Mains scheduled to begin in September 2025. The final selection process will include the Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages.
What is the UPSC Mains Exam?
The UPSC Mains exam is the second stage of the Civil Services Examination and is taken by candidates who qualify the UPSC Prelims. To appear for the Mains, candidates must clear the General Studies Paper I and the CSAT (General Studies Paper II) in the Prelims with a minimum qualifying score.
The UPSC Mains exam assesses candidates’ depth of knowledge and analytical abilities. Successful candidates from the Mains exam proceed to the UPSC Personality Test (Interview) stage.
UPSC Mains 2025 Overview
Below is the overview of the UPSC Mains 2025 exam. Candidates are advised to carefully review the table below:
| UPSC Mains 2025 Overview | |
| Aspect | Details |
| Exam Name | UPSC Mains Exam |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Type | Written (Main) |
| Purpose | Selection for Various Civil Services Positions |
| Exam Date | September 2025 (Tentative) |
| Duration | Typically 5-7 Days |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen and Paper) |
| Exam Centers | Various cities across India |
| Eligibility Criteria | Must have cleared the UPSC Preliminary Exam |
| Selection Process | Preliminary Exam
Main Exam Personality Test (Interview) |
| Exam Pattern | Descriptive Type |
| Admit Card Release | To be Announced |
UPSC Mains 2025 Exam Pattern
The UPSC Mains exam 2025 will follow the same structure as in previous years, with nine papers in total. Out of these, seven papers will be considered for merit ranking. Candidates will also choose one optional subject, for which two papers will be evaluated.
The total marks for the Mains exam will be 1750 (out of 250 marks for each of the 7 papers). The exam will be conducted over several days, with each paper lasting three hours.
The detailed UPSC Mains 2025 exam pattern is as follows:
| UPSC Mains 2025 Exam Pattern | ||||
| S.No. | Papers | Subject | Nature of Exam | Total Marks |
| 1 | Paper A | Indian Language | Qualifying | 300 |
| 2 | Paper B | English | Qualifying | 300 |
| 3 | Paper I | Essay | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 4 | Paper II | General Studies (GS) I | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 5 | Paper III | General Studies (GS) II | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 6 | Paper IV | General Studies (GS) III | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 7 | Paper V | General Studies (GS) IV | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 8 | Paper VI | Optional Subject Paper-I | Counted for Merit | 250 |
| 9 | Paper VII | Optional Subject Paper-II | Counted for Merit | 250 |
UPSC Mains 2025 Syllabus
The UPSC Mains syllabus consists of two primary components:
- Qualifying Papers
- Papers Counted for Merit Ranking
UPSC Mains 2025 Syllabus – Important Points
- The merit list of the candidates will depend on their performance in the Mains exam and the Personality Test (Interview).
- The UPSC Mains exam aims to assess a candidate’s analytical abilities, in-depth knowledge, and their ability to tackle socio-economic challenges and conflicting goals.
- Candidates should be familiar with previous years’ question papers, as they give an idea of the types of questions that appear in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V).
- Scientific (non-programmable) calculators are permitted in the Mains exam if necessary.
- The level of the optional subject exam is comparable to a bachelor’s degree, which is equivalent to the level of an honors degree.
UPSC Mains Syllabus for Qualifying Papers
Candidates must secure at least 25% in both Paper A and Paper B for their scores in the other papers to be considered. The syllabus for the Qualifying Papers is as follows:
| UPSC Mains Syllabus and Exam Pattern for Qualifying Papers | |
| Paper | Exam Pattern |
| Paper A – Indian Language |
|
| Paper B – English |
|
UPSC Mains 2025 – General Studies Paper I to IV Syllabus
The syllabus for the General Studies papers includes a range of topics, including history, geography, governance, technology, and ethics. You should refer to the detailed syllabus as mentioned in the official notification once it’s available.