The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the prestigious and popular civil services in India. Aspiring candidates who wish to join this service need to clear the IAS examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The examination is conducted in three stages- Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Out of the three stages, the IAS Mains examination is considered the most challenging and comprehensive as it assesses the candidate's in-depth knowledge of diverse subjects, analytical and writing skills, and their ability to think critically. Hence, it is crucial for candidates to have a complete understanding of the IAS Mains Exam Pattern before appearing for the examination.
Vajirao IAS Academy, one of the leading IAS coaching institutes in Delhi, provides comprehensive guidance to aspirants preparing for the IAS examination. In this blog post, we will discuss the complete guide to IAS Mains Exam Pattern provided by Vajirao IAS Academy.
The IAS Mains examination consists of nine papers, including two optional papers. The nine papers are as follows:
- General Studies Paper-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
- General Studies Paper-II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.
- General Studies Paper-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio-Diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
- General Studies Paper-IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.
- Essay Writing
- English Language
- Hindi Language
- Optional Subject Paper-I
- Optional Subject Paper-II
The IAS Mains examination is conducted in offline mode, and each paper is of 250 marks. The total marks of the IAS Mains examination are 1750 marks. The duration of each paper is three hours, except for Paper A and Paper B, which are of two hours each.
To conclude, the IAS Mains examination is a critical stage in the journey of an aspiring IAS officer. It tests a candidate's knowledge, analytical skills, and writing abilities. Therefore, it is essential to have a complete understanding of the IAS Mains Exam Pattern before appearing for the examination.
Vajirao IAS Academy, with its comprehensive guidance and expert faculty, is an excellent choice for candidates who are looking for quality IAS coaching in Delhi. The academy's detailed study material, regular mock tests, and personalized guidance ensure that aspirants have a clear understanding of the IAS Mains Exam Pattern and are well-prepared for the examination.
Candidates should start preparing for the IAS Mains examination well in advance, with a clear understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus. With dedicated effort and hard work, along with the guidance and support of Vajirao IAS Academy, candidates can crack the IAS Mains examination and achieve their dream of becoming an IAS officer.
The Indian Language and English papers are qualifying papers, which means candidates need to score a minimum of 25% marks in each of these papers to qualify for the remaining papers. However, the marks obtained in these two papers are not counted for the final merit list.
Once you clear the UPSC Prelims, next there will be the UPSC Main exam.
Very few manage to clear the Prelims so, if you have cleared it, prepare very well for your Main exam.
It’s important at this stage, for you to clear the Main Exam.
We will provide all the necessary information for the UPSC Main Exam.
Know more about UPSC Mains Syllabus PDF
